IAEA defends missing explosives report (acknowledges amount of TNT 'may' have been overstated)

Reuters ^ | 10/28

[Josh in PA]

El Baredi fighting for his job

[keysguy]

El Baredi is the problem.

[FairOpinion]

"The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) had said that 342 tonnes of high explosives had disappeared from a site near Baghdad.

But ABC News (America) reports that confidential IAEA documents show that on January 14, 2003, UN inspectors found just over three tons of one type of explosive, RDX.

3 tonnes is a far cry from 342tonnes, then there is the point that it was gone before we ever got there.

[Spok]

I guess it would be to much to expect for AP or Reuters to question the timing of this release. Nah!

[Jaidyn]

So the big pile went to a little pile. In other words, yesterday Kerry considered the stockpile WMDs...a big no-no since he already said there were no WMDs. Since it is a little pile, they aren't WMDs. Or are they explosives? Kerry just keeps waffling on and on. Pretty soon, we will find out the non-story is just that; a non story.

[danneskjold]

Tick, Tick, Tick...

[Henchman]

Now you know what they mean by "MAY" have been overstated.

[Pete]

"The bulk of the RDX was stored at another site that was under Al Qaqaa's jurisdiction," IAEA spokeswoman Melissa Fleming said.

Oh, IIIII Seeeeeee! It was another site. Anything else you want to tell us?

Why, yes, I guess there is.

The IAEA has yet to verify the Iraqi statements because it has been barred from most of Iraq since the war.

Hmmm. You mean the IAEA doesn't actually know what they are talking about? Well, thank you for that little piece of information.

Um, Ms. Fleming. You and your IAEA stooges can shut up now.

[hawkaw]

WTF ... there is 2 sites?

[tobyhill]

It seems many of the MSM have forgotten about the Helicopters and gunships that secured the areas before the boots arrived. I don't recall hearing of wide spread looting as they were securing the area. I don't recall hearing of major Iraqi convoys leaving the area and getting wiped out. Before and once the boots got there it was the airships job to blast anything that got near. These terrorist certainly didn't sneak in under the troops noses. An Iraqi convoy certainly didn't sneak through the roads to the site with 100,000 American troops rotating in and out and gunships constantly monitoring the ground. They certainly didn't see 1500 camels and riders carrying 500 lbs of items each. The gunships certainly didn't leave the area even if troops weren't there, knowing there was still unsecured loaded missiles, damaged or not. The only issue is a non-issue, the explosives were gone before we got there and most likely before the war started.

[liberallarry]

Maybe the article is clear to you but it isn't to me.

Did the IAEA find 3 tons at Al QaQaa and the balance at Al Mahaweel?
If so maybe it's still there. If not then?

[LaGrone]

El Baredi is full of QAQAA!!!

[elli1]

Appears that the UAEA is playing a shell game.

[elli1]

Make that ''IAEA'', doofus.

[dead]

[fritzz]

Time to play the Democrat's game. Just keep stuff like "you can't even get the amount straight, why should be accept any of this as fact". The Dems would be saying it over and over and ov....well you get the point.

Pretty bad when you can predict what your adversary will say before they say it.

[mewzilla]

While we're on the subject, maybe the IAEA would care to explain why they refused to destroy the RDX back in 1995 when Charles Duelfer asked them to.

[Navy Patriot]

El Baredi is the problem.

Yes, along with the entire United Nations. That the UN would be truthful in any situation that would be favorable to the US, US policy, or W is just plain ludicrous. The UN is entirely corrupt and has the goal of putting the US under UN authority. They will slide a knife in the back of any American that slows them from that goal. Kerry is their man, and the DemoRats their troops.

[mcg1969]

You're reading it wrong. Of the two types of explosive, it was only the RDX that was overestimated (140 vs. 3). The HMX figures were consistent. So it's not 342 vs. 3, it's more like 340 vs. 180.