Erik Prince Confesses All Crimes at the Acton Institute

I've admired the Acton Institute, and was delighted when Fr. Sirico took apart a torture queen on the topic at one time, and many other initiatives.  I was a little surprised when I learned his institute featured Erik Prince, the mercenary CEO of Blackwater who was paid to do "work" US Soldiers would not.  But, OK, the bigger the sinner the more rejoicing in heaven, when there is repentance.

His book has odd the subtitle "unsung heroes of the war on terror"  You mean no one says "thank you for your service" enough?

Prince, who was raised in the Christian Reformed Church and converted to Roman Catholicism in college, put his faith front and center in his presentation.

What is it about Roman Catholicism that war criminals find so attractive? Newt Gingrich, Tony Blair, Richard Neuhaus, all flocked to RC.  And all of the top death dealers in Bush/Obama are Roman Catholics.  But, never mind, Erik Prince is going to repent and tell all. I like a truth commission.

“My faith has always played a great part in my life,” he said. “If you read the book, you know I’ve made some great mistakes along the way -- terrible mistakes. I’m thankful I have a faith that also includes forgiveness.”

True, true...  but not without repentance, even His Church cannot do that.    So in his confessional, reputation repairing session at the Institute, Erik Prince gets down to business:

Many of Prince’s remarks centered on his insider’s knowledge of the U.S. counter-terrorism effort and the role he played in it. He drew applause when he criticized the Obama Administration’s response to the Sept. 11, 2012 attack on the U.S. embassy in Benghazi in which the U.S. Ambassador to Libya was killed.

Oh.  Blame Obama.  Blame the black guy. "Bless me father, for I have sinned, Obama did it." Never mind no one ever heard of Obama, some shuck and jive community organizer when Erik Prince was doing his crimes, but that is the required doxology if you want right wing warmonger sympathy, "honestly, I blame the black guy."  And it sells books. Blaming the black guy brings down the house!

Prince, who estimated his company became the world’s largest employer of former special operations soldiers at its peak, defended the work his operatives performed in Iraq and Afghanistan on the behalf of the U.S. State Department.

Yes, in all things the USGovt policy is get big or get out. Given that is when and where the crimes occurred, and given that this was supposed to be a reputation restoring mea culpa, how did it come to pass the Acton Institute became the theatre where he affirms he has not repented, but instead blames Obama?

“In the Sioux warrior culture, they regard a warrior not by how far you could run or how hard you could throw a spear, they regarded by who your enemies were,” said Prince...

Don't blame your war crimes on the Sioux.  The Sioux were wiped out in a series of criminal campaigns by USA soldiers.  Erik Prince was doing to the Iraqis in their homes as what USA did to the Sioux in theirs.    Why bring them up when you are billing your talk as a confession?  What do the Sioux have to do with anything?

“If the Hezbollah, the Taliban, the Al-Qaeda and some left wing people like (U.S. Rep.) Henry Waxman are my enemies, I’m OK with that,” he said, drawing applause from the audience of 200. 

Ah So Henry Waxman, who wanted an inquiry into war crimes, is now in the same crew as al-Qaeda and the Taliban.  Anyone who wants an investigation into war crimes is the enemy.  A real crowd-pleaser, that line.  Wait a minute, that puts me in that crowd as well!

“I’m perfectly comfortable with the job we did and with who my detractors are.”

No doubt, since you were paid unspeakable amounts of money to exact criminal activity on innocent people, who could never defend themselves, you never were in any danger from al-Qaeda or the Taliban.  Some confession of wrongdoing. Your activities were the best recruiters for terrorists ever.  War crimes have that effect.

This is someone the Acton Institute featured?  Here is the Acton's Core Principles.

Acton Institute Core Principles

Integrating Judeo-Christian Truths with Free Market Principles

1. Dignity of the Person
2. Social Nature of the Person
3. Importance of Social Institutions
4. Human Action
5. Sin
6. Rule of Law and the Subsidiary Role of Government
7. Creation of Wealth
8. Economic Liberty
9. Economic Value
10. Priority of Culture

1. Dignity of persons.  This person?  Does her dignity matter?



Maybe Erik Prince did not set precisely this girl on fire, but Fallujah was set on fire after four of his mercenaries were killed by Iraqis defending their country.  Plenty of other little girls were set on fire.

The Church says whether the State goes to war is within the prudential judgment of the state, and offers a just cause and just war test for the benefit of warmakers' reflection.  Very neutral.  Next its loyal  institutes glorify war (see George Weigel and now Acton Institute) and creates a Archdiocese for the USA military.  Hardly neutral on this moral issue.  Do you think any of these people have been called in and instructed they ought not receive communion until they repent?

We have prophets who see what is coming, here Francis Cardinal George, Archbishop of Chicago says...

I expect to die in bed, my successor will die in prison and his successor will die a martyr in the public square.

Will the Church faithful be persecuted for not loving war enough?  Or do we love war too much, and having abandoned the teachings of Christ, we get condign punishment?  Is there more the Church can do to facilitate the wars?  The Prophet continues -

His successor will pick up the shards of a ruined society and slowly help rebuild civilization, as the church has done so often in human history.

Just so.  Do we imagine this successors' first act will be to re-establish the military archdiocese?  No, it will be the cheering crowds at Acton who will be lighting the matches under an anti-war Archbishop.

How about we avoid all the bloodshed and go to truth commissions.  Give Erik Prince a chance to really repent, and if not, given what people know, let him deal with comes what may after the truth is outed.

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