US to replace its troops in Afghanistan with contractors from private companies

Almaty. July 12. Silkroadnews – The United States intends to replace its troops in Afghanistan with contractors from private companies, Pakistani newspaper PakTribune reported.
“Trump aides are exploring the possibility of replacing US troops in Afghanistan with private military contractors”, the report said.
“The idea was the brainchild of two men who made millions of dollars, sending private soldiers to America’s wars. One of them is Erik Prince, who founded the private security firm Blackwater, which also reportedly had a major presence in Pakistan. The other person behind the idea, Stephen Feinberg, is a financier who owns mega military contractor DynCorp International, another private company that provides security and operational support to the US military and also specializes in intelligence training and contingency operations”, the publication reads.
According to a report by the Congressional Research Service, in 2016, private military contractors in Afghanistan outnumbered US troops by a 3-to-1 margin. Also, contractors were widely involved during the war in Iraq. In general, the US Department of Defense spent more than $220 billion to pay contractors in Iraq and Afghanistan.