From: Jeff Davis (jrd1415@yahoo.com)
Date: Sat Sep 28 2002 - 14:27:16 MDT
Extropes,
There's a lot about this report that is interesting.
At the risk of sounding like a conspiracy wacko, I
wonder if...
After the fall of the Soviet Union the region suffered
a well pubicized economic meltdown. From the start,
arms control folks worried about the a security of
nuclear materials, and took various PUBLIC steps to
reduce the risks. Is it plausible that they may have
anticipated the black market diversion/smuggling
problem and implemented a parallel but covert effort
to counter it?
Say, smugglers persuaded to cooperate with
intelligence agencies, or paid (Doh!) informants
within the smuggling community? Clearly it would be
exceedingly desirable--as well as cheaper and safer--
to *buy up* dangerous material rather than act in an
exclusively punitive fashion. This represents the
carrot part of a carrot and stick approach to the
problem.
Which brings us to our current moment and situation in
world affairs. The US wants justification--"the
smoking gun"--for its war on Iraq. Quite timely then,
to suddenly find--reported by no less credible a
source than the BBC--15 Kilos of weapons grade uranium
under the seat of a Turkish taxi. (Taxi driver says,
"That's not MY weapons grade uranium, officer." Not
to be outdone, US cops start asking those they pull
over, "Do have any guns, drugs, or weapon's grade
uranium in the vehicle?")
Turkey is among the staunchest of US allies, and aside
from the Kurdish problem, modern and democratic,
despite being overwhelmingly Islamic (not
fundamentalist, to be sure). That their intelligence
agencies would cooperate is IMO nearly certain.
So, is it real, or is it... something else?
Finally, at the link below, take a look at the picture
of the uranium. Can you put 15 kilos of near-bomb
grade uranium in an 'ingot' as shown without having a
criticality problem? Which brings up the question of
just how 'weapons grade' it is (presuming it really is
uranium), and how it came to be characterized as such?
(I think it reasonable to conclude that very few
readers would be likely to pick up on these 'subtler'
points of the matter.)
Best, Jeff Davis
"Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who
said it--no matter if I have said it--unless it agrees
with your own reason and your common sense."
Buddha
--- nanowave <nanowave@shaw.ca> wrote:
>
> Turkish police say they have seized more than 15
> kilograms (34.5 pounds) of
> weapons grade uranium, which had been smuggled into
> the country from Eastern
> Europe ... <snip>
>
> The Turkish media have been speculating that the
> alleged smugglers, both
> Turks, may have planned to take the weapons grade
> material through Syria and
> on into Iraq ...
>
> http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/2286597.stm
>
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