SAS uncovers most of Iraq airforce

The Age - Australia ^ | 4-18-03

[Oldeconomybuyer]

Australian special forces have uncovered a vast trove of weapons including much of the surviving Iraqi air force, munitions and nuclear, biological and chemical (NBC) protective equipment on an Iraqi airbase west of Baghdad.

Among the finds are 51 MiG jet fighters, mostly older MiG 21s but including three advanced MiG 25 Foxbats, plus armoured vehicles, anti-aircraft guns and a French-made Roland anti-aircraft missile system.

It's not known how many of the aircraft remained in flying condition.

Also found were bunkers capable of withstanding nuclear, chemical and biological attack plus training materials on weapons of mass destruction.

Some 200 Australian troops, including members of the Special Air Service Regiment, Commandos, Incident Response Regiment and bomb disposal experts are continuing to search the base.

Commander of the Australian forces in the Middle East, Brigadier Maurie McNarn, said it was originally expected the job would take no more than two or three days.

"We are now six days in. It was far more extensive than we first thought. This is one of the major air bases," he said.

Coalition air forces attacked the facility early in the war, using special bombs to crater the runways so they could not be used. As it was, the Iraqi air force showed little inclination to fight.

Had they done so they could have caused major problems for the coalition in the early days of the conflict.

"We were always worried, even though their air force gave early indications that they didn't want to fight - they are not silly, they know what our capability is - that it was always there," Brigadier McNarn said.

"We were still surprised at the number of aircraft and the amount of munitions."

Australian forces occupied the base against minimal opposition. Some Iraqi gunners tried to turn an anti-aircraft gun on the Australian troops but a few shots over their heads sent them running.

Brigadier McNarn said there were no confirmed weapons of mass destruction but it was still early days in searching the vast network of underground bunkers and weapons stores.

"If we come across anything we think might be weapons of mass destruction, what we will do is mark the area, picket it then let the experts in," he said.

"At this stage what we have turned up are training facilities, personal protective equipment and people prepared to operate in a NBC environment.

[goldstategop]

Did I hear French made Roland anti-aircraft system? We caught Chiraq with his pants down. He has a lot of 'splaining to do.

[MEG33]

They are like the media..never having to say they are sorry!

[Fiddlstix]

Bump

[Junior]

Could've been acquired through a third-party arms dealer. It's not a "smoking gun" until the transfer paperwork is checked out.

[Centurion2000]

French-made Roland anti-aircraft missile system.

Check the DATES of manufacture please.

[sd-joe]

>> "Did I hear French made Roland anti-aircraft system? "

Yes, and it surrendered without a fight.

[goldstategop]

LOL!!! Sounds French made alright. :)

[Tom Bombadil]

Had they done so they could have caused major problems for the coalition in the early days of the conflict.

Not.

[jokar]

>> "Did I hear French made Roland anti-aircraft system? "

Yes, and it surrendered without a fight.

Not only that . . . we had to go find it.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

All of Iraq seems to be one giant munitions base!

OFFICIAL BUMP(TOPIC)LIST

[Sparta]

All of Iraq seems to be one giant munitions base!

Indeed. Fox News showed a picture of twenty 57mm anti-aircraft guns lined up on a runway for storage.

When I go buy a new gun, I'll just go to Iraq.

[Sparta]

Check the DATES of manufacture please.

Don't get your hopes up. Rolands were exported to Iraq before the Gulf War.

[Grampa Dave]

France, also, makes about 99% of the protective suits and mask/hoods for WB/WMD protection.

Just another reason to boycott the Frogs!

French Products to Buycott!

Make it a lifestyle to avoid French products.

Let them fear the American Street---our combined wallets.

"France has burned too many bridges!"

Lets keep burning those bridges that the slimey and worthless frogs are depending on for the rest of this decade!

$crew the Slimey Frogs with a Boycott!


French Products to Buycott

We can resist their wines which usually come in behind the good Napa Valley Wines and Australian wines in blind tasting without French Judges like in the Winter Olympics.

We can do without French Products and services for the rest of this decade. Here is a list of French companies and their products to avoid for the rest of this decade. Please keep this list and send it to your relatives, friends and fellow conservatives via e and snail mail!

*New additions to the list.

Air France

Air Liquide

Airbus

Alcatel - Based in Paris France, Provider of communications equipment, including ADSL equipment, terrestrial and submarine optical networks, public switching, fixed wireless access and intelligent networks.


Allegra (Allergy Medication) - Produced by Aventis Pharmaceuticals based in Strasbourg, France

Aqualung (Including: Spirotechnique, Technisub, US Divers, and SeaQuest)

AXA Advisors

*Bacou-Dalloz-Makes Industrial protective devices

Bank of the West - Owned by BNP Paribas

Beneteau (boats)

BF Goodrich - Owned by Michelin

BIC (Razors, Pens & Lighters) - Started in 1945 by Marcel Bich. Originally based just outside of Paris. Began trading on the Paris Stock Exchange in 1972. 40.5% Publicly traded. Bich family still owns 33.5%.

