Posted on 01/01/2004 2:02:22 PM PST by FairOpinion
Officials have confirmed that a German-flagged ship was carrying parts to build a nuclear bomb from a Persian Gulf country to Libya in October. Investigators seized the shipment before it reached its destination.
Just a few months before Libya declared it would cease its efforts to create weapons of mass destruction, American and British agents seized a German freighter ship loaded with centrifuges and other parts that are used to create enriched uranium, the material needed to build nuclear bombs. The seizure is believed to have influenced Tripoli’s decision to suspend its weapons program last month.
On Wednesday, U.S. State Department spokesman Adam Areli confirmed the discovery following a report in the Wall Street Journal, a financial daily, that the German ship had been en route to Libya but was diverted to an Italian port so that U.S. investigators could seize the content. The newspaper cited officials saying the German company which owns the ship, Hamburg-based BBC Chartering and Logistic, had been extremely cooperative with investigators after they were alerted to intelligence that the ship might be carrying the parts.
"A ship was diverted, based on intelligence, that it was carrying centrifuge parts in early October," Areli said, adding that the seizure demonstrated the value of the U.S.’ Proliferation Security Initiative, which aims to prevent the production of weapons of mass destruction. Sixteen countries, including Germany, are participating in the global initiative.
Thousands of components seized
U.S. and British intelligence agents had learned the ship would be leaving a Persian Gulf state with the parts and an ultimate destination of Libya. German authorities were informed and contact was made with the German shipping company. A U.S. Navy ship then escorted the "BBC China" to port. Investigators found several thousand components on the ship that are used to enrich uranium.
Washington officials said Wednesday they believed the discovery might have helped sway Libya towards agreeing to stop its weapons program and open its doors for international inspections. Following months of secret negotiations with Tripoli, the U.S. and Britain announced on Dec. 19 that Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi had agreed to a deal on inspections.
After the seizures, an unnamed U.S. government official told the paper, Tripoli "saw how much we knew about what they were doing."
With the investigation continuing, U.S. officials have refused to state who sold the centrifuges or where they originated from.
Most of the Germans I've met have been reflexively Marxist and authoritarian. The majority of Germans I've known believe it is the role of the State to dominate, regulate and control nearly every aspect of citizen's life. There are, of course, exceptions. But it was difficult to ignore the widespread sympathy of Germans for the Soviet Union and their continued devotion to thinly veiled Marxism. For example, the Kyoto Protocol, was based on nakedly fraudulent science and was nothing short of an attempt to sabotage America's economy. Given the widespread German hatred of Israel, sympathy for the Palestianians terrorists, and willingness to supply and finance those who wish to murder and terrorize Americans, I'd say "ally" is a bit of a stretch.
Freedom and democracy are not compatible.
democracy: "a government of the masses. Authority derived through mass meetings or any other form of direct expression. Results in mobocracy. Attitude towards property is communistic-negative property rights. Attitude toward law is that the will of the majority shall regulate, whether it is based upon deliberation or governed by passion, prejudice and impulse, without restraint or regard to consequences. It results in demagogism, license, agitation, discontent, anarchy."
U.S. Army Training Manual
Iraq? LOL, please. A big threat to the region yes. The biggest threat to the world? Not even close. Try Pakistan or Iran or North Korea or China. Pakistan is soon going to be an al Qaeda nuclear nation. North Korea already has nukes and is run by someone who is certifiably insane. Iran is working on a nuke program and they will have their reactor online soon without intervention. China is a threat to Tawain and the entire SE Asia region and has nukes capable of hitting our west coast.
I would put any one of those nations higher on the list than Iraq was before March. Iraq was more strategically important in my opinion. Prime real estate from which to control the entire region. Not very much of a military threat though.
Oddly enough, I have the opposite experience.
Given the widespread German hatred of Israel
LOL. It must've been a pretty f--ked up part of Germany you lived in to have gotten these impressions. Perhaps you were in the former East? It would be understandable if you got these sorts of impressions there but be advised, the former East is not representative of most of Germany at all.
You want to know a nation that is reflexively anti-Israel? Try the UK.
I think there must be something in the water over there, bud. And I'm afraid I leave this debate with an even sadder impression of the Zeitgeist in your homeland. If your arguments are the best that can be aroused over there in support of the US, OMG....
end of discussion.
In 2001, German government expenditures equaled 45.9 percent of GDP. Sounds Marxist to me.
there is no majority supporting terrorism, there is no majority hating Israel,
Well, the majority supports the United Nations, an organization whose primary goal is promotion of Global Socialism and the destruction of the United States and Israel by any available means possible whether it be incompetence, collaboration with tyrants like Saddam, economic sabotage, etc.
there is no majority hating the US
How "Bowling for Columbine" selling over there these days?
But there is a government that never actively works against America,
Gerhard Schroder pretty much made anti-Americanism the centerpiece of his campaign.
You're letting national boundaries confuse the issue. They are all connected ideaoligally; united in their disdain for everything our Constitution esteems.
I think the President said it best: "We will make no distinction between the terrorists and those who harbor them."
The last time I looked, a majority of Americans supported the UN as well. What's the point to be made there?
How "Bowling for Columbine" selling over there these days?
I'm really, really, really glad you brought that up.
http://www.nytimes.com/pages/books/bestseller/
Americans really really like Michael Moore. He's only in the last couple of weeks come down from the number one spot. He's been on the bestseller list for ages in the States. If his booksales in Germany demonstrate something, what does it also demonstrate about our own country?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.