As the talks advance, the Bush administration continues to award lucrative long-term contracts for US companies in Iraq. The Washington Post reports the US has recently advertised several deals. One includes a call for “mentors” that would work alongside officials in Iraq’s Defense and Interior Ministries. A State Department deal would hire contractors to create a marshals service for the US-overseen Iraqi court system. And another deal indicates there will be a new US-run prison opening in September. Prospective contractors would be responsible for providing food for up to 5,000 prisoners and 150 employees.