Pentagon sending 250 MRAPs to Iraq at no charge for Islamic State fight

A Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle (MRAP) is unloaded from a C-5 Galaxy on Sept. 25, 2008 at an air base in Southwest Asia. (Image: US Air Force) more>

BY DOUGLAS ERNST – THE WASHINGTON TIMES – TUESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2014

Iraq will receive roughly 250 Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles from the US in 2015 – for free – to deal with roadside bombs set by the Islamic State group.

Rear Adm. John Kirby, the Pentagon press secretary, confirmed the MRAP deal, which would be done as part of its “Excess Defense Articles” program.

During the course of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, nearly 28,000 MRAPs were produced at a cost of about $ 45 billion, Military.com reported.

The decision to send Iraq MRAPs comes just one month after the Pentagon announced that it would be sending its Joint IED Defeat Organization to the country to train security forces.

The Islamic State killed more than 800 Iraqis and wounded close to 1,300 in October, Defense One reported Nov. 6.

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