

An interesting tidbit is buried in the latest report by the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction, released today: Since 2003, the U.S. has spent at least $6 billion for the services of over 300 private security firms.

The audit, performed at the behest of Congress, identified 77 companies that had secured a total of $5.3 billion in direct contracts and subcontracts to provide security for the Iraq reconstruction effort. The government doled out an additional $662 million in miscellaneous security services. What's more, those numbers are probably understated. "There was no financial information on obligations for 191 companies identified in various databases as having contracts for security services," the report says.

That's a lot of guards and guns. But here's the kicker: Demand for private security will go up, not down, as U.S. forces draw down in Iraq. Notes the SIGIR:

[T]o the extent U.S. forces are withdrawn, and assuming that significant civilian technical assistance missions remain, requirements for private security services for DoS [Department of State] and USAID would likely increase to compensate for support previously provided by the military. PSC [private security contractor] requirements could also increase because the recent reduction in violence enables more frequent personnel movements within Iraq but with private security contractor support still being needed for all trips outside of U.S.-secured areas.

[Photo: Wikimedia]

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