mercenaries more expensive

Auditors: Private security in Iraq cost over $6B 30 Oct 2008 It appears a good chunk of the money being spent to 'rebuild' Iraq went to private security mercenary companies protecting the people doing the rebuilding. The exact cost still isn't known, but auditors think the U.S. has paid private security companies well over $6 billion to guard diplomats, troops, Iraqi officials and reconstruction workers in Iraq. The inspector general also says there's probably more contractors that haven't been counted yet, and so the $6 billion is almost certainly not the full price.