Julie

A visit to an Iranian air show documents some companies with Pentagon contracts hoping to do business with America's adversaryBy Lisa Myers & the NBC investigative unit
Updated: 6:14 p.m. ET Feb. 23, 2005

KISH, Iran - As President George W. Bush pressures European allies to get tougher with Iran, NBC News got a rare glimpse inside the country — at an Iranian air show attended by some of the world's leading military contractors eager to do business with America's adversary.

On the island of Kish, Mullahs mixed with Ukrainian generals amid photos of the Ayatollah Khomeini. Iran's contempt for the U.S. was clear — emblazoned underneath a helicopter, in Farsi: "Death to America."

It's generally illegal for American companies to do business with Iran. But NBC News found more than a dozen European defense and aviation firms eager to fill the void. Some do business with the Pentagon, yet they were actively selling their wares to Iran.

"We sell to Iran [sic] Air Force," said Francois Leloup from Aerazur, a French company that markets fighter pilot vests, anti-gravity suits and other protective gear for military pilots.

"We sell mainly to security people like police," said Arnaud Chevalier with Auxiliaire Technique, which was representing a group of companies at its exhibition booth. Some of the brochures on dispay showed tank helmets, communication systems for light armored vehicles and an "infantry headset." Chevalier said such equipment was "not for sale."

NBC News showed our video from the air show to arms expert John Pike, director of the nonprofit organization GlobalSecurity.org.

"I think that the Europeans would sell their grandmothers to the Iranians if they thought they could make a buck," says Pike.

Also exhibiting at the show — European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS) and its subsidiary Eurocopter — which has launched a campaign in the U.S. to get a bigger share of Pentagon contracts, featuring ads that wrap the company in the American flag.

But if the company is so pro-American, why is it ignoring U.S. policy to isolate Iran?

"As a European company, we're not supposed to take into account embargoes from the U.S.," says Michel Tripier, with EADS.

"The emphasis here is on our civil helicopters. We are not offering military helicopters here," he adds.

Yet, prominent on the company's video in Iran — a military helicopter.

"It says 'Navy' in their own promotional videotape," says John Pike. "I guess they're hoping Iran's Navy is going to want to buy it."

EADS says the helicopter just happened to be on the video, and that it abides by U.S. and European rules against selling military goods to Iran.

Another company, Finmeccanica, recently won a contract to build a new version of the presidential helicopter, Marine One, as part of a group led by U.S. contractor Lockheed Martin.

It was also in Kish showing off its helicopters to Iran.

"This company is building the American president's new helicopter and they're trying to trade with the enemy!" exclaims Pike.

Steven Bryen used to be the Pentagon official responsible for preventing technology from going to countries like Iran. Now he's the president of Finmeccanica in the U.S. Does he think Iran is an enemy of the U.S.?

"I think they're our enemy at this point," says Bryen. "I mean, they're behaving like our enemy."

So why would Bryen's company trade with an enemy?

"In Europe, they don't call it the enemy," he says. "If it's a civilian item that doesn't threaten anyone, then I don't have a problem with that."

European subsidiaries of NBC's parent company, General Electric, have sold energy and power equipment to Iran, but GE recently announced it will make no new sales. (MSNBC is a Microsoft-NBC joint venture.)

Still, even with the president now pushing hard to isolate Tehran, European allies are likely to continue their role as what one company called, "a reliable partner for Iran."

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7018071/

lulldapull

oh let me see because our own christian fundo thugs have differences with Iran so they dont want others to do business with them either!

guess the hostage taking and eventual eviction of Carter goons from that country still strikes a nerve with our current fundo government thugs?

jheeeeeeeeeeezzzzzzzzzzz

SpartanKing

In international relations "There are no permanent friend or permanent enemeis, just permanent interests".

Why would the Europeans NOT sell weapons to whoever they saw fit ? Why would they sell weapons to countries the US told them to ? There is alot of money spent on weapons; if the Europeans dont sell to Iran or China, the Russians will, and why would they give that revenue to the Russians ?


Plus Iran and Europe do not have any animosity - except for say the Brits and Iranians - so why wouldnt they sell them guns ?

Veni Vidi Vici

European Salesman: "Flags, Flags,Get your flags, white flags, very nice, excellent quality, made of the finest french wool."

__________________
"Our citizenship in the United States is our national character. Our citizenship in any particular state is only our local distinction. By the latter we are known at home, by the former to the world. Our great title is AMERICANS…" -- Thomas Paine

Confed999

If they're caught selling military/dual-use hardware they should be sanctioned.

__________________
No man is free until all men are free - John Hossack
I agree completely with this Administration’s goal of a regime change in Iraq-John Kerry
even if that enforcement is mostly at the hands of the United States, a right we retain even if the Security Council fails to act-John Kerry
He may even miscalculate and slide these weapons off to terrorist groups to invite them to be a surrogate to use them against the United States. It’s the miscalculation that poses the greatest threat-John Kerry

SpartanKing

The USA would have to sanction them.

Confed999

Yep, that's who i was talking about.