I had previously diaried about creating a series of reference diaries for those who need access to information and don’t feel like spending hours looking for it. This is the beginning of the first diary.
This diary is far from complete (it’s a slow process) and will probably be deleted and replaced later on (due to how much info I still have to add). What I’m looking for right now is just some feedback on the basic layout and/or suggestions.
Also if you have info or sources on this issue feel free to post them in comments and I’ll add them as I revise.
And if anyone can tell me why the blank space appears before each table that would be SOOOOOO very helpful.
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- BRIEF SUMMARY
The attempted purchase of aluminum tubes by the Iraqi government was one of the pieces of information the Bush Administration touted as proof of Iraq’s attempt to develop a nuclear device. Despite evidence to the contrary, the Bush Administration claimed that the attempted purchase of these tubes proved Iraq’s desire to create nuclear weapons.
- TIMELINE
| 1980s | Iraq purchases aluminum tubes for use in rockets with the same material, length, diameter and wall thickness as the aluminum tubes they sought in 2001 source (pdf) |
| 1996 | IAEA during an inspection examine 66,000 aluminum tubes with the same material, length, diameter and wall thickness as the aluminum tubes they sought in 2001 source |
| April 10, 2001 |
One of the first reports on the tubes is sent to senior administration officials declaring the tubes “have little use other than for a uranium enrichment program.” source |
| April 11, 2001 |
Department of Energy officials create list of reasons why the tubes are not well suited for centrifuges. source |
| May 9, 2001 | Daily Intelligence Highlight, a secret Energy Department newsletter published on Intelink, a Web site for the intelligence community and the White House published that the dimensions of the aluminum tubes Iraq had attempted to purchase matched perfectly the aluminum tubes they had previously purchased and that previous inspections had verified as being used in rockets. source |
| August 17, 2001 |
The Department of Energy assembles a team of centrifuge experts who produce the Technical Intelligence Note detailing their doubts about the aluminum tubes suitability for centrifuges. source |
| September 8, 2002 |
“We do know that there have been shipments going into Iran, for instance — into Iraq, for instance, of aluminum tubes that really are only suited to — high-quality aluminum tubes that are only really suited for nuclear weapons programs, centrifuge programs.” Condeleza Rice Interview on CNN source |
| October 7, 2002 |
“Iraq has attempted to purchase high-strength aluminum tubes and other equipment needed for gas centrifuges, which are used to enrich uranium for nuclear weapons.” President Bush Speech at Cincinnati Museum Center – Cincinnati Union Terminal source (audio and video also available from site) |
| November 27, 2002 | UNMOVIC and IAEA resume inspections of Iraq |
| January 9, 2003 |
“We told the Council that we have been investigating Iraqi reports that they have imported aluminium tubes for rockets and not for centrifuge, not for uranium enrichment. We are investigating their efforts to procure aluminium tubes. We are in touch with some of their intended suppliers, and the question is still open, but we believe, at this stage, that these aluminium tubes were intended for the manufacturing of rockets.” Mohamed ElBaradei, IAEA’s Director General UN Press Briefing source video (click on “said” and forward to 16:37) |
| January 28, 2003 |
“Our intelligence sources tell us that he has attempted to purchase high-strength aluminum tubes suitable for nuclear weapons production. Saddam Hussein has not credibly explained these activities.” President Bush State of the Union source (audio and video also available from site) |
| February 5, 2003 | Powell’s U.N. presentation includes information about the tubes |
| March 7, 2003 |
“Based on available evidence, the IAEA team has concluded that Iraq’s efforts to import these aluminium tubes were not likely to have been related to the manufacture of centrifuges and, moreover, that it was highly unlikely that Iraq could have achieved the considerable re-design needed to use them in a revived centrifuge programme.”
“There is no indication that Iraq has attempted to import aluminium tubes for use in centrifuge enrichment. Moreover, even had Iraq pursued such a plan, it would have encountered practical difficulties in manufacturing centrifuges out of the aluminium tubes in question.” |
- FACTS
| Characteristics of Al Tubes * | Zippe Centrifuge * | Rockets * | Comments |
| Al Alloy 7075-T6 | Not used, but could be used | Used in US and NATO rockets | |
| Anodization | Not used | Prevents corrosion if tubes or rockets stored for long periods | |
| Length 900 mm | For subcritical centrifuge, tube must be cut so that length does not exceed 400 mm. | Length for rockets Iraq said it reverse-engineered. | |
| Diameter 81 mm | Possible, but not an optimal diameter. Leakage rate for this diameter can be about 1-7%, a relatively high rate. | Standard diameter for helicoptor launched rocket of the type Iraq reverse-engineered. | |
| Wall thickness 3 mm | Far too thick for these Zippe designs, but possible to use in existing Iraqi design with advanced bearings and other modifications. But the resulting centrifuge would have far less ability to enrich. | Standard thickness | |
| Tolerances | In some cases, acceptable | Consistent with tolerances of NATO rockets of the type Iraq reverse-engineered. |
* These 3 columns were taken from a table from this ISIS report.
