Iran shipping Russian RPG to the front in Iraq

[ghoullio]

More good news from our friends in Iran. Why is this not considered an act of war?

Insurgents using new advanced Russian RPG from Iran



Friday, May 12, 2006
BAGHDAD — The U.S. military has identified an advanced variant of a Soviet-origin rocket-propelled grenade system being used by Iraqi insurgents since early this year.

Officials said the military has detected shipments of the RPG-29 in Iraq. They said the weapon system has been smuggled from Syria into Iraq by operatives of the Iranian-sponsored Hizbullah.



"This is the most advanced RPG that the insurgents have," an official said. "The [RPG-] 29 can rip through just about any armored platform."
[On Tuesday, 17 people were killed in a suicide truck bombing in Tal Afar, Middle East Newsline reported. The bombing took place as U.S. and Iraqi officials released a purported Al Qaida document that reported a weakening of the insurgency movement in Iraq. On Wednesday another 11 people were killed in an ambush of a bus north of Baghdad.]

Officials said the RPG-29 was first spotted in Iraq in early 2006. They said the weapon was used by Hizbullah against the Israeli Army in the late 1990s. The United States has been briefed by Israel on the RPG.

The RPG-29 was said to comprise the most lethal RPG system produced by Russia. Officials said the weapon contains dual-charge, the first of which neutralizes reactive armor and the second which penetrates the targeted vehicle.

The Iranian weapon could have been used by Sunni insurgents in the downing of a British Army Super Lynx combat helicopter in Basra over the weekend. Officials said the army was also examining the possibility that the helicopter was struck by a surface-to-air missile provided by Iran

I wonder, did Ah mad mini jihad talk about any of this in his letter to Dubya?

[John L]

Probably for the same reason we did not react as you suggest when the Union of Soviet Socialists supplied SAM missle batteries and other aid to N Vietnamm in the 60s and later.

[mv]

Given multiple reports about Iranian arms and recent helicopter crashes *in Shia areas*, it is very likely that something like this is taking place.

Debka is probably correct reporting SA-7 Strela as the imported weapon. Further, WorldTribune use of "Iraqi insurgents" is misleading; the chances are that it is the friendly Iraqi Shia who are getting (and firing) the weapons, not the Sunni insurgents.

[Palladin]

It is more than likely Sadr types. Makes imminent sense for Iran to assist him from their viewpoint.

We don't take action because we're not up to fighting these enemies. Pretty simple.