Jet found buried under sand in Iraq

Iraq Forum

Wednesday, August 6, 2003
NewsMax.com has obtained exclusive photos of a buried Iraqi jet fighter being recovered by U.S. Air Force troops. The Iraqi jet, an advanced Russian MiG-25 Foxbat, was found buried in the sand after an informant tipped off U.S. troops.

The MiG was dug out of a massive sand dune near the Al Taqqadum airfield by U.S. Air Force recovery teams. The MiG was reportedly one of over two dozen Iraqi jets buried in the sand, like hidden treasure, waiting to be recovered at a later date.

Contrary to what some in the major media have reported, not all the jets found were from the Gulf War era.

The Russian-made MiG-25 Foxbat being recovered by U.S. Air Force troops in the photos is an advanced reconnaissance version never before seen in the West and is equipped with sophisticated electronic warfare devices.

U.S. Air Force recovery teams had to use large earth-moving equipment to uncover the MiG, which is over 70 feet long and weighs nearly 25 tons.

The Foxbat is known to be one of Iraq's top jet fighters. The advanced electronic reconnaissance version found by the U.S. Air Force is currently in service with the Russian air force. The MiG is capable of flying at speeds of over 2,000 miles an hour, or three times the speed of sound, and at altitudes of over 75,000 feet.

The recovery of the advanced MiG fighter is considered to be an intelligence coup by the U.S. Air Force. The Foxbat may also be equipped with advanced Russian- and French-made electronics that were sold to Iraq during the 1990s in violation of a U.N. ban on arms sales to Baghdad.

The buried aircraft at Al Taqqadum were covered in camouflage netting, sealed and, in many cases, had their wings removed before being buried more than 10 feet beneath the Iraqi desert.


http://www.18shawnee.com/photos/iraq/jet_iraq_01.jpg
http://www.18shawnee.com/photos/iraq/jet_iraq_02.jpg
http://www.18shawnee.com/photos/iraq/jet_iraq_03.jpg
http://www.18shawnee.com/photos/iraq/jet_iraq_04.jpg

Sanctions work, right?

And what is the point of this article? Is it to say that Saddam could have buried weapons, or that despite sanctions they got equipment into Iraq?

Ok, 2 things. First Sanctions did work as Powell stated in 2001 and how it has been proven with the subsequent searching of Iraq after the despot's rule ended there.

Secondly, if they found a jet buried for so long, why wouldn't they find something as large as tons of chemicals?

Why do you think Bush is on the defensive now? Obviously this jet was hidden to avoid being destroyed by the US. This certainly was no revelation and still doesn't show anything remotely close to stockpiles of weapons. In fact is shows nothing concerning chemicals or bio weaponry at all.

If this find had any significance what so ever, it would have been paraded down Badhdad boulevard by Bush last summer for CNN to see the day it was found.

Why do you bing up WMD? This wasn't about that but, as long as you brought it up. How long did it take to find this plane? How long would it take to find 1 ton of WMD?
The plane is a nice bonus I think. Latest Russian and French technology now in our hands. The sanctions may have worked for some but others blatently ingnored them. Thiis pretty much proves it doesn't it.
Of course they didn't want this plane damaged, that's why they buried it. The US would have destroyed it so as to not let it get into the hands of the enemy.
Saddam obviously thought he would survive to fight another day.

Yes, maybe he did think he'd survive but he didn't thanks to our great intel. I guess since we know about as much as WMD in Iraq as this plane, our intel can use some work huh?

But at least the plane was found. Bush never declared Saddam had 1 ton, he said tons. This being the case, there would have been soil unearthed somewhere just like it was when they found this plane which is much smaller than tons and stockpiles of chemicals would be.

The sanctions prevented the main thing from happening, and that was Saddam's capacity to make WMD. He didn't so they did work. I don't think invading a country to find a jet constitute a bonus. What bonus is that might I ask since we seem to have invaded on shabby evidence that was obvious to most the world but America?

Wrong again peace.

Oh, in what way am I wrong "again"? Sanctions have devestated no only the people, but Saddam's ability to make his chemical cocktails. Having documentation is a far cry from making the product and having stockpiles of it.

Because Saddam received some equipment from France or Russia doesn't mean sanctions didn't work.

These are Colin Powell's words in Feb, 2001 when asked about sanctions working.

"And frankly they have worked. He has not developed any significant capability with respect to weapons of mass destruction. He is unable to project conventional power against his neighbors. So in effect, our policies have strengthened the security of the neighbors of Iraq..."

This is Condolezza Rice's words that following July on CNN

"But in terms of Saddam Hussein being there, let's remember that his country is divided, in effect. He does not control the northern part of his country. We are able to keep arms from him. His military forces have not been rebuilt."

