Evidence cited of Russian arms in Iraq

Boston Globe ^ | 10 January, AD 2004 | P.Richter & K. Murphy

[Ryan Bailey]

WASHINGTON -- US officials have found evidence corroborating White House allegations that Russian companies sold Saddam Hussein high-tech military equipment that threatened US forces during the invasion of Iraq last March, a senior State Department official said yesterday.

The official said the United States has found proof that Russian companies exported night-vision goggles and radar-jamming equipment to Iraq, the official said. The evidence includes the equipment itself and proof that it was used during the war, according to the official. Such exports would violate the terms of United Nations sanctions against Iraq.

[Seselj]

Whatever it was the Russians sold them couldn't have been recent technology. Like those "GPS jammers" the Russians allegedly sold Iraq... The jammers were destroyed by JDAM's.

[Happy2BMe]

Anybody who thinks the Russian Bear is dead or that he wants to be friendly to Uncle Sam, I've got a palace to sell them just outside of Baghdad.

[Alamo-Girl]

Bump!

[msdrby]

Surprise, surprise... You will find Russian arms in just about any Arab country.

[blackie]

Evidence cited of Russian arms in Iraq ~ Bump!

[blanknoone]

Via mail: With all respect, the US set about arming Saddam way back during the Iran/Iraq war.

Factually false. We helped him, but not with weapons. We gave him imagery and advice. We sold him some food on credit, and we sold him earthmoving equipment and cargo trucks. That was the sum total of our 'military sales' to Saddam, trucks and bulldozers. I don't think any Americans were run over by either. The arms bazaar that is Denmark had more military sales to Saddam than the US. Saddam's weapons were almost exclusively Russian, french and Chinese. If you didn't buy into the anti-American bias, you would have known that.

[maggief]

EXCERPT

Russia hesitant to seize materials terrorists desire


By Nicholas Kralev
THE WASHINGTON TIMES

(January 10, 2004)

Russia is reluctant to join an 11-nation U.S.-led effort to seize illegal shipments of nuclear and other proliferation materials that could fall in the hands of terrorists, senior U.S. officials said yesterday.
Even though discussions are still in their initial stage, the officials said the Russians are not yet convinced of the legality and merits of the plan, known as the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) and proposed by President Bush in the spring.
"They are not ready to join the process," a senior State Department official who asked not to be named told reporters. "They are interested but are raising a lot of questions."
Russia, which has a big navy despite its decline since the Soviet Union's collapse more than a decade ago, would be an "important player" in the PSI, the official said.

(snip)

http://washingtontimes.com/world/20040109-085154-4217r.htm

[CalKat]

Didn't the US forces have night vision goggles and radar jamming equipment, too? Why shouldn't the Iraqis have them? It still wouldn't have been even close to an equal fight.

[gedeon3]

CalKat
Since Dec 13, 2003

[CalKat]

gedeon3
Since May 15, 2000

[Peach]

Are you honestly suggesting that it was alright for the Russians to supply Iraqi rebels with equipment to be used to kill American and allied soldiers?

I've seen some odd posts, but that suggestion would certainly be one of the oddest.

[Peach]

And, I should have asked, you did notice that the sale of those items by the Russians to Iraq was in violation of UN sanctions.

I've seen Freepers support some strange positions, but I don't believe I've ever seen a Freeper support a communist nation, our former enemy, selling equipment to another enemy (Iraq, who has long vowed our destruction) in order for more of our soldiers to be killed.

You really need to clarify your position here.

[PhilDragoo]

And let us not forget the two Russian generals helping Saddam's military on the ground up to the opening shots of the war.

Their boast was, "We did not come to Baghdad to drink coffee."

Okay, then eat lead, General Dipshitski.

What is now more serious is the ballistic missile and nuclear weapon threat posed by Iran--with Russian assistance.

[CalKat]

My position is that I'm very glad we won the war quickly and handily, and I thank God every day my nephew came home to Great Lakes on the Abraham Lincoln with George Bush and my other nephew came home to Camp Pendleton. I also pray every day for my four other nephews and cousins that are still in Iraq.

