] The large arms deal Syria recently made on behalf of the ] regime in Baghdad (thus provoking rage in Washington) ] involved the acquisition from Russia of 500 laser-guided ] anti-tank missiles and their transfer to the Iraqis. ] ] ] U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld said in ] Washington some five days ago that Syria was continuing ] to transfer military items to the Iraqis, referring to ] arms and military equipment deals Syrians made before the ] outbreak of hostilities in Iraq. These deals, going back ] to 2001, initially focused on East European states that ] manufacture Russian weapons systems such as tanks, ] artillery cannons, and engines for tanks and MiG fighter ] jets. Article Static |