U.S. Says 'Thousands' of Missiles Missing

[Sydnie]

WASHINGTON - It has been known for years that thousands of light and lethal shoulder-fired missiles are in black-market circulation. What is not known is exactly who has them and whether many have fallen into the hands of terrorists or criminals.


A worrisome puzzle, it explains why the United States and Russia signed an agreement Thursday to cooperate in destroying surplus Soviet-era SA-7s and other portable anti-aircraft missiles. The smallest of these are durable, relatively cheap and easy to smuggle.


The United States also has understandings with several other countries, including Nicaragua, Bosnia, Cambodia and Liberia (news - web sites), for Washington to provide technical assistance or money to destroy anti-aircraft missiles.


The State Department estimates that about 1 million shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missiles have been produced worldwide since the 1950s. The number believed to be in the hands of "nonstate actors," such as terrorist groups, is "in the thousands," the department says.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=536&ncid=536&e=3&u=/ap/20050224/ap_on_re_us/missile_threat

[benburch]

1. You can have one on the black market for about $650.

Or so my reading a few years back indicated. That was the price mentioned for an elderly "RedEye" heat seeking short range antiaircraft missile.

http://www.designation-systems.net/dusrm/m-43.html

[Stella_Artois]

4. Wether they work or not is another matter.

Both redeye and the SA-7 have batteries that run out eventually and cannot be recharged or replaced iirc.

The Iraqis have launched scores of SA-7's without any success, they've only scored hits with later SA-14's.

[sarcasmo]

2. Is this the start of the next 9/11 they need for the draft?

[sandnsea]

3. Hey, what about the 2nd Amendment?

You mean it isn't an inalienable right? Or is it only a right when a terrorist in the US has a shoulder-fired missile?

[hector459]

5. We know where they are, we gave them away as "aid packages" to

the thugs we were using across the globe. Problem is, some have turned against us as they always do.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

6. Oh surprise surprise surprise, the lying bastards

There was a great series on the Center for Public Integrity's site a couple years back...10 articles..the name of the series was "Making a Killing: The Business of War."

The illegal arms trade is nothing new and the US played along and participated with some of the players covertly...now those arms are in the wrong hands and being used against us...if you or I fuck up, it's called a FUCKUP...if our covert operators fuck up...it's euphemistically referred to as blow back.

This article is simply being floated in order to offer explanation and justification for the fact that our troops are being blown up by munitions with a MADE IN THE USA or USSR label.

[Moderator]

7. kick to combine threads

[cthrumatrix]

8. U.S. Says 'Thousands' of Missiles Missing (AP)

U.S. Says 'Thousands' of Missiles Missing

Thu Feb 24, 5:37 PM ET

By ROBERT BURNS, AP Military Writer

WASHINGTON - It has been known for years that thousands of light and lethal shoulder-fired missiles are in black-market circulation. What is not known is exactly who has them and whether many have fallen into the hands of terrorists or criminals.


A worrisome puzzle, it explains why the United States and Russia signed an agreement Thursday to cooperate in destroying surplus Soviet-era SA-7s and other portable anti-aircraft missiles. The smallest of these are durable, relatively cheap and easy to smuggle.


The United States also has understandings with several other countries, including Nicaragua, Bosnia, Cambodia and Liberia (news - web sites), for Washington to provide technical assistance or money to destroy anti-aircraft missiles.


The State Department estimates that about 1 million shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missiles have been produced worldwide since the 1950s. The number believed to be in the hands of "nonstate actors," such as terrorist groups, is "in the thousands," the department says.

snip

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=536&u=/ap/20050224/ap_on_re_us/missile_threat&printer=1

Somebody please tell me how we continue to tolerate such idiot's as leaders?