BAGHDAD (Dispatches) -- Iraqi lawmakers say Washington is deliberately blocking Baghdad’s efforts to diversify its arms suppliers, while the U.S. has left Iraq’s F-16 fleet hobbled by withholding spare parts and refused to provide equipment as American and Israeli strikes hit the country—keeping the Iraqi air force crippled by design, according to parliamentary and security sources.
Muhammad Hassan al-Shammari, a member of the Iraqi parliament’s security and defense committee, said the United States is obstructing Iraq’s attempts to acquire advanced weapons from any major power, including agreements already concluded with South Korea. 
“Any attempt by the Iraqi government to acquire weapons and defense systems from modern armament manufacturers other than American companies is torpedoed by Washington,” Shammari said, adding that Russia and Turkey are willing to supply such systems but face American pressure.
The restrictions have taken on added urgency following the U.S.-led occupation’s full withdrawal at the end of September, which removed air defense systems that had protected Iraqi airspace. 
Iraq now faces a potential six-month gap before new systems arrive, according to spokesman for the commander-in-chief Sabah al-Numan, who said the first batch—including advanced radars, interceptor weapons and aircraft—would arrive within six months.
The F-16 problem is more acute. U.S. sources told Al-Arabiya that Washington has suspended cooperation with the Iraqi armed forces, halted training programs, and refused in recent weeks to provide spare parts and technology for the American-made F-16 fighter jets Iraq operates. 
Iraq’s fleet of 34 F-16IQ aircraft depends on Lockheed Martin for spare parts and upgrades; without sustained American technical support, analysts say full-scale effectiveness is unsustainable. 
The timing is critical: U.S. and Israeli airstrikes have repeatedly targeted Popular Mobilization Forces (PMU) bases across Iraq since late February, killing dozens of fighters, while Iraqi air defenses have been unable to intercept.
Shammari hailed the PMU as an essential component of Iraqi security, saying it “plays a major role in ensuring national security and defending the country.” 
Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi has pledged to enact legislation formalizing the PMU’s status within the security apparatus under the commander-in-chief’s command, while pursuing a comprehensive air defense system to reinforce Iraqi air sovereignty. 
The government has also turned to Turkey and France for air defense systems, with Turkish approvals reportedly granted for short-range Korkut systems and French GM400 radars, though financing and delivery timelines remain unclear.