In the run up to the Iraq War, the New York Times (9/8/02) famously reported on an Iraqi scheme to procure special aluminum tubes that could only have one purpose: Iraq’s secret nuclear weapons program. Saddam Hussein was attempting to “buy thousands of specially designed aluminum tubes,” and the “diameter, thickness and other technical specifications of the aluminum tubes had persuaded American intelligence experts that they were meant for Iraq’s nuclear program.” The claims were false–Iraq, as it turned out, had no nuclear program–but still hugely influential.
Yesterday, on the front page of the Washington Post (2/14/13), reporter Joby Warrick has the scoop on what Iran is evidently up to:
Iran recently sought to acquire tens of thousands of highly specialized magnets used in centrifuge machines, according to experts and diplomats, a sign that the country may be planning a major expansion of its nuclear program that could shorten the path to an atomic weapons capability.
Purchase orders obtained by nuclear researchers show an attempt by Iranian agents to buy 100,000 of the ring-shaped magnets–which are banned from export to Iran under U.N. resolutions–from China about a year ago, those familiar with the effort said.
Warrick explains that this “has fueled Western concerns that Iran is planning a major expansion in its nuclear capacity that would allow it to make atomic weapons quickly if it chooses to do so.” That point was underscored by an anonymous source–identified as “a European diplomat with access to sensitive intelligence on Iran’s nuclear facilities, speaking on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter.”
We are told that the magnets are “made of an unusual alloy known as barium strontium ferrite” and that, like the Iraq tubes, they would seem to have only one purpose:
The specific dimensions spelled out in the order form match precisely–to a fraction of a millimeter–those of the powerful magnets used in the IR-1, a machine that spins at supersonic speeds to purify uranium gas into an enriched form that can be used in nuclear power plants.
So there are some striking similarities, a little over a decade apart.That’s not to say, of course, that yesterday’s propaganda is today’s propaganda; but perhaps some scrutiny is in order.
For starters, we know that Iran seeks to enrich more uranium for what is thus far known to be a peaceful atomic energy program. That they would attempt to purchase parts for those centrifuges might not be surprising; they are banned from doing so.
And some of Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile, as Warrick’s report acknowledges, has been converted into a metal form that would be difficult, if not impossible, to use for a nuclear weapon. So the real issue is not that Iran is enriching uranium, or wishes to enrich more of it; the question is what they intend to do with it. And so far all evidence suggests that they’re doing what they say they’re doing.
On a more technical level: Are these magnets only useful for uranium enrichment? The Post tells readers that these magnets are made of an “unusual alloy” and that the “specific dimensions spelled out in the order form match precisely–to a fraction of a millimeter” those of magnets needed for a specific centrifuge.
But a post at the Moon of Alabama blog (2/14/13) raises some interesting questions. It argues that the magnets in question could have many industrial uses, and that the any such components would need to be precise–within a “fraction of a millimeter” sounds close enough, but in this kind of mechanical engineering close might not cut it. The document obtained by the Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS) that is the basis of this piece is posted on their website, but the technical details are redacted.
This is important not because it proves the Post is wrong; the point is that recent history tells us that often things are not what they appear to be. With respect to Iran, there was a flood of stories in November 2011–most prominent among them one by the Post‘s Warrick– that claimed Iran was conducting research on explosives that could only be connected to a nuclear weapons program. But skeptics and experts looked at the intelligence and concluded that the research in question could very easily be part of an industrial nanodiamonds program.
It’s worth noting that back in 2002 there was one newspaper that poured cold water on the Iraq tubes story. It was the Washington Post. The reporter? The same Joby Warrick who wrote this story about Iranian magnets. And whose expertise did he rely on? David Albright of ISIS–the very same person pushing the Iran story now.
It is worth noting that Iran is not in violation of NPT and that Iran does have the legal right to enrich Uranium.
One might expect an allusion in the Post article to the scare stories from a decade hence.
One would be living in an alternative universe to do so, of course.
As the US and Israel continue the slow motion decimation of Iranian society with sanctions, cyberwar and assassinations, while they ponder the ramifications of direct attack, the corpress’ assignment is to provide the justification for them all.
There’s no question that these pieces “have only one purpose”, is there?
Thanks for all the information that we need but is not available with us at FAIR. That is why I belong. Alice
WMD indeed, Words of Mass Deception another war crime in the making….
