Sen Wyden Introduces the “Stop Arming Iran Act”

[LSK]

Wyden Introduces the “Stop Arming Iran Act”
Legislation would block the Pentagon’s sale of F-14 parts and equipment.

January 25, 2007

Washington , D.C. – Working to end the Iranian government’s acquisition of sensitive military equipment, Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR), a senior member of the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, introduced legislation today that would prohibit the Pentagon from selling surplus parts and equipment for F-14 fighter aircraft. Wyden’s legislation would also prohibit the export of F-14 parts already sold.

“There is no good reason for the United States to be putting surplus F-14 parts on the market—especially when the only end-user of these parts is the world’s most active state sponsor of terrorism.” Wyden said. “Banning the sale and export of F-14 parts is the only sure way for us to keep them out of the wrong hands.”

Iran is the only country—other than the United States—that flies F-14s. Seventy-nine of the fighter jets were originally purchased from U.S. manufacturers before Iran’s 1979 revolution and are today largely grounded due to lack of parts. U.S. customs agents, however, have discovered that F-14 parts are being shipped to Iran after being purchased at Department of Defense (DoD) auctions.

DoD restricts the sale of surplus F-14 parts; however, these rules have proven ineffective at stopping Iran’s acquisition of the equipment. For example, companies buying the parts from DoD have later been proven fronts for the Iranian government. Most recently, DoD sold sensitive technology—including F-14 parts—to undercover GAO investigators.


http://wyden.senate.gov/media/2007/01252007_F-14.htm

[C_U_L8R]

1. And Halliburton??

[flyarm]

2. K&R ..THIS IS IMPORTANT !!!! THANK YOU FOR POSTING!! N/T

[JerseygirlCT]

3. Makes sense! nt

[karlrschneider]

4. Let's see, sell them weapon systems then attack them for having them.

I guess that makes sense...in some universe.

[LSK]

6. and watch defense contractor profits soar

[karlrschneider]

8. Yeah, "planned obsolescence" taken to the absurd level.

:grr:

[liberal N proud]

5. K&R

[Straight Shooter]

7. Senator Wyden has been on a romping-stomping rampage lately.

In a good way.

I'm so proud of him as my Senator.

:patriot:

[stevedeshazer]

9. MY Senator

Now on the greatest page.

Help us dumbass Oregonians dump Gordon Smith in 2008. We just got indoor plumbing.

I'll be on the loo waiting for you East Coaster elitists to support us.

:sarcasm:

[gordianot]

10. I remember recently a cable show on the mothballing of the F-14.

They made a point of how they were trying to protect critical F-14 parts from ending up in Iran. According to this show the Iranian F-14 have been grounded for sometime. With the surplus of Navy F-14's there are potentially a lot of parts. It makes sense that the same corporate interests who enable the neo-cons would also want to make a profit on selling parts already purchased by United States taxpayers. Anyone who sells these parts should be tried for treason that included DoD auctioneers.

[The Doctor.]

11. You mean pursue ACTUAL national security?

Naaaaahhhh!

[peacetalksforall]

12. Does anyone sense that our admin is in a race with itself to raise

money? I can't believe that they are that earnest about balancing the budget for two reasons - we can't believe anything they say or do and I think they have chosen a path to destroy this country (whether or not it's to build it up again like Iraq, to make money for their friends and companies).

[Astrad]

13. There's a subtext to this issue.

US defense contractors are concerned that foreign governments who they currently sell to will look at this and decide not to buy US arms for fear of having critical parts cut off at a later date. Be interesting to see if this passes given how many members of congress are friends of the arms industry.

[gratuitous]

14. Smooth maneuver, Hoover

Strikes right at the base of a tree that produces so many problems. An innovative and imaginative solution that easily 75% of the electorate would get behind just hearing about it. But one that will piss off mightily a whole cadre of well-connected, well-heeled big boys.

A year ago, I would have said that based on the preceding paragraph the proposed legislation doesn't stand a chance. Today, I say it does have a chance, but it will be a tough fight, and an uphill battle. The question each of us has to answer is, "Is it worth it to fight this battle?"

I say yes.

[havocmom]

15. Call your Senators and instruct them to back Wydon on this

It is critical. To stop the perpetual war, we must force the nation-less corporations from selling the things that make war possible.

Plame's network tracked materials and weapons traffic. Cheney destroyed that essential security network.
Any questions?

[happydreams]

16. How will the US military

justify more hightech war machines if our enemies don't present a credible threat? Jeez, we don't want to close the "window of vulnerability" completely, just inch it up some; otherwise the MIC would go out of business. :sarcasm:


I was just reading a little history about the German arms giant Krupp. Back in the late 1800's this company sold armor plate to future enemies then presented the Kaiser with its latest invention: armor piercing shells.

Why am I experiencing deja vu?

[SpiralHawk]

17. Will this be retroactive? republicon Ollie North did his best to arm Iran

with our technology and our Hawk Missiles.

How many of our sons and daughters in uniform will die because of this republicon treason?