Article

2010-12-27 Iraq

Archived material is restricted to Rantburg regulars and members. If you need access email fred.pruitt=at=gmail.com with your nick to be added to the members list. There is no charge to join Rantburg as a member.

Posted by Anonymoose 2010-12-27 09:55|| || Front Page|| [8 views ] Top

#1 One presumes these tanks were ones we left there as not being worth hauling home and extensively refurbishing. Would hate to think we shipped them new stuff while returning the beat-up stuff to our guys. In Iraq, some nasty battle scars on the tank moving in on you could actually add to the demoralizing effect.

Posted by Glenmore 2010-12-27 10:23|| 2010-12-27 10:23|| Front Page Top

#2 New built, M1A1 version, modified for desert conditions. Thermal imaging, etc. but no special (DU) armor or blue-sat-tracking system.

Posted by Pappy 2010-12-27 12:11|| 2010-12-27 12:11|| Front Page Top

#3 Defense contractors have to sell something to Iraq, so why not use our most modern, and therefore expensive, equipment? Those bonuses don't make themselves, you know!

Posted by gromky 2010-12-27 12:39|| 2010-12-27 12:39|| Front Page Top

#4 There is a awful lot of wheeling and dealing going on behind the scenes, oddly enough trying to get the Iraqis the best deals. I gather the Czechs are providing a lot of rebuilds and upgrades, and some of the other east European countries have a lot of surplus going their way.

Posted by Anonymoose 2010-12-27 13:47|| 2010-12-27 13:47|| Front Page Top

#5 If they are going to be a threat to Iran, then Iraq will need some air power, something more than helicopters.

Posted by lord garth 2010-12-27 15:32|| 2010-12-27 15:32|| Front Page Top

#6 This is actually a very good thing, gromky. 140 brand new M1A1s are better than anything Iraq's neighbor's have with the exception of Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. 140 M1s aren't going to be a major threat to them, but to Iran they are a powerful deterrent. Not enough to stage an invasion (especially without fuel tanker support), but more than enough to smash an armored invasion by Iran.

Posted by DarthVader 2010-12-27 15:48|| 2010-12-27 15:48|| Front Page Top

#7 How long before some of these tanks start to "go missing" and turning up in Iran?

Posted by crosspatch 2010-12-27 17:09|| 2010-12-27 17:09|| Front Page Top

#8 Well, with "inshallah" based maintenance, it won't take long for the platforms to turn into large paperweights.

The other big question will be: to whom can they Iraqis easily sell parts stripped from these babies? I doubt they will sell entire tanks - but they will certainly deal in repair parts - and will think nothing of turning their fleet into "hanger queens" in the process.

The only people worth a hoot in that country are the Kurds - and they won't be seeing any of the good stuff.

Posted by Lone Ranger 2010-12-27 21:02|| 2010-12-27 21:02|| Front Page Top

00:11 JosephMendiola
23:57 Muggsy Glink
23:55 JosephMendiola
23:48 JosephMendiola
21:34 JosephMendiola
21:30 JosephMendiola
21:19 Alaska Paul
21:10 JosephMendiola
21:08 Barbara Skolaut
21:07 Barbara Skolaut
21:02 Lone Ranger
20:59 tu3031
20:59 JosephMendiola
20:46 JosephMendiola
20:30 JosephMendiola
20:28 JosephMendiola
20:10 RamblerInNVrginia
20:05 tipper
19:35 tipper
19:29 Barbara Skolaut
19:29 g(r)omgoru
19:24 g(r)omgoru
19:04 JohnQC
18:57 RandomJD