"It sounds crude, but basically our job is to be a bullet sponge."

From CNN:

http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/06/12/iraq.contractors/index.html

BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Private military contractors are earning billions of dollars in Iraq -- much of it from U.S. taxpayers.

Business is booming for those willing to tackle one of the most dangerous jobs on Earth. Lucrative U.S. government contracts go to firms called on to provide security for projects and personnel -- jobs that in previous conflicts have been done by the military.

A single contract awarded to Britain's AEGIS Specialist Risk Management company by the Pentagon was worth $293 million, and while the government says it cannot provide a total amount for the contracts -- many of which are secret -- industry experts estimate Iraq's security business costs tens of billions of dollars.

These contractors have not been without controversy. Late last year, AEGIS launched an investigation into whether its employees produced video clips that showed up on the Internet in which it appeared civilian vehicles were being shot at. AEGIS has not released the results of its investigation, but a U.S. Army investigation found no probable cause that a crime occurred.

Note: I wonder what their families think about them being "bullet sponges". Interesting quote.

for men, at least, it's the oldest profession.

while our own troops are paid standard military salaries for essentially the same work . . .

particularly those who never thought that signing up for the reserves or the National Guard would land them in a war zone thousands of miles from home . . .

cuz i ain't.

i'm in favor of chopping the Pentagon down to 2/3 of its current size, and letting Big Oil pay for their own army.

.

and think "if there weren't so many of them, maybe they could get a decent wage".

but in some ways, the military is a make-work social welfare program.