In Iraq, “The last of the surge brigades and their support troops finished arriving in June [2007], elevating the U.S. troop level in Iraq to 156,000–plus another 180,000 contractors performing functions that once were done by soldiers. (Most of these were cleaners, cooks, and so on, but about 20,000 were private security guards.)” [The 15th of the month used for date sorting purposes only.]
– Thomas E. Ricks, The Gamble, Page 187