Russian jets arrive in Iraq as

government pushes back

S UNDAY 29 JUNE 2014
Russian fighter jets are delivered to ra! "ut #illia$ %ague reiterates it &ould "e
un&ise for 'ritain to "e(o$e involved in the (ountr)*s internal (onfli(t+
Iraq has received the first batch of fighter jets ordered from Russia and
expects them to be operational within four days.
Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri alMali!i has said the secondhand fighters were
bought from Russia and "elarus in a deal worth up to #$%% million& and will
use them to push bac! against recent gains made by Isis militants.
do not thin, it &ould "e &ise to have a 'ritish $ilitar) intervention in
this situation'oreign (ecretary )illiam *ague
'oreign (ecretary )illiam *ague said the fighter delivery was +not an
intervention by Russia+& adding that +all countries in the world have an
interest in overcoming the threat+ from Isis.
Cold war-era aircraft Iraq is desperate for more airpower to fight the Isis insurgency but has
become frustrated with its long wait for US F-16 fighter jets which are due to arrie in the
autumn! according to the "ashington #ost$ %he Iraqi goernment has resorted to buying less
sophisticated second-hand aircraft such as the recently receied batch of Su&hoi Su-'(s from
)ussia and *elarus! and is een negotiating the return of decades-old planes from Iran which
were flown out of Iraq by fleeing Iraqi pilots during the 1++1 ,ulf "ar$ -er 1.. Iraqi fighters!
including Soiet-made Su&hoi bombers and /i,s! were flown out of Iraq$ Iran is reportedly
receptie to the demands and is wor&ing on refurbishing an undisclosed number of jets! said the
paper$
*ut he said *ritain should not become militarily inoled in the conflict! emphasising that the
U0 would not dictate Iraq1s leaders and that the country needed to form a strong goernment to
deal with the crisis$
ra!*s de(ision
+I do not thin! it would be wise to have a "ritish military intervention in this
situation& and if there is any military intervention then the ,nited (tates has
the best assets and capabilities to do that&+ Mr *ague told the ""-.s
/ndrew Marr programme.
+-learly& they need a new& more inclusive government& where people have
a sense of genuine partnership in government&+ he added.
+It isn.t for us& and it wouldn.t help anyone in Iraq& for us to pronounce on
who should be the prime minister of Iraq but there has been a failure in
recent years to bring together Iraqi leaders and people out of their
sectarian divisions nobody has succeeded in doing that in Iraq over the
last eight years or so.+
Mr *ague recently returned from a visit to Iraq& where he met with Nouri al
Mali!i and 0urdish leaders.
+1hey are facing a lethal threat& a mortal threat& in the Iraqi state so I really
impressed on them the need for everybody to wor! together and then the
extent to which the rest of the world can help them will& largely& be
determined by their determination to do that&+ he added.
-ight."a(,
In recent days government forces have been fighting bac! against the Isis
rebels& relying on commandos flown in by helicopter to defend the country.s
biggest oil refinery at "aiji.
/ successful operation to recapture territory inside 1i!rit would deliver a
major blow against the insurgency which has struc! into the (unni
heartland north and west of "aghdad.
Iran has said it is ready to help Iraq fight the armed revolt using the same
methods it deployed against opposition forces in (yria.
/n Iranian general suggested 1ehran is offering to ta!e a larger role in
battling (unni militias threatening "aghdad& although Iran.s (upreme
2eader /yatollah /li 0hamanei said on 33 june that he rejected any
intervention by )ashington or any other outside power against Isis.
Iran has spent billions of dollars propping up its ally& (yrian President
"ashar al/ssad& in what has turned into a sectarian proxy war with (unni
/rab states.