attachments getting stripped

Clarifications

Presuming it's Outlook not allowing the attachments, as compared to Exchange or a third party program Microsoft has a Knowledge Base article about it.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/837388/en-us

This article is how to add or block more types of attachments but the information can used to remove attachments from the list.

Oops wrong URL try this one:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/829982/en-us

the easiest thing to do would be to change the extension of those kind of attachments and then change it back after you receive it in Outlook. This is also safer because then you will only get those files that you really want and won't "accidently" open something you shouldn't if you try to bypass Outlook's security features.

If you trust yourself to be careful with future attachments... (always scanning with AV before opening). Then...

You can change the Outlook attachment security behavior in the following way as long as you are not in an Exchange environment.

***Warning: Performing manual changes to the Windows Registry incorrectly can make Windows inoperable. It is always advise to perform a Registry backup and setting an XP Restore point prior to making changes to the Registry.***

That being said....

1. Close Outlook.
2. Go to Start - Run and type regedit & click OK.
3. In the Registry Editor, navigate to this key:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\10.0\Outlook\Security
4. Click the Edit menu, click New, and then click String Value.
Type the following name for the new value:
'Level1Remove' (without the quotes) & press Enter.
5. Right-click the new string value name, and then click Modify.
6. Type the extension of the file type that you want to open in Outlook 2002. For example: .exe
To designate multiple file types, use the following format: .exe;.mdb
7. Click OK & close the Registry Editor.
8. Restart your computer.
When you start Outlook 2002, you can open those file types.

Let me know if this helps.