IAEA Global Test?

Megan McArdle, ably pinch-hitting for Glenn, posts this:

A CLOSER LOOK AT CULPABILITY: The New York Sun reports that the US asked the IAEA to destroy the looted explosives in 1995

Nine years ago, U.N. weapons inspectors urgently called on the International Atomic Energy Agency to demolish powerful plastic explosives in a facility that Iraq's interim government said this month was looted due to poor security.

The chief American weapons inspector, Charles Duelfer, told The New York Sun yesterday that in 1995, when he was a member of the U.N. inspections team in Iraq, he urged the United Nations' atomic watchdog to remove tons of explosives that have since been declared missing.

Mr. Duelfer said he was rebuffed at the time by the Vienna-based agency because its officials were not convinced the presence of the HMX, RDX, and PETN explosives was directly related to Saddam Hussein's programs to amass weapons of mass destruction.

Instead of accepting recommendations to destroy the stocks, Mr. Duelfer said, the atomic-energy agency opted to continue to monitor them.

By e-mail, Mr. Duelfer wrote the Sun, "The policy was if acquired for the WMD program and used for it, it should be subject for destruction. The HMX was just that. Nevertheless the IAEA decided to let Iraq keep the stuff, like they needed more explosives."

UPDATE: A little poking around the IAEA Media Centre turned up what may be the underlying motive behind the IAEA's sudden interest the Al Qaqaa explosive issue after 18 months of silence. Rueters reported on Oct 23:

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Despite urging U.N. nuclear chief Mohamed ElBaradei to step down after two terms, the Bush administration may be unwilling to undertake an all-out political battle to oust him, U.S. officials and diplomats say.

ElBaradei, who has worked at the International Atomic Energy Agency for 20 years, officially announced his interest in a third term late last month, rebuffing President Bush's team, which said it hoped he would step down and allow the appointment of a new leader.

A senior U.S. official said: "We'd rather see an elegant way out for everybody. What we're seeking is a resolution that doesn't force the issue."

[...]

MUCH DEPENDS ON NOV. 2

The U.S. strategy will turn on who wins the presidential election. Bush charted a bold, largely unilateralist, foreign policy course during much of his first term. Kerry has promised to work more closely with allies.

The Massachusetts Democrat has not evolved positions on such issues as the IAEA director-general appointment, campaign sources say.

But a Democratic insider told Reuters that, while some Kerry advisers may like to see ElBaradei replaced, "We'd have to look at the political consequences."

Something smells and it isn't just the fetid stench of media machinations to defeat Bush ...it's the pernicious odor of corruption and self-interest roiling from the UN.