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U.S. halts sale of F-14 parts to prevent Iran acquisition

SPECIAL TO WORLD TRIBUNE.COM
Wednesday, January 31, 2007

WASHINGTON — The United States, acknowledging Iranian military procurement, has halted sales of spare parts from its retired F-14 fighter-jet fleet.

The Defense Department said it suspended sales of F-14 spare parts on Jan. 26 pending a review, Middle East Newsline reported. The Pentagon said Iran has been buying the spare parts to maintain its aging fleet of more than 50 F-14s, procured in the 1970s.

"It was the prudent thing to do," Defense Logistics Agency spokesman Jack Hooper said on Tuesday.

The suspension was imposed as Congress considered legislation to halt the export of F-14 spare parts. House and Senate members accused the Pentagon of failing to ensure that the aircraft parts do not reach Iran.

"This is an appropriate and necessary short-term step to solving this problem," said Rep. Christopher Shays, a Connecticut Republican, said.

Officials said the Pentagon would examine its processing and sale of spare parts. They said the review was prompted by reports that Iran had launched an aggressive policy to purchase spare parts to maintain its Tomcat fleet and other American weapons.

Iran was believed capable of producing about 15 percent of F-14 spare parts, officials said. Until its decision, the Pentagon had sought to sell 76,000 parts of the F-14.

"In this era of instability, we can hardly afford to be sloppy about something as sensitive as our national security," Sen. John Kerry, a Massachusetts Democrat, said.

Sen. Ron Wyden, an Oregon Democrat, has introduced a bill that would halt U.S. sales of surplus F-14 spare parts. The legislation would prohibit those who have already acquired such parts from exporting them.

"The only way to ensure that America doesn't arm Iran is for the U.S. to permanently stop selling these weapons parts," Wyden said. "This review does not do that and I am going to press on until it happens."


Copyright © 2007 East West Services, Inc.

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