Secret Iraqi Deal Shows Problems in Arms Orders

[Barrett808]

Source: The New York Times

Secret Iraqi Deal Shows Problems in Arms Orders
Solomon Moore
April 14, 2008

AN IRAQI arms deal worth $US833 million secretly negotiated with Serbia has underscored Iraq's continuing problems equipping its armed forces, a process long plagued by corruption and inefficiency.

The deal was struck in September without competitive bidding and it sidestepped anti-corruption safeguards, including the approval of senior uniformed Iraqi army officers and an Iraqi contract approval committee. Instead, it was negotiated by a delegation of 22 high-ranking Iraqi officials, without the knowledge of US commanders or many senior Iraqi leaders.

The deal drew enough criticism that Iraqi officials later limited the purchase to $US236 million. Much of that equipment, US commanders said, turned out to be either shoddy or inappropriate for the military's mission.

An anatomy of the purchase highlights how the Iraqi army's administrative abilities — already hampered by sectarian rifts and corruption — are woefully underdeveloped, hindering it in procuring weapons and other essentials in a systematic way.

...

Such weaknesses mean that five years after the American invasion, the 170,000-strong Iraqi military remains under-equipped, infrequently supplied and largely reliant on the US for such basics as communications equipment, weapons and ammunition.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/13/world/middleeast/13arms.html

[truedelphi]

1. We somehow expect the Iraqis we are training to keep the place secure

After our troops leave -even though they are using over priced, piss poor equipment.

[PSPS]

2. I wonder which bush (or crony) has ties to the Serbian front company.

Closer monitoring of weapons deals has been a delicate subject since a series of tainted arms purchases totaling $1.3 billion in Iraqi government funds in 2004 and 2005. Lacking electronic banking systems at the time, Iraqi officials paid for second-rate or nonexistent weapons and equipment in cash, using middlemen to ferry duffle bags stuffed with bricks of $100 bills.

Yes, it sounds just like a neo-con dream, doesn't it?

[tanyev]

3. As if our troops aren't also getting shoddy and inappropriate equipment?

The U.S. military's administrative abilities have been hindered by pervasive and systemic corruption and cronyism.