Iraq - Armed forces



The Iraqi armed forces were estimated at 389,000 men in 2002. Reservists numbered around 650,000. The army had a strength of approximately 350,000 with 2,000 tanks; the navy had 2,000 men; and the air force had 20,000 men with perhaps 316 combat aircraft. The army included 6 Republican Guard divisions. The Air Defense Command numbered around 17,000 and was given priority since 1991. It is suspected that Iraq is in the process of developing a nuclear capability and possesses long-range strike capabilities and biological and chemical weapons. The paramilitary, numbering some 44,000 included security troops, border guards, and Saddam's Fedayeen forces. Opposition forces number around 33,000. The defense budget was estimated at $1.3 billion in 2000.

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