DynCorp throws stones in its glass house

The circular firing squad mentality among some private security companies (PSCs) is far from productive. The other day, DynCorp CEO Herb Lanese slammed Blackwater in a conference call with investors, only to find that one of its own guards shot dead an Iraqi taxi driver.

DynCorp guards are very well regarded and, like Blackwater, are among the very few elite enough to serve as State Department diplomatic security providers in Iraq. The facts of the case aren't in, and there's no good reason to prejudge. All we can point out here is the irony: Lanese rips Blackwater on issues concerning rules of force, only to find his company involved in killing an Iraqi civilian just days later.

"Unfortunately, it's very visible work that tends to attract a disproportionate amount of attention that I believe unfairly distorts the image of DynCorp. I don't need to tell you what kind of work we do or how long we've been at it, because I realize all of you understand and know that. But I do want you to know that in this narrow space in which we compete with Blackwater, we believe we are a very different company. . . .

"And we've developed our own rules for the use of force that are more detailed than those issued by the U.S. government. In fact, our rules for the use of force are based on the most conservative elements of the three sets of rules in effect in Iraq. . . .

"When you look for the rules for the use of force or rules of engagement in Iraq, there really are three sets of rules. And I think in recent Blackwater testimony, when asked, the person who was testifying said, 'Well, we follow the rules of force - rules for the use of force in Iraq.' Well, there's three of them. Which one do you follow? All three are not the same.

"There's the Coalition Provisional Authority Rules for the Use of Force, the Department of Defense Rules for the Use of Force, and the State Department Rules for the Use of Force. We've gone through and looked at the most conservative nature, or requirements, of each of those and developed rules for the use of force that apply to all three at all times, and that's what we do and operate under.

"Look, we're not taking any pleasure in Blackwater's troubles, because I think it's harmful for not only other companies that do this work, like ourselves, but it's harmful for our country as well and our relations with Iraqi people. But I think our investors deserve to know how very seriously we take the work we perform and how responsibly we carry it out."

Three days after the DynCorp chief's words were reported in the Charlotte, North Carolina News & Observer, a DynCorp guard killed the Iraqi taxi driver.

Why does Blackwater 'shoot first' so much?

Blackwater has been taking a lot of criticism for supposedly being too quick to "shoot first" while protecting American diplomats, congressmen, senators and others in Iraq. Critics say that Blackwater's "escalation of force incidents" in Iraq since 2005 are a concern, especially when compared to other companies doing the same work.

Why does Blackwater shoot more, both objectively and percentagewise, than the other two companies that perform diplomatic security services in Iraq?

A June 21, 2007 Congressional Research Service report on private security contractors in Iraq shows why. In the area of the manning of Department of State protective services contracts in Iraq, Blackwater holds 70.8 percent of the protective security positions and is responsible for the hugely volatile Sunni Triangle.

Blackwater has conducted over 16,000 protective missions in Baghdad alone since June 2005, with 195 documented "escalation of force" events. That means that Blackwater has used force about 1 percent of the time in one of the most violent areas of Iraq in order to protect American diplomats and other high-value targets. In other words, on nearly 99 percent of its missions, Blackwater does not use force.

Additionally, Blackwater is the only private security company in Iraq that is required by contract to have armed helicopters and tactical response teams for route reconnaissance and post-attack rescue response. This State Department requirement increases the probability that a Blackwater-contracted professional will be engaged or become involved in an ongoing engagement.

Let's look at the other two companies, Triple Canopy and DynCorp. By comparison, Triple Canopy has 18.4 percent of the protective security billets - all outside the Sunni Triangle. DynCorp has 10.8 percent of the contract positions - also outside the Sunni Triangle. Neither company has response/rescue requirements.

So those who try to compare Blackwater's role with Triple Canopy and DynCorp don't really know what they're talking about. To summarize:

1. Blackwater has 70.8 percent of the protective diplomatic security billets in Iraq; Triple Canopy has 18.4 percent and DynCorp has 10.8 percent.
   
2. Blackwater operates in the super-violent Sunni Triangle. Triple Canopy and DynCorp operate outside that area.
   
3. Blackwater is required by contract to have armed helicopters and tactical response teams for route recon and post-attack rescue response. Triple Canopy and DynCorp do not.
   
4. Even with the above extra risk and responsibility, Blackwater has not used force in nearly 99 percent of its 16,000 missions.

Toughest guard duty in Iraq

The New York Times is faulting Blackwater USA for reportedly firing weapons in Iraq at more than twice the rate of other private security providers.

Way down the article, in the 13th paragraph, reporters John M. Broder and James Risen finally tell the reader why: "Blackwater operates in the most violent parts of Iraq and guards the most prominent American diplomats, which some American government officials say explains why it is involved in more shootings than its competitors. The shootings included in the reports include all cases in which weapons are fired, including those meant as warning shots. Others add that Blackwater’s aggressive posture in guarding diplomats reflects the wishes of its client, the State Department’s Bureau of Diplomatic Security."

State Department Spokesman Sean McCormack tells the Times that of 1,800 Blackwater escort missions this year, there have been "only a very small fraction, very small fraction, that have been involved in any use of force."

So what's the scandal, then?