Iraq to get $9 Billion US worth of mil. equipment, including 140 Abrams tanks?

[CougarKing]

Interesting.

http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/iraq/?id=27226

It’s all about the money

Iraq seeks buying $9 billion of US arms

Pentagon notifies Congress of proposed military sales to Iraq that include helicopters, tanks.

WASHINGTON - The Pentagon said Friday it has notified Congress of proposed military sales to Iraq valued at more than nine billion dollars, including helicopters, tanks and armored vehicles.

The biggest proposed sale was for 392 Light Armored Vehicles, radios and anti-tank weapons at an estimated cost of three billion dollars, the Defense Security and Cooperation Agency said.

Congress also was notified of a possible sale of 140 upgraded M1A1 Abrams tanks as well as armored Humvees, tracked logistics vehicles, armored ambulances, vehicles to carry shelters and command posts, and trucks to transport heavy equipment.
It was valued at 2.16 billion dollars.

A separate 2.4 billion dollar helicopter deal would provide the Iraqi government with 24 Bell Armed 407 helicopters or 24 Boeing AH-6 helicopters, along with engines, missiles, mortars, machineguns, and rocket launchers.
Another proposed sale involved technical assistance in the construction of garrisons, training areas and operational facilities for the Iraqi security forces.

"The total value, if all options are exercised, could be as high as 1.6 billion dollars," the DSCA said.

On Monday, the DSCA announced a possible contract to sell Iraq six C-130J aircraft, with engines and other equipment, which it said was worth 1.5 billion dollars if all options were exercised.

 

[aesop081]

You find this interesting because........

 

[CougarKing]

I just had the impression that the current Iraqi government would not be in the position financially to buy such equipment, although of course one has to take US military and economic aid into account. Perhaps "surprising" would have been a better word. I don't follow this region as much when it comes to current events and just passed this on from another forum.

 

[Greymatters]

Hmmm.... I wonder what happened the last time the US gave/sold a bunch of military equipment to Iraq...?  :

I think a solid look should be given to a country's stability and alignment before handing them modern firepower...

 

[blacktriangle]

Hmmm.... I wonder what happened the last time the US gave/sold a bunch of military equipment to Iraq...?   :

I think a solid look should be given to a country's stability and alignment before handing them modern firepower...

I agree. Well, I guess they could include a remote self destruct mechanism that the US can pull when the balance of power shifts again...  :

 

[retiredgrunt45]

Its obviuos someone hasn't learn't from past mistakes ???

I can see the headlines now. "American made military equipment falls into hands of terrorists groups in Iraq".

Dumb!

 

[CougarKing]

Another update:

Iraq - M1A1 and Upgrade to M1A1M Abrams Tanks

http://www.dsca.mil/PressReleases/36-b/2008/Iraq_08-98.pdf

WASHINGTON, July 31, 2008 – The Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress of a possible Foreign Military Sale to Iraq of M1A1 and Upgrade to M1A1M Abrams Tanks as well as associated equipment and services. The total value, if all options are exercised, could be as high as $2.16 billion.

The Government of Iraq has requested a possible sale of 140 M1A1 Abrams tanks modified and upgraded to the M1A1M Abrams configuration, 8 M88A2 Tank Recovery Vehicles, 64 M1151A1B1 Armored High Mobility Multi-Purpose Wheeled Vehicles (HMMWV), 92 M1152 Shelter Carriers, 12 M577A2 Command Post Carriers, 16 M548A1 Tracked Logistics Vehicles, 8 M113A2 Armored Ambulances, and 420 AN/VRC-92 Vehicular Receiver Transmitters. Also included are: 35 M1070 Heavy Equipment Transporter (HET) Truck Tractors, 40 M978A2 Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck (HEMTT) Tankers, 36 M985A2 HEMTT Cargo Trucks, 4 M984A2 HEMTT Wrecker Trucks, 140 M1085A1 5-ton Cargo Trucks, 8 HMMWV Ambulances w/ Shelter, 8 Contact Maintenance Trucks, 32 500 gal Water Tank Trailers, 16 2500 gal Water Tank Trucks, 16 Motorcycles, 80 8 ton Heavy/Medium Trailers, 16 Sedans, 92 M1102 Light Tactical trailers, 92 635NL Semi-Trailers, 4 5,500 lb Rough Terrain Forklifts, 20 M1A1 engines, 20 M1A1 Full Up Power Packs, 3 spare M88A2 engines, 10 M1070 engines, 20 HEMTT engines, 4 M577A2 spare engines, 2 5-ton truck engines, 20 spare HMMWV engines, ammunition, spare and repair parts, maintenance, support equipment, publications and documentation, personnel training and equipment, U.S. Government and contractor engineering and logistics support services, and other related elements of logistics support. The estimated cost is $2.16 billion.

This proposed sale will contribute to the foreign policy and national security of the United States by helping to improve the security of a friendly country. This proposed sale directly supports the Government of Iraq and serves the interests of the people of Iraq and of the U.S.

