Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Saddam's Shadow-The Clinton Adminitration knew about Iraq Uranium
Africa Energy & Mining | June 18, 1997 | Indigo Publications

Posted on 12/04/2005 8:21:13 AM PST by SBD1

Saddam's Shadow Africa Energy & Mining June 18, 1997

Copyright 1997 Indigo Publications Africa Energy & Mining

June 18, 1997

SECTION: MINING; DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO; N. 207 LENGTH: 787 words

HEADLINE: Saddam's Shadow

BODY: It's not only diamonds and base metals that interest big mining companies and the latter are not alone in being interested in Katanga. In the delegation that the United States sent to Kinshasa on June 2 under its ambassador to the United Nations, Bill Richardson, the state department's African affairs department was represented by Marc Baas, director for Central Africa. (Susan Rice, director for African Affairs at the National Security Council, has just been appointed under secretary of state for African affairs in succession to George Moose). Baas was accompanied by a representative of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and several Defense Department officials. The mission also visited Lubumbashi and met with officials from Gecamines and provincial authorities.

AEM's sources claim it wasn't the small research reactor that General Electric installed in 1977 at the university of Kinshasa, and which ceased operating in 1990, that interested the NRC and the military men, but rather the Shinkolobwe uranium deposit. Its resources are negligible from a commercial viewpoint when weighed against those in Namibia and Niger and new discoveries like France's Cogema has just made in western Canada. They weren't negligible from the security standpoint, however. The Americans are concerned over a visit to Katanga by the head of the Iraqi Baath party's international relations section, Shabi Al Maliki, around a year ago. He, too, showed an interest in Katanga's uranium, and last February another high-ranking Iraqi official reportedly held talks in Kinshasa with the mines minister in the last government of the Mobutu era, Banza Mukalay. The uranium is thought to have also figured in Libya's proposals in 1995 to supply oil to Zaire in exchange for ore.

Richardson said on June 7 that president Laurent Kabila had given permission for a UN mission to come to the country to investigate the plight of Hutu refugees starting from July 7. Richardson qualified the green light as "a breakthrough on the human rights and humanitarian front." For his part, Brian Atwood, director of U.S.AID, announced in Brussels on June 11 that potential donors would shortly meet for talks on aiding the Democratic Republic of Congo. But such assistance would be conditional on Congo respecting human rights, Atwood indicated. He added that Washington wanted the Kabila government to succeed because if it did not this could result in violence spreading to other countries. He issued an appeal to all governments to use their influence to halt atrocities which various reports indicate are occurring in the eastern part of the country. He said that "organized groups and independent groups" were attempting to strengthen their positions in the eastern regions.

South Africa, for its part, is putting together a team to advise Kabila on reconstructing the country and reorganizing its finances (AEM 205). Deputy president Thabo Mbeki said last week the team would be ready to leave within days and that its members would be chosen in agreement with the Congo government "to discuss a variety of matters that impact on the socioeconomic situation."

He added that Congo's leaders had asked that it consist of officials from South Africa's "Reserve Bank, the economic ministries and people dealing with infrastructure, public administration and so on." Officials said south Africa's foreign minister, Alfred Nzo, discussed Kinshasa's needs with Congo foreign minister Bizima Karaha at the recent Organization of African Unity summit in Harare. The South African mission will be headed by deputy foreign minister Aziz Pahad.

LOAD-DATE: June 20, 1997


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: 16words; 1995; 1996; 199606; 1997; 199702; 199706; 1999; 2002; 20030128; africa; almaliki; azizpahad; baas; baathparty; banzamukalay; billrichardson; cialeak; cobalt; congo; d; drc; iraq; iraqwmd; kabila; katanga; kinshasa; laurentkabila; libya; lubumbashi; maliki; marcbaas; mukalay; niger; nigerflap; nkorea; northkorea; northkorean; ore; pahad; plamegame; prewarintelligence; richardson; shabialmaliki; shinkolobwe; southafrica; susanrice; ukdossier; uranium; x42; yellowcake; zaire
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021 next last
"The Americans are concerned over a visit to Katanga by the head of the Iraqi Baath party's international relations section, Shabi Al Maliki, around a year ago. He, too, showed an interest in Katanga's uranium, and last February another high-ranking Iraqi official reportedly held talks in Kinshasa with the mines minister in the last government of the Mobutu era, Banza Mukalay. The uranium is thought to have also figured in Libya's proposals in 1995 to supply oil to Zaire in exchange for ore."

