Image via WikipediaJust when it all seemed to have gone quiet over Blackwater - America's notorious private military contractor that came to the fore in the Iraq conflict - its founder turns up in the desert deploying a secret and private army for the government of the United Arab Emirates.
Erik Prince, billionaire founder of Blackwater (now re-branded as XE) has set up the force - which consists of Colombian and South African elements, to protect the Emirates from both external threat and internal challenge, according to documents seen by the New York Times:
The force is intended to conduct special operations missions inside and outside the country, defend oil pipelines and skyscrapers from terrorist attacks and put down internal revolts, the documents show. Such troops could be deployed if the Emirates faced unrest or were challenged by pro-democracy demonstrations in its crowded labor camps or democracy protests like those sweeping the Arab world this year.
All very grim.
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