It�s so easy to Monday morning Quarterback that one. But there�s an old saying in boxing. �Everyone has a plan until they get hit. It�s what you do after you get hit that matters.�

Everyone talks about the guns, ammunition, and the FBI�s men; few talk about their opposition. Matix and Platt were highly motivated and well trained. There are many men who have a high level of proficiency at arms, but it�s the first one, highly motivated, that is the key. Not only were Plat and Matix very competent at arms, they were willing to fight to the death and do whatever they have to do to win. That�s an exceptionally rare thing encountered on the street; exceptionally rare.

The agents were well armed, shot pretty damn well under the circumstances, and initially their tactics left much to be desired, but after the first minute of shock was over, the tactics and shooting all became fairly sound. But Platt and Matix were just as competent, possibly more competent at arms. Their tactics were decent, but the more important element was that they were in control of the engagement because they set the tone and terms of the engagement from the beginning.

For law enforcement, their JOB is to show a minimum of force to subdue their adversaries. This means in every encounter they have to rely on their opposition to set the bar, and they must react. Let me repeat that last part�.THEY MUST REACT!

Any application of lethal force by US Law Enforcement by nature must be reactive. In an all out war, this is a HUGE disadvantage! In most cases this is not a problem at all because even most criminals have a certain level of civility and are initially hesitant to cross the line of shooting at a cop. For those who do shoot at a cop, typically it�s in an effort to retreat and escape.

When the FBI opened the dance that day, Platt and Matix from the get go were 100% focused on killing their adversaries. The FBI suspected that Platt and Matix �could have� been capable of that, but truly they didn�t really know what their response would be. Such opposition is a very rare exception, never the rule. Therefore it�s very difficult for an cop to understand that�s what he�s getting into, because to take such a mindset will most likely get a cop into some bad trouble.

The FBI agents that were involved in that incident did a good job that day, not a perfect job, but a good job. That incident cost the life two excellent agents, and the limbs of others; but has saved countless numbers of Law Enforcement officers worldwide in the lessons that were learned.

Those agents walked into a hornet�s nest, and have been judged every single day since.