UK arms sales to 'respectable' Iraq

[go west young man]

Source: BBC

In light of the subsequent history of Iraq, it seems almost unthinkable that 30 years ago Britain sold millions of pounds of military equipment to the country's Baathist government.

Saddam Hussein (left) took power from Gen al-Bakr (centre) in 1979

Foreign Office papers, just released by the National Archives in London, show that defence sales to Iraq in 1976 amounted to an estimated £70m.

At this time, Saddam Hussein was the de facto leader of Iraq - taking on a more prominent role than the ageing president, Gen Ahmad Hassan al-Bakr - before formally taking power in 1979.

The documents show that, in 1976 and 1977, a variety of equipment was sold to Iraq, including 20 Cymbeline mortar-locating radar - at a cost of £11m - combat support boats, and £7.4m of weapons effects simulato


Read more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7156645.stm

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And so the cycle continues....