The number of American forces in Iraq is not 140,000, but more like 240,000.
What makes up the 100,000 difference is the huge army of mercenaries - known these days as "private contractors." After the U.S. Army itself, they are easily the second-largest military force in the country. Yet no one seems sure of how many there are since they answer to no single authority.
The private contractors are Americans, South Africans, Brits, Iraqis and a hodgepodge of other nationalities. Many of them are veterans of the U.S. or other armed forces and intelligence services, who are now deployed in Iraq (and Afghanistan and other countries) to perform duties normally carried out by the U.S. Army, but at salaries two or three times greater than those of American soldiers.
They work as interrogators and interpreters in American prisons; body guards for top U.S. and Iraqi officials; trainers for the Iraqi army and police; and engi-neers constructing huge new U.S. bases. They are often on the front lines.
Their salaries are paid directly by the U.S. government - or tacked on as huge additional "security charges" to the bills of private American or other contractors.
Yet the Central Command still doesn't have a complete list of who they are or what they are up to. The final figure could be much higher than 100,000.Yet these private contractors man their own helicopters and Humvees and look and act just like American troops.
[Excerpt of an article by Barry Lando, a former 60 Minutes producer, writing in Alternet]
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