ARTICLE: "Armed Guards In Iraq Occupy a Legal Limbo," by John M. Broder and James Risen, New York Times, 20 September 2007, p. A1.

ARTICLE: "Where Military Rules Don't Apply: Blackwater's Security Force in Iraq Given Wide Latitude by State Dept.," by Steve Fainaru, Washington Post, 20 September 2007, p. A1.

Blackwater is so big to State that State defends it at every turn, and that's not surprising. But with the outsourcing comes the extension of diplomatic protection that's unsustainable. Unlike the military which has its own internal justice system, Blackwater's sitting on a "legal island," as Rep. Murtha put it, and that's not going to work for anybody over the long haul.

There's a reason why Blackwater joined the International Peace Operations Association: they can see the regulation coming and want to engage the process. But what they, and the IPOA, surely understand is that such regulations typically come in response to a tragedy or anger tipping point.

We may be there right now in Iraq, and Blackwater better pick its spots to bend so it does not break. Sometimes being the industry leader means more than just pulling in the lion's share of the business.