Readers; This week a great imagination died. Arthur C. Clarke, a prominent science fiction author passed away. He was best known for his book turned into the movie, "2001, A Space Odyssey." His books frequently featured advanced robots who were human's partners. Some of his ideas are slowly coming to fruition as we see UAVs and robots used in tactical operations. In this issue is an article about robotic development.

On a lighter note, I am getting numerous e-mails detailing your support of the company and the services we provide. Thanks. We could not do it without you. Our alumni association www.blackwaterusa.com/alumni/alumni_overview.html is growing thanks to your support.

Recently I got a suggestion for an article talking about Oklahoma's legislation to limit services to illegal aliens, reducing costs to taxpayers, and increasing national security. Please find an article that details Oklahoma's legislation and how Texas is now looking at similar legislation. Please keep suggesting articles and themes.

Lastly, I want to draw your attention to an article from Serviam magazine comparing active duty pay with contractor pay. It is a great analysis, which debunks the numbers being bantered about in the media about how contractors are getting rich at the government's expense. Serviam is one of the benefits provided to our alumni, and is a great resource for information about global stability operations.

Enjoy.

John Wrenn
Managing Editor, Blackwater Tactical Weekly
Director, Corporate Communications

Arthur C. Clarke 1917 - 2008

It is interesting that bin Laden thinks the cartoons are more heinous than killing women and children.

LONDON (Reuters) - Osama bin Laden's latest message shows that he sees Europe as fertile soil for al Qaeda, especially at a time of tension between free speech and Muslim values, but is unlikely to signal an imminent attack.

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An example of international cooperation in the war on terror.

Officials from the United States and Germany today initialed a bilateral agreement related to sharing access to biometric data and spontaneous sharing of data about known and suspected terrorists. At a bilateral ceremony in Berlin, Attorney General Michael B. Mukasey and Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff joined the German Interior Minister Wolfgang Schäuble and Justice Minister Brigitte Zypries in initialing the agreement.

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Referred to by one of our readers, a good article on how states are responding to the federal government's failure to control illegal immigration.

OKLAHOMA CITY -Welcome to the nation's laboratory for a crackdown on illegal immigration. Last year, Oklahoma's Legislature passed, by huge margins, the nation's toughest law on illegal immigrants, making it a felony to harbor, transport, shelter or conceal undocumented immigrants.

This article is significant as Spring breaks, and the Taliban threaten to increase the level of murder bombings - remember that calling them suicide bombers gives them credence and legitimacy.

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan, March 17 (Reuters) - A suicide car bomber killed two Danish and one Czech NATO soldiers, an interpreter and three civilians in southern Afghanistan on Monday, officials said.

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To view the latest contract opportunities at Blackwater, visit our Contract Web Page.

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Questions regarding Security Consulting or Training at Blackwater (252) 435-2488 or email webmaster@blackwaterusa.com.

Is this the future of tactical warfare? The era foreshadowed in Terminator?

The concept of a car driving itself through city streets is no longer relegated to the realm of science fiction...

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The Nampa Fire Department set a room on fire, twice, recently to demonstrate how sprinklers can save lives.

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The National Research Institute of Police Science has developed a new type of DNA chip that can identify which biological weapon has been spread in the event of a bioterrorist attack.

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Schools embrace fingerprint scanning
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Stateline.org
Pauline Vu

Should we worry about emerging technology and individual privacy?

The lunch lines in West Virginia's Wood County schools move much faster than they used to. After students fill their trays with food, they approach a small machine, push their thumbs against a touch pad - and with that small movement, they've paid for their meal.

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Are third party evaluations of security solutions letting CIOs down and compromising security?

Currently, buying decisions for security solutions are heavily influenced by the reviews and certifications they receive that measure product quality and effectiveness.

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Tactical Equipment Evaluation

Prior to SHOT Show I had never heard of Knoxx Stocks. As I own a shotgun and a lever action .30-.30 rifle, had I known about a recoil reducing stock, I most assuredly would have tried it out. I had never heard of such. So, there I found myself, walking around the BlackHawk booth at SHOT and I find a collection of shelves with stocks on them: Knoxx Stocks. Then and there I began to learn about the stocks and how the came to be acquired by BlackHawk. Shortly thereafter I received a T&E shotgun stock for my Remington 870. Once it was installed I began to shoot with it and I wanted to report on what I found...or felt would be a better way to put it.

Full Story Can Be Viewed At:

Recreational Equipment Review

As a life member of the NRA I'm certainly aware of the many types of products they have "branded" with their name: clothing, insurance, etc. But when I walked through the Gold Hall in Vegas and saw a booth with a big "NRA Boots" banner, I had to do a double take. NRA Boots? It got better: NRA Socks as well. Ultimately, and obviously, this is a product line that isn't manufactured by the NRA but is branded by them. I received a T&E pair and have been wearing them for the past couple weeks. Up front I didn't think I'd like them because they are side-zip boots - and anyone who has read my evaluations knows I don't care for zipped boots. These gave me a different feeling...

Full Story Can Be Viewed At:

http://www.borelliconsulting.com/recevals/apparel/nraboots.htm

Peace is not in the hearts of many humans... and because they have no peace, they are searching for something to satisfy that monstrous hunger within. This hunger is worse than a ravenous wolf... a stalking lion... a circling shark... It is a horrible driving force. Humans try to satisfy it by external means... but that does not work.... it only causes destruction, war, injury and death.

Full Story Can Be Viewed At:

http://www.blackwaterusa.com/btw2008/article/032408chaplain.htm

Some good tips to maximize your training time.

For most people, it seems like seconds count in their personal and professional lives. Catching a plane for a sales trip. Critical appointments with clients. Running around with your kids, making sure they get to school, to practice, to games, or whatever other hundred things they're involved with each day.

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Great overview of nutrients and how they play an important part in your diet and nutrition.

You probably already know that a nutrient is something that is good for you, but do you know what a nutrient really is?

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Black Five (http://www.blackfive.net/)
Blackwater Facts (http://www.blackwaterfacts.com/
Blogs of War (http://www.blogsofwar.com/)
Fifteen Months (http://www.fifteenmonths.blogspot.com/)
Iraq Slogger (http://www.iraqslogger.com/)
The Long War Journal (http://www.longwarjournal.org/)
Small Wars Journal (http://www.smallwarsjournal.com/)
The Spy Who Billed Me (http://www.thespywhobilledme.com/)

A little insight to the medical services available at Blackwater Training Center to both employees and students.

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