This proposed sale would advance Iraq’s effort to develop a strong, well-equipped, trained, and dedicated military force, to establish security and stability throughout Iraq, and to promote the stability and development of a friendly, democratic central government.

The proposed sale and upgrade will allow Iraq to operate and exercise a more lethal and survivable M1A1M tank for the protection of critical infrastructure. Iraq will have no difficulty absorbing these tanks into its armed forces. The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not alter the basic military balance in the region.

The prime contractors will be General Dynamics Land Systems Division of Sterling Heights, Michigan; Honeywell International, and General Motors Allison Transmission Division of Detroit, Michigan. There are no known offset agreements proposed in connection with this potential sale.

 

[Ex-Dragoon]

Well I have a mixed view on this sale...yes the equipment might find its way into enemy hands but if you don't start treating the Iraqis as friends, allies and collegues are you accomplishing anything by acting like you do not trust them?

 

[Snafu-Bar]

More sales means more income for the US, if they have to go back and sort them out again it's just more money in the bank. 


Cheers.

 

[Ex-Dragoon]

More sales means more income for the US, if they have to go back and sort them out again it's just more money in the bank. 
Cheers.

Losing more equipment and soldiers plus the cost of maintaining soldiers and equipment there in another war in that region I definitely do not see as money in the bank for the US.

 

[CougarKing]

Apparently the sale includes LAV25s as well.

From: http://www.dsca.mil/PressReleases/36-b/2008/Iraq_08-35.pdf

Foreign Military Sale to Iraq of Light Armored Vehicles as well as associated equipment and services. The total value, if all options are exercised, could be as high as $3 billion.

The Government of Iraq has requested a possible sale of 392 Light Armored Vehicles (LAVs) which include 352 LAV-25, 24 LAV-CC, and 16 LAV-A (Ambulances); 368 AN/VRC-90E Single Channel Ground and Airborne Radio Systems (SINCGARS); 24 AN/VRC-92E SINCGARS; and 26 M72 Light Anti-Tank Weapons. The following are considered replacements to vehicles/weapons requested in the Military Table of Equipment (MTOE): 5 LAV-R (Recovery), 4 LAV-L (Logistics), 2 Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) Vehicles, 41 Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacement (MTVR), 2 MK19 40mm Grenade Machine Guns, 773 9mm Pistols, 93 M240G Machine Guns, and 10 AR-12 rifles. Non-MDE includes ammunition, construction, site survey, spare and repair parts, support equipment, publications and technical data, personnel training and training equipment, contractor engineering and technical support services and other related elements of logistics support. The estimated cost is $3 billion.

 

[Snafu-Bar]

How so?

Iraq wasn't just a war, it was a major US investment in oil and it's ownership. The US went in and sorted the place out and is willing to partnership with it's new leadership, in exchange for updated weapons and equiptment at a hefty cost the US will gladly forgive the WOMD fiasco and buy every drop of oil squeezed from the sands. Thus the US secures an energy source and an outlet for war toys, while taking the chance that Iraq will come around to the west and become a valuable ally and strategic partner in the global oil scramble.

The price of the war in lives isn't factored into political and economic greed or it's shareholders. It never has and never will.

It is only honoured and remembered.

Cheers.

 

[Loachman]

Hmmm.... I wonder what happened the last time the US gave/sold a bunch of military equipment to Iraq...?   :

What military equipment did the US give/sell to Iraq in the past?

 

[LineDoggie]

What military equipment did the US give/sell to Iraq in the past?

Yep, I'd love to know what vast amounts of gear we supposedly sold them as well.

 

[geo]

Mmmm... US provided all sorts of military gear to Iraq at the time Sadam was a good friend of the US administration..
Back in the days when Iraq was opposing Iran...

 

[LineDoggie]

Mmmm... US provided all sorts of military gear to Iraq at the time Sadam was a good friend of the US administration..
Back in the days when Iraq was opposing Iran...

Liiiiiike? it's one thing to say, how about amounts and types of Ordnance. By the way do you know who the largest sellers of Military Hardware to Saddam were?

 

[geo]

During the war, Iraq was regarded by the West (and specifically the United States) as a counterbalance to post-revolutionary Iran. The support of Iraq took the form of technological aid, intelligence, the sale of dual-use and military equipment and satellite intelligence to Iraq. While there was direct combat between Iran and the United States, it is not universally agreed that the fighting between the U.S. and Iran was specifically to benefit Iraq, or for separate, although occurring at the same time, issues between the U.S. and Iran. American ambiguity towards which side to support was summed up by Henry Kissinger when the American statesman remarked that "it's a pity they [Iran and Iraq] both can't lose."More than 30 countries provided support to Iraq, Iran, or both. Iraq, in particular, had a complex clandestine procurement network to obtain munitions and critical materials, which, in some transactions, involved 6-10 countries.

