So far, Blackwater has been listed as having an average of 1.4 gunfire incidents per week since 2005, in a war zone.

During this period of time, the report often cited in this issue lists 27 Iraqi fatalities due to Blackwater actions, including the most recent incident. There is, of course, no way to know how many of the victims were non-combantants.

The last number I saw, over a year old, had the death toll for Blackwater employees at 18, including the four burned and hung from a bridge in Fallujah, and five who were shot down in a helicopter and then shot in the back of the head execution-style.

You see, the enemy doesn't wear a uniform either, kills anyone it feels like, and ignores not only Iraqi law, but every formal and informal law of war. During 2006 alone, around 26,000 Iraqis have been killed by the same people Blackwater is defending its clients against.

I've heard that Blackwater shoots first quite a few times. Oddly, the chivalrous idea of letting a car bomber get the first shot in seems to have a low success rate.