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| Iraq |
| Iraq says early US pullout ok if Iraq army equipped |
| 2009-02-26 |
| BAGHDAD - The withdrawal of U.S. combat troops from Iraq within 19 months, faster than agreed in a bilateral security pact, will not pose a problem so long as Iraq can equip its forces in that time, an official said Wednesday. U.S. President Barack Obama is leaning toward a 19-month “We had hoped that the withdrawal would be according to the schedule mentioned in the agreement,” said Brigadier-General Mohammed al-Askari, spokesman for the Iraqi Defence Ministry. “But even so, if the U.S. president decides to withdraw them in 19 months, with the agreement of the Iraqi government, we will speed up our readiness to be prepared by that time.” The most important thing, Askari said, was that the withdrawal date should be agreed between the two governments and that Iraq has the time it needs to properly equip its 600,000-strong, largely U.S.-trained security forces. “Our readiness depends on equipping the Iraqi army. We are pushing hard now and using our relations with different countries to cut the time required to equip the Iraqi army and we are achieving good results,” he added. “We will wait and see,” said Ahmed al-Masoudi, spokesman for supporters in the Iraqi parliament of anti-American Shi’ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, who has called for the 140,000 U.S. troops still in Iraq to leave immediately. “We’ll see what the reality is on the ground. We don’t believe speeches and rhetoric.” Askari said the most important piece of equipment needed by the Iraqi armed forces were helicopters. He said good progress had been made in ordering them but he gave no details. Defence Minister Abdul Qaeder Jassim went to Washington recently where, among other things, he discussed the possible purchase of M-1 Abrams tanks and F-16 fighter jets. U.S. military officials say around $5 billion in Iraqi orders for weapons, uniforms, logistics and other materiel have already been delivered or are in the pipeline. Askari said Iraq’s first post-Saddam warship would be delivered by September, to help protect its crucial oil exports, and a second vessel would be delivered in early 2010. |
| Posted by:Steve White |
| #5 We already are transfering thousands of Hummers incountry to the Iraqis : they get refurbed on the big American bases and handed over to the Iraqi Army. Those Hummers are mainly the unarmored and first generation armored versions that the military has decided they don't want, especially since the updated versions have all the required mods built in as they ship from Detroit. |
| Posted by: Shieldwolf 2009-02-26 16:57 |
| #4 We'll probably leave them a lot of our basic gear. At this point in the desert mechanical life cycle it isn't worth the freight home. And if Zero really wants to stimulate the Detroit economy, he can buy our guys brand new trucks & such (hah!). |
| Posted by: Glenmore 2009-02-26 12:55 |
| #3 Screw the equipment, you chowderheads. You've got tens of billions in the bank, you can afford *stuff*. Worry about getting your logistics organized and your higher-order organizational & institutional controls well-put-together. I'm kind of worried about how much the higher-level Iraqi political and military ranks are relying on the morale factor of having the Big Green Daddy sitting in the next room polishing the buckle on his ass-whomping belt to keep the kiddies from breaking out into slap-fights over the TV control. |
| Posted by: Mitch H. 2009-02-26 09:52 |
| #2 ALL Obama promises come with expiration dates and loopholes for weaselling |
| Posted by: Frank G 2009-02-26 05:28 |
| #1 Compare wid PAYVAND > BARZANI: US MUST RESOLVE KURDISH NATIONAL ISSUES FIRST BEFORE ANY WITHDRAWAL FROM IRAQ. |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2009-02-26 00:34 |