Bush confronts Putin on Iraq arms

BBC News ^ | March 24, 2003 | Staff

[AntiGuv]

US President George W Bush has complained directly to his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, that Russian companies have been selling military equipment to Iraq in breach of UN sanctions.

The White House says it has "credible evidence" that Russian companies had sold military equipment such as satellite-jamming devices, anti-tank missiles and night-vision goggles to Iraq, despite Russian denials.

In a phone conversation with Mr Bush, the Russian president said he would look into the allegations immediately, White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said.

Earlier, Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov denied the claims, saying that relevant agencies had investigated the allegations and found them unwarranted.

"Russia strictly fulfils all its international obligations and has not supplied any equipment, including military, to Iraq in violation of the sanctions regime," he said.

Relations strain

On Sunday the Washington Post newspaper reported, citing sources within the Bush administration, that one Russian company was aiding the Iraqi regime in efforts to jam satellite signals that could guide bombs and military aircraft used by the US-led coalition.

A further two companies, it said, had sold night-vision goggles and anti-tank missiles to the regime in contravention of United Nations sanctions.

Officials within the Bush administration have long been frustrated by Russia's perceived failure to crack down on arms sales to countries the US considers sponsors of terrorism.

However a Russian deputy, Andrei Kokoshin, suggested that Iraq could have obtained Soviet-era weapons through a former Soviet republic such as the Ukraine, Russia's Interfax news agency quoted him as saying.

BBC Washington correspondent Rob Watson says the incident could worsen relations between the two countries, already soured by Russia's continuing opposition to the war in Iraq.

[Grampa Dave]

Well as you noted, as we see the cards played by Russia, the ChiComs, the NK's, France, Germany and Belgium, we are seeing some really disgusting stuff with just Iraq. One can only imagine what has happened with Iran, Syria, NK and Cuba the past decades.

[ApesForEvolution]

Yes, you can say what you will about the 'new and improved' russia, but it's still the same old stalinist trash running the show. Communists in the united States, Europe, Russia and Red china are alligned with the islamoterrorists against America, plain and simple.

[estjohn]

and in other Russian news today:

http://www.themoscowtimes.com/stories/2003/03/25/031.html

Monument Defiled

ST. PETERSBURG (AP) -- Vandals in St. Petersburg defiled a monument to victims of political repression under Soviet dictator Josef Stalin, a human rights group said Monday.

The Memorial human rights group said the vandals wrote "Long live the great Stalin!" on the monument. It was the fourth act of vandalism on the monument since the fall. "This indicates the general condition of society, which has lost the culture of memory and understanding of its own past," said Irina Flige, head of the St. Petersburg branch of Memorial.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Book Attacks Jews

MOSCOW (AP) -- A Moscow court ruled Monday that there was nothing illegal in a government-endorsed textbook that describes Jews as power-hungry and greedy, a rights group said.

The Moscow-based Movement for Human Rights had asked the Meshchansky district court to force prosecutors to open a criminal investigation into the textbook, "The Fundamentals of Orthodox Culture." The book, endorsed by the Education Ministry and the Russian Orthodox Church for use in public schools, says the Jews forced Pontius Pilate to crucify Jesus because "they thought only about power over other peoples and earthly wealth." In addition to attacking Jews, the textbook accuses Russia's non-Orthodox "guests" of "not always behaving nobly in the traditionally Orthodox state." The Movement for Human Rights appealed to the Prosecutor General's Office to open a criminal case in June on the grounds that the book incites ethnic hatred, a crime under Russian law. Federal prosecutors passed the issue on to local Moscow prosecutors, who refused to open a case. In December, the Meshchansky district court ruled that the prosecutors' refusal was illegal. The prosecutors then issued a second refusal, which was upheld by the court Monday.

[Cosmo]

i think Ivanov is probably the one we should be watching the most and I don't thin Putin pulls his strings...probably just the opposite.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

OFFICIAL BUMP(TOPIC)LIST

[MississippiMan]

Russia has never been our friend they are playing us for fools!

We agree once more, T.

MM

[TigersEye]

Trade sanctions! Let them eat French toast.

[George W. Bush]

Lets give 'em all the stuff we confiscate from Iraq.

I like this idea. Maybe W. suggested that he would return all prohibited arms to Russia via Chechen shipping channels.

