tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1953410733493889728.post3519145096991867754..comments2024-02-29T12:38:32.191-08:00Comments on MUSINGS ON IRAQ: Iraqi Deaths Continue To Fluctuate Up And DownJoel Winghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09611810110771744360noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1953410733493889728.post-76579673455720604122009-10-12T10:35:03.590-07:002009-10-12T10:35:03.590-07:00That wasn't true in the past. Ramadan was trad...That wasn't true in the past. Ramadan was traditionally a time for an offensive by the insurgents.Joel Winghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09611810110771744360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1953410733493889728.post-50111459876413806202009-10-12T08:03:37.734-07:002009-10-12T08:03:37.734-07:00Ramadan largely coincided with September this year...Ramadan largely coincided with September this year, which is likely why casualties were down.Juanonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1953410733493889728.post-65238232176650396262009-10-07T15:28:59.808-07:002009-10-07T15:28:59.808-07:00Joel, Gina Chon might not be well informed. I have...Joel, Gina Chon might not be well informed. I haven't interacted with her specifically, but most journalists aren't well informed about military subjects.<br /><br />There is no information suggesting that the first tranche of 140 tanks are being held up. The second tranche of 140 M1A1 tanks, I could try to look up. Would you like me to ask around?Anandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03040200275831896147noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1953410733493889728.post-8672630866653975712009-10-07T15:05:39.787-07:002009-10-07T15:05:39.787-07:00I never kept up with the details of the Abrams, bu...I never kept up with the details of the Abrams, but from my understanding Iraq only signed a deal for the tanks and hasn't paid for them yet. That WSJ article I linked to earlier said the tanks are being held ove payments.Joel Winghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09611810110771744360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1953410733493889728.post-48393828438595682202009-10-07T14:28:57.649-07:002009-10-07T14:28:57.649-07:00Joel, you mean beyond the first 280 M1A1 tanks. I ...Joel, you mean beyond the first 280 M1A1 tanks. I don't think Iraq should buy more M1A1 tanks than the first 280; nor do some Iraqis.Anandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03040200275831896147noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1953410733493889728.post-3158086915947507172009-10-07T14:13:49.733-07:002009-10-07T14:13:49.733-07:00It's unclear when or even if Iraq will ever be...It's unclear when or even if Iraq will ever be able to buy those Abrams tanks. The deal was made when the country was flush with oil money. They won't have the money next year, and will take a big recovery in the world economy and a boom in oil prices again before they can afford it.Joel Winghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09611810110771744360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1953410733493889728.post-46754071460477082662009-10-07T13:10:07.667-07:002009-10-07T13:10:07.667-07:00The Iraq war ended in May, 2008. The best source f...The Iraq war ended in May, 2008. The best source for ISF procurement is:<br />http://home.comcast.net/~djyae/site/?/blog/<br />http://home.comcast.net/~djyae/site/?/page/Iraq_Order_of_Battle/<br /><br />Obama is considering transferring 112 F15s and 134 F16s from the US air force to Iraq, perhaps via a "lease."<br /><br />The IA seems to have chosen to build their armored tracked forces on the M1A1. It is unclear however, when Iraq will buy more than the 280 they are currently planning to buy.Anandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03040200275831896147noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1953410733493889728.post-54884800962502115192009-10-04T11:22:59.364-07:002009-10-04T11:22:59.364-07:00Jeffrey,
The Jan. 2010 elections have 2 things go...Jeffrey,<br /><br />The Jan. 2010 elections have 2 things going for it. First, if the up and down trend in deaths continues than Jan. will be a down month. Also, in the Jan. 2009 elections, violence hit an until then all time low, so hopefully the same thing will happen this time. And thanks for still checking out the blog.Joel Winghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09611810110771744360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1953410733493889728.post-5144183648433424302009-10-04T09:30:03.261-07:002009-10-04T09:30:03.261-07:00Joel,
Although I'm no longer running Iraqi Bl...Joel,<br /><br />Although I'm no longer running Iraqi Bloggers Central, I still try to check in every few days to see what's going on. Well, the Iraqi blogosphere is limping along, at best (Iraq Pundit is writing again, however). But I always check out your blog for the best writing and analysis. Thanks for the hard work. <br /><br />Let's hope September's reduction in civilian deaths continues. One question might be whether there will be an up-tick around the time of the elections. I know that Iraq isn't in the news very much these days, but personally I think this is very good for Iraq's future. Right now, no news really is good news for Iraq, in my opinion. Over the next few months, let the Iraqi candidates campaign without reports of suicide-bombers and body-counts in the headlines.<br /><br />*Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1953410733493889728.post-78382193459320526712009-10-03T21:25:48.735-07:002009-10-03T21:25:48.735-07:00There were recently two stories in the press about...There were recently two stories in the press about Iraq's arms purchases. According to those all major sales to Iraq are on hold. Iraq doesn't have the money, nor the credit. There are some in the Pentagon pushing to give Iraq something akin to favored nation status which would allow them to pay in installments, but that hasn't happened yet. <br /><br />Here's a link to one of the stories from the Wall Street Journal if you haven't seen it already. The other story was from the Associated Press.<br /><br />http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125417112083047185.htmlJoel Winghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09611810110771744360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1953410733493889728.post-78715108775382258202009-10-03T16:20:57.751-07:002009-10-03T16:20:57.751-07:00In conjunction with your earlier post on the conti...In conjunction with your earlier post on the continuation of assassinations in Iraq, I am led to wondering when the violence in Iraq will have dropped to a low enough level that one can say that the war's over and what's left is various Kurd and Arab factions carrying out "politics by other means." <br /><br />And on a slightly unrelated note, do you think you could do a post on upcoming arms purchases by the Government of Iraq? ISTR that the plan of buying M1A1's and F-16's was put on hold when the price of oil plunged and would be interested in learning if there's any word on their current stats.AndrewSshihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12092217847584427587noreply@blogger.com