Nuke component unearthed in Baghdad back yard

CNN ^ | 25 June 2003 | From David Ensor

[July 4th]

WASHINGTON (CNN) --The CIA has in its hands the critical parts of a key piece of Iraqi nuclear technology -- parts needed to develop a bomb program -- that were dug up in a back yard in Baghdad, CNN has learned.

[jwalsh07]

Hans was just mouthing off agian yesterday. A coinkydink that his limb has been chainsawed today? I doubt it.

[gov_bean_ counter]

Thanks.

[Frank_Discussion]

Aye.

[NonValueAdded]

does that include draining ponds in the backyards of scientists?

[RightWhale]

Your statement doesn't square with some claims on this board that this piece of equipment has been hidden for 13 years

Calutrons produce lab quantities of pure isotope, which are exceedingly valuable in themselves even if non-radioactive.

[HassanBenSobar]

I was referring to gas diffusion separation techniques, not to centrifuging. The Iraqis could do centrifuging, but they hadn't figured out how to set up the membranes for gas diffusion. According to Hamza, they got to the point where they could separate neon and argon, but couldn't do any better than that. As of the mid nineties, they were still doing what they could with centrifuging to enrich uranium.

[Frank_Discussion]

Yep.

[Darksheare]

Isotopes?
Like tritium and deuterium?

[gov_bean_ counter]

So, in short, this is relatively new equipment, right?

[TomB]

Gee, it looks like CO and his special "lab" gas centrifuge disappeared.

[Cael]

Active??? Who ever said that?

Bush said this:

“The International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed in the 1990s that Saddam Hussein had an advanced nuclear weapons development program, had a design for a nuclear weapon and was working on five different methods of enriching uranium for a bomb.”

That was from the State of the Union. Now, it is true that he is just quoting from the IAEA. Which means either that the IAEA was wrong OR, as some people claim, they were talking about a prewar program. So Bush wasn't lying, but it's not comforting if he's using old or incorrect information to stregthen the argument for war. In any case, this find looks promising, but it is also likely that it will turn out to not be too much...for example, if the equipment was forgotten and beyond any use.

[gov_bean_ counter]

Or maybe not.

[VRWC_minion]

I imagine being in the US is one reason. I also assume the other reasons are that his family was brought out of the country as well.

Common sense would dictate that if you were in Iraq and had information relevant to the search you would not want to stay there and you would want your family out and you would want assurances of non-prosecution and some hard cash. In that order.

If this guy sings and its made public and he suffers no retribution and kept safe, others will surely follow.

[Tunehead54]

Yes, but is it a *smoking* centrifuge? And if so, will it be allowed in restaurants and bars?

---

Not in CA, NY, or FL!

[Normal4me]

Oh, I agree. Heck, give ALL of the scientist amnesty and a US visa even to get them to talk. It has to be cheaper than wandering around Iraq looking in peoples back yards.

[jwalsh07]

Diffusion is inefficient, hence centrifuging is the comeback kid.

[VRWC_minion]

Gee, it looks like CO and his special "lab" gas centrifuge disappeared.

I think he might have been one of the "quagmire" posters back awhile. He must be thinking its safe to come out and play again. Foolish.

[HassanBenSobar]

Huh?

[jwalsh07]

In any case, this find looks promising, but it is also likely that it will turn out to not be too much...for example, if the equipment was forgotten and beyond any use

Cael, does cognitive dissonance ring any bells in your belfry?

[Frank_Discussion]

Hi, Cael. Listen Carefully: Saddam was not supposed to have this equipment, and he lied about having it, to the point of risking the loss of his country. We knew he was lying, and removed his country from him.

It does not matter how old the info is. It matters that the sick bastard had the equipment, and was ruined for this fact.