The Drums of War Beat On

[wtfk]

This is the kind of propaganda they continuously beat us over the head with before committing overt aggression.

U.S. envoy says Iran is arming Taliban

PARIS - A senior U.S. diplomat accused Iran on Tuesday of transferring weapons to Taliban insurgents in Afghanistan, where NATO forces are deployed to bring stability to the country.

Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns, speaking to reporters in Paris, said Iran was funding insurrections across the Middle East — and "Iran is now even transferring arms to the Taliban in Afghanistan." The comments marked the most direct accusation yet on the issue by a senior American official.

[Brokor]

Not a suprise, really. We have long been proliferating our enemies as a pretense to attack. Iran is supplying arms to resistance networks, and this is only the after-effects of a long and sorted affair in the middle east.

Can anybody recall good 'ol Oliver North and the Iran Contra affairs?

Anybody with a semi-decent amount of knowledge can tell you that modern day "Al Qaeda" is what remains of the Mujahadeen freedom fighters that the United States trained, funded, and protected. This is all a staged and managed event, and by buying into the media hype will only serve to confuse and bewilder the crowd instead of educating them. Of course Iran is our next target. What would have made you think anything else?

[Travis]

This is the kind of propaganda they continuously beat us over the head with before committing overt aggression.

U.S. envoy says Iran is arming Taliban
 

This is obsurd. If the Iran government hates anyone, it's the Taliban. And americans will buy this. I can't believe the ignorance.

http://www.antiwar.com/porter/?articleid=11119

Iran has long regarded the Taliban regime as its primary enemy and was the first external power to support Afghan forces in an effort to overthrow it. It is not merely a sectarian Sunni-Shi'ite divide but the Pakistani government's patronage of the Taliban that has made it an irreconcilable enemy of Iran.

Everyone knows Pakistan arms the taliban and Pakistan is an ally.

NATO commanders in Pakistan have long been aware that the Taliban has been dependent on Pakistan for its arms and ammunition. The Telegraph reported Sunday that a NATO report on a recent battle shows the Taliban fired an estimated 400,000 rounds of ammunition, 2,000 rocket-propelled grenades, and 1,000 mortar shells and had stocked over 1 million rounds of ammunition, all of which came from Quetta, Pakistan, during the spring months.

[Brokor]

Who arms Pakistan?

[wtfk]

U.S.: NATO has intercepted Iranian arms

Tehran, which is also in a dispute with the West over its nuclear program, denies it is aiding the Taliban, calling the accusation part of a broad anti-Iranian campaign. Iran says it makes no sense that a Shiite-led government like itself would help the fundamentalist Sunni movement of the Taliban.

Burns acknowledged that it was "curious" that Iran would aid the Taliban.

"It's quite surprising," he told CNN. "The Iranians had said that they were the mortal enemies of the Taliban in 2001 and '02."

[Travis]

Who arms Pakistan?

Federation of American Scientists
Transcript of a Panel Discussion on Arms Transfers to India and Pakistan

January 28, 2003
Washington, DC
...
Prior to September 11th, U.S. security assistance was rather minimal. In FY '01, for example, Pakistan received only $3.5 million of security assistance and India received only $6.4 million. After September 11th, we see a dramatic increase in military assistance, once those sanctions were in fact lifted. Pakistan has so far been authorized to receive $1.3 billion in security assistance and India close to 78 million.

These are dramatic increases in the kinds of weapons and training that prior to September 11th, both of these countries were not able to receive. And I think we'll see in the context of the conversation today that this is only the beginning of renewed military ties with both of these countries.
...
So what has Pakistan been able to shop for? It has managed to get some aircraft and antiship missiles and fire controlled radar from China, two Agosta submarines and 40 upgraded Mirage 3 and 5 combat aircraft from France, an unknown number of battle tanks from the Ukraine. And from the U.S., it's getting seven aircraft, riot control gear, Blackhawk helicopters, six in number, and that is basically what it's getting from the United States. So Pakistan's suppliers are China, France, Indonesia, Lebanon, Sweden, Ukraine.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4026779.stm

19 November, 2004
BBC - India concern at US-Pakistan arms

India has told Washington of its disapproval of a possible $1bn US arms package for nuclear rival Pakistan.

Indian Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran told US officials on his Washington visit of Delhi's "strong concerns" over the sale.

Media reports say the US is planning to sell up to eight Orion surveillance aircraft and anti-tank missiles and rapid-fire guns.
...

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/03/25/world/main683171.shtml

March 25, 2005
CBS - U.S.-Pakistan Arms Deal Irks India

(AP) The United States has agreed to sell sophisticated F-16 fighter planes to both India and its next-door rival Pakistan, administration officials said Friday,
...
the United States make a long-term commitment to Pakistan. A five-year, $3 billion assistance program is under way, the official also noted.
...
The United States had signed a separate $1.3 billion arms package to Pakistan last year.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6170172.stm

23 November 2006
BBC - Pakistan holds 'arms for peace' fair

Pakistan is bolstering its position as a trading zone for small arms and military hardware through arms fairs that have become a regular feature in recent years.

The International Defence Exhibition and Seminar (Ideas) fair, held every two years in the southern port city of Karachi, provides a platform for Pakistan to display its products, ranging from light arms to tanks and missiles.

The fair also attracts major manufacturers of arms and military support equipment from around the world.

Since 2000, when the first Ideas fair was held, the number of participants has grown both in number and prestige.

This year's participants include, among others, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, Lockheed Martin, Saab, Rolls Royce and Thales.

Some governments also have an official presence. The UK is represented by the Ministry of Defence.
...
Lockheed Martin Corp (LMC) has put its Hellfire missiles on display.

"Pakistan is interested in buying these missiles and we are definitely going to work out a deal," said Doug Terrell, LMC's manager for international business development.

The missiles became famous during the war on terror and are known to have hit many targets in Afghanistan and the Pakistani tribal areas.

LMC is also promoting its coveted F-16 Fighting Falcon as well as the more affordable P-3C Orion and C-130 aircraft.

"We have (displayed) a limited range in view of the customers who would be here," says Dexter Henson, the communications director of LMC.
...
Buyers were crowding to the American manufacturer Colt's small arms stall where the company's manager of international sales, Mike McCarthy, explained the virtues of a Colt M4 carbine, "the assault weapon of the US army".

"We hope to offer it for sale to the Pakistan government," he said.

Pakistan has showcased its usual products, such as long range missiles and two battle tanks, al-Khalid and al-Zarrar.

But it has also displayed some new items, such as a locally manufactured pilot less drone aircraft.

It has also displayed the prototype of JF-17 Thunder jet, manufactured jointly with China.

There is also a variety of electronic warfare devices and small arms made in Pakistan which some visitors described as "impressive".

How much of a boost they will prove to Pakistan's arms trade remains to be seen.