FREE CHECHNYA--NO BLOOD FOR VODKA:

Russia to ask UN to rule on legality of Iraq war: FM (AFP, Mar 21, 2003)

Russia and other countries will ask the United Nations (news - web sites) to rule whether the US-led war on Iraq is legal, Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov revealed.

"With other states, we will put this question before the UN's legal department. It is very important that these arguments (about the legality of US actions) are confirmed," he told the State Duma lower house of parliament.

"This is the only way that we can use them as a strong weapon," Ivanov added.

It's long past time for the President to call his friend Mr. Putin and mention that he'd be perfectly willing to lead the call for an independent Chechen state if the Russia's don't get back in line.

MORE (PJ): RUSSIA SOLD IRAQ KEY MUNITIONS LAST WEEK:

3 Russian Firms' Deals Anger U.S. (Washington Post, 3/23/2003)

The United States delivered a protest to the government of President Vladimir Putin yesterday for refusing to stop Russian arms dealers from providing illegal weapons and assistance to the Iraqi military.

Bush administration sources said one Russian company is helping the Iraqi military deploy electronic jamming equipment against U.S. planes and bombs, and two others have sold antitank missiles and thousands of night-vision goggles in violation of U.N. sanctions....

"The stuff's there, it's on the ground and they're trying to use it against us," said a well-placed U.S. official who requested anonymity. Of the Russians, the official said, "This is a disregard for human life. It sickens my stomach."...

The Bush administration reserved its highest-level efforts for halting the delivery of the jamming devices, which officials said sell for thousands of dollars apiece and can interfere with global positioning equipment important to aircraft navigation and ground forces. Guided bombs also use the technology ...

Administration officials became infuriated last week when they learned that Aviaconversiya personnel are now in Iraq "showing Iraqis how to use them and how to fix them," said the official. The Russians "sure as hell should have been able to stop these guys."

Some countries -- France, Russia, Turkey -- are burning bridges with us. They'll soon wish they had those bridges, rather than a few million dollars of Saddam's money or a few extra dead U.S. soldiers -- the two things they gain by arming Saddam.

MORE (PJ): Moscow Denies Supplying Iraq With Weapons (FoxNews, 3/24/2003)

Posted by Orrin Judd at March 24, 2003 9:07 AM