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Iraq
Iraq can't defend itself fully before 2020: General
2011-10-31
BAGHDAD: Iraq's defense chief has said his military will not be fully ready to defend Iraq from external threats until 2020 to 2024, according to a US inspector's report released on Sunday. Lt. Gen. Babakir Zebari has repeatedly warned that Iraq's security forces, rebuilt after the 2003 invasion that ousted strongman Saddam Hussein, would not be ready for years.

But rather than listen to sage advice, US President Barack Obama announced on Oct. 21 that American troops would fully withdraw from Iraq by year-end, as scheduled under a 2008 security pact between the two countries.

Both Iraqi and US military leaders have said the army and police are capable of containing internal threats from Sunni insurgents and Shiite militias that launch scores of attacks monthly, but that they lag in external defense.

"General Zebari suggested that the MOD (Ministry of Defense) will be unable to execute the full spectrum of external-defense missions until sometime between 2020 and 2024, citing ... funding shortfalls as the main reason for the delay," said the report from the US Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction (SIGIR).

Zebari said the air force would not be able to defend Iraqi airspace until 2020 and is not capable of supporting ground combat operations, citing a long-delayed deal to buy F-16 warplanes from the United States, the SIGIR report said.

"An army without an air force is exposed," the report quoted Zebari as saying.

Iraq delayed its purchase of F-16s earlier this year to divert money to social programs.
Two million barrels of oil exported a day at $80 a barrel, and they can't defend themselves? Steven Pressfield's The Profession is looking more likely all the time.
Officials said in late September that Iraq had signed a deal to buy 18 of the combat jets. The first delivery is not expected for several years.

Washington has around 39,000 troops still in Iraq, down from a peak of about 170,000 during the war. Violence has dropped sharply from the sectarian bloodbath of 2006-07 when tens of thousands died.

As it tries to reintegrate itself into the region after years as a pariah, Iraq is warily eying neighbors such as Iran, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Syria. Iraqi leaders have accused neighbors of meddling, and US military officials say Iran arms Shiite militias in Iraq.

"While we have no enemies, we also have no real friends," the SIGIR report quoted Zebari as saying of the Iraqi government's relations with its neighbors.
Posted by:Steve White

#8  TURKEY has repor formally offered to train Iraq's armed forces iff the IGA can't come into agreement wid the US for same.
Posted by: JosephMendiola   2011-10-31 23:13  

#7  Added up, it is not a complete defensive capability, but if Iran tried it on, it would cost them a fortune.

Why would they? Every Iraqi leader has come from exile in Iran. Those who returned w/o Iran's blessing were assassinated by Iran's agents.
Posted by: Eohippus Phater7165   2011-10-31 14:32  

#6  Translation: Give us $billions
Posted by: Anguper Hupomosing9418   2011-10-31 14:17  

#5  Practically speaking, if you have advanced enough ADA, an air force is less important. And there are so many advanced anti-tank weapons afield that Iranian tanks would be wiped out.

Likewise, Iraqi artillery has probably a whole lot better training and targeting capability. Added up, it is not a complete defensive capability, but if Iran tried it on, it would cost them a fortune.
Posted by: Anonymoose   2011-10-31 12:55  

#4  The Iraqi didn't help themselves by demanding a SOFA agreement that wasn't aligned with what all other nations which host US Forces operate under.
Posted by: Procopius2k   2011-10-31 11:02  

#3  We'll be back
Posted by: Angimp Glavise7223   2011-10-31 10:42  

#2  We could always offer a security guarantee to Iraq until then backed up by our presence in Kuwait.
Posted by: American Delight   2011-10-31 09:21  

#1  Iraq's defense chief has said his military will not be fully ready to defend Iraq from external threats until 2020 to 2024, according to a US inspector's report released on Sunday.

Ummm...which is precisely why Ogabe's pulling the plug on US involvement now. His hard left political base desperately wants another helicopters-on-the-embassy-roof moment, and he just as desperately wants to give it to them. Only reason he didn't do it in January of '09 is that it can't look too obvious that he's pulling a Shoeless Joe and intentionally throwing the war.
Posted by: Ricky bin Ricardo (Abu Babaloo)   2011-10-31 01:19  

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