Were it my money, I'd be buying theHK416 instead. Nothing like replacing the gas tube with a short stroke piston to improve reliability!
Posted on 03/19/2007 2:35:34 PM PDT by jmc1969
The Bush administration has begun delivering more than $3 billion in U.S-made arms to Iraq in a new program to introduce American firepower into Iraq's aging Soviet-based arsenal.
When the Pentagon first began building the 320,000-strong Iraq Security Force in 2003, U.S. commanders decided to keep AK-47 rifles and other East Bloc gear. The theory was it would speed the training process since the Iraqis already knew how to use them.
Now, however, thinking has changed. Training Iraqis in American M-16 rifles, M-4 carbines and other weapons makes more sense if the U.S. wants to cement a long-lasting security cooperation.
"This is the first time they have actually started to buy our equipment in a big way," said retired Army Lt. Col. Robert Maginnis, a military analyst. "This is a major buy of U.S. equipment over there."
Iraq is spending more than $3 billion in 2006 and 2007 contracts through a U.S. program known as Foreign Military Sales, according to a March 14 internal document produced by the Baghdad command and obtained by The Examiner.
Besides small arms, the money will buy armored Humvee multipurpose vehicles, 5-ton trucks, ammunition, air surveillance radars and radios, the documents show.
The big U.S. weapons package marks the end of an era. For more than two decades, Saddam Hussein bought virtually every weapon in the Soviet arsenal: tanks, air defense artillery, ballistic missiles and MiG jet fighters.
(Excerpt) Read more at examiner.com ...
They're buying it with what money? Is the 3 billion from the US taxpayer?
Iraq has a 10 billion dollar surplus this year from oil money.
And, that is after they spent 3 billion on US weapons.
Iraq makes 40 billion a year from oil.
Awesome! Awesome! Awesome! This is the best news I've heard on Iraq in a long time. Without taking any arrogant high-ground... that's also what I hoped to see for years. Iraq has to be incorporated into the broader American-Western defense and military system (not necessairly NATO itself). They should use our weapons, not Soviet/Chinese junk.
I think I heard somewhere that they have OIL!
Who cares? Should we give it to the spinach farmers?
Or is this an outdated assumption?
I don't think they've actually bought anything from Russia since 2003. It is mostly a matter of letting them use what they already have...in large quantities. We purposely didn't destroy a lot of weapons (including tanks and APCs) with the intent of resupplying the new Iraqi army when it was ready.
Yes, the Iraqis have done multi million dollar weapons sales with Russia since the war ended and they have done sales with lots of ex-Soviet counties in Eastern Europe.
What did they purchase?
ping
Mostly replacement equipment for their Warsaw pact junk.
Were it my money, I'd be buying theHK416 instead. Nothing like replacing the gas tube with a short stroke piston to improve reliability!
I like the Ak-47 round more than the M-16.
Sure, it's not as accurrate, long range.
It knocks people down, however, instead of going through them.
Opinions differ.
So it's their money that's buying our equipment?
Yes
Wonderful!
Its a bit suprising how many people forget that Iraq isn't a dirt poor third world country.
In 4-6 years they could be pumping more oil then Saudi Arabia.
Still, I would limit what we give them, otherwise 1979 all over again.
40 billion a year. If that's accurate I don't want to hear about 1 more penny of American taxpayer money going to anything but our own military period. If they've got 10 billion surplus let em build their own libraries and schools !!!
Something is wrong here. Iraq's military has almost no artillery, anti-aircraft weapons, or air force that it needs to defend itself against Iran.
In this situation, I would have several hundred pilot candidates training in Texas, on aircraft they would eventually "fly home" to Iraq. I would also have long ago added a field artillery school to their other military branch schools, because practiced gunners take a long time to train.
There must be a reason why we haven't done this, but why?
The Iraqis won't have these in their arsenal however, for a variety of reasons that make sense.
But without a doubt the HK416 has shown itself to be a d*mn fine weapon to date. A number of guys are loving it down range that I'm aware of.
We spend almost nothing today on Iraqi reconstruction. The real cost of being in Iraq which is about 9 billion dollars per month comes from the wearing down and replacement of US equipment in Iraq.
The unwillingness of the Pentagon to help the Iraqi government produce a military that can defend it from Iraq, Syria, or any of its other enemies has angered me as well.
The answer always comes down to "we don't trust Iraqi's".
Yet, we are giving top of the line weapons to Pakistan and Saudi Arabia two governments in every way worse then Iraq.
Given the history of things in the world, I'd give it within 15 years those weapons will be used against us in one way or another.
If you don't trust the new Iraq we are building you should be demanding immediate withdrawl at the top of your lungs.
They were under a very rich dictator.
This is excellent news!
Shoot (no pun intended) your right, we should have let someone else sell them their weapons. /sarc
Does that mean they'll rebury the Mig-29's in the desert?
I remember hearing just a few weeks ago that they have located another oil field, this time in the West-Central region, which had been oil-less up until this time.
Good,glad to hear it !!!
Pakistan perhaps, however not Saudia Arabia.
The people of Saudi Arabia I agree, but the government has been for the most part accommodating to our interests and concerns in the ME.
They know where the hand that feeds comes from.
So does all the blocks in Iraq except for the Sadrists.
That said I believe the Saudi royal family would be easier to overthrow then the democratic system we have set up in Iraq.
If we are blessed enough, they will sell the '29's to Iran so that perhaps we can use them for target practice. ; )
Well said, me thinks we are on the same wavelength.
A taste of Democracy can do wonders to the mindset of those who have never before had a chance to place it on the palate.
Bremer didn't even envision an Iraqi Army period.
Bremer wanted a small Iraqi police force and a very small about 30,000 strong Iraqi National Guard.
Thanks for the ping. I don't know who has added "warwithiran" to the keywords, but that's apropos. :')
The Iraqi Army which is the only decient Iraqi fighting force numbers about 134,000. The number has been constant for the past 7 months because the Iraqi Army reached the number the Pentagon planned for them in late 2006.
When the supplimental gets past the Army will start growing again.
The money is from Iraqi oil money.
America spent a fortune rebuilding Europe after WW2. It's kind of nice having a democratic European ally isn't it? America spent a fortune rebuilding Japan after WW2. It's kind of nice having a democratic Japan next to China isn't it?
We've got what? A democratic European ally,is that what they are? We have a disagreement on that one.As for Japan being next to China so what? you think they're like covering our flank? Actually they're just another country we have to worry about protecting. But your right about one thing,we certainly poured a lot of money into those places,however I don't think it appreciated much !!!
The M-16 is a good rifle but can't see why they would want to switch.
Missing are any of the U.S's most sophisticated weapon systems, such as the 60-ton M1 Abrams tank or Bradley Fighting Vehicle. Iraq's defense ministry lacks the money and expertise to maintain high-tech components, so for now soldiers will rely on old Soviet-era tanks.
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And no artillery,,,nothing that will hurt US...
M-16's won't last that bunch passed the first sandstorm,,,
The US has/will have the parts/ammo they require(Facts).
Bottom Line : We ain't goin' nowhere !...;0)
The US inticed them to spend close to a billion on our M-16s.
Go figure.
Skinflint isn't economy, economy is saving on what does not matter in order to have as much as wanted of what matters most.
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