ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The US State Department has approved a possible foreign military sale to Iraq of a nationwide communications and repeater system valued at an estimated $100 million, the Pentagon announced on Thursday.
"The proposed sale will improve Iraq’s critical command-and-control capabilities, bolstering its defense against regional threats," the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said in a statement.
Iraq requested the sale of radio equipment, repeater and amplifier systems, training, technical and logistic support, and related infrastructure to help secure communications for its forces, according to the statement.
The sale "strengthens Iraq's ability to protect its borders, energy infrastructure, and residents, while advancing U.S. security interests,” and will not threaten or destabilize other countries in the region, the DSCA said.
The DSCA also said that it submitted the required certification of the sale to Congress on Thursday.
After the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq and the fall of Saddam Hussein, the US played a major role in rebuilding Iraq’s military. This included training, equipping, and advising the Iraqi armed forces to help stabilize the country and combat insurgencies.
US forces have supported Iraq in counterterrorism operations against the Islamic State (ISIS) after it seized territory in 2014.
Baghdad and Washington have agreed that international forces of the global coalition against ISIS will withdraw from the country by September 2026.
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani said in an exclusive interview with Rudaw last week that the presence of two military bases belonging to the US-led coalition in Erbil and Ain al-Assad is against the Iraqi constitution. He said that these bases were established during wartime.
“I don't want a coalition of 86 countries present in Iraq with an operations commander and so on, and airspace they control. Where's the sovereignty? Give us sovereignty,” he said.
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