The Washington Post... 'Dana Priest'

"...The Coalitional Provision Authority has awarded six contracts totalling 58 million for security, all but one on a "no bid" basis...

The contractors have no common standard for training, weapons, appearance, or tactics. Uniformed American troups, by contrast, operate under strict command and tight rules governing the use of deadly force, and are accountable to combat commanders and to military law for their treatment of civilians.

For months, the presence of security firms has been hard to ignore. Their large four-wheel drive vehicles whiz by highways, traveling at speeds well over 100 miles per hour to discourage potential assasins from killing them..."