U.S. Technology Used in Iraqi Missile, NBC Says
WASHINGTON — Iraq is using U.S. technology to develop a medium-range ballistic missile with a range of 1,000 miles, NBC television said Friday.
The NBC television report said Iraq had completed a medium-range missile factory called “Project 395†and a missile research complex for developing chemical, conventional and nuclear warheads.
It said up to 40% of the technology used to build the research complex came from American businesses.
Citing unnamed U.S. intelligence sources, NBC said Iraq first tried to get a medium-range missile built in Argentina but the United States pressured Argentina to stop.
The Defense Department told Reuters it was aware of the NBC report but had no comment.
The television report said Austrian and West German companies and technical specialists were hired to help Iraq build and launch the first missile.
The European firms told U.S. companies they were seeking technology for a university research center, NBC said.
American-made high technology, including $1 million worth of computers, was shipped to Iraq with the approval of the Department of Commerce and despite objections from the Pentagon, NBC said.
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