Thursday, April 24, 2008

Iran, the machine tool powerhouse


When improvised explosive devices containing explosively formed projectiles (EFPs) became an insurgent weapon of choice in Iraq, the US military claimed that EFPs were so complicated, they could only be made in Iran. When the EFPs started showing up in insurgent weapon stockpiles having been made locally, the US military claimed that EFPs were so complicated, the Iraqis could only be making them with technical advice from Iran.

In the picture, US soldiers load a captured EFP-making device onto an armoured vehicle. It appears to be a filing cabinet with a giant wheel and a few power tools attached. Which no doubt is technology that could only be obtained in Iran.

It's not beyond the bounds of possibility that the White House will claim that Iranian purchases of front-loaded washing machines are evidence of nuclear centrifuges.

U.S. Army photo by Spc. Lester Colley

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