Wmd??

[OverdueSpy]

The next chapter. Now this article is definately a "Point out the Bush Administration's screw ups!" article. But this actually gives ammo to Bush here, because you have the IAEA saying that Iraq did have nuclear equipment and materials, that were under watch by the IAEA while inspections were still allowed. This should end up deflating Kerry's claim that we had no reason to go into Iraq. Other views?

http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=158379

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - If U.N. nuclear inspectors want to return to Iraq to check for missing equipment and materials, they are welcome, a government minister said on Tuesday.

Science and Technology Minister Rashad Omar was responding to concerns raised by the International Atomic Energy Agency at the "apparent systematic dismantlement" of the physical remnants of Saddam Hussein's once-vigorous nuclear program.

The IAEA reported on Monday that neither Baghdad nor Washington appeared to have noticed the disappearance of nuclear equipment and materials once closely monitored by the agency.

"The locations that belong to the Science and Technology ministry are secure and under our control," Omar told Reuters.

He said nothing had gone missing since a looting spree after last year's U.S.-led invasion, which the United States and Britain said was to rid Iraq of weapons of mass destruction. Both countries now admit Saddam had no banned weapons.

Omar said Tuwaitha, a vast compound south of Baghdad that included Iraq's main nuclear facility, was being turned into a science park. "The IAEA came back one month ago, they inspected the plant and others and didn't say anything.

"We are transparent. We are happy for the IAEA or any other organization to come and inspect," he said, adding that he had not seen the agency's report to the Security Council.

The IAEA report, released three weeks ahead of the U.S. presidential election, could fuel criticism of the Iraq policies of the Bush administration, already under fire for its handling of an insurgency that has so far proved impossible to crush.

[SwordFish_13]

Hi,

OverdueSpy --> many countries in the world have Nuclear Research Facilities......(many have Nuclear reactors)......... thats not a new thing.............nuclear technology is also being used for peaceful purposes...............Canada has Nuclear reactors too

Iraq was purcuing to develop a Nuclear reactor ....................they had the Osirak reactor in Bhadhad built by the French........and due to break down of talks with France for the rebuilding of the Osirak reactor after Isreail bombed it...........they build a research facility on top of it to develp a Indegenious reactor( hopefully ).

IAEA is talkig about that Facility being looted by Local people and health risk to them ...........IMHO there is nothing in it for Bush to cheer about ..........it's all well know in advance..............this site was suspected from the very begnning and was under the watchful eye of IAEA ...........the first place anybody will look for evedence ..

Iraq was a party to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and that Baghdad reactor complied with all IAEA guidelines.

Rather than arguying whether Bush or Kerry profits from this the thing of utmost importance is to let IAEA into Iraq and access( because only it has details of amount of Nuclear materials stored there ) and retrive all the material which is a serious Health risk to the people...

--Good Luck--

[OverdueSpy]

hEY Sword. I agree with what you are saying about the Reactor and the French situation. However can you post a link verifying the perception of the missing physical remnants of Saddam's Nuclear program as being a "serious health risk," as opposed to them being viewed as nuclear equipment and materials of Saddam Hussein's once-vigorous nuclear program? As stated by Rashad Omar, the IAEA Science and Technology Minister

Not trying to be difficult here I just need a little confirmation.

[SwordFish_13]

Hi,

OverDueSpy --> Possasing Uranium is not a difulict task ..............and as you know by reading the new artcles Huge stock piles of Uranium have been found scattered around these nuclear sites................does that mean nuclear threat? ..........uhm to me NO.....possessing nuclear material and having a know how to develop a substancial nuclear device are two things.

However can you post a link verifying the perception of the missing physical remnants of Saddam's Nuclear program as being a "serious health risk,"

As many as you like .......................but first thing to remember is USA has and probably will keep on denying that it posseses a health risk.................because they don't want a third party poking their nosees into Iraq

BBC Article : 'Looting' at Iraq nuclear sites

Lets see what it says

Mohamed ElBaradei - head of the International Atomic Energy Agency - wrote to Washington last Wednesday to request that an investigative team be allowed into Iraq, but has not yet received a response, according to a spokeswoman.

The agency is concerned that radioactive material known to be stored at several Iraqi sites could pose health and environmental risks, and there are also fears they could be used to create a so-called "dirty bomb".

