U.S. Dual-Use Devices Made Their Way to Iraq

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.latimes.com/services/site/premium/access-registered.intercept

Sorry, but I am not registered with the LA Times. If someone is, and you don't mind, please post a couple of excerpts from this article. Thanks in advance.

Don

[sandnsea]

1. Here's a few snips

"A customer in Toronto wanted four optical scanners and related parts from a small technology firm in Cambridge, Mass. They were to be shipped to Jordan as a donation to a university from the customer's father...."

"He said he was surprised to learn that the scanners had been destined for Iraq. "Every indication that we had was that this was a legitimate university order," Aylward said. But only those who knowingly provided prohibited material violated sanctions.

Laser scanners are generally used for such commercial purposes as applying serial numbers to dashboards or cell phones. But they can be adapted for use in systems that guide missiles and jam radar, Aylward said.

According to documents found in the Baghdad offices of the Al Bashair Trading Co., the major weapons-purchasing agent for Hussein's government, and translated from Arabic for The Times, the Iraqis had valuable assistance in obtaining the scanners."

[RC]

2. If you want to get really picky

Everything can be dual use. Everything.

[zbdent]

3. According to the producers, everything that MacGuyver did was

true (except in the really nasty cases, where they would leave out one detail - like homemade explosives).

[GRClarkesq]

4. Regulating dual use technology seem like a hopeless task

once you get past the obvious stuff. Plus, nearly impossible to stop a third party from buying and transferring.