The first F-16 Fighting Falcon for the Iraq Air Force makes its first flight. (Lockheed Martin)
Pentagon: We're Not Slow-Rolling F-16 Sale To Iraq -- Defense News
WASHINGTON — The Pentagon pushed back Friday on comments made by Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki that the US is slow-rolling a sale of Lockheed Martin F-16 fighters to Baghdad.
“There’s been no slow-rolling,” Pentagon Press Secretary Rear Adm. John Kirby told reporters at a press briefing on Friday.
Al-Maliki in an interview with BBC Arabic said the US’s “long, very slow way” has delayed the delivery of 36 fighter aircraft. He said Iraq would purchase used fighter jets from Russia and Belarus in the interim to combat Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) fighters, which have taken over cities in northern and western Iraq.
Read more ....
Update: Unrest in Iraq could delay delivery of US F-16s -- AFP
My Comment: Since the American contractors who were suppose to maintain these jets are no longer on the Iraqi air bases that were suppose to receive deliver of these jets .... I can understand (to a point) on why this deal is in limbo. But if I was an Iraqi government/military official waiting for these jets .... I would not be happy.
So Balad airstrip is overrun of under threat.
ReplyDeleteDitto H-2 & Habbaniya.
There have to be airstrips between Baghdad and Basra that could be used.
So the Pentagon is blowing smoke or the Iraqi government is so lame that it can't propose or secure such an airstrip.
It is pretty fracking sad that a nation to whom we do not have ill will, which is under attack by bad guys and the administration does not know how to sell war material.
Selling war material looks like a win win. We have American employment and ISIS takes casualties. How could the administration screw that one up?
Anzio Smith .... I could not have said it any better.
ReplyDelete