Senate panel OKs sale of helicopters to Iraq

WASHINGTON (AP) — A congressional panel has signed off on the sale of Apache helicopters to Iraq as it battles the growing threat from al-Qaida militants within its borders.

Sen. Bob Menendez, the Democratic chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and other lawmakers had been blocking the long-term transfer of the helicopters over concerns that the Iraqi government could use them for internal crackdowns instead of national defense.

The lawmakers had pressed the State Department for several months on the issue.

A congressional aide said Monday that the leasing and sale of the helicopters had cleared the panel. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency said Monday that the sale and lease of helicopters and associated equipment was at an estimated cost of $1.37 billion.

news.yahoo.com... q-202151908--politics.html


Given the instability in that country and it's neighbours should the US really be selling them these helicopters? AlQueada has already taken over one major town so what would happen if they over ran an airbase and captured these? And then there is surely the problem of the closeness of the Iraqi government to the Iranian Government?

Given the complexity of fly an Apache chopper it is fairly safe to toss out a guess that a bunch of backwoods dippoop terrorists are not gonna be well trained enough to fly one.

As for the Iran getting them? Personally I would rather see the USA supporting the Iranian war against Al'Queda than to be alienating them. We can offer up dozens of choppers with IMO little fear or worry they would be used against the USA in anyway.

IT would not surprise me if there was a software backdoor that would render those choppers useless should the need exist.

reply to post by solidshot


If Al Qaeda were to capture some AH64's I don't think they would have the training to fly them operationally let alone maintain them to any kind of flight status. I think the most they could do is strip it of its weapons and bolt them to a truck.

As far as Iran getting a hold of one, the report didn't say what version of the AH64 was going to be leased/sold to Iraq but I doubt they would be the latest and greatest D models. Even if they were the "D" Longbows I'm sure Iran would have gotten any info it could from them already from one of the many other countries that operate them.

I would only worry if the USA started selling F-35's.

The original sale was for Mil gunships but it was stopped due to irregularities.

Mamatus
Given the complexity of fly an Apache chopper it is fairly safe to toss out a guess that a bunch of backwoods dippoop terrorists are not gonna be well trained enough to fly one.

As for the Iran getting them? Personally I would rather see the USA supporting the Iranian war against Al'Queda than to be alienating them. We can offer up dozens of choppers with IMO little fear or worry they would be used against the USA in anyway.

IT would not surprise me if there was a software backdoor that would render those choppers useless should the need exist.

Maybe they will get their pilot training from the same people that trained the 911 hijackers. Snicker...

Those choppers take a lot of maintainence and parts, no part no fly. Same thing happened with Iran and their f14s.

reply to post by Hoosierdaddy71


Iran has reverse engineered or outright replaced systems and parts on their Tomcat fleet and still has most of them airworthy. There is no reason they couldn't do the same for an Apache.

reply to post by Zaphod58


There is a difference between flying and fighting. Thirty years of tape and twine take a toll on planes. Not likely these jets are combat effective.

reply to post by Hoosierdaddy71


And assuming they aren't because of that is a great way to get pilots killed going against them.

reply to post by Zaphod58


Pretty sure the Air Force isn't going to take my word for it. Besides they probably are more concerned with the 40 mig29s and 10 mirage f1s that they can still get parts and training for.

reply to post by solidshot


I hate to do this, but i didn't even read the OP. You're avatar is hilarious, and I'm sure this post may get deleted but man that is freaking awesome. I couldn't stop laughing for like 5 mins. Every time I looked at it.


AS far as the OP goes how ever good for the senate. War machine needs to make some money some how, if they aren't bombing someone they may as well sell their arms to someone else.