Iraq cancels $4.2bn arms contract with Russia - Polidicks

[QUOTE] [IMG]http://en.rian.ru/images/17669/63/176696376.jpg[/IMG] [B]MOSCOW, November 10 - Iraq is annulling a $4.2 billion arms deal with Russia it reached earlier this year over concerns about possible corruption, an Iraqi government spokesman said.[/B] Russia and Iraq had touted the agreement to deliver Russian attack helicopters and mobile air-defense systems following last month’s visit to Moscow by Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, during which he met his Russian counterpart, Dmitry Medvedev. [B]"When Maliki returned from his trip to Russia, he had some suspicions of corruption, so he decided to review the whole deal," [/B]a spokesman for Maliki told AFP on Saturday. "There is an investigation going on, on this," he added. Another Iraqi official, Hakem al-Zamali, a member of the Iraqi parliament's security and defense committee, said: [B]"The (Iraqi) prime minister has formed a new committee to negotiate with Russia for buying more sophisticated arms than the ones in the cancelled deal."[/B] [B]Moscow was to supply 30 Mil Mi-28NE night/all-weather capable attack helicopters, and 50 Pantsir-S1 gun-missile short-range air defense systems. [/B]The contracts were signed in April, July and August by Iraq's acting defense minister, according to documents released during Maliki's Moscow visit. But a source in Russia’s arms export industry told RIA Novosti the Iraqi announcement raised more questions than it answered. “Supposed corruption claims have never been and cannot be the basis for annulling contracts, particularly in the military-technical cooperation sphere,” he said, adding that it amounted to “legal nonsense.” “At the very least, we must await clarification from official Iraqi bodies where they lay out their intentions,” he said.[/QUOTE] [URL="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-20278774"]bbc[/URL] [URL="http://en.ria.ru/world/20121110/177354047.html"]rn[/URL]

What the hell would Russia do with 50 Pantsir S1s anyway. -Misread so badly-

[QUOTE=Chickens!;38393492]What the hell would Russia do with 50 Pantsir S1s anyway.[/QUOTE] They're the ones selling them.

[QUOTE=Chickens!;38393492]What the hell would Russia do with 50 Pantsir S1s anyway.[/QUOTE] Surplus that they are selling.

[QUOTE=smeismastger;38393573]Surplus that they are selling.[/QUOTE] Not exactly surplus, they're new orders. Pantsir-S1 is only a 8 year old system. They setup a committee for a bigger arms deal then the one cancelled, from Russia. So it could be interesting to see what happens.

[QUOTE=smeismastger;38393573]Surplus that they are selling.[/QUOTE] Can I buy one? What form do I have to fill out for the ATF?

spend those billions on your own people you fucking idiots almost 25 percent of your population falls under your own poverty line! (i hope they get my message)

[QUOTE=thisispain;38394059]spend those billions on your own people you fucking idiots almost 20 percent of your population falls under your own poverty line! (i hope they get my message)[/QUOTE] Ironically they won't since they're going to spend a even bigger amount of money on weapons from Russia.

Wait, Iraq was planning to buy 30 MI-28's? Damn, they're gonna be a pretty fuckin' well armed nation soon.

[QUOTE=laserguided;38393496]They're the ones selling them.[/QUOTE] Oh crap I totally misread that, my bad.

hey russia can I have one for about tree fiddy?

[QUOTE=thisispain;38394059]spend those billions on your own people you fucking idiots almost 25 percent of your population falls under your own poverty line! (i hope they get my message)[/QUOTE] I don't think they're necessarily misusing the money, all of these arms could bring a lot of stability for the new government and Iraq itself. They're not exactly in the most peaceful of environments. More arms can mean more peace if it's in the right hands, the current government in this case.