flynn23 wrote:
] Elonka wrote:
] ] ] U.S. soldiers confiscated the prisoners' weapons and
] ] ] military equipment. The guns were old, but the gas masks
] ] ] weren't.
] ] ]
] ] ] "It looks like a regular chemical protection mask," said
] ] ] Sgt. Jennifer Raichle. "It was made in 2002. Brand new."
] ] ]
] ] ] The gas masks were indeed brand new, as were the
] ] ] decontamination kits, and atropeine -- used to treat
] ] ] exposure to nerve agents.
] ] ]
] ] ] "I would guess they were planning on using chemical
] ] ] warfare. They may or may not use it, but they were ready
] ] ] for it," Raichle said.
] ]
] ] Newly-issued gas masks, to troops with old guns? And the
] next
] ] question in my mind is, where were these gasmasks
] ] manufactured? Iraqi-made? If so, where's the factory? And
]
] ] if not made in Iraq, then which country has been selling
] such
] ] recently-made gas masks to Iraq??
]
] Russia.
]
] There's been a lot of reports (google news) about how the
] former Soviet states have privatized their weapons
] manufacturing and been selling them to any comers, including
] the Chechyns. NPR had a great expose on it this week as well.

Russia is angry about getting fucked out of the $8 billion Iraq owes it. That's only 8 stealth fighters to the US... but its a substantial chunk of change to the ever-ailing Russian federal budget.

RE: Iraq Chemical Warfare Clues