IAEA Finds Unexplained Plutonium, Enriched Uranium Traces in Iran Waste Facility

FoxNews ^ | 11/14/06 | AP

[dinoparty]

IAEA: Unexplained Plutonium, Enriched Uranium Traces Found in Iran

VIENNA, Austria — Experts from the have found unexplained and traces in a nuclear waste facility in Iran and have asked Tehran for an explanation, an IAEA report said Tuesday.

The report, prepared for next week's meeting of the 35-nation IAEA, also faulted Tehran for not cooperating with the agency's attempts to investigate suspicious aspects of Iran's nuclear program that have lead to fears it might be interested in developing nuclear arms.

The four-page report made available to The Associated Press also confirmed that Iran has continued uranium enrichment experiments in defiance of the U.N. Security Council.

Excerpt

[MEG33]

I'm shocked...shocked I tell you!

[acsrp38]

shocked!! shocked!! whoda thunk it?

[Jeff Head]

Unexplained? I think the explanation is obvious and has been for a long time. Plain as the nose on your face.

This should be no surprise to anyone. It was perfectly predictable and clearly the aim of the Iranian regime from the get go...and it is not like they haven't announced their desire to obtain atomic WMDs or what they intend to do with the product through their blatant and regular rhetoric.

We, as in the US, should immediatley open a biltarleral dialog with Ahmadinejad with this simple statement.

"You have until November 30th of this year to completely stop all uranium enrichment and nuclear weapon research, and to stop all funding and support of terrorist organizations, internal or external to your nation, which are waging war against the United States of America. You must do this by this date, making it verifiable to our complete satisfaction. Otherwise, beginning at a time of our choosing after that date, but following swiftly, all of your nuclear research facilities, all of your command and control (including political leadership), and all of your major war making capabililities will be systematically destroyed by the armed forces of the United States of America.

Any quetions or comments?"

We should then send a message to N. Korea, and Syria to watch and learn because they are next, and another communique to the Red Chinese, the Russians, Venezuela, Cuba, and any others of a similar ilk, to stand well back and not interfere.

[Merlinator]

I'm still a huge Bush supporter. Iraq is not lost and it won't be. So many seem to want instant results not considering that we are butting up against thousands of years of culture, a people that have been traumatized by a horrible regime and the desire for vengeance against those who benefited from it. Considering that, Iraq has come a long way and shown the desire for democracy by their vote. I think Bush knows what he is doing. He is still the commander in chief. Pelosi&Co. are just wannabees and I predict their party will self destruct from infighting within the next 2 years if not sooner. In the meantime W will handle Iran and Syria. What he doesn't need are his "supporters" who will cut and run when things don't happen fast enough. None of this Islamofacist crap started during the Bush administration. It started years ago during the peanut farmer years and escalated during the Clinton administration where it went hugely ignored. Then it was all dumped in W's lap on 9/11. All things considered he has done a stellar job so far. Minds and hearts don't change with the speed of broadband. No matter how great the technology you are still dealing with humans in a war. The media is greatly under reporting the good that has and is being done there, and some at FR seem to have forgotten all this too. What the president needs is a little faith and support from us, and yes if one is not too squeamish at the mention, a lot of prayers too. I for one intend to give that much to him.

[FreedomNeocon]

We should also point out that this isn't the highly enriched uranium (30-40 times more intense than anything used for electricity) that the IAEA busted with them twice before.

This is plutonium, and there is only one use for it.

"Unexplained" nothing... they just continue to refuse the OBVIOUS explanation.

[malia]

A Well said!!! BUMP!!

[LiveFreeOrDie2001]

Shhhhhh, quiet.....

Don't worry....

The Democrats will take care of it.

[LiveFreeOrDie2001]

/ MAJOR sarcasm off.

[hipaatwo]

Well well well what a shock. I mean who could believe this. We need to talk to Iran they are just sooo sooo good! When they bomb Israel maybe then the idiots will believe what Iran has been saying all along wasn't a bluff.

[Chode]

do I really have to say it???

[Marine_Uncle]

Iran has no active nuclear reactor online as of yet that it could use to eventually extract plutonium from spent fuel rods. And that process if all was totally operationoal would be a few years down the pike, assuming they did not return the fuel rods to the Russians as they are supposed to do. They are still in the very early phase of engineering and actually assembling a sufficiently large enough series cascade gas centrifuge system capable of producing sufficient amounts of highly enriched uranium, where I am talking about a percentage in the high eightees or low nineties which would provide them with what we call weapon grade uranium.
Therefore, they either have gotten very small amounts of plutonium form say NK, China, Russia, or Pakistan for experimenting with, e.g. nuclear hot lab processes for instance, or they have accquire the stuff via. some other means.
But the article does not disclose as usual any usefull information. What percent of U235 of a given amount was dedected. What amount of plutonium was detected. Are we talking about microcuries amounts where some piece of equipment obtained elsewhere may have had a tiny bit of residual of either atttached to it.
I am not going to knee jerk. To much knee jerking was done by us last year.
That does not mean I am insensitive to their plans to eventually obtain the techniques to fabricate some low yield atom weapon. They could eventually obtain that level of sophistication.

[Scott from the Left Coast]

Any chance that we'll preempt the little Iranian scum

Nope...the U.S. is already completely, totally, neutered.

The Iranians get the bomb and we get to live with whatever the outcome is...we no longer get to act, only react to world events. And our reactions will be most underwhelming.

[PghBaldy]

Good point abour the IAE meddling in our elections. 2004 leak on 380 tons of explosives, 2006 leak on Iraq nuke program.

[PghBaldy]

I was aginst attacking Iraq, and hesitant at the beginning. If we had attacked Iran instead, I'm sure it would have been even more difficult.

[PghBaldy]

The fact that 87% (IIRC) of Jews voted for Dems this year will be helpful. When push comes to shove, the Dems won't want the next Dem President to have to deal with this issue. That doesn't mean they'll allow Bush to handle it, only that I believe we might have a chance to deal with this.

[PghBaldy]

If that is true, and it is very likely true, we will then have to deal with the Arab world's nuke race. It will be a disaster beyond compare. So far, 6 Arab nations have said they want "peaceful nuclear power" too. THAT is what Bush should remind the American people.

[unkus]

We are between a rock and a hard place and I, too, hope the President has a card up his sleeve.

[nopardons]

I heard this on Brit's show tonight. At least this IS getting some play here.

[Two Thirds Vote Aye]

OK. And the surprise is.........?

[Just Lori]

I think I could explain the plutonium -- let me see -- Iran is trying to make a nuclear weapon?

DING DING DING! We have a winner!