Posted on 10/13/2002 8:12:17 AM PDT by icantbleaveit
Outrage as Iraq views UK arms
Peace campaigners angered as Saddam's top brass
'rub shoulders' with British firms at weapons bazaar
Jason Burke, chief reporter
Sunday October 13, 2002
The Observer
A British Minister will lead a major sales drive by UK weapons
and military technology firms at an exhibition attended by
high-ranking Iraqi military officials this week.
The news has sparked outrage among arms control
campaigners and groups opposed to military action against Iraq.
'It is absurd that we are gearing up to fight a war against these
people and simultaneously rubbing shoulders with them at an
arms bazaar,' said Martin Hogbin of the Campaign Against Arms
Trade.
Around a dozen British firms will be displaying equipment such
as tanks, thermal imaging night sights and state-of-the-art air
defence missiles at the exhibition in Amman, Jordan. Machine
tools that could be used to produce weapons will also be on
show. The government-run Defence Export Services
Organisation will also have a stall.
Promotional material for the Sofex military fair boasts that
Saddam Hussein is sending an official delegation. Sultan
Hashim Ahmad, the Iraqi Defence Minister, attended the last
Sofex. Sudan, Syria, Libya and Iran - all listed as sponsors of
terrorism by the US State Department - are also expected to
attend.
'It's an appalling example of double standards. Where there is a
buck to be made, we're there,' said Andrew Bergen, spokesman
for the Stop the War Coalition, which campaigns against military
action against Iraq.
In the Eighties the UK and US supplied Iraq with millions of
pounds' worth of military equipment. Baghdad used British
companies to procure 'dual-use' machine tools to make
ammunition. Even though the UK had imposed an embargo on
'lethal equipment', the Conservative Government let the sales
proceed.
The Ministry of Defence confirmed last week that Lord Bach, the
Defence Procurement Minister, would be attending the fair.
'Sofex allows the UK defence industry to demonstrate its
product range to a number of potential overseas customers very
effectively,' said an MoD spokesman.
There is no suggestion that the British firms are doing anything
wrong. 'We exhibit there. The Government decides what we can
sell to whom,' said a spokesman for the American military
aviation giant Lockheed Martin, whose British arm is attending
the fair. Lockheed Martin makes the Longbow 'fire-and-forget'
and the Hellfire 2 anti-tank missiles. Both would be expected to
play a key role in any attack on Iraq.
Some senior industry figures, however, have expressed surprise
at the British presence. 'Are we there to show the Iraqis what we
are about to drop on them?' one asked. Exhibition organisers list
Raytheon, the American company which makes the long-range
Cruise missiles that experts predict would spearhead any US
bombardment of Iraq, among companies at the fair. Vickers, the
UK arms company which makes the Challenger, the Army's
main battle tank, will also be exhibiting.
Sales by British firms are carefully vetted, but other nations are
less rigorous. The Russian state arms export corporation,
Rosoboronexport, which will be at Sofex, provided Robert
Mugabe's regime in Zimbabwe with 21,000 AK-47s and eight
attack helicopters.
A Romanian firm which offered banned anti-personnel mines for
sale at an arms fair in the UK three years ago, will exhibit, as
well as Vazovski, a Bulgarian company, which makes grenade
launchers, missile and anti-aircraft systems. Vazovski small
arms were shipped to Unita rebels with false 'end-user'
certificates in the late Nineties.
Britain has always had a tradition of military co-operation with
Jordan and the strong representation of UK companies at the fair
is being seen as an expression of support for the government of
King Abdullah. The Jordanian economy benefits hugely from
trade with Iraq. Any military operations will have a massive
impact in the kingdom.
The Middle East has long been a good market for British
weapons firms. According to recent Foreign Office figures, the
UK licensed arms exports worth £1.4 billion to the Middle East
and North Africa between January 1999 and December 2001.
I've noticed that. They're pulling for their own power,so there is some discontent.
Instead of biting the hand that feeds them, why not join it? If it weren't for Republicans fighting off the Democrats, we'd all be wearing turbins today. They should be praising Bush, rather than attempting to destroy the very person who's willing to go to war to save their sorry butts!
They'd vote Gore if they had the chance. I'm sure many did.
The prefered method of the state (generic)is violence and war (by definition I don't think it can be terrorism). All one has to do is look around at the history of the last century to see the landscape littered with the bodies of millions upon millions of prople needlessly put to death by the ambitions of the various states, be it Germany, Russia, Japan, whatever.
Yes, I am a Libertarian, and I'm proud of it. But I'm not knee-jerk, my friend. I just see it differently.
And I don't think in this case that the "state" is acting in the best interests of the American people.
Yes, you should wake up and look past your own propaganda. Saudi Arabia also had nothing to do with 9/11, beyond paying blackmail. Sure, Iraq may not have had anything to do with 9/11 either, but Iraq was paying off Bin Laden as well. The Islamists do not like it that Iraq is not an Islamic state.
Today, however, Iraq has much to do with Al Quida and Terrorism. Saddam hopes to use Al Quida and other groups to prevent the USA and allies from attacking.
In your delusions about money being behind everything, I think you've forgotten that Bin Ladden and Co. are not motivated by money at all. Sometimes Personal Power is a much greater motivation than any amount of money. No, money does not always equate to personal power. If it were so, Bill Gates would be powerful, indeed.
Jordan Times
Tuesday, April 18, 2000King opens SOFEX 2000
By Tareq AyyoubAMMAN — His Majesty King Abdullah on Monday inaugurated the Special Operation Forces Exhibition which was attended by military officials representing more than 30 countries.
King Abdullah inspected the sections of the fair, where light weapons, specially those used by Special Operation Forces and anti-riot police, would be shown during the four-day exhibition.
