Ramping Up the Iraqi Air Force

Brig. Gen. Robert Allardice, the U.S. commander in charge of rebuilding the Iraqi air force, said Dec. 5 the force will have some airstrike capability by 2008, once it receives aircraft from the United States. It appears the United States has found a compromise solution to Iran's concerns for the time being — and is allowing the Iraqi air force to move toward a rudimentary close air support capability, but is not yet giving it jet aircraft.