? re: new claims about alleged sales of uranium from Niger to Iraq.

[mom cat]

June 28, 2004 -- 02:57 AM EDT // link // print)
By the time you read this post you'll likely already know that today's Financial Times makes stunning new claims about alleged sales of uranium from Niger to Iraq.

the article in the FT makes two points ...

First, that there is much more information than the forged 'Niger-uranium' documents backing up the claim that Iraq (and other countries) sought to clandestinely purchase 'yellowcake' uranium from Niger.

(I think point two is the real point of the FT story, not point one. But we'll get to that in another post.)

The second assertion requires a touch more explanation.

If you're up on the arcana of the 'Niger-uranium' story you'll remember that they first came to light when a source -- an unnamed Italian businessman and security consultant -- gave copies of them to an Italian journalist named Elisabetta Burba.

(For more on the tick-tock of what Burba did with them and how they eventually got into US hands, see this piece by Sy Hersh from last year in The New Yorker.)

There has been endless speculation about who this mystery man was and who actually did the forging. Was he the forger? And if so, what were his motives? If not, who put them into his hands? And what were their motives?


EDITED BY ADMIN: COPYRIGHT.

-- Josh Marshall
http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/week_2004_06_27.php#003106

[shraby]

1. Before Josh went on vacation he

said he was working on a story that will move tectonic plates under Washington. Keep yer fingers crossed.

[Moderator]

2. soulsick in jp

Per DU copyright rules
please post only four
paragraphs from the
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Thank you.

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