October 12, 2007 (LPAC)--The International Peace Operations Association, the trade group for private military companies, announced, today, that Blackwater USA formally withdrew its membership in the association. On October 8, IPOA's executive committee authorized an independent review of Blackwater "to ascertain whether Blackwater USA's processes and procedures were fully sufficient to ensure compliance with the IPOA Code of Conduct," which appears to have precipitated Blackwater's withdrawal from the association. IPOA claims that its code of conduct "is a set of ethical and professional guidelines for companies in the peace and stability operations industry" and that it "stresses human rights, corporate ethics, International Humanitarian Law, transparency, accountability, and responsibility and professionalism in relationships with employees, clients, and partner companies."