▁that ▁it ▁had ▁approved ▁the ▁sale ▁of ▁ 2 4 ▁American ▁attack ▁hel ic op ters ▁to ▁Ira q , ▁val ued ▁at ▁as ▁much ▁as ▁$ 2 . 4 ▁billion . ▁In cluding ▁the ▁hel ic op ters , ▁Ira q ▁ ▁announced ▁plans ▁ ▁to ▁purchase ▁at ▁least ▁$ 1 0 ▁billion ▁in ▁U . S . ▁t anks ▁and ▁arm ored ▁vehicles , ▁transport ▁plan es ▁and ▁other ▁battle field ▁equipment ▁and ▁services . ▁Over ▁the ▁summer , ▁the ▁Def ense ▁Department ▁announced ▁that ▁the ▁Ira qi ▁government ▁wanted ▁to ▁order ▁more ▁than ▁ 4 0 0 ▁arm ored ▁vehicles ▁and ▁other ▁equipment ▁worth ▁up ▁to ▁$ 3 ▁billion , ▁and ▁six ▁C - 1 3 0 J ▁transport ▁plan es , ▁worth ▁up ▁to ▁$ 1 . 5 ▁billion . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁Ira q ▁account ed ▁for ▁more ▁than ▁$ 1 2 . 5 ▁billion ▁of ▁the ▁$ 3 4 ▁billion ▁US ▁weapon ▁sales ▁to ▁foreign ▁countries ▁( not ▁including ▁the ▁potential ▁F - 1 6 ▁f ighter ▁plan es ). ▁▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁ ▁U . S . ▁Vice ▁President ▁Joe ▁B iden ▁made ▁his ▁second ▁visit ▁to ▁Bag hd ad ▁in ▁as ▁many ▁months ▁in ▁September ▁ 2 0 0 9 , ▁and ▁met ▁with ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁N ouri ▁al - Mal iki ▁even ▁as ▁ins urg ents ▁fired ▁mort ars ▁and ▁rock ets ▁at ▁the ▁Green ▁Zone ▁to ▁protest ▁his ▁presence . ▁Although ▁said ▁to ▁be ▁in ▁" list