“Last week we learned that Erik Prince, CEO of shadowy military contractor Blackwater, was formerly a CIA asset. Today, the New York Times reports that Blackwater guards participated in and even helped lead highly sensitive CIA missions in Iraq and Afghanistan. Initially brought on simply to provide security, Blackwater’s operational involvement gradually grew to encompass far more. Just how close are Blackwater and the CIA, and what does it mean for operations still ongoing in Iraq, Afghanistan and likely Pakistan as well?”