Weapons inspectors welcome back in Iraq

[cal04]

An Iraqi minister has said United Nations nuclear inspectors are welcome to return in response to concerns of an "apparent systematic dismantlement" of Saddam Hussein's once-vigorous nuclear program.

Science and Technology Minister Rashad Omar was responding to an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) report 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," Mr Omar told Reuters. He said nothing had gone missing since a looting spree after last year's US-led invasion, which the United States and Britain said was to rid Iraq of weapons of mass destruction.


We are happy for the IAEA or any other organisation to come and inspect," he said, adding he had not seen the agency's report to the Security Council. The IAEA report, released three weeks ahead of the US 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.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200410/s1218782.htm

[cal04]

1. Interesting: Iraqi 'dirty bomb' risk dismissed

Wednesday, 7 July, 2004

Vilmos Cserveny, a spokesman for the International Atomic Energy Agency, said: "We don't have concerns about any missing uranium" in Iraq. Earlier, the US revealed that it had secretly removed more than 1.7 metric tons of radioactive material from Iraq. Some nuclear material remains in Iraq under IAEA control, Mr Cserveny said. "The remaining sources are not suitable for malevolent purposes," he told BBC News Online.

US Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham said on Tuesday that the US had removed 1.77 tons of enriched uranium and about 1,000 "highly radioactive sources" from Iraq's former nuclear research facility at al-Tuwaitha on 23 June. The IAEA and Iraqi officials were informed ahead of the operation, which happened before the 28 June handover of sovereignty.In June last year, the IAEA said it had accounted for most of the uranium feared stolen from the al-Tuwaitha site, south-east of Baghdad.

A statement from the US energy department (DOE) on Tuesday said 20 of its laboratory experts had repackaged "less sensitive" nuclear materials that would remain in Iraq. Such materials could be used for medical, agricultural or industrial purposes, it said.


The 1,000 "sources" evacuated in the Iraqi operation included a "huge range" of radioactive items used for medical and industrial purposes, a spokesman for the US National Nuclear Security Administration told AP news agency. Bryan Wilkes said much of the material was "in powdered form, which is easily dispersed". It was flown out of the country aboard a military plane in a joint operation with the Department of Defense, and is being stored temporarily at a DOE facility.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/3874315.stm

[struggle4progress]

2. And the Bush administration, once again, will investigate itself!

Looting of factory machinery in Iraq raises alarms
By John Diamond, USA TODAY

WASHINGTON — The Bush administration said Tuesday that it will investigate reports that equipment with possible nuclear weapons applications was looted after the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq. <snip>

Among the missing equipment: "flow forming" machines for shaping metal tubes such as missile bodies or uranium centrifuge drums; milling and metal-turning machines; electron-beam welders useful for making centrifuges; and precision measuring devices. <snip>

The IAEA report is potentially embarrassing to the administration because it highlights consequences of the failure by U.S. troops to immediately secure sensitive sites in Iraq after the invasion.

"The IAEA continues to be concerned about the widespread and apparently systematic dismantlement that has taken place at sites previously relevant to Iraq's nuclear program," Mohamed ElBaradei, head of the Vienna-based nuclear watchdog agency, wrote in a three-page report to the U.N. Security Council. "The disappearance of such equipment and materials may be of proliferation significance." <snip>

http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2004-10-12-iraq-looting_x.htm

Should I hold my breath anxiously as I await the "results" of this new "investigation"? :eyes: