Air force of Iraq remains grounded

[leftchick]

http://www.boston.com/news/world/middleeast/articles/2006/06/25/air_force_of_iraq_remains_grounded/

<snip>

Washington also is concerned about the loyalties of Iraq's Shi'ite-dominated government in the light of regional dynamics, notably with regard to neighboring Iran, also led by Shi'ites.

If the Iraqi air force develops combat capabilities, questions will arise about how to ensure that the firepower is not misused, said Robert Pape, a political science professor at the University of Chicago and a former teacher of air power strategy for the US Air Force's School of Advanced Airpower Studies. ``They might do more harm than good," he said.

Although US officials describe a harmonious collaboration between the Iraqi airmen and their American advisers, Iraqi officials portray it as fraught with suspicion.

One Iraqi air force official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Iraqis were kept in the dark about missions routinely, and sometimes found their requests for flight missions inexplicably denied.

``The initiative to do anything is in their hands," he said of the US officials.

[kurth]

1. Yep, the mighty Iraqi air force

just like the shoeless soldiers in the mighty Iraqi army who couldn't wait to surrender to Western journalists.

[Moderator]

2. duplicate

reprint of June 18th LA Times article already posted

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=2343921