Iraq: F-16 delivery may be subject to delaysnote

The Iraqi Sunni Arab leaders are said to have asked US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta to postpone the delivery of 18 F-16 fighter jets to Iraq. The following 464-word report sheds light on the subject and tells what about the Pentagon's reaction. It also tells what about the reaction of Iraqi PM Nouri Al-Maliki. Note that the Iraqis expect the F-16 delivery to begin either before the end of year 2012 or in the first quarter of year 2013.