Iraq could want F-16 fighter jets

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki discussed Iraq's need for more weapons and equipment to bolster the fledgling democracy's military capabilities, during talks at the Pentagon last week.
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The Iraqis "have many needs... and they are not afraid to articulate them," Pentagon press secretary Geoff Morrell told reporters following a late-afternoon meeting between Maliki and Defense Secretary Robert Gates, reported Agence France Presse.

Morrell declined to cite specific military platforms Baghdad has requested, amid speculation that the Iraqi government is seeking F-16 fighter jets.

There were no tense moments during the meeting, which lasted less than one hour, according to Morrell.

Rather, he added, Maliki was "on top of the world" during the talks, in which Iraqi Defense Minister Abdel Qader Obeidi, Interior Minister Jawad al-Bolani and U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Christopher Hill also participated.

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