Puzzled by Iran/Iraq Powerpoint evidence

[Andyjunction]

Why do the munitions shown as evidence of Iranian involvement in Iraq have western characters and observe the Christian calendar?



http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/docs/iran-in-iraq/?resultpage=1&

I'm sure this has been addressed but after a half hour of looking I've had no luck.

The natural response is to say they were made somewhere else but if that's the case it kind of undermines the whole argument about them being made in Iran.

According to the Islamic calendar the current year is 1428.

[soothsayer]

1. at least the numerals are arabic! no zeros otherwise.

[Kagemusha]

2. The natural response is probably right

Someone must think Iran funneled this to Shiites even if it wasn't manufactured in Iran. But I've yet to bump into random people who know details about Iranian military forces to be able to evaluate this mortar shell issue so who knows. I would be inclined to believe that the case is weak to begin with.

[Auntie Bush]

3. I have been wondering the same thing.

(except about the date) Why would the Iranians mark their own equipment/munitions in English? Seems strange to me. I wonder why someone hasn't explained or pointed out this odd factor. :shrug:

[Andyjunction]

5. I was in Desert storm

Back in '91 when I was there even the Pepsi cans were dated from the 1400s not to mention obviously having Arabic writing. I believe most of that kind of stuff was from Saudi Arabia at the time though. We obviously weren't drinking Iranian Pepsi.

[FrenchieCat]

4. Cause they are really ours?

:shrug:

[Auntie Bush]

6. Give yourself a gold star. Make that four of them.

Sold to them during the Raygun administration by Oliver North et al.

[ima_sinnic]

11. but these are dated 2006 (nt)

[The_Casual_Observer]

7. It's totally bullshit. Its bogus & is supposed to have an immediate

emotional lasting impression when you see the picture. Later on you will either realize that it's a fraud or you will be stupid & buy it, either way it leaves a lasting image in your mind that those god damn Iranians are at it again.

[Igel]

8. Perhaps because only Iranians speak Farsi

and not even all Iranians know the language well.  Many of the
Arabic, Azerbaidjani, or Balochi speakers don't do so well
with Farsi.  (Dari in Afghanistan is usually mutually
intellible, but nonetheless different.)  Only Iran uses the
solar version of the Islamic calendar.

It means that if you make something for export, nobody else
can read it.  If you keep a lot of the production for domestic
consumption, it's not a huge problem having it not labelled in
Farsi.

Check out this: 
http://www.diomil.ir/images/product/Original/amig/mor81high.jpg

Different looking--there's no guarantee there's only one
manufacturer in Iran--but they're Iranian made and labelled in
English.  "81 mm HE" is a standard designation, made
in a variety of countries but with the same label.  (I know
there are international protocols for labelling light weapons,
mostly so they can be traced; I don't know if light mortars
count as light weapons under the terms of the protocols.)

on edit:  Let's try plain text, so people can click on the
link if they want to.

on edit, take 2:  OK, so the link's not hot.  Cut and paste if
you want to see the image.  

[Javaman]

9. The Iranians label all their rockets in Arabic/farsi, but not their mortar rounds???

The arrogance of moron* and his room full of dopes is truly epic. "look here, HE mortar round from Iran, it says so right on the front".

Hell, I'm surprised they didn't stencil on "made in Iran".

I get so tired of living in an alternative universe.

[Jackeen]

10. International standards for munitions markings are in English.

"Hell, I'm surprised they didn't stencil on "made in Iran"."

(How the devil does one do the 'quote' command?)

They did.

Look at the Batch Identity Code on the 81mm round's cases. "AZ" is the manufacturer's code: All ammunition follows the same generic standards for the BIC, and the first couple of alphanumerics are by plant. (Not country or company).

Why would Iran be marking to international standards, you may ask? Because not everyone in the world can speak or read Farsi. If a Sudanese troop wanted to identify a munition by lot number, for example, if all the munitions the country has are marked in the same manner he can read the information from an Iranian round just as easily as a Russian round: Russian/Soviet export munitions were printed in English as well. Iran has listed arms exports to 42 countries.

Now, all this proves is that the munitions are Iranian in origin. It doesn't prove anything about how the munitions got there, which is pretty much the point Gen. Pace was making.

[ima_sinnic]

12. they think We The People are too stupid to notice that.

I do remember at least one, probably more threads about this here on DU when the photos were first published. It is true that I have not been aware of any commentary to this effect in the corporate media, but I am sure that is part of the scam also.