The question is logically flawed. I was in Iraq in 2005. I had approximately 1200 well trained and experienced private security personnel for a REPUTABLE and PROVEN security company. Without them, reconstruction projects could not have been possible. Blackwater (and, to lesser extents, DynCorps and Triple Canopy) was the absolute worst bunch of ill-disciplined cowboy wanna-be s. Their shallow training, questionable experience, lack of cultural awareness and the realities of irregular warfare, as well as their reliance on superior firepower not only made them obvious targets, but created more enemies for all of us through their strange reliance on pre-emptive tactical fire supression in a civilian environment. The only good thing I can say about them was that they were such clowns that they drew fire and attention away from the people who actually knew how to operate safely (and without civilian casualties).

The arrogance and fear in most of these contractors earned them the nickname Ditchwater and, to professional security companies, a stain on anyone's resume.

It is my opinion, given past acts, that these men opened fire out of fear and shot at anything that moved. I doubt there was an attack.

Therefore, to be clear, I do not think this was pre-meditated, but a lack of professional competence, from the individual security operative up to their employer (the State Department [whose mindset spoke in "Motorcades" and big American vehicles])