Re: French advanced SAMs in Iraq
Boy they are really trying to hide this story. Here is a link and the story from the Boston Globe<br /><br /> http://www.boston.com/news/world/articles/2003/10/04/polish_troops_uncover_french_built_missiles/ <br /><br />Polish troops uncover French-built missiles<br />By Pawel Kozlowski, Reuters, 10/4/2003<br /><br />WARSAW -- Polish troops in Iraq have found four French-made advanced antiaircraft missiles that were built this year, a Polish Defense Ministry spokesman said yesterday.<br /> <br />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 there.<br /><br />"Polish troops discovered an ammunition depot on Sept. 29 near the region of Hilla, and there were four French-made Roland-type missiles," Defense Ministry spokesman Eugeniusz Mleczak said.<br /><br />"It is not the first time Polish troops found ammunition in Iraq, but to our surprise these missiles were produced in 2003."<br /><br />The Roland antiaircraft system is a short-range air-defense missile in service in at least 10 countries, including Germany.<br /><br />They are fired from a mobile launcher vehicle, and defense specialists say the missiles are highly effective against aircraft attacking at low or medium altitudes.<br /><br />Under a strict trade embargo imposed by the United Nations, Iraq was barred from importing arms after its invasion of Kuwait in 1990.<br /><br />Russia, Britain, and France, among others, 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.<br /><br />But Iraq circumvented the arms-trade ban in the 1990s through shadowy deals with various traders, and kept its military equipment functioning.<br /><br />"Since July 1990, France has not authorized a single shipment of military equipment to Iraq," a French Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said. Similar accusations surfaced in the US media in April, she said.<br /><br />From 1980 to 1981, 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.<br /><br />"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."<br /><br />It was unlikely that the missiles could be used almost 18 years after their delivery, she added.<br /><br />Mleczak said an Iraqi told Polish troops about the missiles and received a reward for the information.<br /><br />"The ammunition depot was neutralized," Mleczak said. Polish television pictures showed missiles placed in a shallow trench and a huge explosion when the Poles blew up the munitions
Boy they are really trying to hide this story. Here is a link and the story from the Boston Globe<br /><br /> http://www.boston.com/news/world/articles/2003/10/04/polish_troops_uncover_french_built_missiles/ <br /><br />Polish troops uncover French-built missiles<br />By Pawel Kozlowski, Reuters, 10/4/2003<br /><br />WARSAW -- Polish troops in Iraq have found four French-made advanced antiaircraft missiles that were built this year, a Polish Defense Ministry spokesman said yesterday.<br /> <br />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 there.<br /><br />"Polish troops discovered an ammunition depot on Sept. 29 near the region of Hilla, and there were four French-made Roland-type missiles," Defense Ministry spokesman Eugeniusz Mleczak said.<br /><br />"It is not the first time Polish troops found ammunition in Iraq, but to our surprise these missiles were produced in 2003."<br /><br />The Roland antiaircraft system is a short-range air-defense missile in service in at least 10 countries, including Germany.<br /><br />They are fired from a mobile launcher vehicle, and defense specialists say the missiles are highly effective against aircraft attacking at low or medium altitudes.<br /><br />Under a strict trade embargo imposed by the United Nations, Iraq was barred from importing arms after its invasion of Kuwait in 1990.<br /><br />Russia, Britain, and France, among others, 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.<br /><br />But Iraq circumvented the arms-trade ban in the 1990s through shadowy deals with various traders, and kept its military equipment functioning.<br /><br />"Since July 1990, France has not authorized a single shipment of military equipment to Iraq," a French Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said. Similar accusations surfaced in the US media in April, she said.<br /><br />From 1980 to 1981, 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.<br /><br />"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."<br /><br />It was unlikely that the missiles could be used almost 18 years after their delivery, she added.<br /><br />Mleczak said an Iraqi told Polish troops about the missiles and received a reward for the information.<br /><br />"The ammunition depot was neutralized," Mleczak said. Polish television pictures showed missiles placed in a shallow trench and a huge explosion when the Poles blew up the munitions