Gun Runners Inc.

The sales of weaponry and other kinds of war equipment are big business for a range of American companies, and the US government is more than happy to assist.

The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA)  notified Congress of several pending arms deals for Iraq. DSCA is the Pentagon office responsible for coordinating arms agreements between American defense contractors and foreign buyers.

Iraq's Shopping List

 Here's part of what the US is getting ready to sell to Iraq right now:

* 175 M1A1 Abrams main battle tanks;

* 15 Hercules tank recovery vehicles (you can't have a tank without the tow truck);

* 55,000 rounds of main gun ammunition for the tanks (the ammo needed to get the biggest bang for your bucks)

And the cost? Just under $3 billion. But earlier deals included in July, General Dynamics $65.3 million contract to support the existing Iraq M1A1 Abrams program. In October, the US approved the sale of $600 million in M1 tank ammunition to Iraq. There have also been sales of all sorts of other weaponry, from $579 million worth of Humvees and $600 million in howitzers and trucks to $700 million worth of Hellfire missiles. There are many more examples. Business is good. The Iraq order should keep General Dynamics' tank business running well into 2016.

The United States has already donated 250 Mine-Resistant Ambush-Protected (MRAP) armoured vehicles to Iraq as well as $300 million in weapons handed over free-of-charge by the Department of Defense in 2014. Congress passed $1.2 billion to spend in future training and equipment for Iraq.

http://tinyurl.com/oozvopk