I find it interesting, at best, after reading most of the opinions posted from an article of which I think is still not giving the full story. Having served more than 42 months in Iraq, I can say without hesitation or regard for most of your pitiful, disdainful, judgmental souls...until you have walked a mile in our boots, don't pretend to sit in at your computer, reading your nice little blog, sipping your latte that you know for one second that you could differentiate between friend or foe. Or for that matter, withstand the average daily temperatures in August of 130+ while wearing anywhere between 60-80lbs of gear. Do the contractors get paid better? Absoulutely they do, but they are still putting thier bacon on the line just like everyone else.
Regarding some of the comments...let's set the ill informed straight shall we: OneCrankyDem...you make me laugh, evidence, how about you look into my medical record where you will find that on 28JUL2003 I was exposed to ANTHRAX while in Iraq. Nice try cranky. Next: Marinescallmedoc...I hear ya..HOORAAHH! NEXT: George Gamble, ...I am not sure if you have ever heard a shot fired in anger, or if you have seen the pictures there ...but thier vehicle was disabled due to being shot up...oh and there were the bullet holes in the vehicle! NEXT: this was by Dr. Scott

Blackwater has too many Rambo types in their ranks. Shoot first ask questions later. Some are military rejects with some mental issues no doubt. . First, Rambo was fictional.... Military rejects? Hmmmmmm....I think you should actually check your facts before you start mud-slinging, as I am under the impression there isn't a single person with less than an honorable discharge. I would love to see you walk into a recruiter's office and sign up...even for two years.

Mongo, it sure sounds tough to be living in the Green Zone making 30X more than an American soldier to make occasional security runs ... can't really tell if you are bragging or complaining...do private Rambos suffer PTD for shooting up civilians? haven't read about desertions or suicides among the upper crust of the war machine so the big bucks must make quite a difference in how one faces up to the immorality of killing innocent people.

A grand jury investigation of Blackwater sounds yummy but I wonder who will be presenting the evidence against thse killers...Scooter Libby?

I would love to know how many of these accusitory emailers have ever served their country in any form while in combat? We would probably find that less than 10% have actually served under fire. If you haven't been there you have no idea what it is like, and it is always so much easier to make a decision when you can look at video, maps of the event and talk to witnesses that all have different stories, once you have all that information you people then decide whether to fire or not. It doesn't work that way, you have less than seconds to make a decision, them or my friends and I, and sometimes you make a wrong decision. And then you have to contend with the armchair quarterbacks nice and safe in front of their computer at home with the doors locked, the windows barred, and the burgler alarm turned. I haven't served in a private military org, or the US Forces, but I did serve in the British Forces. If we relied on hindsight and armchair quarterbacking every soldier would be dead.

"Rules of Engagement" Its time we did more than punish wrongs in this Nation..We need an overhaul of many of our warlike terror that depicts wrongs on both sides of the fences...The saying has always been "two wrongs don't make a right" War is causing one to become a sceptic of who and what we engage ourselves to do by the most powerful Law Makers of this Nation for National Defense...Seperate all the Women and Children and let the men go at it...For the children are used blindly and not so blindly...the women are used the same...What is left...Apachecheynne

What amount of money is this company getting for "government contracts" & why are they better armed than our own men/women? how much kick back did the person giving them the contract get? Is Haliburton & Blackwater contracts so high that USA cannot take care of returning vets including the appalling conditions of Walter Reed? Why does the Pres & Congress try & act so patriotic when their actions speak far louder than sweet words; like the amount of suicides amongst vets & the homelessness of so many vets. Why were the military bases which closed not used for vets care & vets homes? i really & truly would like some answers!