Saddam and the Aluminum Tubes - Most Recent Translation from Iraqi Docs

JVeritas has done it again! Now he has translated a document that establishes the procurement of 50000 Aluminum Tubes that can be used for URANIUM ENRICHMENT. Here is his synopsis from Free Republic:

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 “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.

In fact the ISG report also says 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." The ISG report continues, "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. Another translated memo 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's intent to restart the Nuclear Programs.
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You can read more about this memo and the actual translation here. As always a monster tip o' the hat to JVeritas who deserves a Pulitzer Prize of his very own...