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Iraq's prime minister said Saturday he was reviving a stalled deal to buy multi-million-dollar fighter jets from the United States and affirmed the need for American trainers to help Iraqi forces operate and maintain the 36 F-16s.

However, Nouri al-Maliki avoided saying whether the trainers would be active-duty troops or private contractors — sidestepping the key question of whether American military personnel will be asked to remain past an end-of-year deadline for withdrawing. That question is Iraq's top political issue and is being hotly debated among the country's leaders.

The fighter jet deal, which al-Maliki announced at a press conference, more than doubles the number of aircraft Iraq initially planned to buy.

"We should provide Iraq with the means, including warplanes, to protect its sovereignty," al-Maliki told reporters after addressing a closed session of parliament.

It was a turnabout from earlier this year, when Baghdad abandoned the deal and decided instead that it would spend hundreds of millions of dollars on food rations for poor Iraqis.

Al-Maliki did not say when the purchase of the F-16s would proceed, where the money would come from or how it would affect other government programs already in place.

I'm sure they'll get a great deal and it seems to be all the fighter they need. I think its a purchase that would make sense.

No need for American troops to go to Iraq to train their pilots and ground crews on the F-16. Just bring them to Tucson like we do for everyone else.

No need for American troops to go to Iraq to train their pilots and ground crews on the F-16. Just bring them to Tucson like we do for everyone else.

At least the Iraqi's wil be used to the weather and scenery.

-Delta767-300ER

Click Click D'oh wrote:No need for American troops to go to Iraq to train their pilots and ground crews on the F-16. Just bring them to Tucson like we do for everyone else.

Agreed

Let's find them some second hand F-16s. There isn't much point in us buying them 36 new airplanes when we can barely buy our own new airplanes. It also makes them easier to blow up in place when we are back at war with them in 10 years.

Agreed

Let's find them some second hand F-16s. There isn't much point in us buying them 36 new airplanes when we can barely buy our own new airplanes. It also makes them easier to blow up in place when we are back at war with them in 10 years.

I also agree with your statement. Does Iraq still have any Migs left over from the Saddam era or did we destroy them all? I also saw where Saddam buried some of them.

On a side note, I wonder what condition Iran's F-14 Tomcats are in at this time. I would imagine they are pretty shitty and not airworthy. I remember a few years ago some Liberal on A-Net tried to tell me Iran would beat us in an air war because they had F-14's with the Phoenix Anti-Air missile. Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight.

-Delta767-300ER

Sell 'em the new planes . . . make them new . . . with a pricetage . . . Noeing can use the $$$ so can the American worker.

Put a dumb-ass device in the, so when the future Iraqi Airman loses his mind and wants to use them against an ally we can say, "push button "C", and he meet Allah.

Just saying . . .

Delta767-300ER wrote:
I also agree with your statement. Does Iraq still have any Migs left over from the Saddam era or did we destroy them all? I also saw where Saddam buried some of them.

On a side note, I wonder what condition Iran's F-14 Tomcats are in at this time. I would imagine they are pretty shitty and not airworthy. I remember a few years ago some Liberal on A-Net tried to tell me Iran would beat us in an air war because they had F-14's with the Phoenix Anti-Air missile. Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight.

-Delta767-300ER

I am pretty sure all their Migs are smoking holes in the ground. There are certainly some more buried ones, but if they are buried anything like that Mig-25 they aren't serviceable.

I think the Tomcats were given first priority at being chopped to prevent Iran getting any black market parts support. Iran was sold the Phoenix missile with their Tomcats, and is even rumored to have used them successfully against Iraq during their unpleasantness in the 80s. However, 30+ year old missiles are most likely not going to ignite if launched.