Bomb hits convoy of Iraq's Sunni finance minister

Attackers detonated a bomb Sunday next to a convoy carrying the Iraqi finance minister, a central figure in more than two weeks of protests by minority Sunnis against the Shiite-dominated Baghdad government, police said.

The minister, Rafia al-Issawi, was not hurt in the bombing. The device exploded as the last car in his convoy was passing by.

Al-Issawi is one of the senior Sunni officials in the government. Arrest of his bodyguards set off a wave of protests in Anbar province, a huge, mostly Sunni area, once a haven for al-Qaida militants that targeted Shiites and U.S. forces during the American-led operation in Iraq that started in 2003. The last U.S. combat soldiers left Iraq a year ago.

The minister was heading to Fallujah to meet with tribal leaders. Fallujah is at the eastern edge of Anbar, closest to Baghdad.

The attack on al-Issawi could trigger another round of protests. Rare demonstrations by angry Sunnis on the main highway between Iraq and Syria caused disruptions over the past two weeks. Sunnis charge that the central government is discriminating against them.

In violence in Anbar on Sunday, police said a roadside bomb exploded next to a security patrol in Fallujah, killing a 7-year-old boy who was walking near the patrol. Three policemen were wounded.

Medics in nearby hospitals confirmed the casualty figures.

Saudi Arabia Warns Iraq That Failure To Accomodate Sunnis Risks Even More Violence And Sectarianism

Saudi Arabia  warned Iraq against sectarian extremism after two weeks of protests by Sunni Muslims against Baghdad's Shi'ite-led government.
The street protests across Iraq's Sunni heartland have strained the Arab state's fragile political balance and renewed fears of intensified sectarian strife.
"We are convinced that Iraq will not stabilize until it starts handling issues without sectarian extremism... Until these issues are addressed, we don't think there will ever be stability in Iraq, which pains us," Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal told a news conference in Riyadh.
Iraq's Arab majority is mostly Shi'ite but the country was dominated by Sunnis under former strongman Saddam Hussein and much of the fighting since he was deposed has fallen along sectarian lines.
Sunni Saudi Arabia has a tense relationship with Baghdad and senior princes have previously described Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki as being in hock to Shi'ite Iran, in comments to U.S. diplomats released by WikiLeaks.
Saudi Arabia, the world's top oil exporter, is locked in a struggle for regional influence with fellow OPEC-member Iran, backing opposing sides in Syria and Lebanon, where Shi'ite parties are allied to Tehran.

Riyadh also accuses Tehran of fomenting unrest in Bahrain and Yemen, and of instigating protests among Saudi Arabia's own Shi'ite minority, charges Iran denies.
Former Saudi intelligence head Prince Muqrin described Maliki as "an Iranian 100 percent" in comments to visiting U.S. officials relayed in a July 2008 embassy cable released by the WikiLeaks website.

Iraqi Navy Gets U.S. Support Vessels While Libyan Navy Holds Talks to Increase Co-operation With French Navy

The Iraqi navy and the U.S. Navy’s Naval Sea Systems Command marked the delivery of two 60-meter Offshore Support Vessels (OSV 1/ OSV 2) to the Iraqi navy in a ceremony at the Umm Qasr naval facility, Dec. 19.

The two OSVs, procured as part U.S. Navy’s Foreign Military Sales (FMS) Program, will help reconstitute Iraq’s ability to enforce maritime sovereignty and security in the Northern Arabian Gulf.

“This occasion reflects the important ties that bind our governments and our commitment to supporting s strong coalition partnership that is based on mutual respect and understanding,” said Vice Adm. Kevin McCoy, commander, Naval Sea Systems Command. “Combined with the previously delivered Iraqi patrol boats, this acquisition program has offered another unique opportunity for cooperation between our countries.”

OSVs are multi-function vessels providing a wide range of capabilities to support Iraq’s oil production platforms. The vessels will provide transport support for crew changes and resupply to the platforms. Each OSV is equipped with a 30mm gun weapon system and outfitted with fast attack boats to defend it and the offshore platforms. The vessels each include a vertical replenishment deck to facilitate the transfer of supplies as needed.

RiverHawk Fast Sea Frames is the prime contractor for the OSV procurement, with Gulf Island Marine Fabricators manufacturing the hull and deckhouse, and outfitting the vessels.

