Blackwater failed slain employees, families say

WASHINGTON — The families of four security workers killed by a mob in Fallujah, Iraq, told Congress on Wednesday that the workers' employer, Blackwater USA, had failed to provide the arms and armor needed to protect them.

Four relatives said the men, whose bodies were burned and dragged through the streets in the 2004 attack, had been sent on a dangerous mission in vehicles without needed armor, maps, heavy machine guns or rear gunners.

"When the decision was made to save millions of dollars by not buying armored vehicles, our husbands, fathers and sons were killed," said Kathryn Helvenston-Wettengel, mother of Scott Helvenston, tearfully reading a statement by the group.

The relatives, who are suing Blackwater, were called as part of an effort by the Democratic majority on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee to look more closely at the Iraq war.

A day before the men died, Blackwater's Iraq operations manager at the time, Tom Powell, wrote company officials to stop the "smoke and mirror show" and provide crucial equipment for the private army in the field.

"I need Comms (communications equipment). ... I need ammo. ... I need Glocks and M4s. ... Guys are in the field with borrowed stuff and in harm's way," said the e-mail, released at the hearing.

Andrew Howell, general counsel of Blackwater, told the hearing the vehicles had some steel plates and were "believed appropriate by everyone involved."

In a related development, an Army procurement official, Tina Ballard, told the panel that the service has withheld $19.6 million from Halliburton subsidiary KBR.

The penalty resulted from the Army's discovery, after months of the Army's denials to committee members, that Blackwater was hired as a subcontractor under KBR's support operations for the U.S. military in Iraq.

The contract prohibited hiring private guards, leaving that job to the military.

GOP senators vow action to force vote

WASHINGTON — Seven Republican lawmakers threatened Wednesday to tie up Senate business until resolutions responding to President Bush's planned Iraq troop buildup get a vote, saying they will try to attach the measure to future legislation.

Sen. John Warner, R-Va., who sponsored a measure criticizing Bush's plan, and six other GOP senators sent a letter to Senate leaders of both parties Wednesday evening. Among the signers was George Voinovich, R-Ohio, who had not previously expressed support for Warner's measure.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., had been pushing for a vote this week on the Warner resolution.

But Republicans — including Warner — protested Monday that they were not allowed to bring up alternative resolutions and successfully denied Reid the 60 votes needed to consider the measure.

The GOP demanded votes on two alternatives. One, by Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., expressed support for the mission but listed benchmarks for the Iraqi government to meet to demonstrate its commitment.

The other, by Sen. Judd Gregg, R-N.H., simply opposed any cutoff of funds for troops in the field.

House Democratic leaders, meanwhile, coalesced Wednesday around a stripped-down measure that disapproves of Bush's plan while declaring support for the troops, according to party aides who said a vote was likely next week.

The vote would be the first on the House floor on the war since Democrats won control of Congress in the Nov. 7 elections.

As the House moved toward a vote, Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Marine Corps Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told lawmakers they did not think debate in Congress would hurt the morale of troops in combat.

Less than two weeks ago, Gates said a congressional resolution opposing the Iraq strategy undercuts U.S. commanders in Iraq and "emboldens the enemy."

Gates said troops understand members of Congress want to find the best way to win the war. "I think they're sophisticated enough to understand that that's what the debate's really about," he said.

Also

Bribery case: Five people, including three former U.S. Army Reserve officers and two civilians, were indicted in federal court in New Jersey on charges they participated in a scheme to rig Iraq reconstruction contracts. The five were accused of accepting plane tickets, real estate, liquor, a sports car, weapons, money and other valuables from businessman Philip Bloom in return for steering him contracts.

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