In comments released in the US Special Inspector General for Iraqi Reconstruction (SIGIR) report, the Iraqi military’s chief warned that Iraq wouldn’t be “fully ready” to fight wars until between 2020 and 2024.
Lt. Gen. Babakir Zebari’s estimate came because he said the newly created Iraqi Air Force, which is still getting its US-made warplanes, won’t be able to control the nation’s air space until that time.
“An army without an air force is exposed,” Zebari warned. The comments were likely among those the Obama Administration unsuccessfully used to press Iraq to allow US soldiers to remain in the country beyond December.
Zebari also warned that while Iraq “have no enemies, we also have no real friends.” With Turkey’s military attacking northern Iraq, the nation’s ability to project its military internally remains a priority for the Maliki government.
Defend from what? US invasions? Let the Iraqis determine their own future, without US funds and lives.
Who is going to attack Iraq.
Who gets to sell military equipment to Iraq?
Who has already attacked Iraq?
Answer correctly and you win a crocheted bathtub.
Is a matter of knowing your enemy.., I mean the real one.., in Iraq case and eleswhere in Middle East for that matter the real and true enemy is the US and NATO militarism regimes combinde with such ideas from Paul Wolfowitz, Bill Clinto, Tony Blair, Sarkozi, the Germans and Turkey and other idiots bothe in Washington and rest of the US and NATO political arena.., this and all other their polcies been called the falsified democracy by the few and for the few.
Who is going to attack. If it is a civil war then let the stronger win. We destroy the order of the nation and other than Israel I do not know who is going to attack. Iran will eventually take over but it will be indirectly so no military forces will be of any use. Turkey is also available if they need military help. The last thing we need to more usa troops.
Or usa money. The last thing we need is for our "federal" "reserve" Bank of New York "extending credit", i.e. create money out of thin air, so that the "indespensable" corporations can get "contracts' for trillions of dollars to supply the troups with everything from military hardware, food to handkerchiefs, at an outrageous price. They "deserve" it, since they do it in "war conditions'. Should the troups come home, they can order their pizzas from the town, and shop for whatever they want at home. And what will the same corporations do without the "reconstruction" money that neatly disappears without anything being constructred? What will these war profiteers do then? And once Wall Street masters created the money out of thin air, and the money has been spent — here come Bush and Obama, in neat succession, pledging the taxpayers to pay for it. Call it bailout, call it stimulus. We, our social security, our education, police fire — anything that we actually NEED and HAVE PAID FOR —- will be cut.
Good thing Iraq wasn't ready to defend itself in 2003, huh?
I wonder how many $$$$ Lt. Gen. Babakir Zebari has deposited in Swiss accounts? These would be $$$ that were allocated for reconstruction but…never quite made it there. Just wondering… Might explain why he'd like to have the Americans hanging around (with their checkbooks and their BIG GUNS and gungho patriots from middle America willing to die for Lt. Gen. Babakir Zebari's welfare) while he sits back safely ensconced in his office deep within the Green Zone, checking his accounts online.
This Zebari must be a CIA guy. "…Iraq wouldn’t be 'fully ready' to fight wars until between 2020 and 2024." As if it were talking about something really essential such as the capability to feed itself.