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| Africa: North |
| Libya sends US last nuclear equipment |
| 2004-03-08 |
| Libya’s international rehabilitation took another step forward at the weekend when a ship carrying the last known remains of its nuclear weapons programme set off for the United States. US officials said the 500-tonne cargo included centrifuge parts used to enrich uranium, and equipment from the former uranium conversion facility. "It contained all the known remaining equipment associated with Libya’s nuclear weapons programme ... It’s coming to the US. We’re not saying where for security reasons," said Sean McCormack, a White House spokesman. "I can say no more." Earlier shipments of Libyan nuclear-related equipment were taken to the department of energy’s Oak Ridge laboratory in Tennessee, and are said to have been destroyed. Most likely that’s where this shipment is headed. The ship that left for the US on Saturday is also carrying all of Libya’s longer-range missiles, including five Scuds, their launchers and all related equipment. Bet they use these to test ABM systems on. This week Libya is expected to sign an agreement accepting rigorous weapons inspection procedures, including snap checks by the International Atomic Energy Agency. American and Libyan officials are also discussing ways of retraining the country’s weapons scientists for peaceful purposes. In a full report to the UN on Libya’s chemical weapons programmes, Tripoli last Friday declared a 20-tonne stockpile of mustard gas and precursors for nerve gas. Colonel Muammar Gadafy’s decision to give up weapons of mass destruction, announced last December, has brought a step-by-step response from the US towards lifting sanctions. |
| Posted by:Steve |
| #11 Carl, I must have read the sign wrong. My older brother was driving. Maybe fule is cheaper by Seabrook. |
| Posted by: Super Hose 2004-3-8 10:12:27 PM |
| #10 The best place for this stuff is about 20,000ft deep in the Atlantic provided it's clean. |
| Posted by: Cheddarhead 2004-3-8 6:52:33 PM |
| #9 We think in tune Michael. |
| Posted by: Shipman 2004-3-8 4:51:32 PM |
| #8 S.H.: $1.00 ?! In the Nashua area I am paying 1.77 for lowest grade regular, and heating oil was at 1.59 a couple weeks back. Hmm, Hampton might be worth the trip to fill up... |
| Posted by: Carl in N.H 2004-3-8 4:16:01 PM |
| #7 Yes, Shipman, he should get all of this on tape and advertise. How about saying the IAEA would never have been able to do this. But Al Baradei will probably take credit; he already has to a certain extent, I think. How many lives were lost in getting this equipment out of Libya? This was so slick, required lots of international cooperation. Talk about it Bush. |
| Posted by: Michael 2004-3-8 1:59:21 PM |
| #6 Carl, LOL. I visited my grandfather in Hampton two weeks ago. I noticed that your price for gas was $1.00 a gallon. State taxes can do amazing things to the price of a commodity. |
| Posted by: Super Hose 2004-3-8 1:48:42 PM |
| #5 Notice how Libya's inventory of WMD program components seem to match exactly the inventory of WMD Saddam declared to the UN he had at one time -- the very same WMD on which he refused to provide evidence backing his claim he had destroyed said WMD? Looks like Libya got Saddam's WMD stuff. |
| Posted by: Garrison 2004-3-8 12:58:21 PM |
| #4 SuperH: Heh. "You must be this tall, and lead-protected, to ride this ride !" |
| Posted by: Carl in N.H 2004-3-8 12:16:27 PM |
| #3 Would it be okay to use video of these ships in a Bush campaign commercial? Or would the families of SCUD victims object? |
| Posted by: Shipman 2004-3-8 12:05:13 PM |
| #2 Glad we have control of those centrifuges; you can probably decontaminate them and turn them into some hellacious canival rides. I've been thinking about the scam Khan pulled with having parts made to close-tolerance prints without no or an incorrect end-use specified. It would be possible to do the same thing in the US and export them. I don't think you could get yellowcake in CONUS. |
| Posted by: Super Hose 2004-3-8 11:34:25 AM |
| #1 so do think this would of happened in a kerry admin? you know going to the UN and pandering to the french (oops sorry frogs!) instead of taking decisive action. it was decisive action that carried the day - not allowing frogs to dictate. old kadafi saw the light - Bush will not be hampered by institutions founded in a different era...kinda of wished FDR would of listened to Truman and kept the frogs out of the security council. |
| Posted by: Dan 2004-3-8 10:57:47 AM |