PEO Ships is currently managing the design and construction of all U.S. Navy destroyers, amphibious ships, special mission and support ships, as well as a wide range of boats and craft for U.S. agencies and foreign military sales.

Then….

The Libya Herald reports that French and Libyan navies recently met to discuss enhancing intelligence sharing and joint training cooperation. The talks took place during a port visit by a French frigate to Tripoli, which is said to be part of a larger initiative to expand maritime ties between the two countries, the report notes. France has also provided training to Libyan personnel, and helped to secure that country’s maritime areas, while also preventing migrants from attempting to cross the Mediterranean to Europe, it added.

Iraq Takes Delivery Of Super Hercs

Lockheed Martin delivered a C-130J Super Hercules to the Iraqi Air Force at formal ceremonies here today. This is one of the initial three aircraft of a total of six C-130Js ordered by Iraq.
The other two of these initial three aircraft departed yesterday for Iraq. The remaining three C-130Js will be delivered in 2013. The Iraqi Air Force will use the airlifters for intra-theater support for its troops and to provide humanitarian relief operations in various locations.
“Fifteen countries have already selected the C-130J Super Hercules to meet their airlift requirements”, said George Shultz, Lockheed Martin’s vice president and general manager for C-130 Programs. “Be it recapitalization of existing fleets, or new operators seeking proven airlift performance and capability, the C-130J is always the logical, low risk, affordable, proven answer.”
Acquisition of new transport aircraft will provide Iraq with the ability to operate seamlessly with U.S., NATO and coalition forces engaged in a wide range of operations and missions.

Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company that employs about 120,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The corporation's net sales for 2011 were $46.5 billion.

The Turkish Air Force strikes PKK in northern Iraq

The Turkish Air Force conducted a series of strikes against the bases of the fighters of the Workers Party of Kurdistan (PKK) in northern Iraq, local media reported Thursday quoting military sources.

The Turkish air force attacked anti-aircraft batteries, shelter and infrastructure Kurdish separatists in the regions of Zap, Avasin, and Metina Haftanin. Hunter-F-16 bombers were involved in the raids, according to Dogan news agency.

Until now, the Staff of the Turkish Army has not issued an official statement about the operation. No information on possible victims of the attack is not available for the moment.

The Kurdistan Workers Party has been fighting for nearly 25 years for the autonomy of the Kurds on part of Turkish territory. This conflict has already been about 40,000 deaths. The PKK terrorist organization has been recognized by the United Nations and the European Union.

Determined to suppress separatism by force, the Turkish authorities refused any dialogue with Kurdish militants.

Iraq seeks to acquire 30 Stryker vehicles from the US

The Iraqi Ministry of Defence (MoD) is planning to procure 30 General Dynamics-built Stryker infantry combat vehicles (ICVs) from the US Army, Program Executive Office Ground Combat Systems public affairs spokeswoman Ashley Givens has revealed.

In an e-mailed response, Givens was quoted by Bloomberg Businessweek as saying that the US Army has been assembling cost and schedule information for a formal proposal, which will be submitted to Congress for approval following acceptance by the Iraqi Government.

Valued at an estimated $25m, the deal covers delivery of 30 Stryker vehicles integrated with sensors, test equipment and communications gear for efficient detection of nuclear fallout or chemical and biological agents.

An unidentified US embassy official told the news agency that the deal forms part of a potential $7bn foreign military sale (FMS) package for Baghdad, which was agreed by the US Government in the last decade.

In an e-mailed statement, General Dynamics spokeswoman Marie Remboulis said the company was fully aware of the pending Stryker deal, while Iraqi embassy spokesman Raifet Ahmad did not respond to a request for comment on the issue.

The Iraqi Government had previously requested a sale of 400 Stryker ICVs and eight heavy recovery vehicles for use by the country's police in December 2008.

Manufactured by General Dynamics Land Systems Canada, the Stryker is an eight-wheel drive, armoured vehicle designed to provide infantrymen with enhanced protection and survivability from artillery fragments, roadside mines and improvised explosive devices in the battlefield.

The vehicle entered into operational service in early 2001, and is available in eight different variants, which include nuclear, biological, chemical reconnaissance vehicle, medical evacuation vehicle, and engineer squad vehicle, as well as anti-tank guided missile vehicles

Iraqi Air Force signs contract for second batch of F-16 fighters

The Iraqi Government has signed a contract with the US for the acquisition of a second batch of 18 F-16 C/D Block 52 Fighting Falcon multi-role fighter jets, the country's acting defence minister Sadoun al-Dulaimi has revealed.

