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SkyBum
08-05-2003, 08:05 AM
http://www.upi.com/view.cfm?StoryID=20030804-022903-7609r

HILLAH, Iraq, Aug. 4 (UPI) -- A routine Iraqi traffic stop has turned up what may be $90 million in gold bars in this town just over 50 miles south of Baghdad.

While the financial haul is major, U.S. Marines helping to get this town back on its feet say something more valuable has come out of the episode: the notion that Iraqis can begin to trust their government.

I love how by the end of the story we are not even sure if it is indeed gold.

The Marines are still not sure what the metal is -- other bars thought to be gold have turned out to be brass or other metals. But pictures of the bars show gleaming yellow bricks

The gold will be tested by metallurgists sometime soon and somehow returned to the Iraqi treasury.

No matter what the tests reveal, Holahan wants to tell the Iraqis it is gold anyway.

Notice how much this last quote stands in contrast to the last line of the first quote.

Fucking sensationalistic reporters.

easy e
08-05-2003, 09:21 AM
They found the bars to be mostly copper (http://www.nytimes.com/2003/08/02/international/worldspecial/02COPP.html). Likely melted-down ammunition casings.

Mac Guffin
08-05-2003, 09:52 AM
As I implied in a recent thread that sank like a stone, Sure, it's copper from melted casings NOW.


I wonder how long it took certain occupying forces to melt all those casings...


Ahem.

SkyBum
08-05-2003, 09:54 AM
Couldn't read the link without registering. I had a feeling it wasn't going to be gold though.

Fucking sensationalistic reporters.

Guinastasia
08-06-2003, 12:43 AM
Um, wouldn't it be easy to tell if it was gold or not?

Isn't pure gold fairly soft?

Phnord Prephect
08-06-2003, 05:16 PM
Pure gold is soft and HEAVY. I've never had a brick of gold in my hands. I've never had a identically-shaped brick of copper in my hand. I've never had one of each in each hand.

I KNOW I could tell the difference.

Typo Negative
08-07-2003, 01:06 AM
Didn't we already take all the gold in Three Kings?