Body and Soul today has some interesting comments about the use of private security companies - mercenaries - in Iraq. This issue has come into the light because of the attacks on security personnel in Falluja - it's disturbing. Their presence there, and our reliance on mercenaries - raises a host of unsettling questions. I don't know if I can come up with a lot of insight on the situation - though I do want to note that it seems to me that one reason they are there is that our government is extremely reluctant to bring back the draft. And the draft is what you would need to provide the military personnel to occupy a ocuntry like Iraq...