Speaking after a meeting with US officials in Baghdad, al-Dulaimi told Reuters that the new contract forms part of an original multi-billion deal agreed between the two countries for procurement of a total of 36 aircraft to help rebuild the Iraqi Air Force (IQAF).

"The contract is no different from the first contract in terms of the technical and financial details," al-Dulaimi added.

An unidentified US embassy spokesman in Baghdad also told the news agency that a letter of acceptance (LOA) for the second batch of aircraft had been presented to Iraq by the US Government.

"The United States would welcome Iraqi acceptance as another important step in our growing bilateral security assistance relationship," the spokesman added.

The IQAF, which is considered as the most ill-equipped branch of the country's armed forces, had signed an approximately $3bn deal with US for delivery of 18 F-16 aircraft, including 12 C and six D models, along with engines and support equipment in September 2012.

Powered by a single Pratt & Whitney F-100-GE-129 turbofan engine, the F-16 Fighting Falcon is a multirole jet fighter, designed initially as an air superiority day fighter, but later evolved into a successful all-weather multirole aircraft.

The F-16 C/D Block 52 aircraft is an upgraded variant of F-16, featuring improved cockpit avionics, radars and all-weather capability with beyond-visual-range (BVR) AIM-7 and AIM-120 air-air missiles.

The initial batch is scheduled to be handed over to the IQAF in September 2014, while the delivery of second set is expected to complete in 2018.

Iraq to Buy Czech L-159 Trainer Jets - Prime Minister

The Iraqi government intends to buy Czech-made Aero Vodochody L-159 advanced trainer/light-attack jets, Iraq's Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said on Thursday in Prague after talks with his Czech counterpart Petr Necas, local TV reported.

"Further talks about purchasing the L-159 will take place on Friday between the Iraqi and Czech defense ministries," he said. Talks about an L-159 purchase between Baghdad and Prague have been underway for at least three years, acording to Defense Industry Daily.

The Czech government hopes to sell Iraq up to 24 of the jets, which Defense Industry Daily says are used aircraft which were operated for a short time by the Czech Air Force. Iraq used to operate the jet's predecessor, the L-39 Albatros.

The L-159 can be armed with Sidewinder missiles, targeting pods and laser-guided air-to-surface weapons, and can operate from austere airstrips, the daily says.

Iraqi Army HERCULES Recovery Vehicle Contract

The Iraqi Army is getting eight new M88A2 HERCULES armoured recovery vehicles from manufacturer BAE Systems through a $31.8m contract announced on 8 October 2012.

The M88A2 HERCULES (Heavy Equipment Recovery Combat Utility Lift Evacuation System) is one of three versions of the M88 armoured recovery vehicle range (besides the standard M88 and the M88A1).

The M88 dates back to the 1960s, while the M88A1 emerged in the late 1970s and the M88A2 HERCULES is a 1990s upgrade. M88 variants have an extensive combat history, having been deployed in Vietnam, the Gulf region and Kosovo and more examples have served with the US Army than with any other military user.

M88A2 HERCULES Recovery Vehicle

Compared to the M88 and M88A1, the M88A2 HERCULES recovery vehicle is larger, boasts more effective armour and, using its main winch, can lift loads weighing up to 70 tonnes. Other key M88A2 HERCULES features include power-assisted braking enabling loads up to M1A1 tank weight to be towed and augmented electrical and hydraulics systems.

According to BAE Systems, there's no other equivalent vehicle that can match the M88A2 in terms of costs and, equally, nothing else powerful and versatile enough to recover M1A1 and M1A2 vehicles and Leopard Main Battle Tanks.

Iraqi Army HERCULES

Work is expected to get underway on the eight Iraqi Army HERCULES in Q4 2013, concluding in Q2 2014.

"BAE Systems is answering the need for a cost-effective, self-supporting, heavy recovery performance vehicle", explained BAE Systems Vehicle Systems' Vice President, Mark Signorelli, in an 8 October press release. "HERCULES will provide the Iraqi military with a recovery vehicle that has been tested and proven to tow and hoist today's heaviest combat vehicles."

