Blackwater USA is a private military company and security firm that has nearly 40,000 armed security contractors in Iraq. The U.S. government pays fthem nearly a $1 billion a year, making them an official, yet unofficial part of the U.S. army pressence in Iraq.

Even though the U.S. government pays them, helps equip them, and uses them to guard officials, bases, oil, etc, they are not counted in any Iraq tallies regarding the number of soldiers fighting or being killed in Iraq.

Now that the Iraqi government wants to kick Blackwater out of their country, the media is starting to look into this company. WNYC's Brian Lehrer Show did a very interesting piece about them. Listen and learn.........