Posted on 03/12/2007 5:03:45 PM PDT by SandRat
WASHINGTON, March 12, 2007 U.S. and Iraqi officials are working to build an Iraqi air force capable of conducting operations across the entire spectrum of the counterinsurgency fight, a senior U.S. military officer said today.
The ultimate goal is to create an Iraqi air force thats sustainable, and with a force structure that (Iraqis) can maintain, U.S. Air Force Brig Gen. Stephen Hoog, the air component coordination element director for Multinational Force Iraq, told a group of Internet journalists and bloggers during a telephone conference call from Baghdad. |
Will they need it for a coming war Iran-Iraq war?
With million dollar planes, please take this one slowly.
I agree that part of taking back control of their country will require gunship support but aren't they biting off more than they can chew at this point?
Iraq had an airforce that was the envy of the Middle East not long ago with nearly 1000 warplanes.
The Iraqi Air Force could handle much more then we are giving them at this point.
While they certainly have right to build a military, I'd like to see them (a) stop killing each other, (b) neutralize the jihadis with a strong police force and rule of law, (c) get the oil flowing and (d) get their infrastructure and economy on track. We'll fly high-cover for them, just like we do with Japan. Am I wrong here?
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