Message #147947

[Bianca]

Enter, the Spoilers: On March 7th, 2003 Colin Powell, once again, came before the Security Council to prove to the world that an immediate war against Iraq was the only way to deal with Saddam Hussein!

 His speech was to follow reports by Chief Weapons Inspector Hans Blix and Mohammed El Baradei of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEI).

Dr. Blix spoke first.  He informed the Council that substantial disarmament was taking place in Iraq, and asked for more time for inspections. Then it was Dr. Baradei’s turn.  The cameras in the chamber captured  Colin Powell’s growing concern as Dr, Baradei stated the following:

Based on thorough analysis, the IAEA has concluded with the concurrence of outside experts that these documents which formed the basis for the report of recent uranium transaction between Iraq and Niger are in fact not authentic.

 We have therefore concluded that these specific allegations are unfounded.

There is no indication that Iraq has attempted to import aluminum tubes for use in centrifuge enrichment. Moreover, even had Iraq pursued such a plan, it would have encountered practical difficulties in manufacturing centrifuge out of the aluminum tubes in question.

Iraq's use of 81 mm aluminum tubes was for reverse engineering of imported rockets, not for use in centrifuges to enrich uranium.

Dr, Baradei, in a hushed chamber, concluded with these words:

After three months of intrusive inspections, we have to date found no evidence or plausible indication
of the revival of a nuclear weapon program in Iraq.