Government Guards Cost 250% More than Blackwater Guards in Iraq

Here are some surprising figures: A State Department Diplomatic Security agent costs the taxpayer 250 percent more to be stationed in Iraq than does a private security contractor like Blackwater for the same job.

This, despite reports that the private contractors are paid more per day than the government agents.

State Department testimony before Congress shows that each Diplomatic Security agent based in Iraq cost the taxpayer about $1,000,000 a year, when accounting for salary, benefits, support gear, and support personnel. Blackwater CEO Erik Prince told the same congressional panel that his company charges the government $400,000 a year per person to do the exact same job. Built into that per-person cost is the contractor's wage (billed daily and only for days worked), training, gear, administrative support, vehicles, and helicopter and airplane support.

The figures are rendered on the above chart.

What accounts for this huge savings? Click here for the full story in Serviam, the magazine of the global stability industry.