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Middle East
Gaping holes in Iraq's national security
As US prepares to withdraw troops, questions are raised on readiness of Iraqi army to defend nation.
Last Modified: 30 Jun 2011 20:14


As US troops prepare to leave Iraq in six months time, the country will be left with no effective defence from external threats.

The army is ill-equipped, with no Iraqi pilots train to fly modern jet fighters and no missile defence system.

Iraq currently does not possess any such aircraft, and if it were to purchase such planes it would take two to three years to fill a single squadron of pilots.

Al Jazeera's Josh Rushing reports from Tikrit, Iraq.
Source:
Al Jazeera
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