DIIG Current Issues No. 10: Tracking U.S. Arms Sales to Iraq

On July 25, 2008, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) notified Congress of the possible sale of six C-130J-30 aircraft and support systems to Iraq.  DSCA has since issued 11 press releases alerting of follow-up sales. With the potential to total more than $14 billion in revenue for U.S. defense contractors, these notifications signal a drastic policy shift in the way the Iraqi security forces are equipped, and the beginning of a long-term relationship for the U.S. defense industrial base. However, no public database beyond the DSCA’s 36(b) arms sales database—which only tracks requests, not contracts or deliveries—traces individual sales.