Poor Salvadorans Chase the 'Iraqi Dream'

The Washington Post runs a story today about private U.S. contractors who hire Salvadorans to act as security forces in Iraq. Between 175 and 200 Salvadorans have been hired and are in Iraq working as armed guards. El Salvador has proven a fertile recruiting ground for such forces because of the high number of Salvadorans with military or police experience dating back to the civil war and El Salvador's low wages and high unemployment. Salvadoran recruits are jumping at the chance to go to Iraq for jobs paying $1240 per month.

This story gives "outsourcing" a whole new meaning.