One Toke Over the Line

Okay, this has been a busy news day here at my favorite coffee shop. I have found plenty of amazing and amusing and hopeful and disappointing things to read and ponder today. Sometimes days like that happen. I can never predict when, but I can predict they will. But I have to stop right this minute and ask "What the hell have people been spiking my drinks with?" because this is effing insane! From The Nation via Balloon Juice:

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."

In their testimony, both men also allege that Blackwater was smuggling weapons into Iraq. One of the men alleges that Prince turned a profit by transporting "illegal" or "unlawful" weapons into the country on Prince's private planes. They also charge that Prince and other Blackwater executives destroyed incriminating videos, emails and other documents and have intentionally deceived the US State Department and other federal agencies. The identities of the two individuals were sealed out of concerns for their safety.

Jesus, if this turns out to be true, I can't even begin to imagine the fallout and ramifications. To begin with, I imagine Iraq will declare war on us...