[Quilla]

But the President didn't say Niger.

[DWPittelli]

First, Bush said, “The British government has learned that Saddam Hussein recently sought significant quantities of uranium from Africa” – not that Iraq actually got the uranium, or that the country in question was Niger. Second, Blair et al stand by this statement, despite the falsity of the papers claiming a deal with Niger.

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[beaversmom]

Okay let's send Niger some money to make it all better.

[biblewonk]

Niger upset by uranium slur

This reminds me of the time Marion Berry said the law of gravity is racist. Now the very elements are racist.

[cincinnati65]

France? France? Did someone say France and uranium and Iraq in the same story?

[HoustonCurmudgeon]

First we said Africa not Niger.

Second we said "tried" to buy.

Third what the hell does MAKE mean: Should Niger make the US apologise?

[sd-joe]

"Should Niger make the US apologise?"

Make, make. Niger and who's army?

[SquirrelKing]

Hey Niger...

[Brilliant]

On the other hand, the fact that Niger is taking this so personally makes me wonder if they'd tell the truth even if they had sold uranium to Saddam. Ambassador Wilson concludes that it did not happen because Niger denies it. If you'd sold uranium to Saddam Hussein, would you admit it? And if you were Saddam Hussein, wouldn't you use forged documents to get uranium, if that is what it took?

The speculation is that the French originally gave the documents to Britain and swore them to secrecy. My recollection is that Niger was once part of French West Africa, so that seems to support the linkage of Niger with this document. The fact that whoever gave the document to Blair is also refusing to waive the confidentiality also makes me think it is the French. I am sure that they would withhold info on where the document came from in order to embarrass Bush.

But I can't think of any reason that anyone would forge this document other than to trick Niger into selling them the uranium, unless (1) to embarrass the US (but how could they have known at the time that it would cause such embarrassment?), or (2) to sell the document for money (but if they were doing that, why wouldn't they try to sell it to the CIA instead of the French or whoever gave it to the British?). My guess is that the document is genuine--a genuine forgery that Saddam was using to try to get uranium from Niger.

[barkeep]

If one is to believe the International Atomic Energy Agency, Niger has already sold Iraq 280,000 kgs of yellowcake in '81 and '82. See"Fact Sheet: Iraq's nuclear Weapon Programme" IAEA 25 April, 2002. We anxiously await YOUR apology Mr Hamadou.

[Brilliant]

Joseph Wilson, a former US diplomat who went to investigate the issue in Niger concluded as much, saying that controls on Niger's uranium mining were far too strict for any deal with Iraq to be credible.

No one said that they actually sold it, only that Saddam sought uranium from Africa.

[SwinneySwitch]

"Niger's French-run mines come under the control of the French atomic energy commission."

And we all know that FRENCH companies and officials would never make deals with Sadamn!/sarcasm