March 31, Blackwater USA security personnel were escorting 3 flatbed trucks to pick up kitchen supplies for the US Army They had no time to prep for the mission They had no rear gunners They had no maps of the area They had no heavy machine guns and rode in unarmored SUVs

Once in Fallujah, their convoy came to a halt in heavy traffic. There the two SUVs were ambushed from behind. Because they had no rear gunner and no heavy machine guns, they did not see the ambush coming and were left to defend themselves with only their M4s.

Videos and pictures of the aftermath led to what is now referred to as the First Battle for Fallujah, a movement led by the US Army and Marines to retake the city. The intensity of the siege and the number of Iraqi civilians killed led to building resentment against US troops, who did not distinguish between soldiers and civilian security contractors.

Part of the bridge where the burnt bodies of the four Blackwater guards were hung after US Marines retook the bridge

When Blackwater tried to hide documents pertaining to the mission, the family members of those killed finally sued Blackwater for the documents. Blackwater tried to say that the documents were classified by the government when they were not. As a result of this incident Blackwater has lost many of their contracts and have changed their name several times to distance themselves from the incident.

ieOVc8 video talking about contractors in Iraq and the dangers they face. Could play all or part of it?