Private Security Contractors in Iraq and Afghanistan: Legal Issues

Jennifer K. Elsea | Congressional Research Service | 2010-01-07

This report discusses the legal framework that applies to private security contractors working in Iraq and Afghanistan, and presents an examination of the effectivenesss, or lack thereof, of the Military Extraterritorial Jurisdiction Act (MEJA) passed by U.S. Congress. "Despite congressional efforts to expand court-martial jurisdiction and jurisdiction under MEJA, some contractors may remain outside the jurisdiction of U.S. courts, civil or military, for improper conduct in Iraq or Afghanistan," the report states.