This also explains why all Saddam's tanks are ex-Soviet T-class and all his helicopters and fighters are ex-Soviet MIGs.

Supplies of arms and oil revenues
From Professor Andrew J. Hamilton
The Times (London), 14 March 2003


Sir, I have often heard the claim that “we armed Saddam”. Thankfully A. H. Cordesman, in his 1998 report on the Iraqi military for the Center for Strategic & International Studies, has enlightened me.
In the key period between 1973-91 the US exported a mere $5 million of weapons to Iraq; more reprehensibly the UK sold $330 million-worth of arms. Of much greater interest are the arms export totals to Iraq of the four countries most against military action: Germany with $995 million, China $5,500 million, France $9,240 million, and the Russians a massive $31,800 million. So the claim that we armed Saddam has to be treated with a degree of care, particularly by those who would award the moral high ground in this debate to the leaders of nations such as Germany, France and Russia.

I remain your obedient servant,
ANDREW HAMILTON,
Dermatology Laboratory,
Thomas Guy House, Guy’s Hospital,
St Thomas’ Street, SE1 9RT.
March 10.