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GUEST: Jeremy Scahill, author of “Blackwater: The Rise of the World’s Most Powerful Mercenary Army”

Private military contractor Blackwater Worldwide opened the doors of a new training facility in San Diego last week. The facility has been met by resistance from local residents and antiwar activists, as well as California Congressman Bob Filner. According to Filner, Blackwater’s real agenda is to secure a foothold near the border with Mexico that could later serve as a base for future government contracts around immigration enforcement. Blackwater is the largest private security firm in Iraq, and by extension, its most controversial. Blackwater guards are under investigation by a federal grand jury for their involvement in the killings of 17 Iraqi civilians. The company is also under investigation for possible weapons smuggling. The definitive book about this company was published recently by Jeremy Scahill, whose journalistic roots lie deep within Pacifica. Blackwater: The Rise of the World’s Most Powerful Mercenary Army became an international bestseller and won the prestigious George Polk Book Award. Jeremy is a familiar voice on Democracy Now, where he used to work as a producer. Today we’ll hear from Jeremy Scahill joining me live in studio for the hour, as well as from our colleague Amy Goodman, who in a recent speech in Los Angeles reminded us of the importance of independent media in a time of war.

Jeremy Scahill Event
Monday, June 9th
Los Angeles, CA
7:00 pm
Immanuel Presbyterian Church Westminster Chapel
3300 Wilshire Blvd.
Parking across the street at the UTLA (United Teachers Los Angeles) Hall