Posted on 09/18/2007 11:56:25 AM PDT by mojito
Edited on 09/19/2007 5:42:35 PM PDT by Admin Moderator. [history]
Proof of cooperation between Iran and Syria in the proliferation and development of weapons of mass destruction was brought to light Monday in a Jane's Magazine report that dozens of Iranian engineers and 15 Syrian officers were killed in a July 23 accident in Syria.
According to the report, cited by Channel 10, the joint Syrian-Iranian team was attempting to mount a chemical warhead on a scud missile when the explosion occurred, spreading lethal chemical agents, including sarin nerve gas.
Reports of the accident were circulated at the time, however, no details were released by the Syrian government, and there were no hints of an Iranian connection.
The report comes on the heels of criticism leveled by the Syrains at the United States, accusing it of spreading "false" claims of Syrian nuclear activity and cooperation with North Korea to excuse an alleged Israeli air incursion over the country this month.
According to Global Security.org, Syria is not a signatory of either the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), - an international agreement banning the production, stockpiling or use of chemical weapons, or the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT).
Syria began developing chemical weapons in 1973, just before the Yom Kipper War. Global Security.org cites the country as having one of the most advanced chemical weapons programs in the Middle East.
We can only conclude the Syrian’s are dealing with a major NBC toxic clean up problem.
I think this may qualify as a Darwin contender.
Right on. Just as our President said it might be in September 2001.
Here is an updated link with lots of new info:
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5iJugIQvDKwkxupz9eULk1ml6OZ4Q
(snip)
“The article also quoted Syrian opposition sources as noting that vehicles destined for car bomb attacks in Iraq are prepared at the same facility under the supervision of Syrian intelligence and the Iranian Revolutionary Guards.
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(end snip)
I checked out Aleppo, Syria, on Google Earth. At the time the satellite image was captured, there was a military airfield just southeast of Aleppo. It has(had) a runway that showed usage by fixed wing aircraft but I counted a large number (25+) of rotary wing aircraft (Russian Hinds?) - only two small fixed wing aircraft were visible. Some of the helicopters were parked near bunker facilities which were dispersed as would be normal practice for munitions bunkers.
The second in command of Iraq's Air Force said they flew their WMD's to Syria before the invasion of Iraq.
Remember all the chemical suits the US Army found in Iraq. I’m guessing they wish they had shipped those to Syria as well.
Janes Defense Weekly ping.
Janes Defense Weekly ping.
Syria has had a long history of this type of “Industrial” accidents for the past decade.
Yes, I’m sure they do. Let’s hope we help them with a few more.
Just keep up what has been working.
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