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As the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians threatens to explode into all-out war, Iraq is emerging from U.N.-imposed isolation with its determination to develop an atomic bomb intact.
Iraq’s dictator, Saddam Hussein, remains an implacable foe of Israel bent on the destruction of the Jewish state.
Despite Iraq’s humiliating loss in the Gulf War and nearly 10 years of crippling sanctions, Hussein remains firmly committed to the construction of nuclear weapons to obtain leadership in the Mideast and, quite possibly, the annihilation of Israel.
The leader of Hussein’s A-bomb project until his 1994 defection — Massachusetts Institute of Technology-trained Khidhir Hamza — states that production of atomic weapons still remains a top priority in Iraq, serving both a military and political function.
In an interview published in the Oct. 9 issue of the German magazine Der Spiegel, Hamza explained that the Iraqis were able to foil the efforts of U.N. weapons inspectors through the use of trains and trucks to move incriminating equipment and weaponry, concealing them in hospitals, schools and even private homes.
Hamza described the “forbearance” of the International Atomic Energy Administration toward Hussein as “almost criminal.”
Those nations once referred to as “rogue states” by the U.S. State Department and individual scientists or corporate concerns from Russia or China are usually cited as possible sources of information and materials for Iraqi weapons experimentation.
Hamza, however, cites Germany as a prime source for the needed materials and financial backing of Iraq. Hamza’s German corporate partners cooperated in the purchase of needed items for Iraq’s bomb and German bankers assisted in the processing of multi-million dollar orders.
The Iraqi operatives in Germany, according to Hamza, had nothing to fear from German intelligence services, which Hamza felt was “on our side.”
Hamza stated that he would testify under oath to his allegations.
Hussein was close to testing an atomic weapon just prior to the beginning of the Gulf War, Hamza stated. Hamza maintains that the production of atomic weapons remains the highest priority for Hussein and he believes that Iraq could produce an atomic arsenal within two years of the lifting of U.N. sanctions imposed on that nation.
When contacted by WorldNetDaily, the German embassy had no immediate statement regarding Hamza’s comments.
Both the U.S. State and Defense departments expressed concern to WorldNetDaily that weapons inspectors were no longer in Iraq to monitor Hussein’s weapons facilities.
A Defense Department spokesman who wished to remain anonymous told WorldNetDaily that, “without inspectors on the ground,” it is impossible to determine Iraq’s capabilities for the production of weapons of mass destruction, “including atomic weapons.”
Greg Sullivan, a State Department spokesman, expressed U.S. unease at Iraq’s refusal to allow inspectors, stating that “the longer it [the refusals] continues, the more we are concerned.” Sullivan emphasized that containment of Iraq remains U.S. policy so that “Iraq will never again threaten its neighbors.”
Sullivan affirmed that the U.S. is still seeking “a change of regimes” in Iraq and said that there exist “redlines” which, if violated, will trigger a U.S. attack upon Iraq.
These “redlines” include evidence that Iraq had “reconstituted” weapons of mass destruction, that Iraq is preparing an attack upon its neighbors or an attack against the Kurdish minority in northern Iraq.
“We are prepared to act and have credible forces in the region,” Sullivan said.
Ironically, shortly after the publication of Hamza’s statements, a mid-level Iraqi official arrived in Berlin, Germany, to begin the process of opening negotiations for wider contacts between Iraq and Germany.
Both governments confirmed that “no commitments had been undertaken and no further high-level meetings scheduled,” according Deutche Welle, the official broadcasting service of the German government. The appearance of the Iraqi official is, however, “evidence of a concerted effort by Baghdad to get back on the world stage” as a major player, Deutche Welle said.
DW quoted an Iraqi official as saying that Germany is considered of prime importance to Iraq’s new foreign policy offensive because Germany is “a major voice in the European Union” and the German government is “naively uninformed” regarding the situation in Iraq and the impact of sanctions.
Iraq continues to challenge U.N.-imposed sanctions. In September, a Russian passenger aircraft landed in Iraq in apparent opposition to restrictions imposed upon flights to that nation. Soon, other nations followed — including some aircraft carrying supplies to Iraq — in what appears to be a clear violation of U.N. sanctions.
At the start of the current Israeli-Palestinian fighting, Hussein declared that if Iraq were given access to land next to Israel, his nation could destroy the Jewish state.
Iraq, although under U.N. sanctions for nearly 10 years, continues to maintain friendly relations with nations around the world, including Russia and China.
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WND Staff