AP Exclusive: Top Iraqi Scientist Flees

[iam]

U.S. officers involved in the hunt for Iraq weapons have told The Associated Press that the Iraqi scientist who headed Saddam Hussein's long-range missile program has fled to neighboring Iran, a country identified as a state sponsor of terrorism with a successful missile program and nuclear ambitions.

Dr. Modher Sadeq-Saba al-Tamimi's departure comes as top weapons makers from Saddam's deposed regime find themselves eight months out of work but with skills that could be lucrative to militaries or terrorist organizations in neighboring countries. U.S. officials have said some are already in Syria and Jordan.

Experts long feared the collapse of Saddam's rule could lead to the kind of scientific brain-drain the United States tried to prevent as the former Soviet Union collapsed. But the Bush administration had no plan for Iraqi scientists and instead officials suggested they could be tried for war crimes.

Only now is the State Department exploring the possibility of a government-funded program to block a scientific exodus and prevent Iraqis from doing future research in weapons of mass destruction.

Thelink:
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&u=ap/iraq_the_scientists

The worst President ever. Now Iraqi scientists are going to Axis of Evil countries to make WMD. Anyone have an extra pretzel handy before this gets out of hand?

[SpiralHawk]

1. OK, Iran

You're next. - the Chimp-in-Chief*

* AWOL while honor-bound by solemn oath to be serving with the Texas National Guard in the 1970s; defeated by a clear majority of patriotic and discerning American voters in the 2000 election; appointed to office by the so-called supreme court.

[underpants]

2. But why would he flee with things going so well and all that democracy

sprouting up?

[TahitiNut]

3. Duplicate

See http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=223187