This is a definate sign of progress for the Iraqis. This shows that they are committed to a professional army, and not some third world ragtag bunch of yahoos.
Good for them.
Iraqi soldiers switching over to M-16s and M-4s
Weapon to be paired with a troop through retinal scan, photograph
By Joseph Giordono, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Wednesday, May 16, 2007
In a major shift of weaponry, the Iraqi army is crossing over from the AK-47 assault rifle to the American-made M-16 and M-4 rifles, U.S. military and Iraqi officials have confirmed.
The first class of Iraqi recruits has already been issued M-16s instead of AK-47s, American officials said, and as many as 1,600 Iraqi troops will be using the standard American-issue weapon by the end of May.
The U.S. command issued a statement saying that “the Iraqi government made the decision to crossover from standard AK-47 assault rifles as part of the reshaping of their military and security forces.”
Under the new program, officials said, Iraqi army officers will be issued M-4 rifles while rank-and-file soldiers will receive M-16A4 models.