[Go Gordon]

Lets start arming Chechens. Lets give 'em all the stuff we confiscate from Iraq.

Yeah, thats pretty smart. Look, US companies under BJ Bill did horrific deeds supplying China with intel and weapons technology. That was intentional, and I don't hear a peep out of other countries bashing the US. Given that Russia had less control over things over the last 10 years, if errors occurred, thats no reason to automatically throw a potential powerful ally out in the cold. Why not wait for the facts to come out.

Jeez, knee-jerk re-actions seem to be a dime a dozen anymore on this forum where everyone thinks they're a freakin' expert.

[Go Gordon]

At least there's one voice of reason on this thread. Thanks DES

[lawgirl]

I don't like the word "complaining"- somehow I don't see W wringing his hands and pouting. I hope in practice the word to use would be more like "raising hell with Pooty Poot."

[Jorge]

"Russia strictly fulfils all its international obligations and has not supplied any equipment, including military, to Iraq in violation of the sanctions regime," he said.

These cowards don't have the guts to openly admit what they've been doing.

[Rams82]

I hope y'all like vodka...

[F16Fighter]

"Send them to the Chechnians with the loan of a few Spec Ops people."

Seems reasonable to me, Gramps...

With this war a new reality and seeds of WWIII have sprouted -- This last time the main players are Russia, China, France, Germany, and Islam vs. the US, Israel, Japan, Australia, the UK, and Christiandom.

The bell has rung.

[Geezerette]

I wonder if Pres. Bush still calls him, "Pootie-Poot"? No kidding, that's what Dubya called him, according to Drudge and others.

g

[Tedmeister]

We better watch the Ruskie's real close or they will arm the whole Islamic Nation! With friends like Russia and France me thinks we should chose our friends more wisely.

[whadizit]

You may be right, but a lot has been made of "I can see into his soul", Pooty-Poot, etc. I mean, really. We don't have to go overboard the lst time they met.

[Destro]

"Send them to the Chechnians with the loan of a few Spec Ops people."

Seems reasonable to me, Gramps...

With this war a new reality and seeds of WWIII have sprouted -- This last time the main players are Russia, China, France, Germany, and Islam vs. the US, Israel, Japan, Australia, the UK, and Christiandom.

The bell has rung.

And you think arming the Muslim Chechen headhunters who kill Christians for sport is good for Christiandom? The West is truly designated for extinction from within. The bell has tolled for thee.

[Political Junkie Too]

For the sake of argument, let's turn this story around a bit. Suppose the story read as follows:

Russian President Boris Yeltsin has complained directly to his American counterpart, Bill Clinton, that American companies have been selling missile technology to China in breach of UN sanctions.

The Kremlin says it has "credible evidence" that American companies had sold missile technology such as guidance systems, stabilization methods, and targeting equipment to China, despite American denials.

Earlier, American Commerce Secretary Ron Brown denied the claims, saying that relevant agencies had investigated the allegations and found them unwarranted.

On Sunday the Pravda newspaper reported, citing sources within the Clinton administration, that two American companies were aiding the Chinese regime in efforts to improve missile accuracy that could guide missiles used by the Chinese military.

Officials within the Yeltsin administration have long been frustrated by America's perceived failure to crack down on missile technology sales to countries the US considers sponsors of election campaigns.

It couldn't happen, right?

-PJ

[Destro]

"Let him without sin cast the first stone" or alternately "What goes around comes around":

GUN RUNNING APRIL 24, 1996 TRANSCRIPT

House Speaker Newt Gingrich today appointed a special committee to look into the Clinton administration's role in arms shipments from Iran to Bosnia. The controversy has its roots in decisions reportedly made two years ago, at the height of the war.

REPORTER: Are you concerned about the investigation of Iranian arms shipments to Bosnia during the war?

PRESIDENT CLINTON: No.

REPORTER: Did you allow it to happen?

PRESIDENT CLINTON: Our, our record on that is clear. Mr. Lake has talked about it. There was absolutely nothing improper done.

Globe and Mail, August 01, 2001

We Created a Monster Albanian terrorists, armed by the West to fight in Kosovo, are destroying Macedonia, says Canada’s former ambassador to Yugoslavia JAMES BISSETT