The sidelining of the Abrams reflects evolving battlefield tactics where drone use has made it virtually impossible for them to maneuver without detection.
U.S.-issued military equipment, to include as many as nine M1A1 Abrams tanks, fell into the hands of Iranian-backed militias during the turbulent period that swept Iraq as it battled the Islamic State, the Pentagon confirmed Wednesday.
U.S.-supplied M1A1 Abrams tanks to the Iraqi Army provided an asymmetrical advantage over Kurdish Peshmerga and security forces during the battle of Kirkuk.