Free Republic

Yesterday was just another day in the rapidly unraveling Middle East. * Turkish news media reported that a Syria-bound Iranian cargo plane suspected of carrying nuclear material was forced to land in Turkey on Saturday for inspection. No nuke connection was found -- though, not surprisingly, inspectors did discover rocket launchers, mortars, rifles and explosives, which were all removed. The weapons may have been intended for use in Syria -- where five days of anti-government protests have led to a half-dozen deaths in a crackdown by security forces. Or, more likely, they may have been destined for Hamas-ruled Gaza, where...

Eritrea has a deserved reputation as an arms depot for various radical and rebel groups around the world. Sri Lanka's government has accused Eritrea of providing arms to the recently defeated LTTE rebels (who fought for over two decades to partition the island nation). Now an Eritrean dissident is accusing Eritrea of supplying rebels in Yemen with weapons and ammo. Sure, it is an accusation, but the charge likely has merit. Eritrea has made noises for several years that it could close access through the Red Sea, and having allies across the water in Yemen would make that act easier....

Iran makes no secret of the fact that it manufactures weapons for export, including mortar bombs of the general type found in Iraq. Customers from around the world can log on to the Web site of the government-owned Defense Industries Organization and view a wide array of Iranian-made munitions. If they decide to order, they apparently can pay by credit card, as a VISA logo suggests. The site - which promises "best quality and fast service" - is an example of the vigor with which Iran has moved into a global arms market long dominated by the United States and...