# Blackwater used 'child prostitutes in Iraq' **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 21, 2009, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blackwater-used-child-prostitutes-in-iraq/507145 "2009-08-21T00:17:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![PrettyVacant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/49beb7/32.png) [@PrettyVacant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PrettyVacant)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2009, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blackwater-used-child-prostitutes-in-iraq/507145/1 "2009-08-21T00:17:28Z")
[Link:](http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=102887§ionid=3510203) > [@](#): > > According to a report by MSNBC and based on alleged sworn declarations by two Blackwater employees in federal court, the firm used child prostitutes at its compound in Baghdad’s fortified Green Zone. > > The declarations added Iraqi minors got involve in sexual acts with Blackwater members in exchange for one dollar and Erik Prince, the firm’s owner, “failed to stop the ongoing use of prostitutes, including child prostitutes, by his men.” > > \ > > The criminal activities of the firm first came under scrutiny after a group of the firm’s members who were tasked to guard US diplomats in Iraq opened fire on civilians in Baghdad on September 2007, killing 17 people. > > **According to federal contract data obtained by The Nation, the Obama administration has recently extended a contract with Blackwater for more than $20 million for “security services” in Iraq.** Still winning hearts and minds from that moral high ground. Across the border, the Taliban will make the most of this. ---
**Author:** ![PrettyVacant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/49beb7/32.png) [@PrettyVacant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PrettyVacant)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2009, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blackwater-used-child-prostitutes-in-iraq/507145/2 "2009-08-21T00:37:51Z")
This comes on the back of the les than reassuring news three weeks ago: [Link](http://www.thenation.com/doc/20090817/scahill) > [@](#): > > A former Blackwater employee and an ex-US Marine who has worked as a security operative for the company have made a series of explosive allegations in sworn statements filed on August 3 in federal court in Virginia. \*\*The two men claim that the company’s owner, Erik Prince, may have murdered or facilitated the murder of individuals who were cooperating with federal authorities investigating the company. \*\*The former employee also alleges that Prince “views himself as a Christian crusader tasked with eliminating Muslims and the Islamic faith from the globe,” and that Prince’s companies “encouraged and rewarded the destruction of Iraqi life.” \ > [@](#): > > \*\* To that end, Mr. Prince intentionally deployed to Iraq certain men who shared his vision of Christian supremacy, knowing and wanting these men to take every available opportunity to murder Iraqis. Many of these men used call signs based on the Knights of the Templar, the warriors who fought the Crusades\*\*. > > ``` > Mr. Prince operated his companies in a manner that encouraged and rewarded the destruction of Iraqi life. For example, Mr. Prince's executives would openly speak about going over to Iraq to "lay Hajiis out on cardboard." **Going to Iraq to shoot and kill Iraqis was viewed as a sport or game.** Mr. Prince's employees openly and consistently used racist and derogatory terms for Iraqis and other Arabs, such as "ragheads" or "hajiis." > > ``` Say, wasn’t the former Vice President in some small way connected to this company? ---
**Author:** ![VarlosZ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d78d45/32.png) [@VarlosZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VarlosZ)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2009, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blackwater-used-child-prostitutes-in-iraq/507145/3 "2009-08-21T00:41:56Z")
Do you perhaps have a link to a cite that _isn’t_ funded by the Iranian government? ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2009, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blackwater-used-child-prostitutes-in-iraq/507145/4 "2009-08-21T01:11:08Z")
> [@VarlosZ](#): > > Do you perhaps have a link to a cite that _isn’t_ funded by the Iranian government? How about [ABC News](http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=8258915&page=1)? > [@](#): > > But allegations of murder just scratch the surface: the two men – one alleges he is an ex-Marine, the other says he shared his allegations with a federal grand jury – claim far more. John Doe 2 claims routine murderous violence against Iraqis, a wife-swapping sex ring, use of child prostitutes, gun-running and more by Blackwater employees. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2009, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blackwater-used-child-prostitutes-in-iraq/507145/5 "2009-08-21T01:18:46Z")
Shocked, shocked I am, that the decision to hire mercenaries had such results. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2009, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blackwater-used-child-prostitutes-in-iraq/507145/6 "2009-08-21T01:33:34Z")
> [@PrettyVacant](#): > > [Link:](http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=102887§ionid=3510203) > Still winning hearts and minds from that moral high ground. > > Across the border, the Taliban will make the most of this. Why are you giving aid and comfort to the enemy? ---
**Author:** ![wierdaaron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/eada6e/32.png) [@wierdaaron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wierdaaron)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2009, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blackwater-used-child-prostitutes-in-iraq/507145/7 "2009-08-21T01:37:01Z")
The people who run Blackwater, or whatever they call themselves today, are some of the most evil people on the planet. I wish a mighty pox upon them. That said, thanks to Bushie they’ve got a pretty heavy presence in Iraq and it’s probably kind of difficult to simply ask them to leave. I doubt there’s a PMC outfit that’s not run and staffed by vile people. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2009, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blackwater-used-child-prostitutes-in-iraq/507145/8 "2009-08-21T01:55:31Z")
