Video: Forgotten Warriors

Thousands of civilian contract workers from around the world have supported the U.S. war effort in Iraq and Afghanistan. Insurance benefits for those injured or killed have often proved elusive.

Photography and video by Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times, produced by Albert Lee

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Comments (1)

lordkoos at 11:36 PM April 14, 2010

All of this work used to be done by American soldiers. The outscourcing of most of the non-combat/support work is happening for two reasons: to avoid having a draft that would force middle class and upper class kids into the military, and to save money, avoiding having to raise taxes to pay for these wars.

Those in power learned well from the experience of Vietnam -- when it's your own son, daughter, niece or nephew getting blown up, people tend to protest and ask questions, such as, why are we there, and what are we fighting for? But when it's mostly a bunch of foreigners and poor Americans getting killed, not so much. Welcome to the 21st century.

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