Don’t the people screaming wolf remind you of some of the old Cartoon Characters where they were always afraid of their own shadows. Makes Scoo be do look like a bleeding war hero…. Everything is couched in “OMG THEY ARE GOING TO….” fill in the blank. Enough of that and folks get irritated enough to react and negatively.
I cannot believe we are going through this garbage all over again…
Hmmm, Apparently, Iran manufactures it’s own ‘barium strontium ferrite'”
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Well here is another application of the magnets:
http://www.alibaba.com/product-gs/707007620/barium_ferrite_magnet_loud_speaker_magnet.html
Blinded by ‘science’? Yes, of course. What ‘lay person’ knows what ‘barium strontium ferrite’ is or what it used for? And surely that’s the point! I found the link to the Iranian source in about ten seconds, or as fast as I could copy/paste ‘barium strontium ferrite’, so surely the propagandist for the NYT could do the same. Will he get called out for it? I doubt it. And surely it’s another aspect of propaganda, the lies come and go but their memory lingers on…
On something not related to Iran, at least not just to Iran: You say “a peaceful atomic energy program.” I maintain that due to both the environmental costs of nuclear power and that fact that such a program *can* be associated with nuclear weapons (not that it is, but can be – as it was in the US in the 1950s), there is no such thing as a “peaceful” atomic energy program. Legal, yes. Peaceful, no.
I have several of these magnets in my house Just as I have no doubt the majority of Americans have in theirs, mine are in the speakers of my stereo!
lie again ???????????????
There is only one country in minds of america i.e. Iran. Thje same retorics as on Irak Saddam Hussain WMD and the result they destroyed every inch of Irak in the name of american humainty as Americans kill Muslims in the name of terrorists, WMD and now nukes which they have in thousands.
No your way off Base. Magnets are used for free energy. Ck patents on the use of magnets and the khese foundations research.
Hasbara never ends. Remember Iraq and all the reasons to invade? All false. Just like this garbage.
A Google of “barium strontium ferrite” shows that it has a vast number of uses. It is a common form of permanent magnet. It is a “hard ferrite” meaning a strong magnet. It is used in things like machines that read magnetic cards, audio speakers, and to smooth out flow in power cables into computers. The list goes on and on.
Like the aluminum tubes, it is a question of dimensions taken to prove intent. The aluminum tubes happened to be the size for rocket motors, and also for someone’s idea of nuclear uses.
What else uses permanent magnets of this dimension? I don’t know, but there are certainly many people in the industry who do know. Someone ask them.
The price of oil commodities is stalled! Attack attack so Wall Street can make more money off oil scarcity and fear over the end of the world! Quick make a movie about Satan coming in the form of a dragon and Jesus returning then leak rumors to the press that Obama is secretly a satanist. Start blogs that promote gold and oil and sales of “supplies” you’ll never need but fear you might so commodities go even higher in value. Be dumb, act like a moron, vote Republican and worship the Sun king, Jesus and his Thau-Oak Druid cross!
An angstrom would be a ‘fraction of a millimeter,’ and -er- so would a millimeter. I imagine Mr. Warrick can’t be more specific…
More lies from Israel ,just so America will fight it’s competition .
Trying to defend Iran against a nuclear bomb program is playing into the hands of imperialists. Iran has as much right to have nuclear weapons as the US, Israel, Pakistan, India, France, UK, Russia, China, etc. They are all rogue nations. Iran would be in good company!
Having said that, the US has been at war almost every year since WW2. It has toppled many democracies and has supported and continues to support dictatorships. Israel’s crimes against humanity are known to the whole world except the people of the US and Israel. But Iran, as brutal as the regime it is to its own people, has not attacked another nation for 200 years. Which is the rogue nation here who doesn’t deserve to have the bomb? Again, why is it that Iran can’t have a nuclear weapons program? Why do the people on the left keep putting themselves on the defensive on this issue?
Throughout this awesome scheme of things you’ll receive an A+ with regard to effort and hard work. Exactly
where you lost me was on all the particulars. As people say, details make or break the argument.. And it couldn’t be
much more accurate at this point. Having said that, let me
tell you just what exactly
did work. The writing
is actually highly
powerful and this is most likely the reason why
I am making an effort to comment. I do not make it a regular habit of
doing that. Secondly, even though I can easily see
a leaps in reasoning you come up with, I am not confident of how you seem
to
unite the details which produce
your conclusion. For right now I will, no doubt
yield to your position however hope in the foreseeable future you connect the facts better.
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