Iraq detains US contractors

01/17/12: Reuters reports that less than a month after the last US troops walked out of Iraq, American officials are admitting that left behind in Baghdad were a number of contractors held by the foreign government, some for as many as three weeks. The number of civilian contractors detained by Iraqi officials was in the “low hundreds,” and although all have been released, it doesn’t rule out the possibility of future imprisonments. America’s embassy in Baghdad houses around 15,000 US-affiliated persons, but now with the war officially over, Iraq is warning the US and others that they better play by their rules if they want to stay.

12/28/11: The Wall Street Journal reports that US Congressman Peter King from New York says three security contractors, including two Americans, have been released by Iraqi Army forces after they were held for more than two weeks. He says they were working for a security firm when on December 9 Iraqi Ministry of Defense officials rejected paperwork prepared on their behalf by the Iraqi Ministry of Interior and held them. The men weren't charged with any crimes. King says they were released Tuesday after efforts by his office, the State Department, the US embassy in Baghdad, the Defense Department and the White House.

Thread: Detention of US Contractors in Iraq