Biotherm (Cosmetics)

Black Bush

Bollinger (Champagne)

*Browning Firearms**

Car & Driver Magazine

Cartier

Chanel

Chivas Regal (Scotch)

Christian Dior

Club Med (Vacations) - Owned in part by Paris based CDC (Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations)

Culligan (owned by Vivendi)

Dannon (Yogurt & Dairy Foods)

*Danone -Lea and Perrin, Evian and other food/water

*Decatholon Super Sport Stores or MVP Sport Stores*

* Dassault Systemes-(CATIA design software)*

DKNY - LVMH acquired 100% of Gabrielle Studio Inc., the privately owned licenser of Donna Karan trademarks back in 2001.

*DMC THREADS

Dom Perignon

Durand Crystal

Elle Magazine

*Emile Henry French Cookware

*Enertec makes high speed recorders used in Recon aircraft p>Essilor Optical Products

Evian

Fina Oil - Billions invested in Iraqi Oil fields -FINA GAS STATIONS IN THE UNITED STATES ARE NOT FRENCH-OWNED AND ARE NOT PART OF TOTAL-ELF-FINA ... FINA GAS STATIONS ARE OWNED BY ALON ISRAEL OIL COMPANY ..

First Hawaiian Bank

George Magazine

Givenchy

*Grey Goose Vodka

*GroupeSEB owns Krups, Moulinex, Roweta and Tefal Cookware

*Groupe Shneider, owner of Modicon and Square D

*Guerlain Fragrances

*Hachette Filipacchi owner publisher of many magazines sold in the USA. See the list below:***

Hennessy

Houghton Mifflin (books) International Herald Tribune - 181 ave Charles-de-Gaulle - F-92521 Neuilly - FRSource:World Business Council for Sustainable Development '00 [Domain Registration], [Corporate Profile]

Jacobs Creek - Owned by Pernod Ricard since 1989

Jameson (whiskey Owned by Pernod Ricard )

Jerry Springer (talk show)

Krups

****Lagardere****

Lancome

*Lea & Perrins a product of Danon

Le Creuset (Cookware)

L'Oreal (Health & Beauty Products)

Louis Vuitton

Marie Claire

Martel Cognac

Maybelline

Méphisto (Footwear & Apparel)

Michelin (Tires & Auto Parts) - Their phone number is: (33) 1 45 66 15 53 in France

Mikasa Crystal and Glass (purchased by ARC int'l in 2001)

Moet (Champagne)

Motel 6 - 33, Avenue du Maine- 75755 Paris Cedex 15 France

Motown Records

MP3.com

Mumms (Champagne)

Nissan (Cars) - Majority owned by Renault

Nivea

Normany Butter

Parents Magazine

*Perrier

Peugeot (Automobiles) - Pronounced "Pooh Joe", must be French

Pierre Cardin

Playstation Magazine

ProScan - Owned by Thomson Electronics, France

Publicis Group (Including: Saatchi & Saatchi Advertising)

RCA (televisions & electronics) - Owned by Thomson Electronics, France

Red Magazine

Red Roof Inns - Owned by the Accor group based in France

Renault (Automobiles) major owner of Nissan

Road & Track Magazine

Roquefort Cheese - All Roquefort cheese is made in France

Rowenta (Toasters, Irons, Coffee makers, etc)

Royal Canadian

Salomon (Skis)

Seagram's Gin

Sierra Software and Computer Games

*Sodexho Alliance* French Food Caterer for the US Marines

Sofitel (Hotels) - Owned by the Accor group based in France

Sparkletts (Water) - Owned by Danone, based in France

Spencer Gifts

Sundance Channel

Taylor Made (Golf)

Technicolor

T-Fal (Kitchenware)

The Glenlivet (Scotch) *Top Tobacco - Dist. by Republic Tobacco L.P., Glenview IL, made in France

UbiSoft (Computer Games)

Uniroyal

Uniroyal Tires - Owned by Michelin

Universal Studios (Music, Movies & Theme Parks) -

Universal Studios is owned by Vivendi-Universal, headquartered in Paris France

USFilter

Veritas Group

Veuve Clicquot Champagne

Vittel

Vivendi - Vivendi Headquarters, Paris France

Wild Turkey (bourbon)

*Winchester Firearms (US Repeating Arms)**

Woman's Day Magazine

Yoplait - France-based Sodiaal owns a 50% stake of Yoplait

Yves Saint Laurent

*Yves Rocher Cosmetics

*ZigZag (tobacco papers and roller products)*

Zodiac Inflatable Boats

*New additions to the list thanks to Freepers. If you have an addition, Freepmail me with the URL showing French ownership.

** Sad news but these two companies are owned by the Belgian Company Herstal, (French Light)

***List of 18 magazines sold in USA by Hachette Filipacchi with an estimated 50 million readers: American Photo, Boating, Car Stereo Review's Mobile Entertainment, Cycle World, ELLE Decor, ELLEgirl, Flying, Home, Metropolitan Home, Popular Photography, Premiere, Sound & Vision, Travel Holiday, Woman's Day Woman's Day Special Interest Publications.

****Lagardere owns the Virgin Megastore group in France, which it bought from Richard Branson three years ago. Its Hachette media division publishes a battery of magazines including Elle , see *** Hachette Filipacchi above. Lagardere also has a stake in the Airbus manufacturing operation. The company is capitalised at over €5bn based on last week's closing prices.****