The Iraqi Army dates back to 1917 but the modern-day version has been built up, with heavy US influence, since the 2003 Invasion of Iraq. These M88A1 HERCULES will be the most modern recovery vehicles to join the Iraqi Army but it already operates older Polish WZT-2 and Russian BREM-1 recovery vehicles.

Moscow signed a contract arming 4.2 billion with Baghdad

The Russia announced Tuesday, October 9 have signed with Iraq of arms contracts totaling more than $ 4.2 billion, and again becoming a supplier of the most important weapons in this country, after the United States. This announcement comes as Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki , on a visit to Moscow.

According to a statement from the Russian government, Iraqi delegations made several visits to Russia this year to negotiate a series of arms contracts signed during the second half of 2012.

"The members of the delegation are familiar with Russian military production, discussed technical and commercial proposals for the delivery of Russian equipment [...] and signed a series of contracts for more than $ 4.2 billion dollars " , 3.3 billion euros, he wrote.

The document states that the negotiations took place in April, and in July and August but did not indicate what type of weapon it is. Only the Russian business daily Vedomosti mentioned including 30 helicopters Mi-28 and 42 systems-air missiles Pantsir-S1.

RENEWING LINKS WITH IRAQ

Russia seeks to revive the lost ties with the fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003, Iraq was an ally during the Soviet era. "Russian-Iraqi ties in the past were very close and strong. I 'm sure it will be so in the future. There is a willingness of both parties to develop and strengthen our relations " , Maliki said, according to Russian news agencies.

The energy sector should also be addressed, the Russian giants Gazprom and Lukoil eg having invested heavily in the Iraqi oil sector. According to Russian news agencies, the first Russian private oil company, Lukoil, announced Tuesday that Iraq has given its approval to a draft of its consortium with Japan's Inpex Corp. to explore a block with an area of 5 500 km ² in the south.

The conflict in Syria should also be at the heart of the visit of Mr. Maliki. Russia, traditional ally of Damascus, has blocked any binding resolution to date against the regime of Bashar al-Assad , in fact seeks support against the West.

Iraqi Training to Continue Uninterrupted, Pentagon Press Secretary Says

U.S. military training for Iraq’s security forces will continue uninterrupted despite Congress’s failure to approve money for it in a temporary spending bill now funding government operations, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said Oct. 2.

When Congress approved a short-term spending bill last month to keep the government running in the new fiscal year that began on Monday, the measure left out funding for the roughly 200 U.S. troops in Iraq who are training Iraqi forces.

Little told reporters during a Pentagon news conference that Navy Adm. James A. Winnefeld Jr., vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, approved U.S. Central Command’s request for $1.7 million for continued training through the Combatant Commander Initiative Fund, which is money already in the Pentagon budget.

“This is a temporary bridge while we seek a longer-term way ahead in the [fiscal 2013] national defense authorization, which we expect to be taken up by Congress later this year,” he said.

Congress is in recess until after the November elections. The financial bridge is a 90-day stopgap measure that includes funding for counterterrorism operations as well as military training and education, a Defense Department official said.

The last U.S. combat troops left Iraq last year, but the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad continues to maintain an Office of Security Cooperation under which the U.S. trains the Iraqi security forces in capacity building and counterterrorism. The office also oversees military sales.

A second batch of 62 Ukraine-made BTR-4 armoured vehicles ready to be send in Iraq.

Within the large-scale Ukrainian-Iraqi contract on supplies of Ukrainian military equipment to the Republic of Iraq the second batch of BTR-4 (wheeled armored personnel carrier), containing 62 units, was loaded to the Odesa Commercial Sea Port for further marine transportation. The shipment is expected to be completed by September 13 whereafter the ship will sail to the destination country. The expected time of arrival to the Iraqi port of Umm Qasr is early October of 2012. Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Iraq in Ukraine Shorsh Khalid Said, who in the interview to Ukrainian journalists highly ranked the Ukrainian BTR-4 armored personnel carrier, was in attendance at the shipment process. "We are very pleased to accept the second batch of Ukrainian BTR-4. This is a powerful modern vehicle, the quality of which satisfies Iraqi specialists," said the Ambassador to the press.


The BTR-4s were assembled at the Kharkiv facility under a contract worth more than $550 million for the supply of Ukrainian military equipment to Iraq. The deal was finalised in 2009 by a state-run subsidiary of Ukrspecexport.

