quote:

ORIGINAL: 2ndACR

After 73 Easting, when ever we came upon Iraqi armor (or any vehicles for that matter) we would pop a round nearby, the Iraqi would stop, bail out, run about 300 meters and plop to the ground, then we would destroy the vehicle. They learned that being in the vehicle was certain death. I honestly cannot remember if we ever had any air support outside our own attack helicopter squadron and the Apache Battalion we had assigned to us. We rolled thru areas that had been B52 strikes on them, and there were craters everywhere, but alot of times we never could figure out what they were hitting.

But the Iraqi's were terrified of the A10 and Apache. Not to mention any of our M1a1's or Brads. I know it is not politically correct, but I hold all Arab/Middle east armies in extremely low regard. Except the Israel army. All the others, well, I do not fear them in the least, at all.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Marauders


Iraq is still unstable, and it has a Shia leadership. How do you feel about the Iraqi armor divisions now having M1A1-SA Abrams? Now Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Egypt, and Iraq have better tanks than Israel.

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ORIGINAL: 2ndACR

And the Military Channel had the Battle of 73 Easting that 2nd ACR fought on tonight. If you would like to see what I saw.

quote:

Defense Industry Daily: On July 31/08, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency announced [PDF] Iraq’s formal request to buy M1 Abrams tanks, well as the associated vehicles, equipment and services required to keep them in the field. The tanks will apparently be new-build, not transferred from American stocks. With this purchase, Iraq would become the 4th M1 Abrams operator in the region, joining Egypt (M1A1s), Kuwait (M1A2), and Saudi Arabia (M1A2-SEP variant).

quote:

Washington Post: General Dynamics to build tanks for Iraq

General Dynamics, the maker of tanks and Gulfstream business jets, won a U.S. Army contract valued at $198 million to build 140 tanks for Iraq under the foreign military sales program.

Work will be completed by May 31, 2011, the Falls Church-based company said Monday in a statement. The Army previously leased 22 tanks to Iraq for training purposes, said Robin Porter, a spokeswoman for the defense contractor.

The M1A1 tanks will feature infrared thermal sights and engines with a filter cleaning system designed to reduce maintenance.

quote:

ORIGINAL: 2ndACR

Don't like the idea, but also doubt they can even use them correctly.

Only 198 million for 140? They are getting a better deal than the US taxpayer. IIRC a M1a2 cost's the US taxpayer even more per tank.