PHOTO of objects dug up in Iraq; can anyone identify?

[MississippiMan]

Wondering if anyone can identify these things? Dug up recently in Iraq.

Click here for high-rez

[curmudgeonII]

I you look very carefully you will see a rock that looks like a skull just above the upper edge of the top tube. It looks just like the skull filmed on Mars. hmmmmmm I see conspriracy all over this.

Obviously those Freemasons are at it again.

[blanknoone]

The even more interesting question, if they are storage tubes, is what is inside them...that could easily explain why they might be buried.

[Joe 6-pack]

"The lettering looks like it says "TOP" on the end of the container."

Unless the image has been inverted, in which case, we are looking at Sadaam's hidden stash. Who would've guessed he was a closet Libertarian?

[Toskrin]

I'm guessing they are clean because they were wrapped in plastic. You can see the pieces all around and still see the plastic under the tubes. The plastic might also be why the ground is so flat at the near end - the plastic was still layered there from when the hole was dug.

[thesummerwind]

Janet Reno's q-tips?

[StriperSniper]

My first thought was the 'Mother of all Rod Cases'. ;-)

[Arkinsaw]

Why are the two cylinders so clean?

See the plastic wrap? Whoever dug them up has just taken them out of plastic wrap before taking the photo. That is why they are so clean. Tinfoil OFF everyone.

[stck]

Roland SAM containers?

[Ditto]

Why are the two cylinders so clean? Why is there no dirt between them?

Could they have been covered by that heavy plastic sheeting you can see in the foreground half buried with dirt? If whatever they are were meant to be retrived at some point, I would surely have buried them with some sort of protection from the elements.

[MississippiMan]

No, I PROMISE you I'm not pulling your leg. The photos are recent, authentic, and straight out of Iraq. That's all I can say on their source.

As for a lack of dirt, it's obvious they were wrapped in plastic. You can see pieces of heavy plastic sheeting on the left side of the pic, as well as some still wedged in between the ground and the forward bracket on the front tube.

[Walkingfeather]

I thought the same thing but take a look at the plastic in the dirt. I imagine they were pulled out of the hole then ste back in for the pict.

[MississippiMan]

those are wing mount missle cannisters

I've seen a movie with a shot of a missile firing from a canister that looks a lot like that. INDEPENDENCE DAY maybe?

MM

[Steel Wolf]

No, I PROMISE you I'm not pulling your leg. The photos are recent, authentic, and straight out of Iraq. That's all I can say on their source.

You apparently know more about these canisters than you're letting on. What does your contact in Iraq think they are?

[John H K]

I believe you're correct. Each Roland launcher or vehicle carries two Rolands in tubes, which appear to be the same size and shape as these.

So, not WMDs, and, actually, not even illegal (or sold illegally) if they're among the Rolands France sold to Iraq before GW I.

http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/land/row/roland.htm

[MississippiMan]

You apparently know more about these canisters than you're letting on. What does your contact in Iraq think they are?

No, I don't. My contact presented this as a cool find, and shared nothing more.

MM

[LibWhacker]

Looks sort of similar to this:

[Gatún(CraigIsaMangoTreeLawyer)]

Why is "TOP" written in English?

[Gatún(CraigIsaMangoTreeLawyer)]

Why is "TOP" written in English?

[trussell]

Could the "bands and handles" actually be mounting holes?