It Might Not Be Smoking, But It’s Getting Awfully Warm

The invaluable Joseph Shahda–jveritas at Free Republic, whose translations of Project Harmony documents we have linked to on several occasions–has translated several documents relating to apparent efforts by Iraq to restart its nuclear weapons program in 2001 and 2002. I say “apparent,” because I don’t know what a “simulation reactor” is, and can’t vouch for some of Shahda’s interpretations of the documents. Here is Shahda’s introduction to his translations:

This document CMPC-2004-000167 talks about a project that started in early 2001 by the Iraqi Atomic Energy Commission (IAEC) to use components from the previously destroyed TAMUZ (also known as OZIRAQ) Nuclear Reactor to build a Nuclear Simulator Reactor. The TAMUZ Nuclear Reactor was destroyed by an Israeli air attack in 1981. In September 2002, after almost a year and a half since the start of this Nuclear Project and when it became very clear to the Iraqi Regime that the UN inspectors were coming back to Iraq, a decision was made to stop this Nuclear Activity project. What is interesting in this document that the IAEC was warned by the Monitoring Directory within the IAEC that this Nuclear Project is prohibited by the UN resolutions however the IAEC went on with it until September 2002 only when the UN inspectors were on the verge of coming back to Iraq.

This document is yet another irrefutable proof that Saddam had never stopped his WMD activities and programs including Nuclear Program activities.

And here are the documents, as translated:

In the Name of God the Most Merciful The Most Compassionate
The Republic of Iraq
The Iraqi Atomic Energy Commission

To: The Respected Mr. Chairman of the Engineering Department

Subject: Simulation Reactor

An inspection was made to the suggested hall to build the Simulation Reactor and that contain recently laundry equipment (Laundry) and the hall was closed and the location abandoned and neglected for a long time and based on this it requires the following:

1. Remove all the laundry equipments and machines.

2. The structural division should inspect the hall and to repair and remodeling and fortify the building after determining the cost of these works.

3.Transfer the equipments and systems specialized in the control of 14 TAMUZ Reactor from storage 14a to the location of the hall and by phases.

4. Distribute the engineering and technical staff proposed for work in the project to the days of the week where engineer will be dedicated for one day.

5. Dedicate one of the technicians to fully work in the location.

6. Prepare the timeline schedule to finish the project and for the duration of a full year.

Please review and comment

With regards

Signature…
Adnan Salim Girgis
director of the Electronic Support Division
29/1/2001

The second translated page:

In the Name of God the Most Merciful The Most Compassionate
The Republic of Iraq
The Iraqi Atomic Energy Commission
The Engineering Department
Number: 10/2/1000

Date: 1/9/2001

To: The Respected Mr. Chairman of the Comission

Subject: Simulation Reactor

Previously you instructed to re-install the Simulation Reactor. Please approve the delivery of hall that was dedicated for it and currently occupied by the Laundry to the Electronic Support Division with the dedication of 15 millions Dinar for the purpose of starting the work.

Please review and comment… with regards

Signature
Doctor Hisham Mahmood Ahmad
Chairman of the Engineering Department

And, finally, here is Mr. Shahda’s conclusion:

Now in page 7 of the document (the order of the pages is not chronological) there is a secret memo dated May 30 2002, the Monitoring Department within the IAEC warned the IAEC that this Nuclear Program is totally prohibited by the UN resolutions.

In page 5 of the document there is a memo dated September 12 2002 asking the IAEC Engineering Department to stop working on this project because it is prohibited by the UN. Again it took the Iraqis almost a year and half to stop working on this Nuclear Project and only after they were absolutely convinced that the UN inspectors were returning to Iraq in matter of few months as they did indeed return in November 2002.

It appears that this set of documents proves beyond reasonable debate that Iraq was carrying out prohibited nuclear work in 2001 and 2002. How serious this breach of the U.N. resolutions was, I can’t evaluate, since I have no idea what a “simulation reactor” is. But, just as the current Iranian nuclear program is of great concern to pretty much everyone, Iraq’s nuclear program was, and should have been, of great concern in the months and years leading up to the war, notwithstanding the mendacious Joe Wilson.

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