[cookcounty]

"The other thing here is that the Dems are zeroing in on NIGER. There are several Uranium producing countries in Africa. Niger is not Africa."

But look at the facts:

Background: In the eighties, Iraq did purchase uranium from Niger,

Then, in the late 90's the Iraqis sent a high-level trade mission to impoverished Niger, whose primary export is URANIUM (mostly to France. The trade mission was top-heavy with military and scientific types. Any REASONABLE person would suspect that Saddam was likely trying to by uranium. Joe (if we can believe him) asked the President of the country if that's what the trade mission was doing there, and the Nigeri President told him "no."

[Wristpin]

I truly believe they were trying to procure it. In the late 90's Bill Richardson was sent to another African nation (Gabon I beieve) to check out another purchase. It is mentioned in the Senate Intelligence Report.

[lepton]

Joe (if we can believe him) asked the President of the country if that's what the trade mission was doing there, and the Nigeri President told him "no."

I'm pretty sure that's not the question asked, or the answer given. As I recall, the question was whether Niger had sold Uranium, and the answer was "not officially"( along with some concern that there were mines not under the governments full control).