1999, 2000 Iraqi memos: Procurement of 50000 Aluminum Tubes That Can Be Used For URANIUM ENRICHMENT.

Pentagon/FMSO website for Iraq Pre-war documents ^ | April 24 2006 | jveritas

[jveritas]

This document CMPC-2004-004404 contains memos dated from 1999 and 2000 about Saddam regime procurements of 81 mm in Diameter, 900 mm in Lenght HIGH STRENGTH AND HIGH QUALITY ALUMINUM TUBES. As many of you know the issue of 81 mm High Strength, High Quality Aluminum Tubes were subject for an intensive debate since 2002 because this type of tubes can be used in GAS CENTRIFUGES FOR URANIUM ENRICHMENT. Although the Iraq Survey Group (ISG) said in its final report in 2004 the following about the procurement of these tubes “ Baghdad’s interest in high-strength, high-specification aluminum tubes—dual-use items controlled under Annex 3 of the Ongoing Monitoring and Verification Plan as possible centrifuge rotors—is best explained by its efforts to produce 81-mm rockets”. However the ISG could not prove definitively that these very special tubes were not used as part of Saddam Regime attempt to build its Nuclear Programs and Projects (see link to ISG report http://www.cia.gov/cia/reports/iraq_wmd_2004/chap4.html#sect6). In fact the ISG in its report says also the following “ The limited information found by ISG that ties Iraqi nuclear entities to the tubes also appears related to the 81-mm rocket program and the ISG report also says ” Purported high-level interest in aluminum tubes by Saddam and Iraq’s Deputy Prime Minister—a potential indicator of a program of national importance, such as a centrifuge program.. A 6 March 2003 letter from the Iraqi National Monitoring Directorate (NMD) to the IAEA’s Iraq Nuclear Verification Office (INVO) notes that the Iraqi Atomic Energy Commission (IAEC) conducted material composition testing on a sample aluminum tube in early 2001 and In another translated memo “http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1620262/posts ” that talks about a secret project by the Iraqi Atomic Energy Commission to re-instate the “Nuclear Reactor Simulators” using equipments from the “Old TAMUZ (OZIRAQ) Nuclear Reactor”. All this is a clear indication of Saddam intent to restart the Nuclear Programs.

I will translate the first two pages of this 11 pages document. The first two pages are the Quotation Bid regarding these Special Aluminum Tubes by a company called AL Bashair addressed to Al Rasheed General Company which is a division of the Iraqi Military Manufacturing Commission. Page 3 of the document has the Technical Specification written in English of these Aluminum tubes, Diameter, Length, Specification, Chemical Composition, Price, Manufacturing origin etc,,

Beginning of the Partial Translation of document CMPC-2004-004404

In the Name of God the Most Merciful The Most Compassionate

Al-Bashair Trading Co. LTD

Date: 2/11/1999

To: Al Rasheed General Company

Subject: Proposal

Following up to our two letters numbered T 2484 and T 2504 on 30/10 and 1/11/1999 consecutively and attached with it proposals numner/3 related to your invitation numbered (75/3/13) included is our forth proposal related to it:

Please study with the other proposals sent to by our letter above and inform us..

With Regards

Signature…

Mounir Mamdooh Awed

Acting Director

4/11/1999

Best Salute

Indicating to your overture addressed to us regarding the bid numbered (725/99) we are pleased to offer our proposal included and are shown its details of the Technical Specifications, Prices, and the required quantity by you.

Knowing that the cost of a single tube delivered to your respected company warehouses is estimated (105 dollar) one hundred and five American Dollars,

Please take in consideration the following issues:

1. The Manufacturing Origin of the tubes German/European.

2. The equipping will be achieved within a period of 8 months from the date to deposit the amount in our interest and in the order of partial shipments divided during the equipping period above, where the first shipment begins within four months from the period of equipping indicated above.

3. The quantity of tubes required for equipping is 50,000 Tubes.

We hope that our proposal will receive your approval… with the continuous corporation with you to serve the general interest… with regards

Attachments. Schedule of Technical Specifications with prices.

TUBE ALUMUNIUM ALLOY

1. SPECIFICATION: AL-ZN-MG-CU 215/ NO. 7075

2. DIMENSION OF TUBE:

Outside Diameter = 81.0 mm

Inside Diameter = 74.4 mm

Thickness = 3.3 mm

Length = 900 mm.

3. CHEMICAL COMPOSITION

NB ALL TUBES ARE SUBJECTED TO CHEMICAL COATNG IONADIZATION PROCESS TO PREVENT AND SUSTAIN SCRATCHES AND CORROSIONS.

4. PRICE: FOR EACH TUBE = USD 105

5. MANUFACTURING OF ORIGIN: GERMANY OR E.E.C

[jveritas]

Excellent, thank you very much for the update.

[Wristpin]

Here's an analysis from a lefty site done last year... I still gotta ask:

CAN YOU CRAM A 81MM ROCKET INTO A 74 MM TUBE???

http://www.theleftcoaster.com/archives/006070.php

[Marine_Uncle]

Thanks for the lastest translation. I don't see why people are having a hard time with the tube dimensions. Simply think of a rocket 3" diameter some 40" long, with some fins on the back that pop out once the rocket leaves it's launching tube. It is no more. The issue since day one, is. Where these tubes to be used as rockets or where they to be used in a centrifuge cascade system.
It really is that simple. If destined for rocket manufacturing, there is no issue, other then the usual arguments revolving around oil for food verse oil for continued personal gain and arms build up.
It the tubes where destined for a uranium gas phase extraction process. Then obviously they where in violation of hiding a long term uranium enrichment process program, not permitted under the UN sanctions.

