Europeans call for defense contract probe

Sales of German submarines to Greece and Portugal look all the more suspicious given the economic times, a defense expert from London said.

"What's striking about Greece and Portugal is the inappropriateness of these purchases. It makes no sense at all to urge austerity and at the same time encourage them to buy weapons," said Nick Witney at the European Council on Foreign Relations, the EUobserver reported Monday.

Members of the European Parliament have called for an investigation into the $1.3 billion-per-submarine purchases and the defense industry, where deals are commonly couched in sweetheart deals -- a billion dollar submarine order for Germany and a host of deals for Greece that pave the way for a signature on the contract.

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