Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Syria Was Iraq's Top Weapons Source Before War, Paper Says
2003 12/30 | serurier

Posted on 12/30/2003 3:37:04 AM PST by serurier

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


TOPICS: War on Terror
KEYWORDS: armssmuggling; iraq; syria
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-25 next last
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.

1 posted on 12/30/2003 3:37:05 AM PST by serurier
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: serurier
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.
2 posted on 12/30/2003 3:49:39 AM PST by Hannity4prez
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Hannity4prez
We will definitely win , the supporters of any terrorism will all fail .
3 posted on 12/30/2003 4:16:52 AM PST by serurier (We come here for the freedom of the world)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: serurier
Gee, what a surprise......next...
4 posted on 12/30/2003 4:49:03 AM PST by smiley
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: smiley
Sorry ,I don't know your meaning?
5 posted on 12/30/2003 4:52:58 AM PST by serurier (We come here for the freedom of the world)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: serurier

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
6 posted on 12/30/2003 5:24:53 AM PST by Jackknife (.......Land of the Free,because of the Brave.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: jakkknife
What we need is the support of the people of the world, but can't only consider the oral support of the country .
7 posted on 12/30/2003 5:33:36 AM PST by serurier (We come here for the freedom of the world)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: jakkknife
I think that Thailand support justice too .
8 posted on 12/30/2003 5:36:03 AM PST by serurier (We come here for the freedom of the world)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: jakkknife
I think that Thailand support justice too .
9 posted on 12/30/2003 5:37:20 AM PST by serurier (We come here for the freedom of the world)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: jakkknife
I think that Thailand support justice too .
10 posted on 12/30/2003 5:37:42 AM PST by serurier (We come here for the freedom of the world)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: serurier
To quote Gomer Pyle, "Surprise, surprise, surprise!"
11 posted on 12/30/2003 5:45:13 AM PST by NCjim
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: serurier
As I indicated , this was the pre-war list of coalition forces . I know others have come aboard since then .
12 posted on 12/30/2003 5:51:30 AM PST by Jackknife (.......Land of the Free,because of the Brave.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: NCjim
Sorry ,I don't know your meaning?
13 posted on 12/30/2003 6:14:36 AM PST by serurier (We come here for the freedom of the world)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: jakkknife
My network has a little troubles, so 4 POSTs of running fire
14 posted on 12/30/2003 6:15:47 AM PST by serurier (We come here for the freedom of the world)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: serurier
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.

15 posted on 12/30/2003 6:20:16 AM PST by Jim Cane
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: serurier
You have a link?
16 posted on 12/30/2003 6:30:49 AM PST by RandallFlagg ("There are worse things than crucifixion...There are teeth.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: RandallFlagg
Yes ,look : http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20031230/ts_nm/iraq_syria_report_dc&cid=564&ncid=1478
17 posted on 12/30/2003 6:37:24 AM PST by serurier (We come here for the freedom of the world)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: Jim Cane
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.
18 posted on 12/30/2003 6:38:39 AM PST by justshutupandtakeit (America's Enemies foreign and domestic agree: Bush must be destroyed.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: serurier
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!

19 posted on 12/30/2003 6:50:15 AM PST by RandallFlagg ("There are worse things than crucifixion...There are teeth.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]

To: RandallFlagg
Thank you,very much.

The anti-war has been supporting Saddam all the time ,the United Nations is their accomplice.
20 posted on 12/30/2003 6:55:31 AM PST by serurier (We come here for the freedom of the world)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-25 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson