Polish troops find new French missiles in Iraq

Rueters via Yahoo! ^ | Friday October 3 | Pawel Kozlowski

[So Cal Rocket]

WARSAW, Oct 3 (Reuters) - Polish troops in Iraq have found four French-built advanced anti-aircraft missiles which were built this year, a Polish Defence Ministry spokesman told Reuters on Friday.

France strongly denied having sold any such missiles to Iraq for nearly two decades, and said it was impossible that its newest missiles should turn up in Iraq.

"Polish troops discovered an ammunition depot on September 29 near the region of Hilla and there were four French-made Roland-type missiles," Defence Ministry spokesman Eugeniusz Mleczak said.

"It is not the first time Polish troops found ammunition in Iraq but to our surprise these missiles were produced in 2003."

The Roland anti-aircraft system is a short-range air defence missile in service with at least 10 countries, including France and Germany.

They are fired from a mobile launcher vehicle and defence experts say the missiles are highly effective against aircraft attacking at low and medium altitude.

Under a strict trade embargo imposed by the United Nations, Iraq was barred from importing arms after its invasion of Kuwait in 1990.

Among others, Russia, Britain and France all sold arms to Iraq in the 1970s and 1980s. In Iraq's arsenal were Soviet-built Scud missiles, British Chieftain tanks and French Mirage fighters.

But Iraq managed to circumvent the arms trade ban in the 1990s through shadowy deals with various arms traders and kept its military equipment functioning.

"NO MILITARY EXPORTS"

"Since July 1990, France has not authorised a single shipment of military equipment to Iraq," a French Foreign Ministry spokeswoman told Reuters. Similar accusations were made in the U.S. media in April, she said.

In 1980-81, 13 Roland-1 missile systems were shipped to Iraq and from 1983 to 1986, 100 Roland-2 missile systems. The Roland-3 has never been exported to Iraq, she said.

"It is not credible to say that the Roland missiles found a few days ago were produced in 2003 and delivered just before the Anglo-American intervention," the spokeswoman said.

"Let's be absolutely clear about this: no military exports to Iraq were licensed after July 1990."

It was unlikely that the missiles could be used 17-18 years after their delivery, she added.

Mleczak said Polish troops were notified about the missiles by a local Iraqi, who received a reward for the information.

"The ammunition depot was neutralised," said Mleczak. Polish television pictures showed missiles placed in a shallow trench and a huge explosion when the Poles blew up munitions at the site.

Since early September, Poland, a staunch supporter of the U.S.-led war in Iraq, has led a multinational force in one of four so-called stabilisation zones, in central Iraq.

In the run-up to the outbreak of the 2003 Iraq war, American and British combat pilots struck Iraqi anti-aircraft batteries repeatedly as they patrolled no-fly zones in the north and south of the country.

(Additional reporting by Jon Boyle in Paris)

[Redwood71]

Before you call France a liar, think about this: They may not have sent those missiles to Iraq. They may have sent them to Syria, or Jordan, or any of the other countries that support Iraq and they were shipped to Iraq without the French knowing. This is the angle that too many of the American people can't seem to understand. If they had got weapons in in 2003, then whose to say they didn't put them in Syria, Palestine, Jordan, Liberia, or any other of the supporting cast we haven't visited yet? Like maybe France, Germany, Russia, China, North Korea, Yeman........ Not real stretch is it?

[jmstein7]

L'Missile-Gate

FReep This Story To All Your Friends, and also email it to the following addresses (this is huge, and we can't let it get ignored:

epage@bhamnews.com;mailbox@postherald.com;htimes@htimes.com;letters@adn.com;editor1@alaska.net; Opinions@pni.com;letters@azstarnet.com;letters@cctimes.com;DNForum@dailynews.com;letters@latimes.com; redaccion@laopinion.com;triblet@angnewspapers.com;ocregister@link.freedom.com;opinion@sacbee.com; letters@uniontrib.com;letters@sfchronicle.com;letters@sfexaminer.com;letters@sjmercury.com;letters@denverpost.com; carrollv@RockyMountainNews.com;letters@courant.com;njletter@newsjournal.com;letters@washpost.com; letters@washingtontimes.com;kguy@sun-sentinel.com;tuletters@timesunion.com;HeraldEd@herald.com; insight@orlandosentinel.com;jreingold@pbdailynews.com;letters@pbpost.com;editor.letters@herald-trib. com;letters@sptimes.com;tdedit@taldem.com;tribletters@tampatrib.com;constitution@ajc.com; letters@honoluluadvertiser.com;editorial@boise.gannett.com;fencepost@dailyherald.com;letters@suntimes.com; bdold@tribune.com;stareditor@starnews.com;letters@news.dmreg.com;weedit@wichitaeagle.com; hleditorial@herald-leader.com;cjletter@louisv02.gannett.com;tpletters@aol.com;letters@pressherald.com; letters@baltsun.com;letter@globe.com;letterstoeditor@bostonherald.com;letters@union-news.com; letters@telegram.com;letters@freepress.com;letters@detnews.com;pulse@gr-press.com;opinion@startribune.com; letters@pioneerpress.com;letters@jackson.gannett.com;letters@kcstar.com;letters@postnet.com;speakup@billingsgazette.com; opinion@missoulian.com;pulse@owh.com;letters@lvrj.com;letters@lasvegassun.com;letters@theunionleader.com; yourviews@app.com;LettersToTheEditor@NorthJersey.com;eletters@starledger.com;opinion@abqjournal.com; tuletters@timesunion.com;LetterToEditor@buffnews.com;letters@newsday.com;voicers@edit.nydailynews.com; letters@nypost.com;letters@nytimes.com;letters@syracuse.com;opinion@charlotte.com;forum@nando.com; letters@wsjournal.com;letters@forumcomm.com;vop@thebeaconjournal.com;letters@enquirer.com; postedits@cincypost.com;letters@plaind.com;letters@dispatch.com; edletter@coxohio.com;letters@theblade.com; yourviews@oklahoman.com;letters@tulsaworld.com;letters@news.oregonian.com;editpage@patriot-news.com; Views@phillynews.com;Inquirer.Letters@phillynews.com;letters@post-gazette.com;opinion@tribweb.com;letters@projo.com; editor@postandcourier.com;stateeditor@thestate.com;editor@argusleader.com;kns@knoxnews.com;letters@gomemphis.com; letters@tennessean.com;letters@statesman.com;letterstoeditor@dallasnews.com;letters@star-telegram.com;viewpoints@chron.com; letters@express-news.net;letters@desnews.com;letters@sltrib.com;letters@bfp.burlingtonfreepress.com;letters@pilotonline.com; letters@timesdispatch.com;editpage@seattle-pi.com;opinion@seattletimes.com;editor@spokane.net;letters@mail.tribnet.com; letters@wvgazette.com;jsedit@onwis.com;letters@trib.com;oreilly@foxnews.com;hannity@foxnews.com;Comments@foxnews.com; Cavuto@foxnews.com;Friends@foxnews.com;Comments@foxnews.com;Foxreport@foxnews.com;Special@foxnews.com; Studiob@foxnews.com;Beltway@foxnews.com;Myword@foxnews.com;Cavuto@foxnews.com

Please email the French "L'Missile Gate" story to the above addresses!

[Bubba_Leroy]

Gee, I wonder how those got there?

[jmstein7]

BUMP FReep L'Missile Gate story to the above email addresses (cut-and-paste campaign).

Shove it down their throats the way the are shoving the Wilson Story, the Rush Smears, and the Arnold Smears down our throats!

Let's Frog-march the Frogs over to the UN to explain...

[Dog]

fyi..

[george wythe]

They may have sent them to Syria, or Jordan, or any of the other countries that support Iraq and they were shipped to Iraq without the French knowing.

That's a strong possibility, except for the last four words. I would say "with the French knowing."

The French has strong ties to the region, and the French security services know more than we are lead to believe.

[prairiebreeze]

I believe the Poles. I wish this would have come out Monday instead of Friday...more media coverage.

Oh well, good anti-frog news anytime.

Prairie

[Dog]

Ping!

[tubavil]

Bravo to the Poles!

[max_rpf]

I think they were from Syria. Actually, the article never states that they were Roland-3s. There was a very strange story earlier this year about the Roland-2s that we were finding that had been manufactured after they had 'stopped' production of them.

I believe the plant was located in France, and the operation was a combo German/French production. How much you want to be the French never shut that plant down?

If they were '3s, they were sold to Syria and imported over the last several months to Iraq (along with the French trained operaters ...)

[cardinal4]

More evidence of French treachery. No wonder they fought us so hard..

[Redleg Duke]

OOPS!

[VRW Conspirator]

"Polish troops discovered an ammunition depot on September 29 near the region of Hilla and there were four French-made Roland-type missiles," Defence Ministry spokesman Eugeniusz Mleczak said.

Busted!

NOW, we know why the Frenchies opposed the war and occupation. That's omelet on their face.

[weegee]

The boycott of all things French will continue.

[prairiebreeze]

That's a fun piece about the Pres. and Laura. And yes, she DOES have a lot of class.

Prairie

[river rat]

"Polish troops in Iraq have found four French-built advanced anti-aircraft missiles which were built this year, a Polish Defence Ministry spokesman told Reuters on Friday.

France strongly denied having sold any such missiles to Iraq for nearly two decades, and said it was impossible that its newest missiles should turn up in Iraq."

Is France calling our ALLY the Polish Defense Minister, a liar?
Certainly, France wouldn't doubt the "reliable" Reuters source..

I guess the Americans planted these, before turning the area over to the Poles - Our ALLY.

Or, perhaps the Poles planted them, to get revenge on France's rude behavior toward them last year when they joined the Americans "Coalition of the Willing".....

Or, perhaps ........you figure..

Semper Fi

[HangFire]

bump

[Iowa Granny]

marking place

[PeoplesRepublicOfWashington]

A sweet find by the Poles! Damn Frogs, but at least their top-o'-the-line missiles don't work worth a darn.

[Spok]

So did the Poles destroy the missiles?
If not, the missiles should be armed and launched toward Paris. If the missiles couldn't possibly be in Iraq, they couldn't possibly do any harm...