Iraq secretly bought 1,000 Kornet missiles: Pentagon (those M1A1s WERE hit by Kornets!)

The Economic Times ^ | MONDAY, MARCH 31, 2003 10:30:08 AM | The Economic Times

[Smogger]

NEW YORK: Iraqis have secretly bought as many as a thousand Russian-made Kornet anti-tank missiles which are lightweight, very powerful and easy-to-use, Pentagon officials claimed.

The sellers are Ukrainian arms dealers and possibly some entrepreneurial Syrian generals or the Syrian government itself, the officials were quoted as saying by Newsweek. They reportedly sent Baghdad some 500 Kornets in January.

The Kornet anti-tank missiles were used to attack two US tanks, both Abrams M1A1s during the ongoing war in Iraq. The first M1s ever destroyed by enemy fire in battle, they were caught in an ambush of the US Army's 3/7 Cavalry near As Samawah, on the west bank of the Euphrates River.

Two is not a large number and the invading forces have at least 650 tanks in Iraq with more on the way. But US officials, the magazine said, are worried about the skill or "at least the fanaticism" of the guerrilla fighters who sneaked up on the tanks driving a "technical," a jeep, under cover of a sandstorm.

Less than two weeks into the war, the magazine examined whether it started with enough force and whether Operation Iraqi Freedom risks blowing up into a Middle East War.

That scenario, once very remote, is no longer unthinkable, it said. Barring a sudden collapse of the Baathist regime - still a possibility, senior administration officials insist - the war in Iraq is about to get bloodier.

"Somewhere deep in his network of tunnels and bunkers," Saddam Hussein "is convinced he can win," not by defeating superior US forces on the battlefield, but merely by surviving while Islamic rage builds from Cairo to Islamabad, the magazine said quoting a senior US official.

With a show of "shock and awe," American might was supposed to overwhelm the Iraqis and crack Saddam Hussein's regime. Tipped off by a spy in his inner circle, the US military tried to kill him and his sons as they slept with a surprise "decapitation" strike on the first night of the war.

US officials were engaged in delicate secret talks with some of Saddam Hussein's henchmen which appear to have gone nowhere. Saddam Hussein is almost surely alive; the spy, according to a knowledgeable source, has been "compromised," meaning that he is probably dead.

When American soldiers began dying in ambushes from Iraqis pretending to surrender, it didn't take long for Washington officialdom to start leaking exculpatory memoranda.

One CIA memo made available to Newsweek was entitled "Iraq: Potential aRisks in Rear Areas." The paper warned of Saddam loyalists attacking American supply lines with "hit and run tactics" using "RPGs rocket-propelled grenades) and small arms."

The document was widely distributed at the Pentagon, though one intelligence official, Newsweek said, acknowledges that, given Washington's strange hothouse ways, the paper might have been more carefully read at the top if it had been stamped "TOP SECRET" instead of merely "SECRET."

Saddam Hussein's irregulars have adopted tricks from the Somali guerrillas, including firing from behind groups of women and children.

Saddam Hussein will try to increase the American death rate, possibly by ordering his commanders to use bio-chem weapons, the magazine said.

[justshutupandtakeit]

Many are angry that Putin has not come on board the Iraqi Express. I am too and afraid that this will weaken US/Russian ties. But I also remember Russia did not want us bombing Serbia and it was right about that.

Though I don't believe Russia would have vetoed another resolution had it been left to it.

Sometimes it takes time to remove old enemies and replace them with new ones.

[Stavka2]

Again, as with the others...try reading before letting the bias go...UKRAINIANS...just because there is cyrillic writing doesn't mean its Russian...what a crazy concept.

[El Gato]

The report referred to the ammo cooking off (exploding because it was on fire). If that was true it sounds like a KIA tank.

Not necessarily. The M1A has blast doors between the ammo compartment and the crew compartment. It also has blow off doors on the top of the ammo compartment. Rounds cooking off don't really explode like you might think. They do "explode", but the cases aren't all that strong when not supported by the breech and the pressures never get all that high, and the blow off doors further prevent the pressures in the compartment from getting too high. The same thing effect can be seen with common shotgun, pistol and rifle ammunition. Throw it into a fire and you get a "pop" when the case ruptures, and the bullet is not expelled with much force, if at all.

[Beck_isright]

Boy oh boy, now you two have done it! Now you're going to get all the "Russia isn't run by a communist" lovers and the "Russia is our friends" loons all over you. Funny that the Ukraine and Russia are still supplying more than enough arms to the Syrian military, helping the Iranians build a nuclear weapons system and selling arms to Libya and they are still considered "our friends". Damn commies.