The United States actively supported the Iraqi war effort by supplying the Iraqis with billions of dollars of credits, by providing U.S. military intelligence and advice to the Iraqis, and by closely monitoring third country arms sales to Iraq to make sure that Iraq had the military weaponry required. The United States also provided strategic operational advice to the Iraqis to better use their assets in combat... The CIA, including both CIA Director Casey and Deputy Director Gates, knew of, approved of, and assisted in the sale of non-U.S. origin military weapons, ammunition and vehicles to Iraq. My notes, memoranda and other documents in my NSC files show or tend to show that the CIA knew of, approved of, and assisted in the sale of non-U.S. origin military weapons, munitions and vehicles to Iraq

During the Iran–Iraq War, the Soviet Union sold or gave the greatest amount of military equipment and supplies to Iraq,[citation needed] as well as providing military advisers. Their public position, especially in the early phases of the war, was officially neutral to both sides, although they clandestinely provided a smaller amount of support to Iran. Later in the war, they more visibly supported Iraq, but still maintained an official position of neutrality.

France was the second greatest supplier to Iraq, and tended to supply higher-technology equipment than the Soviets. [1] This does not mean that many other nations did not either provide materials or encourage client states to do so, or that there was not a brisk business by private arms traders.

At the start of the Iran–Iraq War, the Soviet Union stopped overt, and most covert, arms shipments to Iraq while Iraq was on the offensive, for the next 18 months.  This may have been less because the Soviet Union wanted to help Iran, and more due to Moscow's irritation with Saddam, who had refused the Soviets more access to Iraqi ports in exchange for arms. Nevertheless, Soviet prestige was at stake if its arms were defeated, so the Soviets began to provide spare parts and ammunition. They later would replace complete vehicles and weapons on a one-to-one exchange basis.

The Soviets allowed the Iraqi Communist Party, driven from Iraq by the security state, to broadcast, from the Soviet Union, calls for ending the war.  Again, this may have been more a matter of Soviet irritation than a serious attempt to hurt Iraq, since Iran was not seen as pro-Soviet, and the Iraqi Communist Party was unlikely to have overcome Saddam's security apparatus.

 

[Bane]

As always, use the salt.

Testimony by Howard Teicher - former NSC official
http://www.overcast.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/print/spidersweb/teicher.htm

...the United States actively supported the Iraqi war effort by supplying the Iraqis with billions of dollars of credits, by providing U.S. military intelligence and advice to the Iraqis, and by closely monitoring third country arms sales to Iraq to make sure that Iraq had the military weaponry required. The United States also provided strategic operational advice to the Iraqis to better use their assets in combat. For example, in 1986, President Reagan sent a secret message to Saddam Hussein telling him that Iraq should step up its air war and bombing of Iran. This message was delivered by Vice President Bush who communicated it to Egyptian President Mubarak, who in turn passed the message to Saddam Hussein.

http://www.casi.org.uk/info/usdocs/usiraq80s90s.html

# Items sent from the U.S. during the Reagan and Bush Administrations that helped Iraq’s non-conventional weapons programs and that were shipped to known military industrial facilities include:  * Computers to develop ballistic missiles and nuclear weapons;[59] machine tools and lasers to extend ballistic missile range;[60] graphics terminals to design and analyze rockets;[61] West Nile Fever virus, a known potential BW agent, sent by the U.S. government’s Centers for Disease Control (CDC);[62] the agents for botulism, tetanus, and anthrax.[63]

http://www.iraqwatch.org/suppliers/LicenseMD.html

This was the declared purpose of two U.S. exports to Iraq, valued at $1.4 million and approved on January 20 and February 10, 1988. The first was for precision machine tools, the second for lasers. The Iraqi buyer was a procurement agent for the Iraqi SCUD missile program. With this equipment, Iraq would be able to make precision parts for missiles, and also be able to rework the cases of its short-range SCUD missiles, enabling them to carry more fuel and fly farther. Indeed, the stated use on the application was to work on "rocketcases."

 

[LineDoggie]

In other words, no Tanks, no Guns, no Artillery, no Trucks, no Shells sold from the US as had been offered by a previous poster.

Thanks

 

[geo]

didn't hide - I posted the info as I found it....
Soviet, French, Brit & Italian kit - for the most part BUT,
Under the principle of "the ennemy of my ennemy is my friend",

The United States actively supported the Iraqi war effort by supplying the Iraqis with billions of dollars of credits, by providing U.S. military intelligence and advice to the Iraqis, and by closely monitoring third country arms sales to Iraq to make sure that Iraq had the military weaponry required. The United States also provided strategic operational advice to the Iraqis to better use their assets in combat... The CIA, including both CIA Director Casey and Deputy Director Gates, knew of, approved of, and assisted in the sale of non-U.S. origin military weapons, ammunition and vehicles to Iraq. My notes, memoranda and other documents in my NSC files show or tend to show that the CIA knew of, approved of, and assisted in the sale of non-U.S. origin military weapons, munitions and vehicles to Iraq