Blackwater and the Krongard Brothers

We can all stop worrying about those U.S. Foreign Service officers who were upset about the possibility they would be “force-assigned” to Iraq.
Our government has filled 48 upcoming vacancies strictly on the basis of volunteers.
Some of those who did not want to go called it “a potential death sentence” and also indicated that they didn’t think much of our being in Iraq in the first place,
But, as pointed out here, and by several who commented, when one joins the Foreign Service, one agrees to serve wherever needed, and whether or not one agrees with policy.
In Iraq, State Department and government officials most often are protected by the mercenaries of Blackwater, a security contractor currently under investigation for recklessly endangering Iraqi lives and in particular for an incident in which at least 17 Iraqis were killed.
Funny thing about that investigation. Howard J. Krongard is the State Department inspector general involved in the probe. His brother, Alvin Krongard had just joined, and just as quickly resigned, from Blackwater’s board of directors.
Howard Krongard last week recused himself from any matters having to do with Blackwater.
Alvin Krongard was with the CIA from 1998 to 2004 and concedes to a “routine role,” according to the New York Times, in helping Blackwater gets its first big security contract from the CIA for guards in Afghanistan,
He’s tight with Blackwater founder Erik D. Prince and admits connecting Prince with CIA officials, but says he did not exert pressure on Blackwater’s behalf.
At the CIA, Alvin Krongard was a counselor to CIA Director George J. (It’s a slam dunk!” he told President Bush of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq) Tenet.
What’s the saying — you couldn’t make this up?
Blackwater’s Iraq contract: $1.2 billion.
This will make a great book, after the Congressional hearings, of course.