Summary:
New Iraqi Air-force recruits are training on equipment that is comparable to that of the US Airforce.
At the beginning 2008 year the IQAF had 800 airmen, but that figure has already more than doubled to just over 2,000, and by the end of 2009, the IQAF is set to triple to over 6,000 airmen.
“Their biggest challenge right now is related to their growth,” says US Air Force Brig. Gen. Brooks L. Bash, commander of the Coalition Air Force Transition Team responsible for advising the IQAF. “Just that scale of growth causes an enormous amount of problems to the point where the IQAF is counting beds on a monthly basis to make sure people have a place to sleep when they come out of training.”
The United States sold 36 F-16s to the IQAF in 2007; these planes have the latest avionics systems and are more advanced than many planes in the USAF.
Response to/Opinion of Article:
It’s good that we’re creating a strong nation with a strong military. With Iran being next to Iraq, it’s important that we make sure our allies in the region are sufficiently equipped to defend themselves against larger nations that could possibly launch an attack. However, I feel that it is not a good idea to equip the new IQAF with better weapons systems than our own; a repeat of the Hussein regime would be unforgivable.
Question for the class:
Is it a good idea to equip the IQAF as well as we are?
http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/1027/p06s01-wogn.html
{ 1 } Comments
Important material here, Johannes, thanks! The Arab world as a whole shares your concern about the steady rise of a powerful neighbor to the east - non-Arab Iran.
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