Hezbollah possibly equipped with UK-made gear

[ManM]

Reported by jpost here.

Opposition leaders in the UK are demanding an investigation into military equipment sales to Iran following the discovery of British-made night-vision goggles in a captured Hizbullah bunker in southern Lebanon.

In an August 21 letter to Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett, shadow foreign secretary William Hague wrote there had been "disturbing reports" published in The Times that Israel had seized "British-made military equipment" from Hizbullah. Hague asked whether the government could confirm "that the equipment in question comprises British night-vision goggles that were supplied to Iran."

In 2003, Britain supplied the Iranian Anti-Narcotics Police with 250 night-vision systems and last year provided 50 suits of body armor under a program administered by the United Nation's Office on Drugs and Crime to interdict heroin and opium shipments through Iran from Afghanistan.
...
A Foreign Office spokesman told The Jerusalem Post Britain initiated the investigation on Friday after learning of the capture and had requested Israel provide a description of the captured equipment to assist the investigation into its origins.

A spokesman for the Department of Trade and Industry, which oversees the export licensing of military hardware, told the Post there was "no indication that the equipment found is in any way linked to the equipment sold to Iran as part of the UN program." It was "taking this matter very seriously," but "at the moment it is not clear whether the equipment was made or exported from the UK. We are seeking further details to confirm this," he said.

If Iran had diverted the night-vision goggles to Hizbullah, "it will have consequences for any future military exports to Iran" shadow defense minister Liam Fox said. "It points the finger all the more strongly at Iranian involvement in destabilizing the Middle East."

If true, this would amount to Iran abusing a UN program for equipment. I wonder if anything will happen to them over this. Will the UN cut Iran out of its programs? Will there just be a slap on the wrist? Will certain member nations refuse to support the programs that Iran benefits from? It will be interesting to see how this plays out.

[Watser?]

Iranian involvement in destabilizing the Middle East

Haha, yeah

Personally I think Iran supporting Hezbollah is a stabilising factor. Now Hezbollah and Israel are more or less evenly matched. With Israel being heavily armed by the US, it is about time someone put a stop to their bullying of all their neighbors.

Though I would have preferred Hezbollah to be integrated into the Lebanese army with all their fighters, equipment and missiles.

[Dingfod]

Originally Posted by ManM

British night-vision goggles that were supplied to Iran.

I think this aspect is far more important than whether or not Hezbollah has them in their possession. Why, given Iran's known aiding of certain "terrorist" groups, is anyone supplying them with anything of a military use? It doesn't make sense to me.

I suppose if they hadn't the French or the Russians would have.

[TomJoe]

Originally Posted by Dingfod

Why, given Iran's known aiding of certain "terrorist" groups, is anyone supplying them with anything of a military use? It doesn't make sense to me.

That's the United Nations for you.

In 2003, Britain supplied the Iranian Anti-Narcotics Police with 250 night-vision systems and last year provided 50 suits of body armor under a program administered by the United Nation's Office on Drugs and Crime to interdict heroin and opium shipments through Iran from Afghanistan.

[Dingfod]

It's just another success story in The War on Drugs. Think of it, Venezuela probably has stuff like that which was given to the Columbian military by the U.S. to help their fight against the drug lords and FARC.

[Watser?]

And just think of all the fun they can have with the stuff the Iraqi army is being equipped with. By now the Iraqi army is infiltrated by Sunni insurgents as well as Shi'ite militias.

Besides: today's allies are tomorrow's enemies in the Middle East.