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| Iraq |
| Bush confronts Putin on Iraq arms |
| 2003-03-24 |
| US President George W Bush has complained directly to his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, that Russian companies have been selling military equipment to Iraq in breach of UN sanctions. The White House says it has "credible evidence" that Russian companies had sold military equipment such as satellite-jamming devices, anti-tank missiles and night-vision goggles to Iraq, despite Russian denials. In a phone conversation with Mr Bush, the Earlier, Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov denied the claims, saying that relevant agencies had investigated the allegations and found them unwarranted. "Russia strictly fulfils all its international obligations and has not supplied any equipment, including military, to Iraq in violation of the sanctions regime," he said. Aha ha ha ha ha On Sunday the Washington Post newspaper reported, citing sources within the Bush administration, that one Russian company was aiding the Iraqi regime in efforts to jam satellite signals that could guide bombs and military aircraft used by the US-led coalition. A further two companies, it said, had sold night-vision goggles and anti-tank missiles to the regime in contravention of United Nations sanctions. Officials within the Bush administration have long been frustrated by Russia's perceived failure to crack down on arms sales to countries the US considers sponsors of terrorism. However a Russian deputy, Andrei Kokoshin, suggested that Iraq could have obtained Soviet-era weapons through a former Soviet republic such as the Ukraine, Russia's Interfax news agency quoted him as saying. BBC Washington correspondent Rob Watson says the incident could worsen relations between the two countries, already soured by Russia's continuing opposition to the war in Iraq. Not so much worsening as clarifying |
| Posted by:Bulldog |
| #1 Now the truth about our so-called allies is finally coming out....first we heard about the French connection to Iraq, now we are hearing about the Russian connection to Iraq....No wonder they didn't want to push too hard on old Saddam...I guess they like his blood money! I say to the French "remember how we saved your ass in WWI and WWII?...we won't be there to save it again!" to the Russians I say, "Have you forgotten our humanitarian aid after the fall of the communist regime? Well, we want our money back with interest, just have Saddam cut a check to Uncle Sam." and to Germany I say "Who the hell are you to talk about world peace when your people started two world wars? If we wouldn't have occuppied you nation after WWII, your hole country (versus only half of it) would have lived in communist oppression and would probably still be struggling to have an economy!" With friends like these countries, who needs enemies! |
| Posted by: USgirl 2003-03-24 21:32:23 |