Episode 5

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Published on:

8th Jul 2025

Ground Truth

The U.S. government’s mistakes in its occupation of Iraq coalesce in a deadly firefight on Sept. 16, 2007 in Nisour Square, in the heart of violence-ravaged Baghdad. The gun battle between Blackwater’s Tactical Support Team and armed insurgents echoes the struggle of U.S. Armed Forces to distinguish friend from foe in a country teetering on the brink of civil war. Innocent lives are tragically lost in the crossfire.

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About the Podcast

Raven 23: Presumption of Guilt
Long before the term "lawfare" became a part of our vocabulary, the men of Raven 23 were the victims of a politicized prosecution, becoming prisoners of war in their own country.
How did four highly decorated American soldiers become prisoners of war in their own country? This series re-examines the US Department of Justice’s controversial prosecution following a gun battle in Baghdad between Iraqi insurgents and military contractors. Why did the DOJ hold multiple trials for over a decade? Was the DOJ seeking justice? Or playing politics?

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Micheal Flaherty