Iraq goes nuclear with plans for new reactor programme

[maddezmom]

Source: The Guardian

Iraq has started lobbying for approval to again become a nuclear player, almost 19 years after British and American war planes destroyed Saddam Hussein's last two reactors, the Guardian has learned.

The Iraqi government has approached the French nuclear industry about rebuilding at least one of the reactors that was bombed at the start of the first Gulf war. The government has also contacted the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and United Nations to seek ways around resolutions that ban Iraq's re-entry into the nuclear field.

Iraq says it envisages that a reactor would be used initially for research purposes. "We are co-operating with the IAEA and expanding and defining areas of research where we can implement nuclear technology for peaceful means," the science and technology minister, Raid Fahmi, told the Guardian.

"After the dissolution we did not have an industry, but we have become more and more conscious of the need for nuclear technology. This was raised several months ago with the relevant bodies."

Iraq's renewed dalliance with the science that was partly responsible for its international isolation, and two devastating invasions, comes at an extremely sensitive juncture in regional politics, with its near neighbour Iran accused of diverting its growing nuclear capacity to develop a weapons programme.



Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/oct/27/iraq-nuclear-reactor-programme

[krispos42]

1. Well, now we're going to have to pre-emptively invade them.

Again.

Quick, turn on the BoltonLight!

[maddezmom]

2. oh dear

I haven't seen that one before. :D

[krispos42]

3. I even used his actual mustache

:rofl:

[sinkingfeeling]

4. And how will the US Neo-cons play that? We'll have to re-bomb and re-occupy Iraq?

[Tempest]

5. Neocons will applaud the move

Now that Iraq is an ally.

In 10 years, when Iraq becomes more like Iran or Pakistan, will they wring their hands and call for war.

[sabra]

6. Iraq wants to restart nuclear programme

Source: nzherald

BAGHDAD - Iraq has begun lobbying to be allowed to restart its nuclear energy programme, almost two decades after allied war planes destroyed Saddam Hussein's last two reactors.

The Iraqi government of Nouri al-Maliki had contacted the French nuclear industry about rebuilding at least one reactor, the Guardian newspaper reported yesterday.

Iraq has also begun lobbying the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the United Nations to overturn resolutions which ban Iraq using atomic energy.

The country's science minister, Raid Fahmi, told the Guardian that any move back into the nuclear field would initially be for research purposes.

Fahmi insisted that Iraq had "only peaceful applications" in mind in the health sector, agriculture ... and water treatment".

Read more: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=10605996

[louis-t]

7. Marvelous. Saddam didn't have a nuclear program anymore

But thanks to bush, now Iraq will have one. Colossal fail.

[no_hypocrisy]

8. NOW, try telling Iran it can't have nuclear power . . . .

[shadowknows69]

9. The God of Irony's head just exploded.

[closeupready]

10. Of course they do. They know firsthand that nuclear programs are vital to preserve sovereignty

in a world where people think they can just drop bombs at will on non-American soil and populations.

Note, which doesn't mean I like this at all; if it were up to me, there would be no nukes anywhere in the world.