Sources: Russia might helped top Iraqi officials get out of Iraq

Al Bawaba, the Middle East Gateway ^ | April 09 2003 | well-informed sources (or something)

[knighthawk]

Al Bawaba has learnt from various sources that Russia might have helped top Iraqi officials get out of Iraq as part of a Russian diplomatic convoy that left Baghdad Sunday. Russian ambassador Vladimir Titorenko had left Baghdad and arrived in Damascus, Syria, on Monday, claiming that US forces had fired on his diplomatic convoy as it left the Iraqi capital.

Surprisingly, the Russian diplomat returned to the Iraqi capital on Tuesday, officially to bring out an embassy driver wounded in the incident and a diplomat who stayed to look after the hospitalized victim.

However, well-informed sources have told Al Bawaba that the real goal of the Russian convoy journey to Syria was to provide a safe haven for senior Iraqi officials who feared to be prosecuted by the American forces.

It should be noted that earlier this week a leading British newspaper reported that Syria is the Pentagon's next likely target for "regime change". American officials were convinced that Syrian President, Bashar Assad had actively collaborated with the ousted Iraqi President Saddam Hussein and agreed to take weapons, including Scud missiles, from him so they would not be discovered in Iraq by U.N. inspectors.

"Significant equipment, assets and perhaps even expertise was transferred, the first signs of which appeared in August or September 2002," a Bush administration official told The Telegraph. "It is quite possible that Iraqi nuclear scientists went to Syria and that Saddam's regime may retain part of its army there."

Meanwhile, reports in Russian newspapers suggested Wednesday that the secret archives of Saddam could already be in Moscow, despite the CIA's attempt to block them near Baghdad on Sunday.

The Nezavisimaya Gazeta reported that the US rangers' attack on the Russian Ambassador's convoy near Baghdad was a clash between SVR, Russian's Foreign Intelligence Service, and the CIA.

Russia had asked for a safe passage for its Ambassador's convoy to move from Baghdad to Syria, but a "Predator" drone had been hovering over the convoy all along the way, according to the Russian daily. The report also denied any case of mistaken identity involved in the attack on the convoy.

[knighthawk]

Maybe some Iraqi officials who know too much about Russia's and Syria's involvement on how Iraq got hold of the latest Russian weapons made a deal.

[PhiKapMom]

Sure hope the people of this Country wake up to the fact that the Russians are NOT our friends that can be trusted!

[dinok]

The rats are escaping the sinking ship

[knighthawk]

Ping

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[Mears]

Russians are sneaks,period.

[aristeides]

This seems consistent with other reports that appeared earlier today. I wonder if Saddam escaped in the convoy.

[cricket]

"Meanwhile, reports in Russian newspapers suggested Wednesday that the secret archives of Saddam could already be in Moscow, despite the CIA's attempt to block them near Baghdad on Sunday."

If true, this makes me crazy. . .this convoy was suspected of doing just this; so why did they let them through without checking. . .

. . .we should have those files!

That said. . .what a proud day for our Military and for Iraq!

[Born to Conserve]

I have a secret and I won't tell . . .




Okay, The 4th armoured is heading straight for Syria.

Source: High ranking unnamed sources.

[Quix]

I agree.

But they won't wake up.

Until THEY are in the USA gulag.

[fuzzy122]

"Significant equipment, assets and perhaps even expertise was transferred, the first signs of which appeared in August or September 2002," a Bush administration official told The Telegraph. "It is quite possible that Iraqi nuclear scientists went to Syria and that Saddam's regime may retain part of its army there."

I told my son last week that I feared when we aren't looking they were gonna hit us with chem/bio missiles from SYRIA, followed by an attack by So-damn's troops which have been there for awhile. That's why there has been so little resistance. This may not happen until Dubya is there maybe next year maybe christening the new government.

Fuzzy

[Question_Assumptions]

Wow! Not only does Syria take Iraq's slot in the Axis of Evil before Iraq has been fully liberated but it gets itself bumped to the top of the list! They must have wanted that spot badly. Well, the American troops are already there. Think about the savings in transportation costs...

Iran and North Korea? Wait your turn. Warming up on deck is Libya.

[mad puppy]

If Syria is indeed storing Iraqi weapons, and if they also traded illegally, and if they also gave safe haven to the Iraqi leaders, it may very well be the new Iraqi gov't that comes after them. Now we be the best time for the Syrian Gov't to stand up and say..."OK, we f'd up bad. Here are the weapons, the prisoners, the scientists, the papers, the Iraqi leadership, Iraqi troops, this is our Russian connection, our French connection...here is the money...we're sorry sorry sorry..."

[Question_Assumptions]

What about the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force that didn't see much action? Isn't that in Syria's direction, too?

[PhiKapMom]

I don't understand how they can have such trust in a former KGB agent who heads Russia! That boggles my mind!

[Wright is right!]

I said two days ago that I was CERTAIN that Tariq Aziz was in the Russky Convoy. It appears that he had a lot of company.

There sure were a LOT of people who stood to lose a great deal if their involvement with SadMan became known after the war. Which is why they were so against it.

Michael

[Citizen of the Savage Nation]

If this is the case, that convoy should have been stopped before it got to Syria, at gunpoint. If no cooperation, then it should have been bombed. What, we had NOBODY on the road to Damascus to interdict these guys??

[Wright is right!]

Fuzzy, your scenario ain't gonna happen. No doubt someone's thought of it, but even were some hotheads prone to actually try it, it IS preventable. Remember - if YOU can think of it, Rummy's probably already got 5 ways from Sunday to deal with it.

Michael

[Wright is right!]

We had some Special Ops on the Damascus Hwy, but no overpowering force. But we had enough so that we got some stuff - any time you get that much of a howl from the Russkies, you've gotten something.

Michael

[fuzzy122]

Isn't it nice to have adults in charge of running the country? I mean it is good to be a PROUD American again - now that the DARK TIME is over.

BTW: My 14 year old son had the same response you did!

Stay Strong
Fuzzy