‘Civilian Warriors: Blackwater and the War on Terror’
‘Civilian Warriors: Blackwater and the War on Terror’ by Erik Prince – Washington Post Book Review by Phillip Carter.
… After years in self-imposed exile overseas because of frustration with Blackwater’s legal woes and other issues, Prince now reenters the fray with “Civilian Warriors,” a book about the life, death and resurrection of Blackwater. Prince’s story begins with his maturation as the scion of a Midwestern business family, who inherits the family manufacturing business while serving as a Navy SEAL. After growing restless with the family concern, he started Blackwater with a small, tight-knit group of other former SEALs. The original business plans for Blackwater envisioned the world’s premier shooting facility, where elite military, intelligence and law enforcement personnel could train in ways Prince only dreamed of while wearing the uniform. After 9/11, Blackwater’s mission expanded dramatically, with the company diversifying into many other fields, most notably private security for the State Department and CIA overseas, among other customers. In 1998, Blackwater had roughly $400,000 in revenue ; in 2006, that figure stood at more than $1 billion.
The book, co-authored with David Coburn, presents a well-written, credible defense of Blackwater and Prince’s role in building it. but it does not answer the important questions surrounding contractors and their performance in Iraq and Afghanistan…