> [@PrettyVacant](#): > > Across the border, the Taliban will make the most of this. Can we get them to cheer real loud so they can be taken out by snipers? ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2009, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blackwater-used-child-prostitutes-in-iraq/507145/9 "2009-08-21T02:41:41Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > How about [ABC News](http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=8258915&page=1)? They’re owned by Disney, which made billions from _Aladdin_, which is about Muslims! Cut Blackwater some slack. Maybe they do and maybe they don’t employ child prostitutes who perform oral sex for $1.00 per blow job (an actual accusation), but even if they do… they’re doing the [work of God](http://chattahbox.com/us/2009/08/05/blackwater-shocker-erik-prince-christian-crusader-implicated-in-murder/). (Seriously, Erik Prince is a James Bond/Dan Brown/Tom Clancy supervillain from all accounts: a billionaire religious Fundie fanatic [how Fundie? He dropped his support of George Bush the First because he was so liberal on gays] with a private army and a trail of dead bodies when an investigation starts and information on and contacts among every powerful person in the last administration- you just know there’s an underwater base somewhere and a single button that will blow up Pittsburgh as a show of force one day.) ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2009, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blackwater-used-child-prostitutes-in-iraq/507145/10 "2009-08-21T02:42:35Z")
> [@wierdaaron](#): > > The people who run Blackwater, or whatever they call themselves today, are some of the most evil people on the planet. I wish a mighty pox upon them. Lets contract nationwide mandatory single payer UHC thru em. They’d do a heckuva better job than the insurance companies, for sure. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2009, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blackwater-used-child-prostitutes-in-iraq/507145/11 "2009-08-21T03:05:42Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > …you just know there’s an underwater base somewhere… There’s gotta be a base in a fake volcano, too. Supervillians with only one superbase are SO 1965. ---
**Author:** ![Ale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Ale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ale)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2009, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blackwater-used-child-prostitutes-in-iraq/507145/12 "2009-08-21T03:13:07Z")
[And an obvious, clearly visible self destruct button in it.](http://www.villainsource.com/lairs.html) ---
**Author:** ![joebuck20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/74df32/32.png) [@joebuck20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joebuck20)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2009, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blackwater-used-child-prostitutes-in-iraq/507145/13 "2009-08-21T03:17:40Z")
And a white cat with a diamond collar. ---
**Author:** ![3trew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/3/13edae/32.png) [@3trew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/3trew)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2009, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blackwater-used-child-prostitutes-in-iraq/507145/14 "2009-08-21T03:22:34Z")
There’s no doubt in my mind that he’s evil, but I’m not convinced he’s Bond level evil. Putin could take him out with a Q-Tip. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2009, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blackwater-used-child-prostitutes-in-iraq/507145/15 "2009-08-21T03:23:36Z")
> [@joebuck20](#): > > And a white cat with a diamond collar. I’ve offered the services of my evil white cat before. I still think Cuthbert can take 'em all out. They’ll be sobbing for mercy. ---
**Author:** ![emcee2k](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7bcc69/32.png) [@emcee2k](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emcee2k)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2009, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blackwater-used-child-prostitutes-in-iraq/507145/16 "2009-08-21T03:59:12Z")
I wonder if mercenaries have to deal with OSHA. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2009, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blackwater-used-child-prostitutes-in-iraq/507145/17 "2009-08-21T05:48:29Z")
> [@3trew](#): > > There’s no doubt in my mind that he’s evil, but I’m not convinced he’s Bond level evil. Nah, he’s more like the bad guy from a Lorenzo Lamas flick. I bet he has an octagonal dojo hidden behind his office where he goes to practice his katana, shirtless. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2009, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blackwater-used-child-prostitutes-in-iraq/507145/18 "2009-08-21T05:57:44Z")
I have no particular love of Blackwater, but I do hate propaganda. In this particular case, I’d be suspicious of the choice of words in the article(s). Statistics-wise, it’s unlikely that there’s any correlation between being a mercenary and being a pedophile. So let’s review a few points: 1. The grand majority of “child prostitutes” in the US are 17 years old; the next largest group is 16 years old; and so on. 2. It’s fully possible that a significant portion of all prostitutes in Afghanistan are minors, making it so that any random selection of booty call is likely to end up being “child prostitution” regardless that there was no particular choice made to target children. 3. Depending on location of deployment, regular military men’s use of prostitutes can get up into the 60% range ([averaging data on marines in Korea/Thailand](http://books.google.com/books?id=vnnJYQ4FYasC&pg=PA265&lpg=PA265&dq=percent+of+men+in+the+military+who+have+prostitute&source=bl&ots=Ohki5yFDTb&sig=nrEalrNkd0TsV6YhGDZxaq0LpRg&hl=en&ei=6DWOSrixIILysQP20YXjCQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=8#v=onepage&q=&f=false)). There’s no particular reason to think that Blackwater soldiers are more or less choosy about their Afghanistan prostitutes than US military. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2009, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blackwater-used-child-prostitutes-in-iraq/507145/19 "2009-08-21T06:06:30Z")
I agree; flinging accusations of child rape, pedophilia or anything else related to sexual contact with minors is always a sure way to get emotions high and everyone all wound up into a flurry of righteous indignation and anger. I’m not completely discounting the accusations but I’m also not going to automatically believe them either. I know for sure that if I wanted to really destroy someone’s reputation, the first thing I’d do was to say something like this (ok, maybe after first accusing them of racism,) whether it had a basis in truth or not. It’s a common tactic of propaganda, so it immediately raises a red flag for me when I hear it. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2009, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blackwater-used-child-prostitutes-in-iraq/507145/20 "2009-08-21T06:18:26Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > Cut Blackwater some slack. Maybe they do and maybe they don’t employ child prostitutes who perform oral sex for $1.00 per blow job (an actual accusation), Our own child prostitutes want $5 a blow job. If it weren’t for those child prostitute unions, these jobs wouldn’t be outsourced overseas. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blackwater-used-child-prostitutes-in-iraq/507145.md?page=2)