Report: Austrian rifles supplied to Iran have found their way to Iraqi insurgents
Well, some seem to think so !
http://medienkritik.typepad.com/blog...wered_aus.html
Quote:
Just another reason for the Americans to thank the European "friends" in the Austrian government. High-powered 50 caliber rifles sold to Iran "to fight drug smugglers" by the Austrian firm Steyr-Mannlicher are now killing US troops in Iraq, and the Austrian government expressly approved the sale in 2005 despite U.S. protests, describing the deal as "unimpeachable":
Quote:
Just more evidence of the non-violent superiority of the European way-of-life. Trade anything to anyone. Who cares if they are genocidal thugs or out to build a nuke or wipe Israel off the map? Who cares if they use the rifles to kill Americans? This keeps Austria's unemployment down. Don't you just love pacifism?
OK, how 'bout this link ?
Hey Tequila, how about this one ?
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,251665,00.html
Quote:
LONDON — Sophisticated rifles supplied to Iran by an Austrian arms company in 2006 are finding their way into the hands of Iraqi insurgents, a British newspaper reported on Tuesday.
American troops have recovered more than 100 "Steyr .50 HS" rifles in Iraq, part of an Austrian consignment of 800 such weapons delivered to Iran over American protests that they could be given to insurgents, the Daily Telegraph reported.
I will not comment regarding nutbags, or I will be butt-stroked again !
until an investigation can be completed
As always a great save, Marc ! Thanks !
Jeez, we've come a long way since 1863 :D
I guess this will remain a mystery unless somebody begins ordering .50 rounds in beltless quantities :cool:
Who should we be really upset with?
Austria ---Neutral country, its citizens together or individually can sell goods and services just like we can and do. After all they just arranged for the production of a terrific supply of excellent civil defence weapons (the styre 50s) and the Iranians are essentially footing the bill for equiping the Austrian Civil defence force. Pretty smart really and The insurgents are testing them in real world conditions against a real Military.
Iran ---We should have assumed from the start of our invasion if not already from the 1980 hostage crisis they will take every opportunity to hurt and kill the US as a nation and individually.
Bad Guy trigger pullers---I guess they didn't get the memmo about how they should not buy good equipment.
Barrett Arms-- Did they let the Austrians beat them in building a better battle implement?
Ourselves--- for not demanding and achieving sufficient force and will to control the country we invaded including its borders. Its like someone just said that might be hard to do - it will be okay even if we cannot control the border lets not make that part of the mission.
Get Real Guys you are better than this and its a 2 year old story.
Would air strikes on Iran work?
Delivered the other day, do not think this site has seen their reports, so try:
http://www.oxfordresearchgroup.org.u...airstrikes.php
Would Air Strikes Work? Understanding Iran's Nuclear Programme and the Possible Consequences of a Military Strike by Dr. Frank Barnaby, with a foreword by Dr. Hans Blix, March 2007.
I know there have been similar analyses, read and make your own decision.
davidbfpo
Iran Cracks Down on Dissent, Parading Examples in Streets
24 June NY Times - Iran Cracks Down on Dissent, Parading Examples in Streets by Neil MacFarquhar.
Quote:
Iran is in the throes of one of its most ferocious crackdowns on dissent in years, with the government focusing on labor leaders, universities, the press, women’s rights advocates, a former nuclear negotiator and Iranian-Americans, three of whom have been in prison for more than six weeks.
The shift is occurring against the backdrop of an economy so stressed that although Iran is the world’s second-largest oil exporter, it is on the verge of rationing gasoline. At the same time, the nuclear standoff with the West threatens to bring new sanctions.
The hard-line administration of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, analysts say, faces rising pressure for failing to deliver on promises of greater prosperity from soaring oil revenue. It has been using American support for a change in government as well as a possible military attack as a pretext to hound his opposition and its sympathizers.
Some analysts describe it as a “cultural revolution,” an attempt to roll back the clock to the time of the 1979 revolution, when the newly formed Islamic Republic combined religious zeal and anti-imperialist rhetoric to try to assert itself as a regional leader...
-and Others Tighten the Girth On Outside Influence(s)
FOXNEWS.COM HOME > WORLD
"Iran Wages War on 'Immoral' Cell Phone Messages
Monday, June 25, 2007
Iran’s state telecommunications company is offering rewards to citizens who turn in their neighbors for sending or receiving “immoral” messages on their cell phones, according to a report in The News International.
"There are rewards for those who report senders of immoral multimedia messages to the judiciary," Vafa Ghaffarain, head of Iran's telecommunications company, was quoted as saying.
News of the rewards came as the Iranian government issued a press release stating it would try to monitor and censor the MMS (multimedia messaging service) material on all phones. MMS messages contain still images, audio, and video.
The ban stems from an order issued in April by the Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution that the Iranian Telecommunications Ministry must acquire technology for filtering multimedia messages, Foreign Policy magazine reported. The council reportedly said that the measure was necessary to prevent "immoral actions and social problems."
Iran already practices heavy censorship on Internet access, banning thousands of sites and blogs that contain sexual or politically controversial content, the News reports. Sites advocating women’s rights and social networking sites are also banned."
Cracking Down At the Pump
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19457357/
"Iran fuel rations spark anger, rioting
At least two pump stations torched; motorists line up for gas for hours"