Falling oil price could hamper Iraqi military -US

BAGHDAD (Reuters) – A collapse in oil prices will set back Iraq’s ability to rebuild, train and equip its maturing security forces as U.S. troops withdraw, the U.S. general in charge of efforts to train Iraqi troops said.

“The budget is going to drive a lot of that this year. They are not going to be able to grow as fast as they want to grow,” said Lieutenant General Frank Helmick in an interview.


“This is the first year where they really do not have all the money they wanted. Last year, oil was $120 a barrel. Years before that, we the coalition had billions of dollars to give them. We don’t have the luxury of that any more,” he said.

Helmick said senior Iraqi officials were slowly embracing the idea that they will have to slow procurement and growth, for example postponing plans to buy armed vehicles or cargo planes.

“They’re coming around to it. This is the first year they’ve had to do this, prioritise,” he said.

Reuters