I also feel that the Iraqis never had a chance -- they were going up against Abrams tanks on foot. They had nothing but a gun and they were fighting our soldiers who were carrying 80 lbs. of the most advanced war material ever seen on earth. I'm not saying I wished they had a chance. But so many people I know who've been over there feel even sorry for the army they fought, because they were so outmatched.

In my town we are close to a lot of marine installations and they make no bones about the fact that they thought it was a slaugherhouse, and that wasn't what they wanted. Many people are a little torn up about it.

Why are you following me?

[Peach]

#1. I don't believe a word you just said.

#2. I had a son in Iraq when Baghdad fell. I live in the south and nearly all our friends have family over there.

#3. Not ONE of those soldiers have EVER said they felt bad for the Iraqi army.

#4. The Iraqi army was not composed of everyday citizens from Iraq. It was composed of viscious, brutal thugs who were well paid by Saddam to protect him and terrorize the local citizenry.

#5. Your statement that our soldiers thought it was a slaughterhouse and that wasn't what they wanted was a crock. There isn't an American soldier on earth who wished for a more well armed army to face. Come on.

#6. I'm not following you. You are paranoid. There are topics on FR that are favorites of mine; this is one of them.

#7. I've responded to you 2 or 3 times in a week; your posts have been odd to say the least. I'd like to give you the benefit of the doubt, but anyone who espouses that it was not wrong of the Russians to violate the UN sanctions and give arms to people who are trying to kill our soldiers, deserves suspicion.

#8. Perhaps now I will keep track of your posts. I think you are a troll.

[SAMWolf]

Evidence cited of Russian arms in Iraq

I'm Shocked! Shocked, I tell you! NOT!!!!!

[CalKat]

#1. I don't believe a word you say either.

#2. Is this a contest?

#3. Well, I don't know anything about soldiers from the south. I do know what marines from Camp Pendleton say. I was told similar things by an army recruiter.

#4. The Iraqi army was composed primarily of conscripted men who were told their families would be killed if they didn't fight the US. The Republican Guard and the fedayeen were the elites and they weren't chasing tanks on foot.

#5. There all kinds of American soldiers who think all kinds of things. There was even a soldier who threw a hand grenade, or something like, into a tent in his post in Iraq.

#6. I saw you post on another thread that you were checking on my posts.

#7. Why do you care what I think?

#8. Got a new job?

[Peach]

Didn't the US forces have night vision goggles and radar jamming equipment, too? Why shouldn't the Iraqis have them? It still wouldn't have been even close to an equal fight.

There has never been a Freeper who suggested that it was okay for a country to violate UN sanctions and give arms to our enemy so they could kill more of our soldiers. Until you. None of what you say rings true. I see that other Freepers don't believe you either. Why do I care what you think? Because you sound anti-American when you make comments like that above. Because I think you are a troll.

[Neophyte]

Isn't conceivable that a Russian company could sell these items without the involvement/knowledge of the Russian government?

No, it is not.

Moreover, not only the government knew, but all the press and every citizen of the "democratic, pro-Western and non-communist Russia".

There was no Russian language chat room or web forum which wasn't openly gloating upon a twenty bucks Russian gadget easily interfering with expensive American smart bombs, missiles and unmanned aircraft.

I'm not sure to what extent it is true about the miraculous "item", but believe me, the anti-American upbringing of the Russians wasn't changed a jot after the Communist party demise. It's like the Palestinian Authority education there... I mean, no company needs to cover up it's dealings in any anti-American or anti-Israel activities.

All they're risking is a strong... governmental encouragement.

[Neophyte]

Why shouldn't the Iraqis have them? It still wouldn't have been even close to an equal fight.

They shouldn't, because it isn't an Olympic Games contest. In real war, one wants total superiority for his side. Leave equal fight to the movies about King Arthur knights...

Er... as a matter of fact, what was YOUR side in the Iraqi war?