Foreign mercs getting killed generates no headlines at all, and is therefore the preferred option. It might be your tax money, but the politicians get to spend it and they want to get re-elected.
Understand that. Just would like to see our guys getting a little more money. For instance the 9/11 families got uncalled for Millions from the taxpayer and some poor Soldiers family gets diddly squat in comparison......
Thank the Politicians. Personally I would prefer to use elected officials for sandbags in a bunker. Just takes more of them than sand to hide behind.
The old saying Life aint fair, deal with it, comes into play........