The Obama administration is warning that an Afghan government ban on private military firms could harm US aid and development work in Afghanistan. Afghan President Hamid Karzai issued a decree this week ordering all private firms to disband within four months. About 26,000 armed security contractors work with the US government in Afghanistan, including 19,000 with the US military. In a statement, the US embassy in Afghanistan said, “We are concerned that any quick action to remove private security companies may have unintended consequences, including the possible delay of US reconstruction and development assistance efforts.”