Without giving explicit reasons, the State Department confirmed today that while it has allowed the sale of eight marine engines to outfit warships for Iraq, it has blocked the sale of five Boeing aircraft designed for civilian passenger use by the government of Baghdad.
When State Department spokesman John Trattner was asked about this “terribly perplexing” situation, where the U.S. approves a military contract but suppresses a civilian sale, he replied that the two matters were mode “on the basis of determination” in the Department.
Congressional critics hailed the decision against the sale of the Boeings as a major victory. Rep. Millicent Fenwick (R.NJ) and Sen. Richard Stone (D.Fla I led the efforts to stop the sale. These Boeings can be converted into military transports. The engines for the worships were sold to Italy which has the contract to build four freighters for Iraq. While the Carter Administration has softened its position against Iraq in rent months, Iraq is still identified as a “terrorist nation.”
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