The first batch of 26 BTR-4s, two maintenance vehicles, and two BTR crew-training simulators were delivered to Iraq in the spring of 2011, with he first two An-32 aircraft delivered in late 2011. Another two aircraft were supplied in April of this year, while the remaining two An-32s will be delivered in June.

The Second Batch of BTR-4 Armoured Personnel Carriers Shipped to Iraq from Odessa Seaport

On 12 September a batch of 62 BTR-4 armoured personnel carriers (APC) started to be loaded on a ship at the Odessa Seaport in order to be transported by sea to Iraq.

On 13 September the loading is to be completed, and the vessel will go to the country of destination. The vessel is to arrive at the Iraqi port Um Qasr early in October 2012. The loading procedure was supervised by the Ambassador of Iraq in Ukraine Shorsh Khalid Sayed.

“We are very glad to accept the second batch of Ukrainian BTR-4s. This is a modern powerful vehicle, and the Iraqi experts are satisfied with its capabilities”, the ambassador said to Ukrainian journalists. “The situation in the Middle East is difficult, and Iraq does need these APCs. We have been fighting against terrorism, in particular, against Al Qaeda for seven years already, and these 62 vehicles will help us increase the level of security. Our relations with Ukraine are successfully developing. By receiving the second batch of the BTRE-4s we have reached a new stage of cooperation. We hope that by the end of this year we will receive the third batch of BTR-4s, because the contract is successfully fulfilled due to efforts of both sides”, said also Shorsh Khalid Sayed.

He emphasized the fact that the current Minister of Defence of Ukraine Dmitry Solomatin was doing his best to make this contract successful starting from the first day of his work at the State Enterprise “Ukrspecexport” and then, at the State Enterprise “Ukroboronprom”.

“It is also necessary to thank the top manager of State Enterpri

se “Ukrspecexport” Dmitry Peregudov. It would be difficult to fulfil this contract without his efforts. I know that there was a lot of doubts in the Ukrainian mass media about the fulfilment of this contract, but it is being fulfilled successfully, and after today’s shipment of the batch the journalists can get confident”, said the Iraqi ambassador.

Replying to a journalist’s question about the continuation of cooperation, the acting deputy director of State Enterprise “Ukrspetsexport” Vadim Kozhevnikov said that this contract between Ukraine and Iraq is a very big one and therefore it can lead to conclusion of new agreements.

In Mr. Kozhevnikov’s opinion, the new contracts that may be concluded in the future include contracts for supply of spare parts and technical support, which will provide the defence production facilities of Ukraine with orders for 10 to 20 years, because now Iraq is creating its armoured corps by using armoured vehicles of Ukrainian origin.

Mr. Kozhevnikov emphasized the fact that there were no breaks in fulfilment of the contract between Ukraine and Iraq. “The dialogue of the parties never stopped a minute. The plants involved in the fulfilment of the contract never stopped their production”.

Replying to the question about the dates of acceptance of the third batch of the BTR-4s, Vadim Kozhevnikov said that the shipment of 94 vehicles is planned to be carried out late in 2012.

Explosions kill 58 in Iraq, French consulate hit

BAGHDAD: At least 58 people were killed in attacks across Iraq on Sunday, including a car bomb outside a French consulate.
The most serious of the bombings, blasts and shootings on Sunday happened near the city of Amara, 300 km south of Baghdad, when two car bombs exploded outside a Shia shrine and a market place, killing at least 16 people, officials said.
“So far 16 corpses were brought to the hospital, and more than 100 people were wounded,” said Sayid Hasanain, a local health official.
With its main hospital overflowing with injured from the attacks, mosques in Amara used prayer loudspeakers to call for blood donations.
Overnight in Dujail, 50 km north of Baghdad, gunmen and a suicide bomber driving a car attacked a military base, killing 11 soldiers and injuring seven, police said.
Later on Sunday, a car bomb killed eight people queuing for jobs as police guards for the Iraqi North Oil Company in the flashpoint city of Kirkuk, 250 km north of Baghdad, police said.
Kirkuk was hit by several other blasts. A car bomb and a bomb packed into a motorcycle detonated outside a crime investigation office, killing seven and wounding 40.

