It is not beyond the realm of possibility that certain more militant, anti Western factions within the Russian military-industrial complex are at the head end of arms going via Red Mafiya (e.g. in order to ensure plausible deniability) to the so called "insurgents" in Iraq. In that event, some level of SVR coordination cannot be discounted. Let us not forget the linkages between Saddam's Mukhabarat and both the SVR and FSB. Mukhabarat's most elite ops actually were known to attend training in Moscow. The more this whole odd set of data gets examined, the more it calls into question a wide range of assumptions and the more it calls upon the US to challenge the Kremlin for explanations.
Dear GOP,
Thanks for your encouraging words for my theory.
Do you have a military or intelligence background?
I have never heard the Russian mafia mentioned as political players in Iraq, but Aziz makes me wonder.
It is discouraging that an emigre Iraqi group that wants Saddam out seems to have another agenda.
GOP writes, "It is not beyond the realm of possibility that certain more militant, anti Western factions within the Russian military-industrial complex are at the head end of arms going via Red Mafiya (e.g. in order to ensure plausible deniability) to the so called "insurgents" in Iraq."
Russian mafias do not necessarily act as a "cut out" for government people. The mafias act in their financial interests. They make money selling weapons. For example, they supplied the Chechens with weapons. Although many Chechens just want the Russians out, some Chechens have worked with Islamic extremists like Al Qaeda to achieve this. The Russian government probably wouldn't be selling the people who are shooting their troups Russian weapons. That would be powerful Mafias who are making money. They are very pervasive and I don't think the government controls them. Rather, they may manipulate the politicians.