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"In March 2003, US intelligence and defense officials confirmed that exporters in France had conspired with China to provide Iraq with chemicals used in making solid fuel for long range missiles. The sanctions bursting operation occurred in 8/02 as the US National Security Agency discovered through electronic intercepts."

I find this extremely difficult to believe - unless it's part of a totally private weapons deal between a French rocket fuel manufacturer, sealed without the knowledge and the consent of the French government.

I mean, what government, on the eve of military operations against Iraq (and nobody here ever doubted that such operations would be launched even without a UN resolution to back them up), would have struck a deal with an Iraqi government which :

- already owed 4 billion dollars that were unpaid,

- had no, zilch, ZERO hope to stay in power long enough to pay for this rocket fuel ?