Congressional hearings on the Blackwater private security firm and various articles about it sustain a mostly negative image based on sensationalism and partisanship.  Few people know that Blackwater is a member of the International Peace Operations Association, and I can hear folks laughing outloud as they read this. 

Go to the IPOA site and read all about it.  Doug Brooks is the IPOA president.  Amidst all the Blackwater bashing, I offer his comments about the congressional hearings on the firm's Iraq operations which help put them in perspective.  The link to his comments and related information are found here.