HRH Prince Faisal, the president of the SOFEX organising committee, said the exhibition is an opportunity for “productive cooperation” between arms companies and concerned parties.
Prince Faisal, who was speaking at the inauguration ceremony, said the exhibition, which is held every two years, provides a look at a variety of arms' products to countries that want to become acquainted with modern weapons.
More than 125 firms displayed radar systems, self-defence equipment, jet fighters, tanks and armoured vehicles at the exhibition, which will last until April 20.
Israel, Syria and Iran, who were invited to take part in the exhibition, declined to participate. No officials from the three countries attended the inauguration ceremony.
Israeli firms participated in the 1996-98 military exhibitions.
Iraq sent a low-profile delegation to the exhibition.
Several Jordanian firms, representing private and public firms, have participated in the exhibition.
Vice Chairman of the Saudi National Guard Prince Mete'eb Ben Abdullah Ben Abdul Aziz Al Saud was among the senior officials who attended the exhibition.
Officials from the participating firms said the fair was a chance for them to show their products.
“Our objective is to get others acquainted with our products rather than selling things to them at this fair,” officials said.
Nazeeh Abi Sama'an, director general of JOSONS, a Lebanese arms firm which markets Italian guns and Lebanese-made hunting rifles said his firm's clients “were mostly from the Middle East especially from the Gulf region.”
Among the weapons exhibited are those that can be used in combating terrorism.
“My company is dedicated to anti-terrorist equipment. We are trying to select the best for our customers,” said Bernard Cayron, president of Export Trading Services.
“The customers need to look at the weapons and compare them with other weapons, they evaluate them then decide. It is too early to say whether we will sign contracts [during the exhibition],” Cayron said.
Among the countries taking part in the exhibition are the U.S., UAE, Pakistan, Britain, Bulgaria, Bangladesh, Bosnia Herzegovina, Poland, Turkey, Czech Republic, Russia, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Sudan, Iraq, Oman, France, Qatar, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Egypt, Morocco, Mauritania, Norway, Ukraine, Italy and Greece.
King greets Arab, foreign military officers
AMMAN (Petra) — His Majesty King Abdullah on Monday received several Arab and foreign military officers who attended the Jordan Armed Forces' Special Operation Forces Exhibition, SOFEX 2000. King Abdullah met with Saudi Vice Chairman of the National Guard Prince Mete'eb Ben Abdullah Ben Abdul Aziz Al Saud, and Commandant of Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, Major General Arthur Denaro. The King also received the chairmen of the joint chiefs of staff of the Czech Republic and Qatar, Major General Jiri Sedivy and Brigadier General Hamad Ben Ali Ateiah.
Yeah, and Abu Nidal committed suicide in that Baghdad hotel room. /extreme sarcasm
I don't think I said that Saudi Arabia had anything to do with it. I said the perps were Saudi (with a couple of exceptions).
And look, a large number of people who stand to gain the most financially from any war with Iraq are in the center of power.
Perhaps that's just a coincidence.
Follow the money.
Stay Safe !!
Very cynical, but it wouldn't surprise me in the least if you are right about this. What the Brigades don't seem to comprehend is that the American response to being hit hard wouldn't be resignation/isolationism, but would be quite the opposite. We're now fully engaged in the world, and disengagement would be a virtual impossibility at this point.
Really?
Our involvement in WWII was about money?
Our rescue of Kuwait was about money?
The murder of 3000 innocent souls in the World Trade Center was about money?
An overly-simplistic worldview is not a good substitute for critical thinking skills.
No, I don't think that you can be generic in that fashion. When was the last time the USA started a war? No, Afghanistan, Desert Storm, Viet Nam and Korea don't count. They were all reaction to attacks or terrorism against the US or allies. Okay, I'll give you Grenada, perhaps, and Panama, maybe.
When was the last time Sweden started a war?
........(by definition I don't think it can be terrorism).
One call's it terrorism when a state uses terrorist methods. The present actions of Iraq come to mind, along with N. Korea, Indonesia, Albania, Syria, Lybia, Cuba, the Soviet Union, the PRC, etc., etc.
I call it knee-jerk libertarianism whenever someone says that every international activity of the US govt. is only about money. I even accuse my democratic friends of being libertarians. You can imagine their offense at that.
There is now substantial evidence to indicate that although we did not start WWII, we did goad Japan into attacking Pearl Harbor, which happened with the full prior knowledge of Washington, therefore insuring America's entry.
Desert Storm (Gulf War I) came about after SH invaded his neighbor (which was practicing slant drilling). His invasion only took place after our ambassador had assured him that the US would not react... Saddam was set up.
Viet Nam did not become a "big time" was until the Gulf of Tonkin incident, which in fact did not take place.. it was an out-and-out lie prepetrated by LBJ.
I agree with you on Afghanistan and Korea.
Thanks, I think I need to go wash my hands.
Okay, let's look. GW? Owns nothing that would show a good profit. Cheney? Had to sell everything that would profit. Rumey? Not anymore, either. Huh, will you look at that. All of the people who GW appointed had to sell everything that might have given them a good profit from a war.
Or do you mean GW's friends and donors? Really, I have to ask you, what good did it do Enron? Not only did the GW administration refuse to help, but haven't one or two executives been indicted for crimes? Or was that Global Crossing, another company that supposedly had friends in the GW administration?
Yes, defense companies usually do make a profit during a war, but I won't debase the debate by mentioning the alternative.
To all three, a resounding YES! Especially 9/11... it was a direct strike against American capatalism.
You mean... rethinking American foreign policy.....
and no war?.....
Gasp... what a sick alternative!!
If we continue our present foreigh policy course, we'll have one, soon enough.
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