[Diver Dave]

A Yahoo search brings up a CNN report of the backyard shenanigans in 2003...

Nuke program parts unearthed in Baghdad back yard

[txroadkill]

50,000 rockets my *ss

[rwfromkansas]

It certainly looks suspicious and something that could be WMD-related, but I am going to leave this one out of a column I am writing about the translated documents due to the lack of hard evidence.

[txroadkill]

Among the nuclear weapons-related material that Libya permitted the United States to remove were these centrifuges acquired from Pakistan. (National Nuclear Security Administration)

[Dog]

Dude you ROCK!!!!

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Very Good!!!

[Mo1]

Ping to news the MSM won't cover

[avacado]

This is an interesting read:

"ALUMINUM TUBING IS AN INDICATOR OF AN IRAQI
GAS CENTRIFUGE PROGRAM:
BUT IS THE TUBING SPECIFICALLY FOR CENTRIFUGES?"

ISIS Issue Brief

September 23, 2002
http://www.iraqwatch.org/perspectives/isis-alumtubes-092302.htm

It discusses the various types of centrifuges these tubes could be used for, and not used for.

[jveritas]

The question is why do they need such a huge quantity of Tubes. 50,000 is a huge numbers of 81 mm Howitzers!!!

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

NB ALL TUBES ARE SUBJECTED TO CHEMICAL COATNG IONADIZATION PROCESS TO PREVENT AND SUSTAIN SCRATCHES AND CORROSIONS.

Why would you worry about these details if the aluminum was to be used for rockets?

*******************************************************

I was just reading the Belmont Club and this :

Truth-Telling [looking at the defenders of Mary McCarthy]

************************************************************

Now the point of dropping in a seemingly off-topic link,...is really about the media and how they shape and distort the news....or in many cases simply choose not to report significant items of news......so we have them working hard to defend the McCarthy , member of the Truth Teller Cabal...yet not even bothering with the revelations being turned up by JVeritas as he translates from the Treasure Trove of 48,000 boxes of documents collected in Iraq.....

Which event in historical hindsight will be rated as the more significant????

[Marine_Uncle]

"Very Good!!!"
Regardless of the outcome on this issue. The facts remain, Saddam had big plans for the future as well as the intermediotry periods revolving around the oil for food program era. No one can deny the facts at this point.

[dinasour]

> Great job! National Review's Corner blog is linking it!!

FYI, Link here:

http://corner.nationalreview.com/06_04_23_corner-archive.asp#095763

[mware]

I don't think you realize the great service that jveritas is doing for this country. He should be on the FBI or CIA payroll for his translating powers.

Jveritas, great work don't let anyone get you down.

[BigSkyFreeper]

Thanks for the ping!

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

NB ALL TUBES ARE SUBJECTED TO CHEMICAL COATNG IONADIZATION PROCESS TO PREVENT AND SUSTAIN SCRATCHES AND CORROSIONS.

Do you need that high qulaity for anything other than centrigfuges?

Need some engineer types and weapons types to think about this....

[RightWhale]

Those are not rocket tubes. Steel is used in rockets. Aluminum melts easily and burns, too. Forget the pound for pound stuff when it is pooling around your feet.

[Marine_Uncle]

"The question is why do they need such a huge quantity of Tubes. 50,000 is a huge numbers of 81 mm Howitzers!!!"
OK. Firstly. The tubes could have been used for rockets.
Rockets are totally different from artillery shells. When one uses the term Howitzers, they make reference to a type of artillery piece.
So clear your mind on that one.
Secondly. Saddam's regime spent huge amounts of money of all forms of military hardware/ordnance. We must keep in mind they used up a lot of stuff during the eight year war with Iran.
For all we know they may have fallen well below their stock of various size rockets. Perhaps this they where planning to develop a new line of rockets somewhat superior to those they had been purchasing. It is possible they decided to develop and manufacture their own rockets fearing the would eventually be cut off from outside sales. Lots of reasons could be given for wanting such a large number of tubes.
And 50K could be used up in a few weeks if a massive exchange was required say with Iran in the future.
Think this way. Rocket launcher mobile system. Twenty tubes. Line up a hundred rocket launchers on a border area, and fire as many barrages as possible on a continues basis. Do the math. The barrage would not last very long, right.
OK
If the alternate plan for the tubes where for a centriguge system. Then we are cooking. Whether the tubes in the end analysis where proven to be of satisfactory quality and type aluminum. Saddam would have gone against the UN sanctions to not pursue nuclear development.
Who knows. On this one we may never have a final definitive answer. We must continue to be fair to ourselves. One does not want to put themselves into a spot where one is open to to much criticism. We simply do not know for sure at this time for what use these tubes where meant. But in either case, the question remains. Under the UN sanctions, was Iraq permitted to obtain these tubes for either of the proposed reasons. That is the issue, at least from my viewpoint.
And surely the question in no way reflects on your continued service to translate many rather smoking gun arabic documents. Thanks again for your service.