Iraq. Private Armies

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When the Iraqi government threatened to expel all foreign mercenaries following the controversial Blackwater Baghdad shootings of 2007, the role of private military contractors was thrust into the spotlight. There's no denying that the use of hired security forces is transforming the way we wage war. The contractors earn four times more than regular soldiers, act with impunity, and in Iraq, outnumber all non-U.S. soldiers combined. This program follows the training and deployment of these combatants in Iraq to provide an eye-opening look at life as a private soldier, while exploring some of the issues surrounding their use. "With private contractors, America is able to stay in Iraq for much longer and without as much political fallout," explains one proponent. But a recruit puts it more succinctly: "We're cannon fodder.