The killings reportedly occurred after a U.S. State Department convoy Blackwater was protecting came under attack in downtown Baghdad. A Washington Post employee who witnessed the incident said security company helicopters fired into the streets, and witnesses reported seeing dead and injured people lying on the pavement.

So how is the State Department responding? Well, we’d like to be able to tell you. But having just read the transcript from today’s State Department press briefing, all we can really say is that Sean McCormack, the assistant secretary of state for public affairs, is a little light on facts, or at least ones he’s willing to share.

Reporter: Do you have anything more to say about the incident involving Blackwater in Baghdad?

McCormack: Not much more than I said this morning. As I indicated to you, Secretary [Condoleezza] Rice intends to call Prime Minister [Nouri al-] Maliki about it and express regret for the loss of innocent life. At this point we’re still investigating what happened. Our Diplomatic Security Bureau is taking the lead on that investigation. They’re working with Multi-National Forces-Iraq, who are going to support them in that investigation. I wouldn’t try to draw any conclusions here. As we know, Iraq is — can be a very difficult place for our diplomats to operate in. And certainly people need to realize the environment in which our people operate …

Reporter: Have you been informed that the company has in fact lost its license, if it had one in the first place, to operate?

McCormack: We have not. I’ve seen the comments from the Iraqi Ministry of Interior. We have not received that notification.

Reporter: Are you aware if they did have a license?

McCormack: I don’t — I don’t — I don’t know what the requirements are for operating in Iraq like that. You might check with the company in question.

Reporter: Can you speak to the larger question of contractors providing security in Iraq: how many there are, to the extent you can tell us?

McCormack: I asked that question about the overall numbers. Apparently, it’s not something that we give out. I think you can understand why, because people can start doing calculations backwards and potentially gain some insight into how those contractors operate to protect our personnel …

Reporter: Can you talk about how much money is involved in the contracts?

McCormack: Good question. I didn’t ask that. I will see if that’s something we can offer up.

Reporter: And, lastly, can you talk about what would happen if a private contractor’s license is lost, whether it’s Blackwater’s or somebody else’s? What would that do …

McCormack: That’s a hypothetical question. I’m sure, however, that in every instance we would be able to ensure that our people are protected and able to do their jobs.

Reporter: You weren’t able to provide any details about the incident itself, how many cars were in the convoy, where exactly it was. Can you confirm any of those details?

McCormack: I don’t have any details at this point that I can offer in public. It was a chief-of-mission convoy that was going outside the international zone. And, as you know, recently there have been some car bomb explosions outside the international zone. So, again, I urge people to keep that in mind. We are going to make this as open and transparent an investigation, and, inasmuch as we can, share the results so that people know what we know …