mercenaries

This is some scary shit. If you didn't know, the American government, the Iraqi "government," and foreign businesses in Iraq contract out much of their security needs to private, US-based companies, groups like Blackwell and Triple Canopy. These companies are run by former Marines and CIA agents, and, as foreign contractors, operate essentially unregulated, especially if they are doing business for entities besides the US government. All in all, a recipe for corruption and general mayhem. The Los Angeles Times has an excellent overview of this ongoing issue.