A second shipment of United States munitions is on its way to Iraq as the implementations of recommendations of an American Army survey mission is being expedited.
The mission urged mainly that the mobility and firepower of the Iraqi forces be increased. Today, as Iraq moves closer to a pact With Turley, the United States is encouraging Iraq with a tangible demonstration of the rewards which will forthcoming in greater measure when and if Iraq is affiliated with a unit of the western defensive coalition, The speeding up of arms to Iraq is also envisaged here as a way of bolstering the Iraq Government in its stand against Egyptian and Arab League attempts to dissuade Iraq from signing the pending pact with Turkey.
A recent demand by Gen, Mohammed Arif, Iraqi Chief of Staff, for heavy self-propelled artillery and jet aircraft of the latest design has been noted here. Iraq indicated displeasure over the first arms shipment which was reported to have included military vehicles and engineering equipment rather than the weapons Iraq craves more urgently.
Discussions have been held in Washington between Iraqi military attache and the Defense Department with a view to speeding up the movement of arms. The State Department has rejected flatly current Israel appeals to terminate arms shipments, The State Department has told Israel that it should be pleased that Iraqis considering joining Turkey in a pact against Communism because this might tend to lessen Iraq’s hostility toward Israel and weaken Iraqi ties with the Arab League, Diplomatic sources report that Israel is even more worried than ever about the Iraqi arms issue.
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