U.S. leans toward selling Iraq F-16s

[Ed Barrow]

Source: UPI

As the U.S. military withdrawal from Iraq moves toward its final phase and Iran remains defiant over its nuclear program, U.S. officials say the Pentagon, after many months of hesitation, is expected to sell Baghdad late-model F-16 strike aircraft.

Such firepower would transform postwar Iraq's emerging armed forces, which are having to take over responsibility for security in violence-battered Iraq as the Americans pull out.

It would also cause some concern in Iraq's neighbors, particularly Kuwait and Saudi Arabia whose memories of the 1990-91 Persian Gulf conflict are still bitterly sharp, and in Iran, which seeks to dominate its former enemy.

U. S. Army Gen. Ray Odierno, the U.S. commander in Iraq, said Friday that he expects the Pentagon to meet Baghdad's request for Lockheed Martin's multi-role Fighting Falcons, one of the world's most powerful combat aircraft, in the near future.


Read more: http://www.upi.com/Business_News/Security-Industry/2010/06/08/US-leans-toward-selling-Iraq-F-16s/UPI-62951276019955/

[Arctic Dave]

1. Got to get our money back somehow.

Sell them weapons, sell them parts, sell them maintenance programs. If it isn't food we have very little to offer the world anymore.

[Enrique]

2. we'll have to increase our aid

so they'll be able to afford the F16's.

[DavidDvorkin]

5. Which is yet another way that taxpayer money is transferred to our arms manufacturers

without it being obvious.

[msongs]

3. we wrecked their country, don't think we need to get ANYTHING back from them nt

[Arctic Dave]

9. Just thinking like an MIC shill. ;)

[Tempest]

4. Like this won't come back and bite us

I don't understand how anyone can think Iraq will stay under the yoke of the U.S. for very long.

[NC_Nurse]

8. exactly.

Same stupid shit, different day

[Purveyor]

10. Just posted: Iraqi Spokesman Hails Developing Trend of Bilateral Ties with Iran

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4418688

[prolesunited]

15. Yeah, like the Taliban we trained and armed

in Afghanistan. That worked out well.

[Caretha]

21. Uh....yeah

Remember when Iraq flew all their Air Force to Iran before the first Gulf War, under the first President dufus Bush?

[onethatcares]

6. gaud, this is so deja vue

in ten years we'll be waging war with who ever the fauck is in charge again. We never learn, ever.

Can we resurect Saddam yet?

Jeeeeez is the Shah available?

I see Noriega is due for parole, let's put him in charge.

[Caretha]

22. It's a racket

That's why a trillion dollars a yr or 50% + of the US's budget goes to the pentagon. You can decry how all the "to big to fail" corporations have a grip on the economy, but they got nothing over the PENTAGON.

Now those bastards really have it figured out.

[GodlessBiker]

7. So when the fanatical religious people assume power, they'll have these planes. Real nice.

[RC]

11. That's the idea.

The planes are to prime the pump for the next round.

[Wizard777]

12. Sure lets sell them more weapons. That worked out so well last time.

:banghead:

[madrchsod]

13. what could go wrong with a iraqi-iranian military pact?

[Arrowhead2k1]

14. What the hell does Iraq need fighter/bomber aircraft for?

If it's to faceoff with Iran, then Iran has every right to launch a "pre-emptive" strike of its own. Imagine two pre-emptive strikes on Iraq by two different countries occuring in our lifetimes. :rofl:

[harun]

16. Petrol-dollars.

[Jefferson23]

17. So fucking sickening. n/t

[Zynx]

18. Do we really hate them that much? The F-16 blows.

[neverforget]

19. Gotta arm'em for tha nex wah

:puke: :wtf: :argh: :banghead:

[lib2DaBone]

20. By all means.. let's sell them weapons and ammo...

oh hell.. lets just GIVE weapons for free. We are funding both sides in Afghanistan.. why not Iraq?

How many young Americans lost their lives in Iraq? And we got what in exchange?