Rice's New Rules - 19 recommendations that manage to avoid the central problem.
After a bloody month where at least 17 civilians died at the hands of private security firms, Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice has announced a new set of rules dictating private security firms' operations.
Neither the U.S. military nor the State Department's Diplomatic Security Service is prepared to assume responsibility for guarding diplomats and other official U.S. civilians, according to a Rice-appointed review panel that recommended the changes. Instead, communications among the military, the embassy and the Iraqi government will be improved and a joint committee will investigate and judge all contractor incidents "involving the use of deadly force." WP
Rice is not going nearly as far as Defense Secretary Robert Gates had hoped. Gates was promoting plans to place the security contractors under military control.
As to Blackwater, no decisions will be made until the FBI finishes its investigation in Iraq. The Iraqi government has made it clear it wants to prosecute the guards, but there is confusion over which set of laws private security firms operate under.
Even if the FBI finds Blackwater at fault in the shootings and refers the matter to the Justice Department, no one has decided whether the contractors can be prosecuted under any U.S. law. "It's the grayest of gray areas," a senior U.S. law enforcement official said. WP
There were hopes Rice's new rules would clarify the many gray areas currently plaguing relations, yet in her 19 point recommendation there is no creation of accountability rules.
It has been made clear by the panel reviewing and outlining these rules that the American military relies heavily on private firms, and their removal is not a current option. However, one could hope a clear outline of accountability could be produced so that - when there are bad decisions - there are consequences.
Here are a few of the highlights of the 19 recommendations:
Iraq, blackwater, Rice, Security Firm, Mercenaries
The assignment of an armed Diplomatic Security Service agent to ride along as the "officer in charge" with every contractor convoy and the installation of video cameras in each contractor vehicle.
Establishment of a "go team" of embassy security officials to "proceed as soon as possible to the scene of any weapons discharge to gather information and material and provide an analysis of what happened and why, and prepare a report." The team will coordinate with U.S. military and Iraqi government officials.
Establishment of an "incident review board" made up of embassy diplomatic and security officials, a U.S. military officer, and another U.S. government official "from an agency other than State or Justice with a law enforcement background." The board will review all incidents involving contractor use of deadly force, injury, death or serious property damage and recommend to the ambassador whether force was justified. If justification is not found, the incident will be referred to the Justice Department.
Establishment of a permanent working group made of Diplomatic Security and the Multi-National Force-Iraq officials to develop "commonly agreed operational procedures" and exchange information.
New training for contractors on diplomatic and military procedures and Iraqi culture.
Increased embassy responsiveness to the families of "innocent Iraqi civilians killed or seriously injured" and offers of "appropriate condolences and compensation."
