Blackwater, Rush Limbaugh and more

Olbermann had a great interview with John Edwards tonight in which he says in reference to ending the Iraq war, "what we need is a surge in New Orleans."

From The Newsole, the blog from the staff of Countdown,

The Blackwater Hearings: Somebody has some shame. The team of F-B-I agents heading to Baghdad this week to investigate Blackwater security contractors for possible murder... were to be protected by bodyguards from Blackwater. Tonight, breaking news in our fifth story on the Countdown: assistant F-B-I director John Miller issuing a statement tonight reading "to avoid even the appearance of any conflict, the FBI team deployed from Washington to assist the State Department in the events of Septembr 16th, will have any additional security needs provided by U.S. Government personnel." Nobody's saying additional to what? The presumption is, no Blackwater Guards trailing along as the FBI investigates alleged Blackwater murders...But that is not made explicit.

Olberman also covers the latest from Rush Limbaugh where he called anti-war soldiers "phony soldiers". A great interview with a soldier featured in this great VoteVets.org ad.

Also tonight, Dan Savage was a guest on the Colbert Report The Daily Show also had a great night with a good segment on Blackwater.



More info on Blackwater from Sidney Blumenthal at Salon.com,

On June 27, 2004, the day before the United States was to grant sovereignty to a new Iraqi government and disband the Coalition Provisional Authority, L. Paul Bremer, the U.S. proconsul, issued a stunning new order. One of the final acts of the CPA, Order 17 declared that foreign contractors within Iraq, including private military firms, would not be subject to any Iraqi laws -- "all International Consultants shall be immune from Iraqi legal process," it read. "Congratulations to the new Iraq!" Bremer said moments before flying out. His memoir, "My Year in Iraq," neglects to mention Order 17.

~BT