Why Blackwater does what it does

Mario Loyola does a good job of explaining the differences between how a contractor operating in Iraq acts and the way troops doing counterinsurgency act.

Ralph Peters recently wrote a column critical of Blackwater asking how we would react if foreign mercenaries acted the same way in this country. He misses an obvious point. In this country the police can provide security for diplomats and foreign officials. The Iraqis can't even provide security for themselves at this point much less foreign officials. When they can, I am sure the State Department will be ready to cancel its Blackwater contract for Iraq.

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