- ADMINSTRATION QUOTES
- TALKING POINTS/COUNTER TALKING POINTS
- AUDIO/VISUAL
- MORE INFORMATION/LINKS
PDF file from ISIS – an excellent report detailing the Aluminum Tube
U.S. Department of State – Powell’s February 5, 2003 Presentation – includes transcript, pdf of Power Point presentation, videos and slides presented as evidence
Derek Mitchell from The Center for Cooperative Research – timeline and summary of the aluminum tubes case
New Republic – I’ve read that it’s a great article but sadly only available to subscribers which I am not
Well done! Sorry, I haven’t a clue on why the space before the tables, maybe Susan can help… she’s put tables up before on Scoop.
But I like the basic format, and very easily accessed information. One thing you might need as you get more information is an index section at the top, with named anchors or something like that leading to the relevant text in the diary.
Good idea about the index especially as I keep adding information the length has gotten out of control. I’m not sure this site allows anchors in the coding but I will check. Maybe later someone will host the info and we can add more helpful touches like that.
Thanks again for the comment.
I don’t know if you saw, in your previous diary, but I can host the info. I put together a very quick thingy to show you what I meant by categorizing everything and all that. You’re welcome to post your stuff there, and set it up as a sort of research/reference library or whatever area, but no obligation of course. I’ll probably take whatever you decide to put up wherever and put it there anyway (with attribution, natch) because I’m working on building a sort of progressive think tank space. Sort of.
Anyway, take a look… in order to solve the huge space/table thing, I had to post it with no formatting and use “br” and “p” tags, instead of the software doing it automatically. There may be a better way, but neither HTML nor blog software is my area of expertise ;). On here, you might have to use the “HTML formatted” button instead of the “Auto Format”. See if that works.
Here it is: Research and Reference Center
That looks really good and I’m more than fine with you hosting the information there. In fact, it probably is a better idea to organize it there than it is to do it in diaries. I had went ahead with the diaries because I wanted to start instead of spend the time looking for a perfect system, which often then becomes a big distraction.
My thinking is/was to just make a source of information available to diarist from multiple blogs (Booman, Dkos, etc) to make searching for information easier. There are some GREAT sites out there but most of them deal with specific issues and unless you’re up on the issue you may not find the site. I also wanted the ability to provide a place to give links to diaries on sites with interesting discussions. And a place where others could provide more information that could then be incorporated.
I am not at all concerned with mojo or credit. I would like, but not demand, that people who use the reference material as a source for their diary provide links/credit to where we store the information ONLY so that more people become aware and then participate in gathering, sorting and sourcing the information. I’m estimating a week for me just to get the Aluminum Tubes diary at a good place (on day 3 right now).
I’ve registered as Liberalpalooza at the site. 😀
Hope my rambling makes some sense.
Cool. Okay, you should be able to post on that blog now… go ahead and play around, and ask any questions you wish, and make any suggestions and so on. I’m trying to figure out how you can add categories yourself, but for now, if you just make a list of whatever you want, when you get time, I’ll add the categories (you can pretty much be as detailed and unlimited as you want).
What I was thinking was that you could organize, categorize and all that there, and then also write diaries with the combined info and post them different places or whatever. Really, you can set it up however you want – I am not a detail oriented person, but will help out with setting things up and all that, and any questions.
Great. I will play around for a little and will be back later tonight to do more playing.
As for categories, I have some ideas, but mostly I think it will come as I write the diaries. For example, working last night I realized I needed to include some information from the NIE and that the NIE would be applicable to each part of the administration’s “evidence” against Iraq. So I’m writing a diary for that today so that I can later link to it from each diary as necessary.
Thanks again for setting this up.
Okay! Email me anytime if you get stuck, or have questions on how to work something or something. And don’t worry about perfection in posting right away… it can all be edited or deleted or whatever, and then redone. So, play away! 🙂 I’ll add the NIE now.