Blackwater: The Rise of the World's Most Powerful Mercenary Army

Blackwater: The Rise of the World's Most Powerful Mercenary Army is a book written by independent journalist Jeremy Scahill, published by Nation Books in 2007, as a history and analysis of Blackwater USA, now called Academi. It won a George Polk Book Award.

Synopsis
The book details the rise of Blackwater USA, a private military company, and the growth of security contracting in the Iraq War and the War on Terrorism. In the book, Scahill contends that Blackwater exists as a mercenary force, and argues that Blackwater's rise is a consequence of the demobilisation of the US military following the Cold War and its overextension in Iraq and Afghanistan. He describes further how Blackwater (at the time of writing) serves in Iraq and Afghanistan like, in his judgement, a Praetorian Guard, protecting top authority figures and enjoying immunity from the usual constraints and regulations on traditional armies. Scahill argues that Blackwater's leadership was motivated by a right-wing Republican ideology, and that its founder, Erik Prince, has provided significant assistance in that venue. Blackwater is also present in some parts of Pakistan.

Media attention

 * Scahill appeared at DePaul University in Chicago, IL to speak about his book with U.S. Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky (Democrat) on April 21, 2008.
 * Scahill appeared on CBC's The Hour with George Stroumboulopoulos on April 4, 2007 to promote his book.
 * Scahill appeared on the April 19, 2007 episode of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.
 * Scahill appeared on the October 19, 2007, edition of PBS' Bill Moyers Journal.
 * Scahill appeared on MSNBC's program Countdown with Keith Olbermann on October 30, 2007; and has appeared on Democracy Now! as a commentator on Blackwater USA.
 * Scahill appeared on Real Time with Bill Maher on November 2, 2007, March 7, 2008, April 18, 2008, June 5, 2009 and August 21, 2009.
 * Scahill appeared at Ithaca College in Ithaca, New York on December 2, 2008,
 * Scahill appeared on Democracy Now! on August 3, 2010 and talked about the level of violence in Iraq as US troops are preparing to pull out by the end of August 2010.

Editions

 * 2007 U.S. hardcover, Nation Books, ISBN 978-1-56025-979-4
 * 2007 U.K. hardcover, Serpent's Tail, ISBN 978-1-84668-630-6
 * 2008 U.S. paperback, Nation Books, ISBN 978-1-56858-394-5
 * The book has been translated into Chinese and Arabic.