Syria Was Iraq's Top Weapons Source Before War, Paper Says

2003 12/30 | serurier

[serurier]

Syria Was Iraq's Top Weapons Source Before War, Paper Says

[serurier]

This message from Yahoo.com

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A Syrian firm, headed by a cousin of that country's leader, Bashar al-Assad, signed contracts to supply millions of dollars in arms and equipment to Iraq (news - web sites) before the United States invaded in March, The Los Angeles Times reported on Tuesday.

In the first of a two-part series written from Damascus, The Times reported that "1,000 heavy machine guns and up to 20 million bullets for assault rifles," supplied by SES International Corp., "helped Baghdad's ill-equipped army grow stronger before the war began in March. Some supplies may now be aiding the insurgency against the U.S.-led occupation."

Files cited by the Times were taken from the abandoned office of Al Bashair Trading Co., by a reporter for the German magazine Stern shortly after U.S. troops entered Baghdad.

The newspaper said it had the 800 signed contracts translated from Arabic and sought confirmation internationally during a three-month investigation.

Among the findings The Times reported:

-- A Polish company shipped up to 380 surface-to-air missile engines to Baghdad through Syria.

-- A South Korean firm shipped $8 million in telecommunications equipment for "air defense."

-- A Slovenian firm shipped 20 battle tank barrels to the Syrian firm early in 2002.

-- Two North Korean officials went to Damascus to discuss an Iraqi payment of $10 million for components for ballistic missiles.

According to the newspaper, a confidential U.N. report identifies Al Bashair as the biggest of 13 companies used to evade the U.N. arms embargo and other sanctions. Al Bashair made deals for as much as $1 billion a year in the 90s.

Following Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in 1990, the United Nations (news - web sites) imposed a full arms embargo, a trade ban and a freeze on Iraq's assets and international deal-making. All were violated, including the freeze on assets, when Iraq used false sugar purchases to launder money and divert it to foreign banks.

The Syrian Foreign Ministry did not respond to Times requests for explanations of SES activities. SES sent the newspaper an e-mail saying it was not involved in illicit trade but refusing to address specific cases.

[Hannity4prez]

Oops. The trickle down effect continues. The dims wonder why we didn't get every country to support us before we went into Iraq? I'll tell you what, the clock is about to strike 12. Sure wouldn't want to be any of those names on all of these lists were turning up.

On the plus side, there sure is gonna be a lot of cooperation in the near future. These guys don't want to be on the wrong side of America's next phase, if/when it takes place.

[serurier]

We will definitely win , the supporters of any terrorism will all fail .

[smiley]

Gee, what a surprise......next...

[serurier]

Sorry ,I don't know your meaning?

[Jackknife]

It looks as though some of our coalition partners were in complicity with the evil regime in Iraq. Wonder how many more will be exposed.........



List of Coalition Forces for War Against Iraq as of March '03

--Africa--

Eritrea
Ethiopia

--Asia--

Afghanistan
South Korea
Japan
The Philippines

--Europe--

United Kingdom
Denmark
The Netherlands
Italy
Hungary
Greece
Estonia
Latvia
Lithopia
Czech Republic
Slovakia
Rome
Bulgaria
Macedonia
Albania
Poland
Spain

--The Middle East--

Georgia
Turkey
Uzbekistan
Aserbaijan

--North America--

United States
El Salvador
Nicaragua

--Oceania--

Australia

--South America--

Colombia

[serurier]

What we need is the support of the people of the world, but can't only consider the oral support of the country .

[serurier]

I think that Thailand support justice too .

[serurier]

I think that Thailand support justice too .

[serurier]

I think that Thailand support justice too .

[NCjim]

To quote Gomer Pyle, "Surprise, surprise, surprise!"

[Jackknife]

As I indicated , this was the pre-war list of coalition forces . I know others have come aboard since then .

[serurier]

Sorry ,I don't know your meaning?

[serurier]

My network has a little troubles, so 4 POSTs of running fire

[Jim Cane]

We will definitely win , the supporters of any terrorism will all fail .

Unless it's the Saudis, in which case, we'll just look the other way.

[RandallFlagg]

You have a link?

[serurier]

Yes ,look : http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20031230/ts_nm/iraq_syria_report_dc&cid=564&ncid=1478

[justshutupandtakeit]

Baloney. Saudi Arabia may have people who supports the terrorists but the government does NOT. They will be dealt with there are well as everywhere else.

[RandallFlagg]

Excellent! I needed it to shove in the noses of others on another board who are telling me about the first article about this, "Well, that's from only one vague story. I'll believe it when I see it."

I find it amazing that these antiwar losers are so willing to give Saddam the world's biggest benefit of doubt; and give none to President Bush.

Thanks again!

[serurier]

Thank you,very much.

The anti-war has been supporting Saddam all the time ,the United Nations is their accomplice.