Ukraine will provide Iraq with $2.5 billion worth of weapons and military equipment under a multi-year deal intended to shore up Iraq's fledgling armed forces, a senior Ukrainian lawmaker said Wednesday in Kiev.
Anatoly Grytsenko, head of the Ukrainian parliament's defense committee, said the deal calls for Ukraine's state arms export company to produce and deliver armored personnel carriers, transport planes and other hardware. Its first stage is worth $400 million, he said.
CONDOLENCES IN TROOP SUICIDES?
The White House is reviewing a long-standing policy that prevents President Obama from sending condolence letters to families of service members who have committed suicide, press secretary Robert Gibbs said.
More Pay, more afghan recruits
A recent pay boost for Afghan soldiers and police appears to have resulted in a surge of new applicants, said Lt. Gen. William Caldwell, the top U.S. military official for Afghan security training. He said there were more than 2,600 applicants in the first seven days of December, a pace far ahead of recent months. The pay increases varied, with salaries up by a third or more in areas of heavy combat.
THE DICEY CASE
OF KABUL'S MAYOR
The mayor of Kabul, Abdul Ahad Sahebi, was convicted Monday of awarding a contract for a city project without competition and sentenced to four years in jail. He remains in office pending an appeal -- and despite a pledge by the Karzai administration to crack down on corruption.
NEWS SERVICES