More people were killed in several other blasts across the country, including in the towns of Baquba, Samarra, Basra and Tuz Khurmato.
French target
The car bomb that exploded outside the French consular building in the usually stable city of Nassiriya, 300 km south of Baghdad, killed a police guard and wounded four other guards, authorities said. The consul, an Iraqi citizen, was not at the office at the time of the attack.
Two other people were killed and three wounded by a separate car bomb in the city.
French diplomats have been hit before by violence in Iraq.
In June last year, a French embassy convoy was hit by a roadside bomb in Baghdad that wounded seven local Iraqi guards, one month after another embassy convoy was hit by an explosive device.
Since the last US troops left, insurgents have often hit high-profile targets, including Shia religious sites or local military or government offices, to show they can still carry out coordinated attacks and undermine the government’s claim to provide security.
Iraq’s local al Qaeda wing, Islamic State of Iraq, has claimed responsibility for other major attacks on security forces and Shia neighbourhoods. But former members of Saddam Hussein’s outlawed Baathist party and other Sunni Islamist groups are also fighting the government.
Infighting in Iraq’s delicate cross-sectarian government, and a resurgence of the al Qaeda wing, have raised fears of a return to widespread violence, especially as Iraq struggles to contain spillover from the growing conflict in Syria.

Former Army employee admits taking Iraq kickbacks

A former Army Corps of Engineers employee pleaded guilty Friday to pocketing nearly $3.7 million in kickbacks for providing confidential information to two men working for companies awarded government contracts in Iraq.
Federal prosecutors said John Alfy Salama Markus took bribes from men whose companies were awarded more than $50 million in Iraqi reconstruction contracts. Salama Markus worked for the corps at Contingency Operating Base Speicher in Tikrit, Iraq, from 2005 to 2008 and dealt with oversight of awarded contracts.
Salama Markus pleaded guilty to wire fraud, money laundering and failing to file a U.S. Treasury report. He faces up to 35 years in prison and $750,000 in fines. He will be sentenced Jan. 8.

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Salama Markus, 40, and four other men were charged in a 54-count indictment last year.
Salama Markus used his job to "manipulate and influence the bidding, selection, award and administration" of reconstruction contracts, prosecutors said in court documents. Markus would supply the men with confidential information about bidding and finances and approve and modify invoices. In return, prosecutors said, Salama Markus received a cut of the awarded money. He documented payments in emails and spreadsheets found on his home computer, prosecutors said.

One spreadsheet showed Salama Markus demanded - and was paid - 10 percent of a $19.58 million contract.
Salama Markus, an Egyptian-born U.S. citizen, and the two other defendants put the money into banks in Egypt and Jordan and transferred it to at least 11 accounts in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, authorities said.
Prosecutors said Salama Markus built a $1.1 million house in Nazareth, Pa., with the money. He must forfeit the house, along with $3.7 million, a Harley-Davidson motorcycle, a Cadillac, Corvette and other cars as part of the plea agreement.
"Salama Markus treated projects to secure safe access to fuel, electricity, education and medical treatment as prizes to be won by whoever was willing to pay for them," U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman said in a statement. "Bribery, whether at home or abroad, violates our laws and tarnishes all who serve our country with honor. It should never be viewed as part of the cost of doing business with the United

Iraq’s First Super Hercules Takes to the Skies

The first of six C-130J Super Hercules for the Iraqi Air Force recently completed its first flight here.

The Iraqi Air Force intends to use the C-130J for intra-theater support of its troops and humanitarian relief operations in various locations. These new transport aircraft will provide Iraq with the ability to operate seamlessly with U.S., NATO and coalition forces.


The first C-130J for Iraq is scheduled for delivery later this year.
 

1,000 British Troops Are Expected To Be Investigated For War Crimes In Iraq

Hundreds of British troops to be questioned over 'weak' war crime allegations

Up to 1,000 British troops are expected to be investigated for crimes allegedly committed during the Iraq war, it can be revealed. 

Investigators with the Iraq Historic Allegations Team (IHAT) have already identified more than 100 serving and former members of the armed forces who they want to interview about the alleged torture of Iraqi civilians.

But the number under investigation is expected to rise rapidly over the next 12 months as IHAT detectives begin reviewing the evidence from two public inquiries into alleged war crimes.

One, the al-Sweady Inquiry into the so-called Battle of Danny Boy in 2004, has already identified more than 500 troops who will have to give evidence and who will also be interviewed by IHAT.

Members of the SAS, the SBS, interrogators from a unit called the Joint Support Group, medics, senior officers and hundreds of soldiers are expected to be questioned.

