“…I can assure you these are dedicated men, professionals who know how to help people in times like this.”

Dean VanderMey, whose daughters were trapped in Kenya amidst post-election violence and were rescued by a team from Blackwater

The Washington Times, January 10, 2008

“Clearly, we don’t have the forces to provide that kind of security right now, which is one of the reasons Blackwater is there. Blackwater is providing security for the State Department...”

- Adm. Mike Mullen, Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff

Transcript of Military Times editorial board meeting, November 27, 2007

“Blackwater does a fantastic job. I have actually been protected by Blackwater when I was over there and going around with American officials there. They are very good, they are very professional. Most of their work is done by competitive bidding. They are not overpaid. They often get killed. They have had casualties, and they do a job that it would take 15,000 troops to do. Why is this an issue? Because the war is going well. Democrats do not want to talk about that, so they have made up a Blackwater scandal.”

- Fred Barnes, Executive Editor, Weekly Standard

Special Report with Brit Hume, November 01, 2007

“Blackwater professionals are not just important to our mission in Iraq, they are essential – they're loyal Americans who are deeply committed to our objectives there.”

- Peter McHugh, former transportation counselor at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad

Chicago Tribune, October 12, 2007

Responding to a question about security contractors’ performance…

“I will be anxious to see the analysis of their performance. There’s a lot of studying going on, both inside Iraq and out, as to whether or not people violated rules of engagement. I will tell you, though, that a firm like Blackwater provides a valuable service. They protect people's lives. And I appreciate the sacrifice and the service that the Blackwater employees have made. And they, too, want to make sure that if there’s any inconsistencies or behavior that shouldn’t – that ought to be modified, that we do that. And so we’re analyzing it fully.”

- President George W. Bush

White House Press Conference, October 17, 2007

“Blackwater's 1,000 contractors protect key State Department diplomats — prized targets for insurgents. They have never lost a single person they were assigned to protect, yet 30 Blackwater contractors have given their lives in executing their mission. Hundreds more have been seriously injured. . . . Contractors serve a vital purpose in Iraq. Most are either military veterans or former law enforcement professionals who have made great personal sacrifices in our mission. There are simply too many of them serving in critical roles — and far too few service members to take their place — to take the misguided push for expulsion seriously.”

- LTC Steve Russell USA (Ret.), Chairman, Vets for Victory

Stars & Stripes, October 13, 2007

“Blackwater has protected dozens if not hundreds of members of Congress, including myself and members of this committee, when they travel to Afghanistan and Iraq. I for one am grateful for their services. Not one single member of Congress has been injured nor killed under Blackwater protection, and for that I am grateful.”

- Rep. Patrick T. McHenry, R-N.C.

House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform hearing, October 2, 2007

“…the people I worked with in Iraq, including veterans working for Blackwater, were hardly rogue cowboys. I did, however, meet some trigger-happy journalists over there.”

- Ben Ryan, former U.S. Navy SEAL officer, former Triple Canopy employee

Wall Street Journal, October 1, 2007

“…consider Blackwater’s most-common job — the protection of high-value U.S. civilians. Today’s insurgents know that any successful killing of a U.S. diplomat would make the front pages of every U.S. paper, thus driving down support for the war. So insurgents are putting a great deal of effort into such operations. That’s why so many Blackwater units are comprised of former elite Special Operations Forces. Indeed, not one diplomat has died while being guarded by Blackwater.”

- Richard W. Carlson, Vice Chairman, Foundation for the Defense of Democracies

Newsmax.com, October 1, 2007

“I personally was grateful for the presence of my Blackwater security detail, largely comprised of ex-Special Forces and other military, when I served as Ambassador to Iraq. Their alert and controlled posture kept me safe – to get my job done.

“I have a great deal of respect for their work. Without the dedicated service of our PSDs and their willingness to expose themselves to the risks that they do, the civilians of the Department of State would not be able to carry out our critical responsibilities in places like Iraq and Afghanistan. Yet I think there is broad agreement that we need to be there to help win the peace.”

- Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte, former ambassador to Iraq

Senate Appropriations Committee hearing, September 26, 2007

“There is no avoiding the fact that these bodyguards do work that is both extremely hazardous, and indispensable. Blackwater’s involves a State Department contract to protect American officials, including the ambassador.

“Such officials are among the most endangered individuals in Iraq; nevertheless, no senior American officials have been assassinated, while the murder of senior Iraqi officials has become almost commonplace.

“Together with other security contractors — notably the American companies DynCorp International and Triple Canopy, and the British-run Aegis Security and Erinys International — Blackwater operates in a nightmarish landscape.

“No trip outside the Green Zone is remotely safe. The enemy lurks everywhere among the population. Attackers show no mercy for innocent bystanders, who commonly outnumber intended targets. Each mission carries the threat of roadside bombs, suicide attacks by explosives-packed cars and trucks, and ambushes by insurgents.”

- “The Deadly Game of Private Security,” John F. Burns

New York Times, September 23, 2007

Commenting on what would happen if Blackwater were to be pulled out of Iraq…

There would be “a security vacuum that will demand pulling some troops off the battlefield… This will create a security imbalance in securing Baghdad.”

- Tahseen Sheikhly, Iraqi civilian spokesman

Associated Press, September 23, 2007

“The reality is, for example, on the security function, much of our security – most of our security is provided by contractors. It is overseen by diplomatic security officers – Foreign Service officers, but there is simply no way at all that the State Department’s Bureau of Diplomatic Security could ever have enough full-time personnel to staff the security function in Iraq. There is no alternative except through contracts.

“And I would have to say that the capability and courage of the individuals who provide security under contract is worthy of respect of all Americans. One of Blackwater's helicopters went down yesterday – a hostile fire incident. Fortunately no one was killed in that accident, but over 30 of our contract security Americans have been killed keeping the rest of us safe. So it is something that we've got to do because we don't have enough people in the State Department to do this, but I think it's being done very well.”

- Ambassador Ryan Crocker

Senate Armed Forces Committee Hearing, September 11, 2007

“The Coast Guard has sent about 250 personnel through weapons training at Blackwater as part of a five-week course to prepare them for joining the operations in Iraq.

“The level of training and facilities are second to none.”

- Senior Chief Petty Officer John Moss, spokesman, Portsmouth Coast Guard

Daily Press, April 2, 2004