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Dear Roger According to the Washington Post (10 September 2002), such tubes are also used in making conventional artillery rockets, which Iraq is not prohibited from developing or possessing under UN resolutions. <begin quote> Over the past year, Western intelligence officials have reported several foiled attempts by Iraqi agents to purchase specialized steel and aluminum tubes used in gas centrifuges that enrich uranium for bombs. But the significance of the reports is a matter of debate. Experts familiar with the history of Iraq's weapons program note that similar tubes are also used in making conventional artillery rockets. "This is actually a weak indicator for suggesting centrifuges -- it just doesn't build a case," said David Albright, a former U.N. weapons inspector and director of the Institute for Science and International Security. "I don't yet see evidence that says Iraq is close." <end quote> http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A59200-2002Sep9.html On a further nuclear issue, an article was circulated recently by Felicity A and by Peter Brooke, by Paul McGeough of the Sydney Morning Herald (4/9/02). The report was written purportedly about Akashat. McGeough has confirmed to me that it was actually about al-Qaim. Akashat is the phosphate mine due west of Baghdad. The IAEA sealed the mine shaft. al-Qaim is the site of the fertiliser production plant (built by the Swiss) that extracted uranium. al-Qaim is 100km to the north east of Akashat, and there are direct road and rail links (both are in al-Anbar governorate). This was clear from the mention of the site reported from being "just a few kilometres short of where the Euphrates River crosses into Iraq from Syria" (as al-Qaim, not Akashat, is). Just for those of us tracking these things.. All the best Glen. On Thu, 12 Sep 2002 VnStroope@aol.com wrote: > > [ Presenting plain-text part of multi-format email ] > > I was wondering if anyone knows anything concerning the "aluminum" tubes that > will enable uranium to be enriched. Sounds fishy to me, but then I am a > sorta anthropologist not a nuclear physicist. > > > Roger Stroope > Peace is a Human Right > Austin College > > > _______________________________________________ > Sent via the discussion list of the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq. > To unsubscribe, visit http://lists.casi.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/casi-discuss > To contact the list manager, email casi-discuss-admin@lists.casi.org.uk > All postings are archived on CASI's website: http://www.casi.org.uk > _______________________________________________ Sent via the discussion list of the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq. To unsubscribe, visit http://lists.casi.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/casi-discuss To contact the list manager, email casi-discuss-admin@lists.casi.org.uk All postings are archived on CASI's website: http://www.casi.org.uk