US Military V. Blackwater

Even though they won't face a court-martial, two Air Force officers involved in a road-rage incident with a Blackwater USA contractor in Afghanistan have been slapped with administrative sanctions.

The discipline was meted out by the same general who dismissed criminal charges against Lt. Cols. Gary Brown and Christopher Hall.

Brown's civilian attorney has fired back with an angry letter, calling the sanctions a "laugh-out-loud joke" and suggesting that the general bowed to pressure from Blackwater, a private military company based in Moyock, N.C.

It's the latest turn of events in an escalating clash between uniformed military personnel and private contractors on the battlefield.
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Other than that, she said, "neither Blackwater nor its parent company has threatened or pressured anyone involved in this matter."

In his letter to North, Gittins said the general appears unconcerned that "attempts were made to frame my client." He referred to the investigating officer's report that Afghan security guards who witnessed the confrontation said they were offered bribes to give false testimony about it.

Gittins blames Blackwater for the alleged witness tampering. Blackwater says the allegation involves someone else trying to pin blame on Bergeron.
[ cf Air Force sanctions officers for Blackwater confrontation ]