# Whose gun is this? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [January 17, 2003, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-gun-is-this/149261 "2003-01-17T17:54:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DeepField](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@DeepField](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeepField)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2003, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-gun-is-this/149261/1 "2003-01-17T17:54:21Z")
I am not surprised to learn that Iraq has been found in possession of the weapons the UN inspectors found. I cannot begin to imagine what they would find in any of their neighbours’ back yards: Those people seem to like having those things around. What has me thinking is this: The weapons were **imported** (nobody is saying they _made_ them) in the 80’s, but I have seen no reference as to **who sold them to Iraq?** I think it was the US. Anybody wants to bet? ---
**Author:** ![Age\_Quod\_Agis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d07c76/32.png) [@Age\_Quod\_Agis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Age_Quod_Agis)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2003, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-gun-is-this/149261/2 "2003-01-17T18:54:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by DeepField \* > \*\*What has me thinking is this: The weapons were **imported** (nobody is saying they _made_ them) in the 80’s, but I have seen no reference as to **who sold them to Iraq?** > > I think it was the US. Anybody wants to bet? \*\* Sure. What’s the wager? ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2003, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-gun-is-this/149261/3 "2003-01-17T19:11:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by DeepField \* > \*\* > What has me thinking is this: The weapons were **imported** (nobody is saying they _made_ them) in the 80’s, but I have seen no reference as to **who sold them to Iraq?** > > I think it was the US. Anybody wants to bet? \*\* What about France, Germany, China, or the USSR? All of these countries dealt with Iraq during the 80’s. Marc ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2003, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-gun-is-this/149261/4 "2003-01-17T19:30:06Z")
What point is the OP trying to make? It doesn’t matter where or how Iraq acquired such items in the mid-eighties. They agreed by treaty to destroy them in 1991. It may be just an beaurocratic oversight, though. I’m not sure how solid a pretext the discovery is. ---
**Author:** ![Brutus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Brutus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brutus)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2003, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-gun-is-this/149261/5 "2003-01-17T21:16:48Z")
They were sold to Iraq (assuming they were not manufactured locally, which they very well could have been) by either USSR (at the time), China, North Korea, Egypt, Syria, or one of many other nations that produces 122mm rocket chemical-delivery warheads. But France, Germany, America, etc? Nope. None of those used or manufacted 122mm rockets, much less chemical warheads for said rockets. ---
**Author:** ![Neurotik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2003, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-gun-is-this/149261/6 "2003-01-17T21:30:33Z")
I believe the warheads were designed for Katyusha rockets, so then my guess is the USSR. ---
**Author:** ![Beagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/85f322/32.png) [@Beagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beagle)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2003, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-gun-is-this/149261/7 "2003-01-18T00:14:55Z")
I’d bet money on **Neurotik’s** assessment. A multiple unguided rocket laucher with a range of about 20K is how I heard the system described. [The Katyusha can be shot down.](http://www.aeronautics.ru/archive/aeronews/conv/article_June_2000_12_108.htm) > [@](#): > > “The Katyushas are a 122-mm.-dia. rocket,” Romesser said. “Our objective is to focus our energy so that it impacts the rocket and we deposit all of our energy on the rocket.” The next step in the program is preparing for a multiple rocket shoot-down in about 6-8 weeks. Who knew? I love Google.