There are several actions you can take to stop Academi/Xe Services/Blackwater specifically, and other mercenaries or private armies generally, as follows:

1. If you live in the great northwest, you should be concerned because Xe has established a beachhead in Northern Idaho near the Canadian border. Xe is positioning themselves to get border security contracts once the SAVE Act (H.R. 4088) is passed by Congress. In the meantime, Xe is providing training to local law enforcement. Organizers are collecting petition signatures to stop Xe from providing training services to Idaho law enforcement. If you live in the Northwest download this petition and start collecting signatures.


2. Contact your Congressional representative and ask them to co-sponsor H.R. 4102: Stop Outsourcing Security Act.

Congressional Research Service Summary

11/7/2007--Introduced.

Stop Outsourcing Security Act - Directs the Secretary of State to ensure that only government personnel provide security services at U.S. diplomatic or consular missions in Iraq.

Requires the President to report to Congress on the status of planning for the use of Government and military personnel instead of private contractors for mission critical or emergency essential functions by January 1, 2009, in all conflict zones where Congress has authorized the use of force.

Authorizes Congress access to contracts and task orders in excess of $5 million entered into by the Department of Defense (DOD), the Department of State, the Department of the Interior, and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) during the period beginning October 1, 2001, and ending on the last day of the month during which this Act is enacted for work to be performed in Iraq and Afghanistan. Requires certain reports to Congress regarding such contracts.

3. Contact the United Nations and urge them to NOT outsource any peacekeeping operations to Xe (aka Blackwater) or other for-profit mercenaries or private armies. Xe has a history of ignoring the rules of engagement, using excessive force unprovoked and killing or maiming innocent civilians and bystanders, thereby escalating conflict and tensions.

   Mr. Alain Le Roy
   Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations
   United Nations
   760 United Nations Plaza
   New York, NY 10017

   UN Missions Email:

   Sudan
   Chad
   Central African Republic

   At the same time, urge your Congressional Representatives to support United Nations (not for profit/no interest in maintaining or escalating conflict) peacemaking and peacekeeping operations. Also see The Partnership for Effective Peacekeeping.

4. Write or email the US Justice Department and urge them to conduct a real investigation into the unprovoked massacre of innocent civilians in Nisour Square. The investigation was handed over to the FBI but the FBI has a conflict of interest. Over a year later it is clear that the investigation is a sham and has been successfully stonewalled and whitewashed, no doubt with the assistance Blackwater's lobbyists Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice (see below).

   Attorney General Michael Mukasey

   U.S. Department of Justice

   950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

   Washington, DC 20530-0001

5. Find out if your local law enforcement is receiving training from Blackwater or its subsidiaries [for a sample list see Blackwater training police in American cities and towns]. If they are, insist that they stop and deal with a reputable training company. Blackwater has a history of ignoring the rules of engagement, using excessive force unprovoked and killing or maiming innocent civilians and bystanders, thereby escalating conflict and tensions.
   
   
6. Contact Blackwater's lobbyists at Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice and tell them to rescind their contract with Blackwater. Also contact Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice's customers and tell them to put pressure on Womble Carlyle to rescind their contract with Blackwater. Lobbyists are a scourge upon democracy, superseding the will of the people. Lobbying for special interests who profit from war and conflict contributes to the destruction of civil society, undermines peace, cooperation and understanding, and epitomizes immorality and wanton greed.
   
   

   Keith W. Vaughan, Chairman

   Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice

   One West Fourth Street

   Winston-Salem, NC 27101

   
   

   John Hagner

   Michael Leonard

   Jeffrey Hay

   Anthony Brett

    

7. Contact your Congressional Representatives and the United States Bureau of Customs and Border Protection and tell them you do not want Blackwater, its subsidiaries or any other mercenary or private armies providing our border security. The SAFE Act (H.R. 4008), if passed, will add an additional 8,000 personnel to patrol our borders. We do not want to militarize our borders and we do not want dangerous, out-of-control yet seemingly above the law entities like Blackwater who are driven by a profit motive to provide border security. Remember: BLOODSHED = CONFLICT; CONFLICT = PROFIT!

W. Ralph Basham, Commissioner

Customs and Border Protection

1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20229




Telephone: (202) 344-1770