Report: U.S. to sell fighter jets to Iraq

U.S. officials tell The Wall Street Journal that the Iraqi government may buy as many as 36 U.S. fighter jets worth billions of dollars.

Iraq delayed the planned purchase of 18 jets in February, when politicians told the AP they instead planned to beef up food rations.

Since then, oil revenues have added an estimated $10 billion to government funds, the Journal reported. Oman is also in talks to buy fighter jets.

The 46,000 remaining U.S. troops in Iraq are scheduled to leave by Dec. 31, pending an additional troop request from the Iraqi government to lend security assistance in contending with a new wave of Iran-based efforts to destabilize the U.S.-backed Iraqi government.