Now at the end it say could be used to create a dirty bomb................now you have to keep into consideration that it is possible for a country with the know-how to extract wepon grade plutonium form it and thas's not a easy task at all..............at the end it itself says

"All of this uranium would require significant processing in order to be suitable for enrichment for weapons use."

and that significant processing is indeed significant............it's very easy to acure uranium.........the thing is to extract wepon grade out of it

****************
Source

The US and Britain were accused yesterday of "callous disregard" for the
health of Iraqis and the fate of radioactive substances near a looted
nuclear site south of Baghdad.

Iraqis living near the Tuwaitha facility are reported to have suffered
nosebleeds, rashes and other symptoms of radiation poisoning.

Looters stole uranium storage barrels which local people later used as
drinking water containers after Iraqi troops guarding the site fled at the
start of the war.

I read this on the GreenPeace web site can't find the actual link at this time....

*****************

Lets look at another one ..........

Hmmmm

Today again, people are claiming that American negligence—allowing barrels that once stored uranium to be stolen from Iraq's Tuwaitha nuclear storage site—has lead to the poisoning of hundreds of Iraqi civilians. This time, though, the danger may be real

America must act quickly to confront this possibility, evaluating the extent of the public health risk, treating those affected, and making its assessments and actions well known to the world. The alternative, even if there is no loss of human life, will be a terrible and unnecessary loss of American credibility.

The Fear .......the security fear

inspections now under way at Tuwaitha, focusing strictly on finding out what nuclear materials have been stolen, are missing the mark. Though the United Nations International Atomic Energy Agency inspections have been spurred by fears of nuclear proliferation, the nuclear weapons threat from Tuwaitha's looting is small. Media reports noting that stolen uranium could be processed and used to make nuclear weapons are, strictly speaking, correct. But they grossly exaggerate the extent of the danger.

How true is it ............or should i say how easy it is for the urinaum to be used

The enrichment process needed to convert this uranium to a form suitable for nuclear weapons is by far the most challenging step in building a nuclear bomb. While uranium thefts should never be taken lightly, we should rest easier in knowing that any rogue, even having obtained Tuwaitha's uranium, would have much higher hurdles still to clear.

The threat of a dirty bomb is not so easily dismissed, but it is still not as great as many have assumed. The uranium once stored at Tuwaitha—and now comprising the majority of the looted material—would be extremely ineffective in a dirty bomb because of its very low radioactivity.

******************
Ok now lets see what the Rashad Omar, the IAEA Science and Technology Minister said "

In a report to the UN security council yesterday, the IAEA's director general, Mohamed ElBaradei, said the agency "continues to be concerned about the widespread and apparently systematic dismantlement that has taken place at sites previously relevant to Iraq's nuclear programme and sites previously subject to ongoing monitoring and verification by the agency".

Before the war, the buildings had been monitored and tagged with IAEA seals to keep tabs on their function and content. But US authorities barred IAEA inspectors from returning to Iraq after the war began in March 2003, instead deploying US teams in an unsuccessful search for Iraqi weapons of mass destruction.

Mr ElBaradei has therefore relied largely on satellite imagery in the latest report. IAEA teams were allowed into Iraq in June 2003 to investigate reports of widespread looting of storage rooms at the main nuclear complex, at Tuwaitha, and in August to take inventory of "several tonnes" of natural uranium in storage nearby.

I think i don't see or couldn't interpret it the way you are doing.................the way i see it before USA took over the site IAEA had complete minitoring over the site..........with cameras and tagging and all....(remember NTPC trety and IAEA looking after this site) .....but after USA took over IAEA have lost it .....they can't monitor it any more ............they don't know who is ripping the site......who is taking the equpiment and where...............there is nothing in it that points towards Iraq Wepons program......

**************

Iraq's Nuke Poisoning Worries

Iraq has about 1,000 sites where radioactive materials are used in industry or medicine.

iraq has about 1,000 sites where radioactive materials are used in industry or medicine. But Tuwaitha, where Iraqis worked on the final design of a nuclear bomb before the 1991 Gulf War, has drawn the most concern since the recent Iraq war ended.

The Iraqis had been using the dormant plant to store declared nuclear materials that were prohibited and sealed by the U.N. nuclear agency in 1991. During the short-lived inspection regime that ran from November to the start of the war in March, IAEA inspectors visited the site 19 times.

Iraqi nuclear experts blame Americans for failing to guard the site quickly enough and prevent the looting.

