Steve Fainaru: Mercenaries: Iraq’s Parallel Army (11/20/2008)

Duration

1:07:55

Steve Fainaru, Reporter, The Washington Post; Author, Big Boy Rules: In the Company of America’s Mercenaries

On the margins of the Iraq war, a parallel army of 100,000 has been doing the jobs unable to be tackled by an overstretched U.S. military, either because they cannot or will not take on these jobs. You may know them as “security contractors,” and they operate outside the rules of engagement. Fainaru traveled with several bands of “mercs” to find out why they have come to Iraq, revealing a brutally honest portrait of these individuals.

This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club on November 20, 2008.

Commonwealth Club World Affairs

The leading national forum open to all for the impartial discussion of public issues important to the membership, community and nation. The Commonwealth Club World Affairs of California is the nation's oldest and largest public affairs forum. Each year, we bring nearly 500 events on topics ranging across politics, culture, society and the economy to our members and the public, both in-person and via extensive online and on-air listenership and viewership.

The views of Club speakers are their own and their participation does not constitute or imply endorsement or recommendation by Commonwealth Club World Affairs.

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