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Why did Saddam have 500 tons of yellowcake in the first place if not for the purposes of developing a nuclear weapon? His Nuclear Power Plant was bombed by the Israelis and I don't think he ever tried to rebuild it. And why would Iraq with its enormous oil reserves and abundant hydroelectric power generation system have any need for nuclear power in the first place? Regardless of whether Saddam had the means to enrich his 500 tons of yellowcake or not, we obviously had no way of knowing what he capabilities were. We did the right thing and I wish Clinton had done at least bombed North Korea before they developed the bomb.

The IAEA had Saddam's nuclear facilities under control?

Not according to this report:

Associated Press Worldstream

October 01, 1999; Friday 14:47 Eastern Time

HEADLINE: Iraq, North Korea urged to comply with nuclear weapons inspectors

DATELINE: VIENNA, Austria

Iraq and North Korea came under fire Friday for failing to cooperate with nuclear weapons inspectors, while Israel was accused by its Middle Eastern neighbors of blocking efforts to create a nuclear weapon free zone in the region.

At the International Atomic Energy Agency's 43rd annual meeting, representatives from more than 100 countries urged Iraq and North Korea to comply with agreements allowing the United Nations' nuclear watchdog agency to inspect the nuclear programs of the two nations.

Iraq has been accused of blocking access to documents and possible nuclear sites, and the IAEA has been unable to conduct inspections since December.

Iraqi officials have repeatedly argued that they have fulfilled their obligations, and sanctions imposed by the U.N. Security Council at the end of the Gulf War should be lifted.

However, U.S. representative John B. Ritch III said, ''Iraq is challenging the will of the Security Council. Iraq is solely responsible for the present situation.''

[SNIP]

Criticism also was leveled at North Korea for failing to grant IAEA inspectors access to a suspected underground nuclear site.

International officials also fear North Korea may be destroying information about its nuclear program.

You wrote

"Why did Saddam have 500 tons of yellowcake in
the first place if not for the purposes of developing
a nuclear weapon? His Nuclear Power Plant was bombed
by the Israelis and I don't think he ever tried to
rebuild it.
...

We rebombed it in 1991 and also bombed the new
one the Russians were building for him. But
I digress.

Did you even consider reading the IAEA report at
the link I provided?

Here's an exerp:

"The yellowcake procured from Portugal was supplied in two
batches. Batch 1, received on 20 June 1980, consisted of
429 drums containing 138,098 kg of yellowcake and batch
two, received as three consignments over the period from
17 May 1982 through 20 June 1982, consisted of 487 drums
containing 148,348 kg yellow cake.
...
The yellowcake procured from Niger was also shipped in two
batches. Batch one, received on 8 February 1981, consisted
of 432 drums containing 137,435 kg of yellowcake and batch
two, received on 18 March 1982, consisted of 426 drums
containing 139,409 kg yellowcake. "

Note the dates.

Of course Saddam Hussein wanted to make nuclear weapons,
no one ever denied that. There is no question that he
had an active nuclear weapons program prior to 1991.

I don't doubt that he would have restarted it if he could
have and don't know any one who has such a doubt.

--

FF