Missiles find in chemical plant

The Scotsman ^ | GETHIN CHAMBERLAIN AND PAUL GALLAGHER

[conservativecorner]

EXPERTS are examining suspected Scud missiles discovered by British soldiers searching a chemical plant outside Basra.

A number of the grey-painted rockets, about 23ft long, were found in the Dirhamiyah petro-chemical plant close to Iraq’s second city.

The discovery has raised suspicions that Saddam Hussein was planning to arm the missiles with chemical warheads. British officers say it is difficult to find an innocent explanation for storing missiles in a chemical plant.

The find comes a day after soldiers with the Black Watch discovered a cache of weapons, including two Russian al-Harith anti-ship cruise missiles, at the Az Zubayr civilian heliport south of Basra.

'We did not send any goods, including military ones, that violated the sanctions.' RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER

The British defence company whose products were also discovered in the cache has denied selling any products to Iraq.

Wallop Defence Systems, of Middle Wallop, Hampshire, said the "weapons", described as fuses for detonators, were probably smoke grenades stolen by Iraq 13 years ago.

The issue of who supplied Iraq with weapons became increasingly heated yesterday, as Russia dismissed claims from the United States that it had illicitly supplied Saddam with arms. The US claims Russian companies sent anti-tank guided missiles, night-vision goggles and jamming devices to Iraq, in violation of United Nations’ sanctions.

George Bush, the US president, raised the issue with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, in a phone call yesterday, according to the White House spokesman, Ari Fleischer.

But Igor Ivanov, the Russian foreign minister, said: "We did not send any goods, including military ones, that violated the sanctions."

He said that from October, the US had requested reports on the alleged illicit sales several times, and that Russia had made its most recent report on 18 March.

[AppyPappy]

Sounds kinda short for a Scud.

[freedomlover]

British officers say it is difficult to find an innocent explanation for storing missiles in a chemical plant.

Don't worry, CNN will take care of that.

[P.O.E.]

"We did not send any goods, including military ones, that violated the sanctions."

Good thing. Wouldn't want to get the UN mad at you. Who knows what they might do? /sarcasm

[finnman69]

DUPLICATE

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/874525/posts

[Conspiracy Guy]

Those (baby formula) missiles that Saddam didn't have had been taken to the chemical plant (baby formula plant) he didn't hide for destruction. See it's a simple.

[freedomlover]

The US claims Russian companies sent anti-tank guided missiles, night-vision goggles and jamming devices to Iraq, in violation of United Nations’ sanctions.

Hey I have night vision glasses. I have a jamming device that will disable any CB radio within 0.5 miles of me. It's just a matter of power.

The anti-tank missiles I'm working on. LOL

[Grampa Dave]

Load them up with the bad stuff and return to sender's capitols.

[b4its2late]

I was going to say that I thought I read this yesterday.....

[Rick.Donaldson]

You don't already keep such things in your basement like the rest of us do? (By the way, some of us DO have the capability to completely disable ALL communications within miles LOL!)

[TheSpottedOwl]

Calling Peter Jennings spin machine.

Crap, the Russians are up to their elbows in this.

[KellyAdmirer]

Well, the missiles were there because that is where the Iraqis make their Comet cleanser and it is easier to polish them, or, ah, they make good bookshelves for chemistry journals, or, well, ah.... Hmmm, can't come up with a good explanation, CNN better just say they were Coalition planted evidence, that's a good catch-all "explanation."

Oh, and why didn't Hans Blix find these?

[ravingnutter]

Oh, and why didn't Hans Blix find these?

He wouldn't have "found" them even if he was using them for a paperweight for his reports.

[The_Victor]

Maybe. Depends on whether the warhead is attached.

[ravingnutter]

Sounds kinda short for a Scud.

According to Iraq Watch Iraq's Scuds are 36.8 - 46.1 ft. in length [see Table 1], so you are correct.

[ravingnutter]

Maybe. Depends on whether the warhead is attached.

Hmmm...did not take that into consideration...will see what I can find in a search.

[DaveyLittle]

I cannot believe that we are not seeing more information in the mainstream press. This is the ENTIRE reason we are fighting this war.

All I saw last night was negative news

I felt that the news media decided that 79% of the US population supporting the war was too much and that they needed to work harded to turn people against the war.

[VRWCmember]

Oh, and why didn't Hans Blix find these?

He couldn't find his own blix if he used both hans.

[colorado tanker]

He couldn't find his own blix if he used both hans.

ROTFLOL!

[LiteKeeper]

bump