Eli Lake, whose code name among Al Qaeda operatives is "The Jew" (I kid you not), provides further evidence that a U.S. military presence shall indeed persist in Iraq, well beyond the nominal exit date set forth in the Status of Forces Agreement:
Lt. Gen. Frank Helmick, who is in charge of training Iraq’s security services and military, told The Washington Times that some of the ordered equipment would not be delivered until 2012, even though a new status of forces agreement (SOFA) requires all U.S. troops to exit the country by 2011.
Gen. Helmick said the Iraqi military had already ordered 140 M1 Abrams tanks, up to 24 Bell Assault Reconnaissance helicopters and 6 C130-J transport airplanes. The tanks will not be delivered until 2011, and the helicopters and transport planes will not arrive until the end of 2012 or possibly in 2013.
"The government of Iraq does not have to purchase that kind of equipment from the United States; they have elected to do so," Gen. Helmick said. "To me that could indicate that the Iraqis would like to have a long-term strategic relationship with the United States."
Of course, this materiel requires training and that training can only be provided by the U.S. Army and Air Force. South Korea, according to Eli’s sources, is now Iraq’s model for a long-term military alliance.