State of Affairs: Three Years After Nisoor Square

Accountability and Oversight of U.S. Private Security and Other Contractors

Full Report Available (PDF) State of Affairs: Three Years After Nisoor Square assesses the current status of reforms aiming to improve oversight and accountability of private contractors fielded abroad. It offers a series of recommendations to fix these problems. Since the Nisoor Square incident, when Blackwater contractors killed 17 innocent civilians and injured 24 more, the U.S. government has enacted many positive reforms in U.S. law and policy. However, gaps remain in U.S. agencies’ reporting, investigation, prosecution and oversight of serious contractor incidents persist. This report outlines what further reforms are needed.