First Iraqi Coastal Defense Forces Ships Delivered

[denverbill]

http://www.news.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=13135

MANAMA, Bahrain (NNS) -- Two patrol craft departed Bahrain April 30 en route to Umm Qasr, Iraq, where coalition forces will begin training the newly created Iraqi Coastal Defense Force (ICDF).

Patrol Craft 102 and 103 are two of five patrol crafts provided by the United States, and will be the first vessels belonging to the ICDF. The 27-meter long Chinese-made crafts were originally to be acquired by the Saddam Hussein regime in 2002 under the oil-for-food program, but were not allowed to enter the country due to their military capabilities.

The United States purchased the boats from the Chinese ship-builder, said Cmdr. Neil Hanson, maritime interception operations officer for Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/U.S. 5th Fleet. The purchase included an agreement to compensate the German company shipping the boats so that no one, including Iraq, incurred any financial damage, he added.

<snip>
Nothing like propping up the Chinese military-industrial complex by supplying Iraq with a Chinese made navy.

[Cocoa]

1. I wonder if the Bush family was part of this deal

Carlyle Group, maybe, or Neil Bush. :shrug: