"Why would they continue refining the specifications," he asked, "go to all that trouble for something that, if it was a rocket, would soon be blown into shrapnel when it went off?"
And here once again, it gets worse as he goes along, because the high tolerance aluminum tubes are only part of the story, according to Colin.
"We also have intelligence from multiple sources that Iraq is attempting to acquire magnets and high-speed balancing machines;" he said, "both items can be used in a gas centrifuge program to enrich uranium."
"In 1999 and 2000," he noted, "Iraqi officials negotiated with firms in Romania, India, Russia and Slovenia for the purchase of a magnet production plant."
"Iraq wanted the plant," he said, "to produce magnets weighing 20 to 30 grams."
"That's the same weight as the magnets used in Iraq's gas centrifuge program before the Gulf War," he explained.
"This incident linked with the tubes," he warned, "is another indicator of Iraq's attempt to reconstitute its nuclear weapons program."
"Intercepted communications from mid-2000 through last summer," Colin said, "show that Iraq front companies sought to buy machines that can be used to balance gas centrifuge rotors."
"One of these companies also had been involved in a failed effort in 2001," he said, "to smuggle aluminum tubes into Iraq."
Now correct me if I am wrong, but the next statement does not indicate to me that Colin never believed Saddam posed a nuclear threat.
"People will continue to debate this issue," he said, "but there is no doubt in my mind, these elicit procurement efforts show that Saddam Hussein is very much focused on putting in place the key missing piece from his nuclear weapons program, the ability to produce fissile material."
"He also has been busy trying to maintain the other key parts of his nuclear program," he advised, "particularly his cadre of key nuclear scientists," he said
"It is noteworthy that, over the last 18 months," Colin continued, "Saddam Hussein has paid increasing personal attention to Iraqi's top nuclear scientists, a group that the governmental-controlled press calls openly, his nuclear mujahedeen."
"He regularly exhorts them and praises their progress," he added, "Progress toward what end?" He noted.
And then there is the little matter of the infamous trailers. Colin had a lot to say on this topic during his presentation at the UN.
"One of the most worrisome things that emerges from the thick intelligence file we have on Iraq's biological weapons," he said, "is the existence of mobile production facilities used to make biological agents."
And here once again, it gets worse as he goes along, because the high tolerance aluminum tubes are only part of the story, according to Colin.
"We also have intelligence from multiple sources that Iraq is attempting to acquire magnets and high-speed balancing machines;" he said, "both items can be used in a gas centrifuge program to enrich uranium."
"In 1999 and 2000," he noted, "Iraqi officials negotiated with firms in Romania, India, Russia and Slovenia for the purchase of a magnet production plant."
"That's the same weight as the magnets used in Iraq's gas centrifuge program before the Gulf War," he explained.
"This incident linked with the tubes," he warned, "is another indicator of Iraq's attempt to reconstitute its nuclear weapons program."
"Intercepted communications from mid-2000 through last summer," Colin said, "show that Iraq front companies sought to buy machines that can be used to balance gas centrifuge rotors."
"One of these companies also had been involved in a failed effort in 2001," he said, "to smuggle aluminum tubes into Iraq."
Now correct me if I am wrong, but the next statement does not indicate to me that Colin never believed Saddam posed a nuclear threat.
"People will continue to debate this issue," he said, "but there is no doubt in my mind, these elicit procurement efforts show that Saddam Hussein is very much focused on putting in place the key missing piece from his nuclear weapons program, the ability to produce fissile material."
"He also has been busy trying to maintain the other key parts of his nuclear program," he advised, "particularly his cadre of key nuclear scientists," he said
"It is noteworthy that, over the last 18 months," Colin continued, "Saddam Hussein has paid increasing personal attention to Iraqi's top nuclear scientists, a group that the governmental-controlled press calls openly, his nuclear mujahedeen."
"He regularly exhorts them and praises their progress," he added, "Progress toward what end?" He noted.
And then there is the little matter of the infamous trailers. Colin had a lot to say on this topic during his presentation at the UN.
"One of the most worrisome things that emerges from the thick intelligence file we have on Iraq's biological weapons," he said, "is the existence of mobile production facilities used to make biological agents."
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