New corruption suspicions in American aircraft deal with Iraq

Iraq received on Monday, three military transport aircrafts from the C-130-G model, and is expected to receive three other aircrafts of the same model in the “near future”. US Ambassador in Iraq Steven Beecroft said that these aircrafts are a clear sign of how successfully developed the Iraqi Army machines are. However Iraqiya List member Haydar Al Mulla revealed corruption suspicions surrounding the American airplanes transaction. Al Mulla also added that there were a dangerous difference in the amount paid in the transaction’s contract in comparison with those that were signed with other countries such as Qatar and the Emirates.

While the country awaits the results of the investigations in the corruption surrounding the Russian weapons deal, the American C-130 Military Transport Aircrafts deal came to light. Ministerial sources confirmed that the Ministry of Defense bought 6 aircrafts of the same model in 2008 for an amount that is three times higher than that for which it was sold to other Gulf countries.

“Qatar bought 4 aircrafts in October 2008 from the same company and with the same attachments for a 390 million Dollars contract. If the amount is divided into 4, you would deduce that Qatar bought each aircraft for 98 million Dollars while Iraq bought the same planes from the same company, each for 250 million dollars”, said Iraqi List member Haydar Al Mulla.

It seems that another committee will be formed to investigate this issue which might pave the way for other armament files.

“We, in the committee, will investigate this matter. We will follow through with it to reveal everything about it, just like we did for the Russian weapon deal and other contracts starting with the planes contract and the Ukrainian contract. We will also open other cases”, said the member of the Security and Defense Committee, Hakem Al Zamili.

However parliamentary officials close to the government demanded to open this case within the security and defense committee before making it available to the media.

“Those who possess documents, evidence or files that the C-130 G plane trade is corrupted, they should present them now to the security and defense committee to investigate this matter. However raising suspicions about the Russian, Ukrainian and American transactions mean that certain groups refuse the armament of the Iraqi Army under the pretext of corruption”, said State of Law Coalition member Abbas Al Bitani.

It seems that this issue will be much more complicated than that of the Russian arms deal; especially that the main suspect namely former Minister of Defense Abdul Kader Al Ubaydi is currently in the United States and nothing proves that he will be returning to Iraq soon.