In yet another demonstration of journalistic malpractice, this announcement from the US Department of Energy is reported by the AP with no analysis or background information:
Washington (AP) – In a secret operation, the United States last month removed from Iraq nearly two tons of uranium and hundreds of highly radioactive items that could have been used in a so-called dirty bomb, the Energy Department disclosed Tuesday.
The nuclear material was secured from Iraq’s former nuclear research facility and airlifted out of the country to an undisclosed Energy Department laboratory for further analysis, the department said in a statement.
Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham described the previously undisclosed operation, which was concluded June 23, as “a major achievement” in an attempt to “keep potentially dangerous nuclear material out of the hands of terrorists.”
I’m sure Spencer would prefer we not dredge up this story from the May 22 NY Times, but that’s just too damn bad:
U.S. considering moving 500 tons of uranium from Iraq
VIENNA – The United States has informed an international agency that oversees nuclear materials that it intends to move hundreds of tons of uranium from a sealed repository south of Baghdad to a more secure location outside Iraq, Western diplomats close to the agency say.
However, the International Atomic Energy Agency has taken the position that the uranium is Iraqi property and the agency “cannot give them permission to remove it,” a diplomat said.
The diplomat said the United States was highly unlikely to be deterred by that position and that U.S. officials had contacted the agency on the matter this year, before the Iraq insurgency flared last month.
Wow, Spencie, what a “major achievement!” You moved less than two tons of uranium out of Iraq – just enough to get a headline about “uranium” associated with Iraq, further confusing The Clueless Bush Base, which thinks anything radioactive is WMD – so there are only 498 tons left. Let us know when you get the rest out, OK? Then the Iraqis can charge us for stealing their uranium. And, about that remaining uranium which was looted because you guys failed to guard it, has it been secured or is it still being trucked out of Iraq?
Iraq’s nuclear facilities remain unguarded, and radioactive materials are being taken out of the country, the U.N.’s nuclear watchdog agency reported after reviewing satellite images and equipment that has turned up in European scrapyards.
[…]
According to ElBaradei’s letter, satellite imagery shows “extensive removal of equipment and in some instances, removal of entire buildings,” in Iraq.
Oh, well, the Occupation has only had a year or so to secure those sites, so it’s good to see that they’re finally getting around to it and just in time to keep “terrorists” from making a dirty bomb out of all that radioactive stuff laying around in Iraq! The whole world just got a little safer after Spencer’s major achievement.
UPDATE: U.N. Didn’t OK Uranium Transfer to U.S.
In non-diplospeak, the Americans stole Iraqi uranium.
UPDATE: Tim Dunlop’s Adventures with The Bush Base Trolls who are dying to gloat over this uranium because they think it is “WMD.” Tim may have even taught them a thing or two, to the extent that is possible.
