600 U.S. Contractors Have Been Killed in Iraq

Lets call them what they are, Mercenaries. I don't feel quite as sorry for them as the US soldiers have died because it was their choice and they are well paid for what they do. I wonder how many of these were revenge killings for people that the contractors attacked....or how many were killed after they finished their false flag operation.

Calling the situation in Iraq a “national emergency,” retired U.S. Army Gen. Barry McCaffrey said April 16 that the country is ripped by a catastrophic low-grade civil war.
Returning from a March visit to Iraq and Kuwait, the retired Gulf War veteran issued a March 26 report detailing problems in the war-torn country and calling for stronger political and economic efforts to defuse the violence.
“There is no reason Iraq can’t be a successful nation-state, except that it is in a civil war. The place is too dangerous to work. I don’t see a good outcome until we have more security,” said McCaffrey.
There are roughly 130,000 contractors in Iraq, said McCaffrey; about 4,000 of them have been wounded and 600 have been killed, he said.

More at source: Defense news

The second largest army in Iraq has matching casualties.

Originally posted by Malichai
I don't feel quite as sorry for them as the US soldiers have died because it was their choice and they are well paid for what they do.

Ummm...you do know that there is NOT a draft going on right now in America soooooo the US soldiers had a choice as well.

They chose to join the military and when you do that there is always the chance of going to war. Oh yeah...they ( the US soldiers ) get a paycheck as well.

Just thought I would let you know.

M.Agenda!

Yea but a soldier doesnt make anywhere close to what say a Blackwater USA Mercenary makes.

Thought it was close to a thousand as of right now. Many of them are drivers.

Most of the dead are Third Country Nationals (TCN's), hardly "mercenaries".

The Indians, Pakistani's, Filipino's, Sri Lankans and other TCN's that work over here driving trucks, working logistics, or cooking meals, etc., can make more in one month here, than in a year back in their home country, if they're even able to get job in their home country.

I did 22 yrs active duty. I've been here in Iraq for 3+ years now, reaping the rewards for that experience, along with IED's, mortars, etc.. And i've also submitted at least a dozen soldiers resume's who want to work over here after they get out.

It's a career choice.

If you have job offers of $40,000 or $100,000+, which would you take?

Or if you're unemployed at the time, then offered a job here paying $100,000+ as a Satcomm tech? (my circumstance after quitting my contract job in the Philippines)

Or if you're some poor dirt farmer in a 3rd world craphole, and you're offered a job here making three times in one month than what you would make in an entire year?

Looks like a no brainer to me.

If that makes me a "mercenary", then i guess that's what i am.

It's easy to criticize while sittin' up your ivory tower.