This is actually a pretty smart policy being implemented by the State Department and makes me wonder why they didn’t do this long ago:

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Friday ordered federal agents to ride with Blackwater USA escorts of U.S. diplomatic convoys in Baghdad to tighten oversight after a shooting in which private guards are accused of killing 13 Iraqi civilians.

She also ordered video cameras installed in Blackwater vehicles.

The steps will require the State Department to deploy dozens of additional in-house Diplomatic Security agents to accompany Blackwater guards and are the first in a series of moves Rice is expected to take to boost control of contractors the agency depends on to protect its diplomats in Iraq. [Matthew Lee, AP]

Police officers in the US long ago installed video cameras to help protect the police from all the false claims of police brutality and now the State Department has to do the same thing.  The deploying of additional diplomatic security agents once again leaves me wondering why didn’t they do this a long time ago?  I can only guess it is because when Blackwater guys die in Iraq no one cares when a State Department guy dies it will makes news. 

Don’t expect this issue to go away because I fully expect more manufactured controversies to be forthcoming in Iraq if not against Blackwater than against other government contractors.  Another important question that needs to be asked is that as Iraq transfers more and more into a police role for the US military will the military need cameras installed as well?