British lawyers acting for the Iraqis claim the abuse took place between 2003 and 2008, when many civilians were detained on suspicion of being in Shia militia groups.

The vast majority of the allegations are based on witness statements by Iraqis, most of whom are seeking financial compensation from Britain, say senior sources.

Only a few servicemen have been prosecuted so far, and only four have been jailed.
Lawyers acting for troops questioned by members of IHAT, however, say the evidence against them is “extremely weak”.
One lawyer said that his client, a member of the special forces, was accused of “inhumane and degrading treatment” of a detainee because the suspected gunman had not been allowed to eat for 24 hours.
The lawyer said: “During the time the offence was alleged to have taken place, the Iraqi had been in British custody for only four hours.
"It later transpired that he had been attacking British troops for at least 12 hours, which explained why he hadn’t eaten. Yet those facts hadn’t been considered.”
In another case, a British interrogator was alleged to have assaulted an Iraqi by “hitting him on the back of the head with a piece of rolled-up A4 paper”.
And in a third charge of assault, it has been alleged that two interrogators had brutalised a suspected Iraqi insurgent by making him conduct heavy exercise over several hours.
But video evidence, revealed the suspect was only out of the interview room for two-and-a-half minutes.
Simon Mckay, a criminal law and human rights expert, who has represented several soldiers accused of war crimes, questioned the motivation behind the charges.
He said: “I have to say that given the weakness of evidence in the cases in which I have been involved, it is doubtful that a similar approach would be taken against the clients if they were civilians, which raises questions about the motivation behind some of these accusations and whether the current approach is appropriate.”
One soldier who was accused of shooting dead an Iraqi civilian said his Army career was almost destroyed by a Royal Military Police investigation.
He said: “There was never any evidence against me. It was always a scam to try and get compensation and I became the victim, although for a long while I was treated as though I was a murderer.”
The main allegations centre on the killing of Baha Mousa, an Iraqi hotel worker who died in 2003 while in British custody; the Battle of Danny Boy, where it is alleged that British soldiers tortured and murdered Iraqi gunmen after a fire fight; and a series of interrogations by British troops at the Shaibah detention centre in Basra, southern Iraq.
One soldier has been jailed in relation to the death of Baha Mousa, at least 19 are to be investigated by IHAT, and of those three have been suspended from duty.
The allegations behind the al-Sweady inquiry, some of the most damaging to be made against UK troops, have been denied by the Army and the Ministry of Defence.
The cost of the inquiries is expected to reach £100m.

 

Iraqi Air Force F-16 Training Takes Off in Arizona

While the Republic of Iraq anticipates an initial delivery of F-16 Fighting Falcons in September 2014, the pilots who will fly them embark on a historic partnership with the Arizona Air National Guard's 162nd Fighter Wing here to learn how to fly the multipurpose fighter.

Already, two Iraqis have joined aspiring fighter pilots from the United States, Singapore, Poland, Denmark, Japan and the Netherlands at the U.S. Air Force's international F-16 schoolhouse at Tucson International Airport. A delegation of senior Iraqi Air Force officers visited the unit Aug. 30 to assess their students' progress and reaffirm their partnership with the desert fighter wing.

"We have an opportunity to work with a critical partner in a very strategic region of world," said Col. Mick McGuire, 162nd Fighter Wing commander. "They have an opportunity to see what a professional operation we are and as a result of their visit I think we'll have a long-standing relationship with the Iraqi air force -- at least through 2020 -- training F-16 pilots and providing a true coalition warfighting partner for the United States and an ability for them to defend their country for years to come."

In 1986, Iraqi air force Brig. Gen. Abdulhussein Lafta Ali Ali flew Soviet-era MiG-21s but said he dreamed of flying the F-16.

Now visiting Tucson as a senior officer in his air force's operations directorate, he flew with American pilots to experience the F-16's capabilities and the unique demands of U.S. fighter training.


"The F-16 project is most important for our two nations," he said. "This is the first time Iraqis have flown F-16s. It's important for us to understand the training schedule and syllabus for our student pilots because the first pilots who train here will one day be examples for our other pilots."

After his orientation flight, Abdulhussein noted the F-16's high thrust to weight ratio, maneuverability, aerodynamic shape, avionics, load capacity, and its design which allows pilots to better endure G forces.

