...it's not dark yet, but it's gettin' there...
From Reuters:
A ship bound for Syria from North Korea and detained in Cyprus on an Interpol alert for suspected arms smuggling was carrying air defense systems, Cypriot authorities said on Monday.And to think people mocked the president when he included North Korea in the Axis of Evil.The shipment was billed as weather-observation equipment on the freight manifest of the Panamanian-flagged Grigorio 1 and officials said the Syrian government had asked Cyprus to release the seized consignment.
"To my knowledge their name doesn't appear anywhere on the manifest as the consignee, but they have got involved," a senior shipping industry source in Nicosia told Reuters.
He said the vessel had been tracked over a long period of time.
The ship was carrying 18 truck-mounted mobile radar systems and three command vehicles. "The radars on the 18 trucks appear to be part of an air defense system," a police spokeswoman said.
10 bucks says the "international community" does squat about this violation.
h/t LGF
20 bucks says the "Wartime President" and his administration do just as little.
Posted by: Doug on Sep. 12, 2006Any ocean carrier/freight forwarder/port operator that is involved with fraudulent cargo manifests should be barred from all international trade activity in any civilized country.
Posted by: david foster on Sep. 12, 2006I wonder how today's events at our embassy affect the political calculation.
Posted by: Blu on Sep. 12, 2006Sure Doug... and $30 bucks says it'll be because of the lack of cooperation and, in some cases, overt hostility and interference from the International Community.
Posted by: ElMondoHummus on Sep. 13, 2006"And to think people mocked the president when he included North Korea in the Axis of Evil."
Everybody is on the North Korea, it's just that the term is archaic and sensationalistic.
And it depends on what kind of air defense system it is, especially with so many trailers (obviously not shoulder mount). SA-4b? 6a? 8b? The systems the NK have are getting very old and their effectiveness approaches zero.
Posted by: will on Sep. 13, 2006