Embattled Firm's Helo Picks Up Wounded Polish Ambassador

Accused of cowboy tactics in Iraq and Afghanistan, the subject of Congressional hearings and the most despised private US security firm operating in American theaters of operations, Blackwater USA demonstrated Wednesday that even under fire, it can still get it right.

Witness the extraction of the critically wounded Polish ambassador to Iraq, blasted along with a member of his staff by a roadside bomb in downtown Baghdad.

Gen. Edward Pietrzyk, Poland's ambassador to Baghdad, was suffered burns to his head, arms and hands as well as wounds to his leg in a blast that killed one of his employees and an Iraqi civilian. He and the other wounded members of his party were airlifted from the bomb site by helicopters operated by Blackwater USA.

CBS News reports Blackwater's helos landed in the narrow street and picked up all the wounded, even though the contractor wasn't involved in protecting the Polish convoy.

In spite of the effort, Blackwater is still under heavy fire from Iraqi government officials.

"There have been 190 victims of Blackwater," said Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, "the kind of accusations leveled against the company means it is not fit to work in Iraq." al-Maliki was quoted by the Associated Press.

FMI: www.blackwaterusa.com