Special to WorldTribune.com

WASHINGTON — Tunisia has outlined its defense requirements in consultations with the United States.

Tunisia has been discussing military requirements during the visit of President Moncef Marzouki to Washington. Marzouki said the requirements included helicopters, night-vision systems, communications and training.

“We badly need them now,” Marzouki said.

In an address to the Atlantic Council on Aug. 5, Marzouki said Tunis requested the purchase of 12 S-70 Black Hawk utility helicopters, manufactured by Sikorsky Aircraft. The president said Tunis needed the helicopters to protect voters and candidates for national elections in October 2014.

“The coming three months are the most dangerous months in our existence, and we will probably receive a lot of blows,” Marzouki said. “They know they have to disturb the elections.”

In July 2014, the administration of President Barack Obama approved Tunis’ request for the 12 Black Hawks. The deal, estimated at $700 million, was meant to include the AGM-114 Hellfire missile.

“We need also devices for night-vision, communications,” Marzouki said.

The president also cited the need for U.S. training. He said the Tunisian military, kept weak by the previous regime, was denied arms training since 1984.

“The dictatorship was extremely scared of the military,” Marzouki said. “The police were more powerful than the military. We have to hurry up to give the army what is necessary to fight against terrorists. They are extremely well-trained.”

Marzouki played down Obama’s approval of Tunisia’s request for helicopters. He said the helicopters would be delivered in three years, too late to block insurgency threats.

“We didn’t have the support of the West,” Marzouki said. “They gave more support to the dictatorship. If you don’t give us what we need in terms of weapons to fight terrorists in Tunisia, you can say goodbye to democracy in the Arab world for a century. This is the challenge.”

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