Bush Administration Questions Timing of IAEA Weapons Letter

The New York Sun ^ | October 26, 2004 | BENNY AVNI

[Anti-Bubba182]

UNITED NATIONS - Bush administration officials suspect political motivation behind a letter focused on the disappearance of 377 tons of explosives sent yesterday from the International Atomic Energy Agency to the United Nations Security Council.

The letter, signed by the head of the IAEA Mohamed ElBaradei, addressed the disappearance of the highly explosive material from a deserted military base in Iraq. The non-nuclear explosives had been monitored by the Vienna-based watchdog agency because they could be used to detonate nuclear bombs.

"The timing of this seems puzzling," the spokesman for the American U.N. mission, Richard Grenell, told The New York Sun yesterday.

The letter was brought to the attention of the council on the last full week before the American presidential elections, quickly becaming a campaign issue. It was also a week after Mr. ElBaradei announced that he would seek another term as the director general of IAEA, despite American opposition.

Bush administration officials say their opposition is not personal but in line with their demand to limit the term of the man at the helm of the agency.

"We told ElBaradei that we are not going to support an extension beyond two terms," a State Department official who asked to remain anonymous told the Sun.

Aware of Washington's opposition, Mr. ElBaradei announced last week that he would seek a third term anyway.

The Egyptian-born nuclear inspection veteran clashed with Washington in the run up to the Iraq war, and more recently when his report on Iran's nuclear program seemed too timid to officials, such as the undersecretary of state John Bolton, the Bush administration point man on non-proliferation issues...."

[Anti-Bubba182]

I can't believe they will be any happier with ElBaradei.

[1Old Pro]

The letter, signed by the head of the IAEA Mohamed ElBaradei,

Now I get it.

[Anti-Bubba182]

There may be even more to this.

NY Times Iraqi arms story based on a false letter! (HERE WE GO AGAIN!)

[Mo1]

Isn't ElBaradei the guy that turned a blind eye to what was really going on in N. Korea and Iran

Hmmmmmmmm

[Anti-Bubba182]

ElBaradei is too soft. That is why the US wants him out, especially with the situation in Iran. If that NRO story I linked is true, he should be run out on a rail.

Below

NY Times Iraqi arms story based on a false letter! (HERE WE GO AGAIN!)

[jmstein7]

As they should question it. Plenty of time to defuse this one.

[Mo1]

He's too soft .. because he wants to be

Thanks for that link

[DJ MacWoW]

ping

[Mo1]

Another Ping

[roses of sharon]

Our UN Amb, John Danforth is a good guy, would he know anything?

His #202-736-7555

[Anti-Bubba182]

About the truth or falsehood of the letter, I don't know.

If the letter is totally bogus, something other than the leak should come out eventually.

[Anti-Bubba182]

Below is part of a statement by IAEA that shows that HMX, previously under seal, was moved by the Iraqis. This was in Feb. 2003 before the war. This is just what they declared. Who knows how much was actually moved and when?

February 17, 2003 IAEA statement on Iraq

"..Use of HMX

The IAEA has continued to investigate the relocation and consumption of the high explosive HMX. As I reported earlier, Iraq has declared that 32 tonnes of the HMX previously under IAEA seal had been transferred for use in the production of industrial explosives, primarily to cement plants as a booster for explosives used in quarrying.

Iraq has provided us with additional information, including documentation on the movement and use of this material, and inspections have been conducted at locations where the material is said to have been used. However, given the nature of the use of high explosives, it may well be that the IAEA will be unable to reach a final conclusion on the end use of this material..."

[schaketo]

Just called and sent this via email to the following addresses at the NYT:

executive-editor@nytimes.com

managing-editor@nytimes.com

public@nytimes.com

---

The NYT needs to apologize to America, and you need to run a retraction regarding the Iraqi explosives story you ran yesterday.

Once again Dan Rather and CBS News and the New York Times are attempting to manipulate a false story to effect our nation’s elections.

The Iraqi explosives story CBS and the New York Times ran yesterday is a fraud. These weapons were not there when US troops went to this site in 2003. The IAEA and its head, the anti-American Mohammed El Baradei, leaked a false letter on this issue to the media to embarrass the Bush administration.

I’m going to ask the FCC to investigate CBS and the NYT continued egregious actions.