"They knew that there were nuclear materials in this site, and they were supposed to protect it," Mohammed al-Hamadani, a researcher at Tuwaitha, said in an interview Wednesday.

People are looting the site ........they have thrown the Uranium stored in the drums and taken those drums home for storing food grains and water and other day to day work ................something must be done and quick.

Overdue i am not saying the uranium can't be used but the thing is you should get your priorities right.............to create a substancial Nuclear device out of it would require at leat 2 to 10 years depending upon who gets it ...............but the people need help right now.


--Good Luck---

[RoadClosed]

So you are saying there is nuclear fallout all over Iraq and we are not containing it? Uranium just laying around? One would think that would be a priority for the International Nuclear Agencies.

[SwordFish_13]

hi ,

One would think that would be a priority for the International Nuclear Agencies.

Exactly.................... let them in someone pleaseeeeeeee

So you are saying there is nuclear fallout all over Iraq and we are not containing it?

We make our presecption by seeing things through the eyes of the media.........well most of us can't be everywhere.................and yes that's my preseption from what i have seen so far...............and i never said all over Iraq.......Iraq is a big place............the areas adjoining those sites the Scattalite picture shows increased Radio-activety around these places............and the area affacted is increasing.

Uranium just laying around?

emm not exacty ............the contaners that stored that radioactive stuff now is being used by some to stores water and eatables and that's scary.............well to them thay are free drums

--Good Luck--

[RoadClosed]

And where is the mighty United Nations? That's more of a rhetoric than me wanting an answer, they are in High Towers in New York enjoying steaks and prostitutes.

[SwordFish_13]

Hi RoadClosed ,

United Nations never Authorised this war ..........so why should they intervine now?...............and would US let them into Iraq ?..

And now queastion will arise where was UN when Saddam Hussan Killed millions of people................I could raise the same question about US where were they when he was using Chemical wepons against Iran ...............US were on his side.

I am a firm beliver in Democracy United Nations works somewhat on democratic Principals ...............and the scary part is it inherits all the flaws in it..............everything in democracy moves on it's own pace..............well what can you say you ask 10 people 3 would say YES ......2 would say NO and rest would cay don't know not sure ...................now you have to woo those who are stillnot sure towards your camp and when you have majority you take a decision which is a majority decision...............it works that way can't do anything about it ...................UN has always been accused of being slow to make decisions but what can it do..................it's not a one person.............and more often than not democrasy serves it's purpose .........it's good for everyone i mean the majority.

A dictatroship decision on the other is I have the stick and i will beat him you don't agree with me you too will get the stick so lay off..........so it's virtually very easy to take decisions this way

UN has represantation of the whole world ( well almost ) so everybody looks at thiing with their own prespective and then vote for things ...............what's right for you might be wrong for someone else.............i still am a firm beliver in letting United Nations handle thngs.

oo and these are my personal views

--Good Luck--

[RoadClosed]

The US wants them in Iraq, they won't go... they don't feel safe yet they are the "PeaceKeepers" I was thinking since this is such a huge issue they could go around cleaning and stabilizing these nuclear things, while we keep the warlords in check as much as possible.

The united Nations has intervened. They "were" there to Help the Iraqi people and these terr... I mean "insurgents" or "freedom fighters" or "militia" or "militants" blew the United Nations headquarters to pieces. Many of them weren't even Americans. It baffles me. But they could help, just like they could help in other war torn places currently on the global face of our mother. But they won't. Too busy I guess. Or too pissed of to take on their responsibilities.

Would you rather the US took Iran's side? Fascism against EXTREME fascism or a blind eye like the Swiss? The United Nations was passing resolutions and not acting. As usual. The UN IS the definition of "Red Tape"

[MURACU]

Roadclosed
I think your phrase should be -- The US(Bush) wants them in now. Dont forget that the UN mission that was bombed was an administrative or civil mission and didnt even have secuirity troops. The UN was told clearly that no UN peacekeeping presence was acceptable to the US authorities after the liberation of Iraq. Of course that was before things went to hell and Iraq was still a good political move for Bush.
To be totaly honest any country that wanted to be part of the operation in Iraq already has troops in place. The only countries that could supply neutal peacekeepers to the UN are countries that wanted nothing to do with the war in the first place.
It is one of the age old truths the army pays in blood for the politicians mistakes.