Iraq to Buy $13 Billion in U.S. Arms, EquipmentSeptember 10, 2010

 

With the U.S. combat mission in Iraq now officially over, a new phase of the relationship between the United States and Iraq is shaping up -- that of arms seller and arms buyer. Iraq plans to buy as much as $13 billion in U.S. arms and equipment, as well as maintenance services and training contracts in an effort to rebuild its army into a modern military, according to an article in USA Today. [LINK: http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2010-08-31-Iraq-arms-deal_N.htm]

"It helps to build their capabilities, first and foremost, and second, it builds our strategic relationship for the future," Army Lt. Gen. Michael Barbero, the U.S. officer responsible for training and advising Iraq forces, told the news organization. To date, about half of the $13 billion in sales have been finalized with the rest still in negotiation. The sales, however, will make Iraq one of the world's biggest buyers of U.S. military arms and services.

The planned purchases include 140 M-1 tanks and Iraqi soldiers have already started training to use them. The M-1 tanks are the main battle tanks of the U.S. military and played a key role in destroying Iraq's Soviet-era tanks during the 1991 Persian Gulf War. That war (and its earlier war with Iran) destroyed much of Iraq's weaponry, including its air force. And the subsequent United Nations sanctions prevented Iraq from rebuilding or maintaining its weapons systems.

This deal with the U.S. will allow -- if approved by Congress -- the purchase of 18 F-16 Falcon jet fighters, according to USA Today.. The first set of jets would arrive in Iraq in the spring of 2013, with the first 10 pilots trained in the United States.

With the insurgency relatively under control at least for now, Iraq can shift its focus from a lightly equipped counterinsurgency force to building a conventional force that can secure its borders and counter external attacks, Barbero told USA Today.. "They're at a point now where they're starting to make changes to focus on these conventional capabilities that they need," he said.