Reply #1: If the victims were employees.....

[Davis_X_Machina]

...of one of the many private military companies active in the area, they were right there, on the spot.

The distinction between these mercenaries and the uniformed forces of the US is a specious one. Welcome to the next frontier of privatization... defense.

If it's any consolation, the families of the $70,000/yr mercenaries are probably better situated than the families of the $16,000/yr grunts who bought it across town the same day.