Despite the Biden Administration’s claim that the US will withdraw troops from Afghanistan by the symbolic 20th anniversary of September 11, 2001, the Pentagon is now admitting that the thousands of private contractors occupying the country aren’t going anywhere, anytime soon.

When asked directly about the 18,000 military contractors in Afghanistan—at least 1,575 of whom are armed mercenaries—Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said there are no plans for them to leave the country.

Biden is the fourth President who Americans have looked to with hope that he will be the one to end the Afghanistan War after two decades. But instead of following through with plans to withdraw troops by May 1st set by the Trump Administration in a deal with the Taliban, he is now pushing the deadline back—just like each of his predecessors did.

This raises the question… Why do Americans keep hoping politicians will end the war, instead of holding them accountable for profiting off of it?