Expanded deal is under discussion
(NEWSER) - As the Dec. 31 US troop withdrawal deadline looms, Iraq is looking to purchase as many as 36 US fighter jets and other air-defense systems. The purchase, which will cost billions, could help cement ties between Iraq and the US and, Washington hopes, keep Iran at bay. The move comes after Baghdad froze plans to buy 18 F-16s earlier this year, due to the Arab Spring unrest. That deal had a cost of up to $4.2 billion, which included training, the Wall Street Journal reports. More»