Iran 'steals surface-to-air missiles from Libya'

The Telegraph ^ | 9/28/2011 | Con Coughlin

[mojito]

Iran's Revolutionary Guards have stolen dozens of sophisticated Russian-made surface-to-air missiles from Libya and smuggled them across the border to neighbouring Sudan, according to Western intelligence reports.

The weapons were seized by units attached to the Guards' elite Quds Force, which travelled to Libya from their base in southern Sudan.

Acting on orders received from Revolutionary Guards commanders in Iran, they took advantage of the chaos that engulfed Libya following the collapse of the regime of former dictator Colonel Muammar Gaddafi to seize "significant quantities" of advanced weaponry, according to military intelligence officers in Libya.

They say the weapons stolen by Iran include sophisticated Russian-made SA-24 missiles that were sold to Libya in 2004. The missile can shoot down aircraft flying at 11,000 feet, and is regarded as the Russian equivalent of the American "stinger" missiles that were used by the US-backed mujahideen to defeat Soviet forces in Afghanistan in the 1980s. It is similar to the weapon used by al-Qaeda in the failed attempt to shoot down an Israeli passenger jet taking off from Kenya's Mombasa airport in 2002.

Intelligence officials believe the missiles and other weapons seized from Gaddafi's abandoned arsenals were smuggled across the Libyan border to southern Sudan earlier this month where they are now believed to be held at a secret storage facility run by the Revolutionary Guards at al-Fashir, the capital of North Darfur. Some of the missiles are also reported to have been smuggled into Egypt.

[mojito]

If we know where they are, why aren't we going after them?

Oh, that's right, I forgot: Mr. Muslim is president.

[originalbuckeye]

Obama, you OWN THIS MESS!

[GoldenPup]

Iran 'steals surface-to-air missiles from Libya'

So we know they are in Sudan? Instead of wringing hands and wetting our pants, why don't we just go over and bomb the $hit out of them. A ten year old could make that decision.

[C210N]

If Iran needs missiles this badly, why don’t they get them from the US? If they appeal to the top, I’m sure something would be worked out.

[JimSEA]

One would suspect they could bring the world economies into chaos by bringing down three passenger planes. One in the USA, one in Europe and one in east Asia. Assuming they kept plausible deniability, no one would retaliate.

[McGruff]

This will another one of the Osama Regime’s legacies.

[throwback]

The last piece falls into place. First I heard Iranians were collecting weapons. Then I heard a bunch of missiles went missing. Presto, the Iranians got them. If Barry plans any more trips to Kabul, he might want to take the intercontinental train, or maybe not.

[240B]

He will do nothing at all about it. Hell, he may even be glad about it. 'They deserve them anyway.'

Obama has always tacitly supported the Iranian mullas and has directly given our money to the Muslim Brotherhood, Hamas, the PLO, and Hezbolla all of which are declared anti-West, anti-Israel openly terrorist groups.

When the Black community talks about obama not being ‘down with the struggle’ they are wrong. He is just ‘down’ with a different struggle, the one that sees Islam getting back at all those evil White people and especially Israel."

“You give me Bin Laden, and I'll show you how to deal with Israel.

[Truth29]

"The last piece falls into place. First I heard Iranians were collecting weapons. Then I heard a bunch of missiles went missing. Presto, the Iranians got them. If Barry plans any more trips to Kabul, he might want to take the intercontinental train, or maybe not."

As long as the Islamists know he is on the plane, he is safe. He is their tacit ally.

[Venturer]

I doubt they need the missiles that badly, but they might like to be able to copy them.

We knew they were missing, now we know where they went.

Iran keeps appearing in the spotlight and the nations of the world keep ignoring it.

One day we will pay for letting Iran build up their forces and weapons , we are already paying in Afghanistan with blown off legs and arms thanks to Iranian IED’s.

Iran needs to be taken out, WITH PREDJUDICE.

[Pilsner]

I doubt they need the missiles that badly, but they might like to be able to copy them.

That, or they just like the idea of handing out to terrorists a Russian made weapon that they have never officially imported -- Libya and Venezuela are the sole official importers. It would just make it that much harder for a U.S. President to bomb Iran if a SA-24 is used to shoot down a civilian airliner.

[dfwgator]

[maine-iac7]

Sniff sniff.

Smells like another gun-runner op.

Getting more weapons into the hands of those he helps the most - resulting in a traitorous and obscene increase in the number of our troops lost to the Taliban, who have the upper hand since 2009 - thanks to this POS CICINO’ s ROE.

Maybe our commanders have had all they’ll allow of his gifting the Taliban with weapons to turn on our troops - who also aren’t allowed to fire until fired upon and often refused air cover when pinned down and getting killed.

He may have been warned not to give them any more weapons and has had to devise this whole Libya debacle to get more weapons to his friends.

(Meanwhile, where is the media reporting that our troop deaths DOUBLED in 2009 after the the new ROE? And TRIPLED in 2010. And are on the way to QUADRUPLING this year? crickets

And where is the American PUBLIC? crickets.

Ever hear of troops being made to just LEAVE and area and LEAVE weapons caches for the enemy? (Notice these aren’t from US media - they only touched on it in passing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WamBeYQeRvE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4uj6sRlzgik&feature=fvwrel

this is the fight in which the Marine who just was awarded the MOH was in. He finally disobeyed orders and went in to rescue the soldiers still alive and bring back 4 who SHOULD NOT HAVE DIED. (this is NOT an isolated incidence of pinned down troops refused air power - per the new

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2009/09/08/75036/were-pinned-down-4-us-marines.html

63% of our KIA’s in the entire war are JUST since 2009 - and the traitorous new ROE.

http://icasualties.org/oef/

Will YOU pass these clip on to everyone? Will YOU contact your rep and demand these ROE be rescinded?

Who has our soldiers backs?

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks mojito. And now, by a weird coincidence...

• Iran: We've Produced Domestic Version Of S-300 Anti-Aircraft Missiles

[rmlew]

So Hizbollah in Lebanon and the Americas get these? Perhaps Hamas too, although relations between Iran and the Muslim Brotherhood are strained over Syrian?

[piasa]

bttt

[TigersEye]

Thanks for the ping. Interesting development.

[Cindy]

Good work Piasa and thank for updating all those threads.
I appreciate it.

[piasa]

bttt

[piasa]

What brand of coffee do you use? You’re always able to cover way more ground than I do!