So the Democrats claim that Iraq qasn't interested in Uranium and have Wilson running around spreading their lies. In the meantime, the Clinton administration knew very well that Iraq had been trying to buy Uranium all the back in 1997. Maybe that is what Sandy "the Burglar" was stuffing in his pants.

SBD

1 posted on 12/04/2005 8:21:14 AM PST by SBD1
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

Comment #2 Removed by Moderator

To: SBD1

Link?


3 posted on 12/04/2005 8:23:57 AM PST by bnelson44 (Proud parent of a tanker!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SBD1

The entire existence of the Clintons and everything they have touched IS A LIVING LIE. This POS should have been put in Federal prison for the rest of his life for what he did to this country. The Impeachment was totally inadequate -- just another indicator of a failed Washington government.


4 posted on 12/04/2005 8:25:43 AM PST by EagleUSA
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: bnelson44

Sorry, it's from the Lexis database. I have not found an online link yet.


5 posted on 12/04/2005 8:28:46 AM PST by SBD1
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: SBD1
...a visit to Katanga by the head of the Iraqi Baath party's international relations section, Shabi Al Maliki, around a year ago. He, too, showed an interest in Katanga's uranium, and last February another high-ranking Iraqi official reportedly held talks in Kinshasa with the mines minister in the last government of the Mobutu era, ...

Could somebody please explain to me how, exactly, a political hack such as Wilson "investigated" Iraqi activities in Africa?

"Did the Iraqis ever come here?"

"Of course not!"

"Well, that's good enough for me. Let's have another round of drinks brought to the pool."


6 posted on 12/04/2005 8:32:06 AM PST by Polybius
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SBD1

This is great stuff. Thanks for fiding it.


7 posted on 12/04/2005 8:41:19 AM PST by doug from upland (The troops will come home when the mission is complete)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SBD1

Ping a ling a ding dong for later.


8 posted on 12/04/2005 8:49:02 AM PST by Danae (Anál nathrach, orth' bháis's bethad, do chél dénmha)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: EagleUSA

Bingo. The Red Chinese kickback deal, not to mention the Marc Rich pardon, should've tied the noose.


9 posted on 12/04/2005 8:51:20 AM PST by Eric in the Ozarks
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: EagleUSA

The fact that Clinton is still vertical - and outside of prison, is an infuriating miscarriage of justice...

Clinton's criminal corruption and the inept performance of his administration is one of the blackest periods of the Republic.....

My only hope, is I live long enough to see the sonuvabitch "rewarded" as he should be......for his "service" to the country.

Semper Fi


10 posted on 12/04/2005 8:54:05 AM PST by river rat (You may turn the other cheek, but I prefer to look into my enemy's vacant dead eyes.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: SBD1

We need a working link for this story, please.


11 posted on 12/04/2005 8:54:38 AM PST by Admin Moderator
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

Uh yeah, how about a link?


12 posted on 12/04/2005 10:03:35 AM PST by oolatec
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: SBD1

If we know Iraq was trying to obtain uranium in 1997, what's the point of arguing about whether they were seeking uranium now?


13 posted on 12/04/2005 11:35:12 AM PST by popdonnelly
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SBD1

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=29276

If you go back into reports from the 90's, at one point the North Koreans had troops guarding a Congo uranium mine!

I believe Bush's original quote in the SOU was that British intelligence indicated that Iraq had sought uranium ore from AFRICA. The country of Niger was only one of several possible "AFRICAN" sources and the spin on focusing on Niger is quite inexplicable to me.


14 posted on 12/04/2005 12:00:25 PM PST by silverleaf (Fasten your seat belts- it's going to be a BUMPY ride.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: oolatec

I got the story from Lexis database. I have not been able to find an online link.


15 posted on 12/04/2005 12:43:17 PM PST by SBD1
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: SBD1
There's this from Drudge circa 1998

Most embarrassing, the papers appear to corroborate, according to sources who have read them, allegations by a former U.N. arms inspector that the Clinton administration concealed from Congress and the public details regarding Saddam Hussein's ambitious program to develop nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons.

