Great Falls, Va.

The only way forward from Iraq is Joe Biden's comprehensive Bosnia/Balkins-like solution, or Ron Paul's intent to get out, and stop having the US government and private contractors like Halliburton and Blackwater meddle in other country's foreign affairs. Two different parties, similar practical solutions to end war in Iraq, which at least three quarters of the American people want.

Nicholas Rosen
10/03/2007 @ 10:06pm

Scotts Valley, Calif.

This heartbreaking story reinforces my growing conviction that our democracy, if it survives at all, should impeach POTUS and Vice-POTUS for crimes against the Constitution and the laws of our country. To restore faith in our government for ourselves and worldwide observers who have not yet developed a system of law, we may need to bring appropriate charges against Chaney, Rumsfeld and Bush before the international court. We must show ourselves and other nations that in a democracy, it is not necessary to watch leaders commit travesty, throwing our hands up in despair, as those who live under tyranny or rule of violence must do. We must exercise our rights and obligations as citizens, and bring the perpetrators of crimes to due process.

Rikki Westerschulte
10/01/2007 @ 3:44pm

Riverside, Calif.

Good work! There needs to be a quick temporary fix of the problem from a security viewpoint. If the State Department still has any diplomatic security people left, They should bring them into Baghdad to replace Blackwater, and Blackwater needs to be sent to a non-combat country until this private security business can be sorted out. Needless to say, the State Department needs to get their own federal security people back with diplomatic immunity.

I have been complaining for years to my elected representatives and on the Washington Post National Security blog for a shorter time about private contractors in the military services' logistic train and private security companies.

Except for locals, no civilians belong in a combat zone. Warfare demands tight organization, along with command and control. Those civilian "experts" in Washington threw almost 231 year of military experience out the window when they sought to privatize the battlefield, and this is the result. Same thing for the State Depart. God, I hate amateurs posing as experts!

Pervis J. Casey
09/27/2007 @ 5:27pm