The victory in Crete came too late for the Axis to exploit it, particularly dissent in Iraq. Nevertheless, Hitler ordered German air support for the insurgents upon the advice of diplomat Fritz Grobba. Jeschonnek ordered Walter Junck, commanding "Jagdfliegerführer" 3 ("Jafü" 3—Fighter Flying Leader) in France, to Iraq to form "Fliegerführer Irak" (Flying Command Iraq). The operation was a disaster an ended on 1 June 1941 with the loss of 19 aircraft. Misled by Grobba, Jeschonnek had Junck court-martialled but the older officer was acquitted. The inadequacies of the Italians encouraged Jeschonnek to propose Kesselring be sent to the Mediterranean to support the siege of Malta and the North African Campaign. A consequence of this suggestion led to Göring ordering Kesselring and his entire air fleet, "Luftflotte" 2, to the theatre. The redeployment of Kesselring's air power from the Eastern Front in October 1941 irrevocably weakened the "Luftwaffe" in the Soviet Union.