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.

[RetiredArmy]

The likes of you can stick it up your commie butt for all I care. He is a communist and you talk like one red.

[Tallguy]

I suspect that Russia, Syria, et. al are doing a token amount to support Saddam. This way they keep their options open while preserving deniability. Either way, they are in a position to 'win'.

[Beck_isright]

It's funny how many people talk on this board but never looked across a scope or a M-16 sight at the Russians doing the same back at you. It would change their perspective.

V

[TheLooseThread]

This does illustrate an interesting point about the war. For all we know the reporter didn't report anything about this correctly. Yet here we are talking about small details (which is fine, don't misunderstand me).

The same thing is happening at the macro level. Some bonehead reporter probably talked to a marine who said that they were only getting one hot meal a day. Now this is actually pretty good since typically a soldier can only count on MRE's. But the reporter puts out that the front line is so unsupplied that they are down to one meal a day. Combine this with other bonehead reports mis-representing supply lines issues and (presto) an new urban myth about the war effort failing due to supply problems.

If the media reported football the same way they report the war there would be retired football coaches explaining to the talking head what that little brown object down on the field is called.

Fred: "Tom is our retired coach. Tom, what is that brown thing called?"

Tom: "Fred, we refer to that as the "football."

And at half time:

Mary: "Fred, Fred, we have to interrupt you. Sorry. We seem to have some breaking news occuring right now on the field. Initial reports are that both "teams", and by teams I'm referring to the groups of "players" that Tom talked about earlier, well they seem to be abandoning their positions and walking off the field.

Fred: "Mary, have you heard anything about this ahead of time? Apparently the coaches were caught off guard by this. Perhaps it is an operational pause?"

Mary: "Yes Fred, my contacts are saying it is an operational pause. I do have unconfirmed reports of water and gatoraid arriving. This, if true, would speak to the supply issues we discussed earlier..."

[Calpernia]

Since you replied to a post that I was involved in, I'll assume you were referring to me as a Russianphobe? Yes? No? Try READING WHAT I posted before you start name calling through third person posting.

And, you may speak to me directly.

[LenS]

Judging by birth and death rates, it'll be Russia that dies off first. The US is now much bigger in population than the Axis of Weasels combined -- Russia, France and Germany (heck, throw in Mini-Me Belgium also).

Privatizing the Army? You mean turning the Army into a mercenary force for the richest Russians? Flat tax, awesome. But a privatized Army is a disaster for a nation-state in the long run.

Putin had a chance for realignment. Instead he chose the declinining old Europe and the old Soviet dreams. When the Chinese, Turks, Koreans, and Indians swarm over Russia, we in the US will simply sit back and say "payback's a bitca!"

[PhiKapMom]

Have you figured out why people on here cannot see the connection to arming Syria that goes direct to Baghdad? Am I missing something?

[Beck_isright]

"Have you figured out why people on here cannot see the connection to arming Syria that goes direct to Baghdad? Am I missing something?"

Yes. There is an open wish that we lose or get bloodied badly by many of our so-called soon to be former friends. That way since they could never beat us straight up, they want us to succomb to the world governence of the U.N. in conflict, trade and other issues. This is pathetic. And you and I and alot of older generation folks can see the challenges to our sovereignty. And they will lose.

V

[LenS]

What do you expect from some one who choses the name "Stavka"?

[RetiredArmy]

A communist response I guess. Must be Putin's brother-in-law or something.

[editor-surveyor]

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

Another stroke of Arab bravery.

[PhiKapMom]

Maybe it is growing up where you had to go out in the hall for practice alerts because of the Cold War in case the Russians launched. Lived fairly near to Wright-Patterson AFB, OH, which was one of their primary targets.

Somehow that stays with you when you are in elementary school and hiding out from a Russian missile even it was only a practice drill!

These so-called "friends" want us taken down -- remember Kruschev said he would bury us and he didn't mean with a shovel. He figured the Country would become weak and not care about sovereignty. I can remember a Government prof I had years later -- he said always be vigilant and NEVER trust a former Communist no matter how much they seem to have changed.

[Beck_isright]

How about Florida in the early 60'! Yes, this is what this new generation does not understand; we believe in "trust and verify" and "peace through strength". I will not trust them until we have 100% verification that the KGB types are not finished making mischief for us throughout the world.

V

[mikhailovich]

I will be the first on your bandwagon when proof determines the RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT authorized or knew of these sales. The report clearly says Ukrainian arms dealers (Ukrainians are not Russians) and Syrian generals, or the Syrian Government itself. It doesn't say the Russian Government. None of these reports have pinned illegal arms sales to Iraq, on the Russian Government.

I take back all the nice things I said about you.

[Calpernia]

I feel very ignored here. Mikhailovich, refer and respond to my messages 30 and 43. And don't jump the gun answering me without reading message 43.

[cake_crumb]

"Remember this report of the two US tanks destroyed by RPG's and the initial reports of the use of Kornets? Well here is your confirmation. The dirty Russian dogs."

Yep. Many of us around here have been wondering if Putin was just worried about the money owed to Russia by Iraq...or whether Putin was aware of sales of illegal Russian missiles to Saddam.

[PhiKapMom]

I am with you 100%! Peace through Strength -- that was on the entrance to the B-52 area at Wright-Patt.

Attended a security briefing one time when I worked for the Air Force about a town in Russia that was an exact replica of a town in Middle America so their agents would know how to react when in this country. The film sent shudders up my back.

Trust and verify should be what every American does! Don't take someone being nice on blind faith that they have changed when schooled in Communism!

[PhiKapMom]

I gave you a direct link to UN documented for weaponery. If you take the time and study that entire database, you will see that the Putin administration has also been violating sanctions with Iraq. THEN, if you study the documentary of the US information, there is even more incidents that we cited outside of the UN documentation. Here is one example:

Posted your opening statement on #43! Thanks for posting facts! I just don't get this defense of "Putin doesn't know" -- defies logic! That means he shouldn't be in charge of Russia if he knows so little, but then why side so much with France against the United States if he didn't know what we were going to find!

[Stavka2]

You mean turning the Army into a mercenary force for the richest Russians?

Yup, just like the US army has fought to annex Hawaii for US buisness, helped put down the Boxer Rebellion for business, various banana republics and oil princes...your point?

Check out my bookmarked article: Russia removes itself from the Endangered Species list, Russian birth rates have been swinging around for 3 years now (along with the economy...funny about that). Local governments are running out of money for their deals to buy houses for working families willing to have 3 kids in 5 years...demand has outstripped supply.

The Turks have gotten their arses handed to them 5 times in a row...doubt they are that stupid. The Koreans? Hahahaha, not if N. Korea wants to live. The Indians? What drugs are you on? Besides, they'd kinda have to "swarm" through a few other countries first...go check a map. As for China, if the US is stupid enough to let China conquer (doubt they'd be able to do it anyways) Siberia, then the US won't survive another generation. With all the oil and resources, China would outstrip the US in no time.