Posted on 03/31/2003 7:29:23 AM PST by JohnHuang2
US general says unaware of Iraqi night-goggle use
AS SAYLIYA CAMP, Qatar, March 31 (Reuters) - A top U.S. commander said Monday he was unaware of any Iraqi battlefield use of night-vision goggles, three days after Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld charged such devices had been supplied by Syria.
"What I know is that we have not to my knowledge seen any at this point," Brigadier General Vincent Brooks told a briefing at the Central Command's forward headquarters in Qatar in reply to a question.
"I'm just not aware of any that have been encountered."
Brooks is the command's deputy director of operations in the 12-day-old U.S.-led war to oust Iraqi President Saddam Hussein and rid Iraq of any banned weapons.
On Friday, Rumsfeld said the United States had information that night-vision goggles and unspecified other military supplies and equipment had been crossing from Syria into Iraq, apparently to bolster Saddam's troops.
The alleged supply of night-vision goggles "pose a direct threat" to U.S. troops and could undercut the their military advantage in night fighting, Rumsfeld told a Pentagon briefing.
"We consider such trafficking as hostile acts, and will hold the Syrian government accountable for such shipments," Rumsfeld said, without providing details of the alleged shipments.
Syria dismissed the accusation as an attempt by Washington to cover up for "ugly war crimes" against Iraqi civilians.
On Sunday, Secretary of State Colin Powell also singled out Syria, warning it to stop backing "terrorist groups" and Saddam's government.
Brooks said at the Qatar briefing any further questions on what triggered the warnings to Syria should be for "capitals and not for this command."
I'm not much of one for propaganda, but we really need to stay on the same page and not give the nay-sayers ammo...
Mabye Syria didn't sell them the right batteries? :)
Peter Arnett: What an asshole. ~by Texas Eagle
ROTFLMAO!!!
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