Stripped of 'Country of Origin' Label, US Agrees to Sell Tear Gas to Egypt

[xchrom]

http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/02/22-2


U.S.-made tear gas canister in Tahrir Square, on January 28, 2011. (Photo: Gigi Ibrahim / flickr)

Egypt's Interior Ministry ordered 140,000 teargas canisters from the United States in January, which the US State Department only allowed to be exported without the company's name or any indication they were made in the U.S., the Egypt Independent reports Friday.

From letters between the Interior Ministry and Defense Ministry: "In light of the ongoing incidents and growing need for gas bombs to deal with rioters and preserve the nations safety, Al-Guindy Company for Imports and Exports, a representative of the US Combined System Company in Egypt, has been contracted to import 70,000 gas bombs and 70,000 long-range gas projectiles from the US to Egypt,” the letter stated.

From a memo written on January 28, 2013 by Major General Magdy al-Gohary, head of the Egyptian Department for Police Supply:

“The US government was stringent in issuing export permits for Egypt items that have been contracted since July, due to the unstable situation in Egypt and what was circulated by the media and rights groups about the US company’s effect on protesters while using [the gas canisters] against rioters in Egypt.”

[snot]

1. K&R'd.

[another_liberal]

2. "Combined Tactical Systems," poor old C.T.S.

They never learn. A huge shipment of American tear gas arrived in Iran just a few weeks before the Shah had to flee for his life. It's like the kiss of death for our troubled client dictators. (sigh)