Iraq's arms procurement from the US is likely to bolster the two country's military-to-military relationship, but the strategic basis for the F-16 acquisition remains unclear. Mustafa Alani, director of security and defence studies at the Gulf Research Council, told Jane's on 29 September that the Iraqi government does not have a clear picture of why the aircraft are needed. He said that some in the Iraqi parliament envision the aircraft as purely for surveillance and reconnaissance, while others are seeking to build a strong air force. In August Major General Jeffrey Buchanan, director of strategic effects for US Forces-Iraq (USF-I), deferred questions about Iraq's external threats to the Iraqi Ministry of Defence, where representatives could not be reached for comment.
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