So after invasion and finding nothing, you tell me who's wrong here again?

A russian-made jet-fighter, one of the world's most advanced today, was found in Iraq. It was most probably sold to Iraq during the sanctions. Thus, this find proves that anti-war countries did oppose the war for their own economic benefits.

WMDs argument appears in this person's, named 'oneofpeace', argument as soon as he has to say something about the topic. WMD! oneofpeace, WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION! Do they ever leave your mind?

I was simply asking why this article was posted. In fact, I think that's something for the original poster to answer but since we had others chime in I responded.

No you can stir up your smoke all you want, but some believe that this is another reason to justify the war. I was just keeping it real. That was in response to USA's first posting in here, don't act like there's no connection. Save that for the mindless ones that don't mind being lied to.

How can one be so challenged as to add something constructive to debate as you Curley I'll never know.

Man, I really have pity for your parents or whom ever raised you. I think they made you eat paint chips as a kid or something.

This a picture of one of the other jets found.
http://www.irco.com/images/content/38632.jpg

Awesome! How many were found?

http://www.aerospaceweb.org/aircraft/fighter/mig25/mig25_iraq_01.jpg

something like a dozen jets were found. more pictures to come

http://www.aerospaceweb.org/aircraft/fighter/mig25/mig25_iraq_05.jpg

http://www.aerospaceweb.org/aircraft/fighter/mig25/mig25_iraq_12.jpg

http://www.aerospaceweb.org/aircraft/fighter/mig25/mig25_iraq_02.jpg

Can anyone point me to this this news scoop please because all I can find is the following. CHECK THE DATES!

h@ts off to you, anti-U.S. pathogen. The date is August, 2003. SO WHAT?

Just imagine what else is buried down there... my friend was making a joke before they even found the jets about how everything was right under them. One day a soldier will be waking in the sand and trip over something, he gets up, dusts off some sand, and finds a bomb I’m sure there is more stuff down, we just have not found it yet. Just like the Egyptian tombs. We have only found a very small percentage of them and a lot of them are under the ground not even known about. King Tut for example was found by accident.

Well if we're dredging up old news stories - how about this one
http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB82/handshake300.jpg

Looks like ole Rummy and Saddamy are ole pals huh? And to think, America did nothing about this guy's bombing Iran and the Kurds back then. In fact, we were still shipping him germs.

It wasn't until he went into Kuwait that the US all of a sudden shifted positions and then called him a "mad man" and justified deposing him with the weapons we sent him.

Man, a picture surely says a thousand words doesn't it? "Only in the U.S.A."

Wrong again.
What you don't know about this picture is that Rumsfield wants to rip his heart out.
Araffat got pulitzer too! Big hairy deal.

Rip his heart out? Rumsfeld's all but blowing the guy and saying: "President Saddam, I come from the USA where we have great respect for your statesmanlike qualities [your oil], leadership in the region [gassing of Iranians] and resourceful people [with our gas].

C'mon U - the great benevolent wonderful state of the USA does have a murky past, it does have some skeletons - like everyone, every country has some dodgy stuff in the past they'd rather sweep under the carpet - you tellin me Rummy's happy that picture's out n about? - a country's past doesn't have to be a pretty picture - everyone needs to accept their country's have made mistakes - I mean, the US has made millions of great things happen and it's a banner for free living and democracy and the American dream of making cash, but it's not all rosey.

The US backed Saddam when he gassed Iranians - Rumsfeld isn't ripping anyone's heart out, he's shaking the fuggers hand and telling him what a top bloke he is.

(Arafat got a Nobel prize - the Pulitzer's for journos).

Believe what you will. Just remember, not everything is as it seems.

Ooh very dark and mysterious . I think oneofpeace has been tryingg to tell you that about WMD's for months.

Oh, and again, the WMDs. He should change his name to oneofwmds or BushLiedAboutWMD (actually there is a person on this forum with similar name).

Really, if Saddam did have WMDs, and there is no wonder he did have them, he most probably has hidden them back in 2000, when Bush came to power, or later in 2001, when Bush outlined his anti-terrorist position and methods of fighting it; or at some different time prior to the invasion. But if Saddam didn't have WMDs prior to the invasion, why did he bluff? Why didn't he show them to us or prove us he destroyed them? Why should we think Saddam didn't import warheads/missiles/technologies/etc. if he did buy jets from Russia?

I was told about this topic by a friend and in reserching it found your site it seams to me that the piont should be not WMD but that I could only find TWO mainstream news articles about it !!!!!!!!!