16 posted on 12/04/2005 9:32:59 PM PST by Homer1
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: All
From pages 122-123 of the Butler Review

493. In early 1999, Iraqi officials visited a number of African countries, including Niger. The visit2 was detected by intelligence, and some details were subsequently confirmed by Iraq. The purpose of the visit was not immediately known. But uranium ore accounts for almost three-quarters of Niger’s exports. Putting this together with past Iraqi purchases of uranium ore from Niger, the limitations faced by the Iraq regime on access to indigenous uranium ore and other evidence of Iraq seeking to restart its nuclear programme, the JIC judged that Iraqi purchase of uranium ore could have been the subject of discussions and noted in an assessment in December 2000 that:

. . . unconfirmed intelligence indicates Iraqi interest in acquiring uranium. [JIC, 1 December 2000]

494. There was further and separate intelligence that in 1999 the Iraqi regime had also made inquiries about the purchase of uranium ore in the Democratic Republic of Congo. In this case, there was some evidence that by 2002 an agreement for a sale had been reached.

495. During 2002, the UK received further intelligence from additional sources which identified the purpose of the visit to Niger as having been to negotiate the purchase of uranium ore, though there was disagreement as to whether a sale had been agreed and uranium shipped.

496. This evidence underlay the statement in the Executive Summary of the Government’s dossier of September 2002 that: As a result of the intelligence we judge that Iraq has:

. . . - tried covertly to acquire technology and materials which could be used in the production of nuclear weapons;

- sought significant quantities of uranium from Africa,despite having no active civil nuclear power programme that could require it . . . and in Chapter 3 of Part 1 of the Government’s dossier that: The main conclusions are that:

. . . - Saddam continues to attach great importance to the possession of weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missiles which he regards as being the basis for Iraq’s regional power. He is determined to retain these capabilities; . . .

- Iraq continues to work on developing nuclear weapons,in breach of its obligations under the Non-Proliferation Treaty and in breach of UNSCR 687. Uranium has been sought from Africa that has no civil nuclear application in Iraq.

and:

Iraq’s known holdings of processed uranium are under IAEA supervision. But there is intelligence that Iraq has sought the supply of significant quantities of uranium from Africa. Iraq has no active civil nuclear power programme or nuclear power plants and therefore has no legitimate reason to acquire uranium.

497. In preparing the dossier, the UK consulted the US. The CIA advised caution about any suggestion that Iraq had succeeded in acquiring uranium from Africa, but agreed that there was evidence that it had been sought.

498. The range of evidence described above underlay the relevant passage in the Prime Minister’s statement in the House of Commons on 24 September 2002 that:

In addition,we know that Saddam has been trying to buy significant quantities of uranium from Africa,although we do not know whether he has been successful.

499. We conclude that, on the basis of the intelligence assessments at the time, covering both Niger and the Democratic Republic of Congo, the statements on Iraqi attempts to buy uranium from Africa in the Government’s dossier, and by the Prime Minister in the House of Commons, were well-founded. By extension, we conclude also that the statement in President Bush’s State of the Union Address of 28 January 2003 that:

The British Government has learned that Saddam Hussein recently sought significant quantities of uranium from Africa. was well-founded.


500. We also note that, because the intelligence evidence was inconclusive, neither the Government’s dossier nor the Prime Minister went on to say that a deal between the Governments of Iraq and Niger for the supply of uranium had been signed, or uranium shipped.

501. We have been told that it was not until early 2003 that the British Government became aware that the US (and other states) had received from a journalistic source a number of documents alleged to cover the Iraqi procurement of uranium from Niger. Those documents were passed to the IAEA, which in its update report to the United Nations Security Council in March 2003 determined that the papers were forgeries:

SBD
17 posted on 12/06/2005 8:04:54 AM PST by SBD1
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: AmeriBrit

Bookmarked for later. Thanks!


18 posted on 12/06/2005 10:12:20 AM PST by AmeriBrit (HILLARY's1974 Watergate Crimes: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/925684/posts)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]

To: Fedora; Cindy; Alamo-Girl

al Maliki ping


19 posted on 07/09/2007 8:54:42 AM PDT by piasa (Attitude Adjustments Offered Here Free of Charge)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: piasa

Thanks for the ping!


20 posted on 07/09/2007 8:58:12 AM PDT by Alamo-Girl
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson