US set to help Libya build nuclear power plant

[TallGuy]

TRIPOLI (AFP) - The United States is to help Libya to build a first nuclear power plant under an agreement to be signed soon, the official news agency reported on Monday.
The Libyan parliament or General People's Committee (GPC) gave its approval on Sunday for the foreign ministry to sign the deal, JANA said.
"The GPC authorised on Sunday the GPC for Foreign Liaison and International Cooperation to sign the agreement related (to) the Libyan-American cooperation in peaceful use of nuclear energy offered by the United States," it said in an English-language dispatch.
"The agreement aims at establishing a nuclear station in Libya to produce electricity, desalting water, and developing the radiochemistry performance at energy researches centre."
There was no immediate confirmation from Washington of the proposed deal.
The draft agreement approved by MPs on Sunday provides for Libyan students to receive training in nuclear technology in the United States and for the establishment in Libya of a regional centre for nuclear medicine, the news agency said.
Libya was long accused by Western governments of seeking to acquire weapons of mass destruction.
But in late 2003 Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi renounced all attempts to develop a non-conventional arsenal, clearing the way for the restoration of diplomatic relations with the United States in May last year.
The proposed agreement between the United States and its longtime enemy Libya comes as Washington intensifies its campaign against the nuclear programme of its arch-foe Iran.
Iran's programme, which the Islamic republic insists is entirely peaceful, has prompted a number of Arab states to announce plans to work on civil nuclear energy, including pro-Western Egypt and the six oil-rich Gulf states.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070312/wl_mideast_afp/libyausnuclear_070312161034
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[mudbunny]

Does this sound like a bad idea to anyone else?

[R.D.]

Does this sound like a bad idea to anyone else?
x2 lol wth?

[Atlantic Friend]

Does this sound like a bad idea to anyone else?

Naaaaaah..... It's not as if it was selling nuclear technology to a known sponsor of world terrorism with a long history of mental instability, after all. Oh wait...

At least if something goes wrong with Lybia in the near future we won't hear that it was bad France and bad Germany giving forbidden tech to Kaddafi out of anti-Americanism, this time...

French-designed Iraqi nuclear power plant = Bad, shows France wants to destroy Israel
US-designed Lybian nuclear power-plant = Why, it's just good business sense, people !

[Hollis]

First, US is a wrong mongering country that can not make peace with anyone. Evil US.

OK Libya, US makes Makes Peace with Libya (Obviously concession where made all around) all for Global Kumbaya sing along, what happens? No sing along, all the critics of the US now are upset with US making Peace with Libya. Again Evil US.

So what is it, Peace or War? Or just bashing the US to bash the US.

[Atlantic Friend]

First, US is a wrong mongering country that can not make peace with anyone. Evil US.

OK Libya, US makes Makes Peace with Libya (Obviously concession where made all around) all for Global Kumbaya sing along, what happens? No sing along, all the critics of the US now are upset with US making Peace with Libya. Again Evil US.

So what is it, Peace or War? Or just bashing the US to bash the US.

Actually, it is more about questioning how wise it is to sell nuclear technology to Colonel Kaddafi. Nuclear. As in, with real atomic power inside.

[Hollis]

Actually, it is more about questioning how wise it is to sell nuclear technology to Colonel Kaddafi. Nuclear. As in, with real atomic power inside.


Peace is a risk, I guess we will know how wise it is, in the future

[Atlantic Friend]

Peace is a risk, I guess we will know how wise it is, in the future

We sure will. From quite a distance, hopefully.

[Hollis]

We sure will. From quite a distance, hopefully.


I guess for me it is better, I am on the North West corner of the USA. Stay safe.

[Atlantic Friend]

I guess for me it is better, I am on the North West corner of the USA. Stay safe.

Well, we'll see what Tripoli does with this shiny new toy. Tel Aviv must be having bad coughing fits over this.

[Hollis]

Well, we'll see what Tripoli does with this shiny new toy. Tel Aviv must be having bad coughing fits over this.


Brings up a good point, I wonder if any of Israeli members has any news on the Israeli government views on this.

If we want to do cloak and daggers stuff, Kadhafi might not see this as a trojan horse, a XXX mega ton bomb in his court yard. NOT saying it is/will be.

[Bert]

Stage 1: Libya is a terrorfunding country spewing out rockets and AKs to anyone willing to use them.

Stage 2: Qaddafi realises this doesn't work, and stops.

Stage 3: Qaddafi stops his WMD programs, disarms and opens them up to the world and the IAEA to see and verify.

Stage 4: Qaddafi's Libya is rewarded for this. Afterall, anything else would give the impression to states like Iran and NKorea that giving up weapons gives you nothing but a weakened stance.

Really, Libya is reconciling and looking to establish relations with the West because anything else is self-destructive. Qaddafi has also cut ties with the volatile middle east and seeks to become a big player in Africa instead. Although there's still some hefty rhetoric reminiscent of the rest of the uncivilized world, this is only targeted at the domestic market. We all know muslims can't do without the daily dose of hearing what de jooos have been doing to solidify their grand conspiracy to eradicate them. Just look at what Egyptian national television is supplying their populace with despite the peace treaty with Israel. Supply and demand. If the muslims want to see foilhat TV series of jews eating babies, that's what they'll get.

Entirely OT: Notice how Qaddafi and Libya is spelled in four and two different ways respectively, only in this thread. p-)

[Laworkerbee]

Good post Bert

[2Sheds_Jackson]

French-designed Iraqi nuclear power plant = Bad, shows France wants to destroy Israel
US-designed Lybian nuclear power-plant = Why, it's just good business sense, people !

Not all nuclear reactors are created equal. The MTR reactor that the French sold Iraq was good at converting uranium (reactor fuel) into bomb-suitable plutonium. While the details of the US deal (if even true) aren't out yet, I'll bet that there are significant safeguards against this kind of thing.

[Atlantic Friend]

Not all nuclear reactors are created equal. The MTR reactor that the French sold Iraq was good at converting uranium (reactor fuel) into bomb-suitable plutonium. While the details of the US deal (if even true) aren't out yet, I'll bet that there are significant safeguards against this kind of thing.

Well, same way you would have thought there was going to be significant safeguards about the Osirak reactor. We'll have to wait and see, and hopefully we'll like what we see.

But really, the good old Colonel isn't exactly the kind of guy you want to initiate as a new member of the nuclear club, even if he's only supposed to go to the "Civilian Energy" rooms. He's the same guy who ordered an Egyptian submarine to attack a British liner when Egypt and Lybia tried to revive some United Arab Republic dream through joint command of military forces. And the reason he attacked Chad in the early eighties was to get hold of uranium deposits in the northen part of that country. He's the guy who bragged deliriously about the fact he would turn Americans into loukoums only 20 years ago.

Now he says he has changed and seen the Light. Okay. What about seeing if he had changed AFTER his death, for example. And speaking of his death. The nuclear power plant will not die with him. Do we have a Lybian exile ready to become the new Head of the Revolution reqady to make sure the late Colonel won't be replaced with an even more insane or hostile guy ?

[Laworkerbee]

Good points AF as his son is a bit of a douchebag

Just send in some Chadians in MILAN armed Toyota's again they seem to have the Lybian's number

[2Sheds_Jackson]

Well, same way you would have thought there was going to be significant safeguards about the Osirak reactor. We'll have to wait and see, and hopefully we'll like what we see.

But really, the good old Colonel isn't exactly the kind of guy you want to initiate as a new member of the nuclear club, even if he's only supposed to go to the "Civilian Energy" rooms. He's the same guy who ordered an Egyptian submarine to attack a British liner when Egypt and Lybia tried to revive some United Arab Republic dream through joint command of military forces. And the reason he attacked Chad in the early eighties was to get hold of uranium deposits in the northen part of that country. He's the guy who bragged deliriously about the fact he would turn Americans into loukoums only 20 years ago.

Now he says he has changed and seen the Light. Okay. What about seeing if he had changed AFTER his death, for example. And speaking of his death. The nuclear power plant will not die with him. Do we have a Lybian exile ready to become the new Head of the Revolution reqady to make sure the late Colonel won't be replaced with an even more insane or hostile guy ?

Well the best safeguard re Osirak would probably have been for it to have been of a type not adept at producing plutonium. That way, in the event safeguards and inspections fail (as they did in Iraq in 1991 when the IAEA was booted out) it is not such a critical, short term issue.

The problem here is that even for signatories of the NPT, all nations are entitled to pursue nuclear power. History isn't over yet, and it seems to me that when somebody tows the line, they get the cookie, right? Is it not better to be fully involved in the process, on the floor participating and knowing every detail of what's going on? Or we can go the Iran route - with the IAEA in the dark, and sanctions, and saber rattling etc. How do we on one hand lay the rules out, then when somebody agrees to follow them....say no? Who's gonna play nice after that?

Yeah, I agree that the Col. and his nation are not the ideal candidates, but isn't this the "selective engagement" and "keeping your enemies closer" and all that jazz that the European sophisticates are always going on about?