October 17, 2002
British hypocrisy at work.
The
Moscow Times reports that the British and Americans
harassing the Ukrainians for selling Iraq an early warning system.
"KIEV -- U.S. and British experts fanned out across Ukraine on Wednesday, inspecting its main arms producer, other large military plants and holding talks to investigate charges the country's administration sold Iraq an early warning system."
But the
Guardian reports, in an
article mostly on an encounter between Prince Andrew and some Iraqis at a Jordanian arms show, that the British themselves don't seem to have any qualms about selling weapons to pretty much anyone, terrorists or otherwise.
"Prince Andrew's equerry, Major Rob Olney, today said today that he was not at the fair to meet the Iraqi delegation. "He's here to promote British investment and trade in the Middle East," Major Olney said.
"The British army and British arms companies are at the fair to showcase a range of weapons, including landmines, tanks and fighter jets. The countries there to buy arms include Syria, Sudan, Libya and Iran.
"Lord Bach said British sellers at the fair were not targeting Iraqi delegates. "Anyone can come and look, but I think looking won't help them very much. There is a United Nations resolution that embargoes defence exports to Iraq.
"We have close relations with many of the Arab states and I am delighted that we do. They are a force for stability in this troubled region. Many of them are moving towards democracy in their own way, in their own time."
A force for stability, huh? "Delighted???" Seems to indicate that the main reason the Americans and British are against other folks selling arms to the Iraqis and other countries in the Middle East, is not that they don't want arms going there. No, it's just that they want the market for themselves.
I'll put this in bold so that it's clear:
The British and the Americans are continuing to sell arms to virtually all of the countries in the Middle East, even as we prepare to go to war with them. Personally, I'd object to even letting them just _look_ at the weapons, since one can learn a lot from that.