V

[Stavka2]

Yes, but the Russophobes don't care, they just need an excuse for their venom.

[Grampa Dave]

ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF HOW THE BRITS AND YANKEE DOGS ARE LOSING THE WAR. WAIT UNTIL YOU SEE THE REUTERS WRITE UP ON THIS GREAT VICTORY.

PS, YOUR CIA SUCKS!

PPS, YOUR MARINES ARE STARVING!

PPPS, YOUR PLANES ARE OUT BOMBS AND DEPEND ON OUR ROCKETS FIRED AT THEM TO FALL DOWN IN BAGHDAD TO HIT AND KILL INNOCENT CHILRUN.

PPPPS, YOUR WORTHLESS MILITARY IS STANDING DOWN FOR THE REST OF THIS CENTURY.

PPPPPS ELVIS IS FIGHTING ON OUR SIDE!

[Stavka2]

12 years? How much more time? A generation? Christ, why would Russia? It didn't cause trouble over the US leaving ABM treaty, over the US expanding NATO to Russia's doorstep. It allowed US forces into Russian bases in Central Asia to bomb the Taliban, the very regime Bush and Co stopped Russia from bombing in 2000. For that, the US still will not get rid of the Venik act, punishing Russian producers for the Soviet treatment of Jews. Did nothing to assist Russian entry into the WTO. Has not labelled Chechins as terrorists, regardless of the parade bombings and the theater or the apratments or anything, hell State still meets with them regularly. The new US backed Iraqi government from day one was screaming about not honoring any debts or contracts...why would Russia back the US on this? The US has not invested in Russia, Germany and France have...and with investment comes pull.

[Diplomat]

Question: Did Ukraine keep all the nukes that were there when the Soviet Union broke up? I remember disccussion of this and I assumed that they would become a nuclear power just like Russia after the split.
And what about Georgia (sp), did they keep nukes, or did they go back to Russia and Ukraine?

[Stavka2]

And America supplies Turkey with arms who massacres Kurds and threatens southern Cypriots and Greeks. US supplies arms to the Pakistani military dictator and his terrorist legions, arms and supports the Narcoterrorists of the KLA, supplies the military dictator of Egypt, the Islamics in Bosnia to name a few and does nothing to stop the money raising by the communist IRA...your point was what again?

[Stavka2]

Georgia never had nukes, only Russia, Ukraine and Khazakstan...and officially all were returned to Russia...now as to reality????

[UCANSEE2]

As I have said on other threads, Saddam has been dead for three months.

[Stavka2]

Besides, the Georgians would have sold them off within a week of getting them...Shevi and his mafia clans will sell anything to anyone as long as they make a buck.

[Beck_isright]

Let's see, Russia supplies arms to Kurds who bomb nurseries in Turkey. Russia supplies arms to African dictatorships. Russia sells arms to anyone who is against us. But that's ok. You're the one living in one of the nations that will learn in the long run that economic payback is la chienne.

V

.

[Beck_isright]

You're right as always though. I think we should help Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia establish nuclear programs also. God knows how long it will be before there is another "revolution" and those poor people will suffer the cossack sword again.

V

[PhiKapMom]

Tell me about it! I feel like I am in a very small minority on here but I am not changing my mind! I don't trust Putin and I don't trust the Russians.

How could I trust any of them with all their weaponry in Iraq's hands along with advisors? What is the difference between the French and Russians? Not much IMHO!

At least I have a little company! LOL!!!!!

[UCANSEE2]

Finding out that International Weapons dealers had sold Russian made weapons is about as interesting as finding out that International weapons dealers had sold American made weapons to .... (you name it).
Hell, our own bastard-ex-president was giving the Chinese our military secrets.

Those of you that believe Putin was personally or as a representative of the RUSSIAN government selling weapons directly to Saddam (or door to door in Baghdad), qualifies to be a landmine prober (OR JAVELIN CATCHER) for our troops.

[Beck_isright]

"What is the difference between the French and Russians?"

One big difference: The Russians are not cowards. Their not trustworthy but they are not cowards, trust me on that one.

V

[Stavka2]

Yeah, while US weapons arm Chechins through Saudi Arabia and arms the KLA directly...called being a hypocrit.

[Beck_isright]

I agree with you. Russia and France never sold "directly" (key word their people)to Iraq in the last 12 years. However they sold enough to equip every division of the Syrian Army 10 times over. So it doesn't take rocket science to see where it went (and is still going).

V

[justshutupandtakeit]

One would think that those changes you desire would be much more forthcoming if Russian troops were alongside US and British in Iraq. Now Russia will be on the losing side and nothing that France or Germany will or can do will change that.

You won't find me defending US policy with regard to Chechnya. I support Russia on that one totally.