Iraq WMDs-- for those who asked.


For those of you who've asked about one of the WMDs mentioned in my last column, I suggest reading the below. I found this while going through my old email.

U.S. HAULED TONS OF URANIUM FROM IRAQ

July 8, 2004 -- The United States secretly shipped nearly two tons of low-enriched uranium which could be used for making dirty bombs out of Iraq last month, officials revealed.

In addition to the uranium, approximately 1,000 highly radioactive items were transferred last month from Iraq to an undisclosed U.S. Energy Department laboratory for analysis.

The airlift ended on June 23, five days before the United States transferred sovereignty to Iraq's new interim government.

U.S. Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham called the secret airlift "a major achievement" in an attempt to "keep potentially dangerous nuclear material out of the hands of terrorists."

But U.N. officials squawked at the removal, saying the International Atomic Energy Agency never OK'd the move.

"The American authorities just informed us of their intention to remove the materials, but they never sought authorization from us," an IAEA official said.

However, U.S. nuclear authorities said yesterday they had Iraqi approval and didn't need U.N. authorization. Post Wire Services