"We reached more than 7 Gs during our flight, and the (tilt-back) angle of the seat made it easy. In the MiG-21 the seat is more vertical making G forces difficult," he said. "This is the best aircraft for us and this is the best place for our pilots to train."

Air Guardsmen here train more than 70 international student pilots per year, offering several training programs that range from initial F-16 training to qualify new pilots to an advanced weapons course. Under the current contract between the U.S. and Iraq, the 162nd FW will train a total of 27 Iraqi pilots.

Until they receive their own fighters, the initial cadre of pilots will remain in Tucson. After they complete the six-to-eight month basic course they will continue through flight lead upgrade training, additional seasoning and instructor pilot certification.

According to McGuire, a tailored syllabus is among several factors that make the wing an attractive option for international fighter pilot training.

"First and foremost, the 162nd (FW) has an unparalleled safety record because our maintainers average 18 years of experience specializing on the F-16," said the colonel. "That instills confidence in the nations we train."

Adding to the secure feeling of flying aircraft from one of the safest F-16 fleets in the world is the freedom afforded by Arizona's plentiful ranges, he said.

The Barry Goldwater Range in southwest Arizona consists of 2.7 million acres of relatively undisturbed Sonoran desert. Overhead are 57,000 cubic miles of airspace where fighter pilots can practice air-to-air maneuvers and engage simulated battlefield targets on the ground.

"Finally, we average 17,000 flying hours per year, and we're able to do that because of Arizona's year-round flying weather. Less than 3 percent of scheduled sorties here are canceled due to weather," he said.

The elements add up to optimal flight-training conditions which allow the wing's cadre of 80 instructor pilots to execute an aggressive training schedule.

"The students get the best possible flight education when they come here," said McGuire, "and our Airmen take great pride in their mission -- they see the big picture."

"Partnership building it's about flying together, operating together and training together, so if we have to, we can fight together. On a deeper level, it's about friendships. With F-16s in operation around the world, creating the foundation of a relationship is absolutely invaluable."

Iraq announces 21 executions in single day

Iraq has executed 21 people convicted of terror-related charges, including three women, on the same day, a spokesman said on Tuesday, bringing to 91 the number of people executed so far this year.
The executions come despite a call from the UN’s human rights chief for a moratorium on the use of the death penalty in Iraq, amid concerns over the lack of transparency in court proceedings.
“The justice ministry carried out 21 executions against those condemned of terrorist charges, including three women terrorists,” Haidar al-Saadi said in a text message. He did not give any further details.
A justice ministry official said the executions were carried out on Monday morning.
Iraq has carried out several mass executions in 2012, including one in which 14 people were put to death on February 7, and another in which 17 were executed on January 31.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay expressed shock earlier this year at the number of executions, criticising the lack of transparency in court proceedings and calling for an immediate suspension of the death penalty.

“Even if the most scrupulous fair trial standards were observed, this would be a terrifying number of executions to take place in a single day,” she said in January.
Pillay voiced concern over a “lack of transparency in court proceedings, major concerns about due process and fairness of trials, and the very wide range of offences for which the death penalty can be imposed in Iraq.”In June, Amnesty International also condemned the “alarming” increase in executions in Iraq.
It also called on authorities to “refrain from using the death penalty, commute the sentences of all those on death row, believed to number several hundred, and declare a moratorium on executions.

Iraq to get first US F-16s in Sept 2014

The first batch of F-16 fighter jets bought by Iraq are due to be delivered in two years, US officials said on Tuesday as the top American military officer was on a visit to Baghdad.

Washington agreed last year to sell 36 F-16 jets to Baghdad in a multi-billion-dollar deal aimed at increasing the capabilities of Iraq's fledgling air force, a weak point in its national defences.

The first batch of those F-16s are due to be handed over to Iraq in September 2014, US officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

They said that thus far, the United States had agreed to deals worth $12 billion with Iraq, covering arms sales and training. Iraq had also expressed interest in buying radar and air defence systems, they added.


While Iraq's security forces are regarded as able to maintain internal security, Iraqi and American officials acknowledge they cannot protect Iraq's airspace, borders or territorial waters.

Until last year, when US forces withdrew from Iraq, American troops had helped Baghdad carry out those tasks.

News of the timeline came as General Martin Dempsey, chairman of the US joint chiefs of staff, held talks with Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki and Iraqi army chief of staff Lieutenant General Babaker Zebari in Baghdad. (AFP)