The war in Iraq couldn't be fought without contractors. Contractors keep the infrastructure and equipment running. Contractors keep the troops fed and the vehicles fueled. Contractors operate logistics convoys.

Contractors die.

In fact, according to a report in the NYT, contractors die a lot:

At least 146 contract workers were killed in Iraq in the first three months of the year, by far the highest number for any quarter since the war began in March 2003, according to the Labor Department, which processes death and injury claims for those working as United States government contractors in Iraq.

That brings the total number of contractors killed in Iraq to at least 917, along with more than 12,000 wounded in battle or injured on the job, according to government figures and dozens of interviews.  Broder and Risen, New York Times, 19 May

 I believe that this is an under estimate.

These contractors may profit from their work, but that is different from war profiteering.  The folks on the ground are actually risking their lives.  All of the American contractors I met had a common goal:  to help our soldiers.  It isn't all about money.

Rather than applauding our fellow citizens who are willing to do nasty, dangerous work in support of our troops, the country and our leadership are generally either silent or hostile (Blackwater, Halliburton, etc etc).   I can tell you it feels really shitty to come back to dismissive talk about how much money I must be making, as if that were the point.  In my case, I had all the money I needed before, and have somewhat more now; it wasn't about money.  

There are plenty of people who wouldn't go for any price, and for good reason:  you can very easily die. 

There are real people over there really risking their lives to help our troops, and this should be applauded.