[ Seventh Day, July 7, 2007 ]
US concerns over Iraq weapons in IraqWASHINGTON (DC) - The US has raised concerns with the Iraq government about the discovery of Iraqi-made weapons in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Richard Lawless, departing senior Pentagon official for Asia, on Friday said Washington had flagged the issue with Baghdad. In recent months, the US has become increasingly alarmed that Iraqi armour-piercing ammunition has been used by the Taliban in Afghanistan and insurgents in Iraq.
A senior US official recently told the FT that Iran appeared to be providing the Iraqi-made weapons. He said Washington had no evidence that Baghdad was complicit, but stressed that the US would like Iraq to "do a better job of policing these sales." Mr Lawless said the question of origin was less important than who was facilitating the transfer.
The concerns about Iraqi weapons follow months of allegations from US officials that Iran is helping attack US troops in Iraq, and more recently Afghanistan, by providing technology for bombs that can destroy Humvees and other heavily armoured US vehicles.
Satire using a shortened, loosely re-written news article published in The Financial Times, July 6, 2007.
© Merle Harton, Jr. | newquaker.com
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