Blackwater

Why do people seem to be surprised by the Blackwater reports? Of course they fired first. Of course they used over-the-top tactics. It is as if people think there could be other reasons why the most powerful army in the force would supplement its own highly trained numbers with paramilitary forces.

Blackwater USA offers what it calls Global Stability Solutions, a service that provides "superior advisory support to government agencies and private organizations" and offers "solutions that are practical, economical, timely, and effective." Their motto: "When failure is not an option and hope is not enough." The US Government has doled out nearly $1 billion for these "volume security teams," a polite term for mercenaries.

Each Blackwater "consultant" is paid nearly half a million dollars per year for their services in Iraq, which, even by government standards is excessive. When your average U.S. Army soldier can be had for less than 1/10th of that sum, why use Blackwater at all?

U.S. soldiers are beholden to their rules of engagement, the Uniform Code of Military Justice, and the various laws of armed conflict that attempt to civilize the politically sanctioned act of killing. Blackwater does not technically fall under these guidelines.

Before an American soldier can raise his weapon, there must (or should) be a clear and immediate threat of deadly force. Blackwater can shoot first without consequence. They are not under our laws, and Order 17 passed early on in the war (thanks Paul Bremer) ensured Blackwater is also insulated from Iraqi law.

I cannot pretend to understand the decision to put Blackwater in Iraq, but then again, there are many things about our conflict in Iraq I don't understand.