Hezbollah has American TOW anti-tank missiles...where did they come from?

IDF

[janetjanet998]

These are IDF pictures of the American TOW missiles they found with other hezbollah arms...CNN also mentioned they have found some TOWS

[gov_bean_ counter]

I was reviewing a DOD FMS handbook day before yesterday (first time look). IIRC, the US has friendly foreign nation agreements with only about a dozen countries. What level of agreement with the US is required to procure this type weapon?

[antiunion person]

PING

[twntaipan]

They are probably a gift from the NY Times.

[bnelson44]

Here is the article you were talking about:

http://littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/?entry=21853&only

[bnelson44]

Article said:

In the sixth, eighth and ninth pictures you can see a 2001 mfg TOW missile. This is a US anti-tank weapon (though made in other countries as well).

http://littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/?entry=21853&only

[mountn man]

I saw the article, and that exact thought came to my mind in about 2 seconds.

[LegendHasIt]

Wasn't there a group of 'Louis Farrakhan followers' enlisted in the U.S Army that were breaking into armories and selling the stuff on the black market (no pun intended) a couple of years ago?

If I'm remembering correctly, these COULD be part of that..... The connections would be tenuous, but within the realm of possibility if not a likely probability.

I can think of several other possibilities, none of them being very happy thoughts.

Or maybe they just 'fell off a truck' and no one noticed they were missing until now.

Nonetheless, a very interesting development, one that I hope will be closely investigated and reported.

[gov_bean_ counter]

FWIW.

http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/uscode10/usc_sup_01_10_10_A_20_IV_30_138.html

[MJY1288]

TOW Missiles are guided by a wire to the intended target, and primarily used for close combat between armored vehicles. My guess is the TOW Missiles is what has been used by the Hezbo's to take out the Israeli Tanks in the past few weeks

[compuguru]

There were a couple of convoys hit during the early days of the Iraq War II (Jessica Lynch and others captured). They were hauling supplies, maybe some got hauled into either Syria or Iran and from there to the Hezzies...

[bnelson44]

UN forces?

[MJY1288]

Thanks

[kitchen]

Check the 7. Who besides Germans use that style?

[Diogenesis]

These might be from the '70s.

The full inventory might result from several proterrorism streams. DNC? Iran? Saudis? Afghanistan?

[GeronL]

The media is going to say Iran-Contra.... and it might even be true.

[elhombrelibre]

Bet you AMCOM can track it.

[NorCalRepub]

...yes..thanks... I know their effective mechanism..let's hope they weren't used against the tanks...I would think this could be easily determined.....but if the Muzzies got a Silkworm missle to hit the Naval vessel....they could have gotten anti tank rounds from China too....I'm not as much an expert to know what others' are out there

[shield]

bttt

[Darkwolf377]

The cases are dated 2001, aren't they?

[LegendHasIt]

Check the 7. Who besides Germans use that style?

We do.

At least, I was trained to make 7s that way when hand printing messages back in Commo School in '71..