The Pentagon - Washington D.C.

Pentagon - Contractors Meet Over Rules - Under pressure to exercise greater control over private security contractors in Iraq, Bush administration officials outlined stricter rules for these armed guards during a meeting at the Pentagon with 20 companies. The meeting was hosted by Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England and Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte. Chris Isleib, a Pentagon spokesman, said the closed door meeting was a chance for both sides to exchange ideals. The session comes nearly four months after an incident involving Blackwater Worldwide that left 17 Iraqis dead. The incident led to a December deal between the Defense and State Departments that gave the U.S. military a stronger hand in managing security workers.