US To Supply Afghan Military With Russian Choppers

1979, meet 2013.

Despite longstanding opposition from Congress and human-rights groups that the U.S. shouldn’t be funneling hundreds of millions of dollars to the Syrian regime’s main arms supplier, the Pentagon announced today that it has awarded a contract to Russia’s Rosoboronexport.

The $572,180,894 firm-fixed-price contract modification is for 30 Mi-17 helicopters, spare parts, test equipment, and engineering support services.

The Mi-17 military helicopters will be used by the Afghan National Security Forces Special Mission Wing; work will be performed in Russia and is expected to be complete by Dec. 31, 2014.

See? If you just wait several decades everybody ends up playing nice.

Except for the Islamic extremists, of course.