While we want for the Iraqi government to figure out that what they want to do is put their video up on YouTube, here’s the the story:

Iraqi investigators have a videotape that shows Blackwater USA guards opened fire against civilians without provocation in an incident last week in which 11 people died, a senior Iraqi official said Saturday. He said the case was referred to the Iraqi judiciary.

Interior Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Abdul-Karim Khalaf said Iraqi authorities had completed an investigation into the Sept. 16 shooting in Nisoor Square in western Baghdad and concluded that Blackwater guards were responsible for the deaths.

He told The Associated Press that the conclusion was based on witness statements as well as videotape shot by cameras at the nearby headquarters of the national police command. He said eight people were killed at the scene and three of the 15 wounded died in hospitals.

Khalaf also said the ministry was looking into six other fatal shootings involving the Moyock, N.C.-based company in which 10 Iraqis were killed and 15 wounded. Among the shootings was one Feb. 7 outside Iraqi state television in Baghdad that killed three building guards.

“These six cases will support the case against Blackwater, because they show that it has a criminal record,” Khalaf said.

Shortly after the Sept. 16 shooting, U.S. officials said they “understood” that there was videotape, but refused to give more details. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not supposed to release information to the media.

Well, some Regent grad or whoever else Bush can hire these days must be sweating, waiting for the tape. Good. They’ve earned it.

And while we wait, here’s the video of Hassan Salhan, an Iraqi lawyer, being interviewed. They shot him in the back, from helicopters.

Look, I know Erik “With a K” Prince is a big Republican contributor, and Blackwater is Christianist to boot, and gawd knows the regime might need these guys domestically, even after the abolition of posse comitatus, and IOKIYAR, and all, but couldn’t we at least ask these guys to exercise a little restraint?

I mean, just outright shooting civilians makes the whole enterprise look bad, and a whole lot of good people could end up losing money. Couldn’t they use their heads, check their core values, and stage a false flag operation, or something?

And Jeebus, if the mercs had to go shooting civilians, did they have to do it in front of a police station? What were they thinking?