E-MAIL THIS LINK
To: 

Polish Troops Find 2003 Model French Missiles in Iraq
Polish troops in Iraq have found four French-built advanced anti-aircraft missiles which were built this year, a Polish Defense Ministry spokesman told Reuters Friday.
How do you say, "Oops" in French?
France strongly denied having sold any such missiles to Iraq for nearly two decades, and said it was impossible that its newest missiles should turn up in Iraq.
Denial is the hardest part of the Twelve Step program.
"Polish troops discovered an ammunition depot on Sept. 29 near the region of Hilla and there were four French-made Roland-type missiles," Defense Ministry spokesman Eugeniusz Mleczak said. "It is not the first time Polish troops found ammunition in Iraq but to our surprise these missiles were produced in 2003."
Sucks when the production date is on the missile, ain’t it.
The Roland anti-aircraft system is a short-range air defense missile in service with at least 10 countries, including France and Germany.
So we have two suspects, at least.
Under a strict trade embargo imposed by the United Nations, Iraq was barred from importing arms after its invasion of Kuwait in 1990.
And a very effective one it was.
"Since July 1990, France has not authorized a single shipment of military equipment to Iraq," a French Foreign Ministry spokeswoman told Reuters. Similar accusations surfaced in the U.S. media in April, she said. In 1980-81, 13 Roland-1 missile systems were shipped to Iraq and from 1983 to 1986, 100 Roland-2 missile systems. The Roland-3 has never been exported to Iraq, she said. "It is not credible to say that the Roland missiles found a few days ago were produced in 2003 and delivered just before the Anglo-American intervention," the spokeswoman said. "Let’s be absolutely clear about this: no military exports to Iraq were licensed after July 1990."
Mind if we send inspectors to check your books?
Mleczak said Polish troops were notified about the missiles by a local Iraqi, who received a reward for the information.
"No Euros, dollars please"
"The ammunition depot was neutralized," said Mleczak. Polish television pictures showed missiles placed in a shallow trench and a huge explosion when the Poles blew up munitions at the site.
I hope you kept these missiles, or at least the data plates.
Since early September, Poland, a staunch supporter of the U.S.-led war in Iraq, has led a multinational force in one of four so-called stabilization zones, in central Iraq.
Good lads, those Poles.

Must have been produced in the first couple months of 2003. The Frenchies could well be pure as the driven snow on this, though. Prob'ly they were sold to somebody else, who passed them on to Sammy. Since the Poles took the lot numbers, presumably they've also got the serials. The Frenchies could then very helpfully identify the culprits, or at least the first step in the chain of middlemen...

Posted by: Steve 2003-10-03
http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=19431