Why does the military need private help?
The occupations of Afghanistan and Iraq have stretched U.S. forces very thin. Under the Geneva Conventions, the Pentagon is forbidden from hiring mercenaries—freelance combat troops. But by signing up private security firms to feed and shelter the troops, drive fuel trucks, and guard bases, it has freed up thousands of uniformed soldiers for frontline fighting. Private contractors are expensive, charging up to $1,000 per man per day. But they need not be recruited or trained, and can be plugged into hot spots quickly.
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