They don't ask me that anymore.

[Slammr]

James Baker, Secretary of State for Bush I during the Gulf War, said, "They used to always ask me why we didn't go after Saddam during the Gulf War. They don't ask me that, anymore."

[Blaise]

James Baker, Secretary of State for Bush I during the Gulf War, said, "They used to always ask me why we didn't go after Saddam during the Gulf War. They don't ask me that, anymore."

Iraq was less dangerous before we invaded. What a mess!

[Riverwind]

oh but look at all the weapons of mass destruction we have liberated.

River

[Taylor]

Goddammit! He has concealed or had weapons of mass destruction because he used them against his own people!!!!

Can anyone remember the Kurda? That fucker used mustard gas on them so it is UNDENIABEL he had and has used weapons of mass destruction. Would you be happier if we waited for him to gas the subway system of New York or gas the Superbowl?

Oh, bother....some days it just isn't worth chewing through the restraints.

[Slammr]

Goddammit! He has concealed or had weapons of mass destruction because he used them against his own people!!!!

Can anyone remember the Kurda? That fucker used mustard gas on them so it is UNDENIABEL he had and has used weapons of mass destruction. Would you be happier if we waited for him to gas the subway system of New York or gas the Superbowl?

Oh, bother....some days it just isn't worth chewing through the restraints.

What are you gonna do? Four years in Iraq without one weapon of mass destruction being discovered, and they still believe the lies. People like Taylor are the reason this idiot got re-elected. They'll believe anything he says.

Sure Saddam once had and used WMDs, but the UN inspected his country for ten years to make certain he didn't produce them. Even Saddam was smart enough to know we'd use them as an excuse to go to war with him again.

If he had them, where are they? Did he snap his fingers and they disappeared?

Please keep Taylor in better restraints -- some he can't chew through. We can't afford to have him and his kind on the loose. Look what they've done to our country.

[chastized]

There seems to be a lot of closed eyes among the liberals here and abroad.

THEY HAVE FOUND WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTIONS.

SADDOM DID HAVE NUCLEAR MATERIALS. It was under UN lock and key, that is what bolt cutters are for.

But it wan't for us to prove that he had them, it was for him to prove that he didn't, if you remember. Good question Slammer, where did they go? Ya were are they????????? Jesus Christ, what is wrong with you liberals.

[kristoff]

Jesus Christ, what is wrong with you liberals.

Reminds me of a sign I recently saw.

"I think therefore I am a Democrat."

"My knee jerks, therefore I am a Republican."

[Slammr]

Reminds me of a sign I recently saw.

"I think therefore I am a Democrat."

"My knee jerks, therefore I am a Republican."

Right on. Need I say more?

Oh...can we get some restraints for chastized, too?

[Blaise]

Reminds me of a sign I recently saw.

"I think therefore I am a Democrat."

"My knee jerks, therefore I am a Republican."

I will steal those lines!

[chastized]

No not knee jerk, fact, kristoff. I think you and others here need to read the UN resolution 1441 again, to refresh your memory.


I don't care if you agree with, or don't agree with, on anything. JUST GET THE FACTS RIGHT. To not do so shows ignorance of the news and history. As some do all of the time, just plane ignorance, and if you agree with an opinion as fact, with no facts to back up your statements, you are just as ignorant as the orginal opinion is.

Do I need to post 1441 for you?



Rep. Curt Weldon: U.S. Still Finding WMD in Iraq

The U.S. military has found more Iraqi weapons in recent months, in addition to the 500 chemical munitions recently reported by the Pentagon, a top defense intelligence official said Thursday.

Lt. Gen. Michael Maples, director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, did not specify if the newly found weapons were also chemical munitions. But he said he expected more.

"I do not believe we have found all the weapons," he told the House Armed Services Committee, offering few details in an open session that preceded a classified briefing to lawmakers.

Responding to questions from lawmakers anxious to make political points ahead of the November congressional elections, U.S. defense officials said the 500 chemical weapons discovered in Iraq were "weapons of mass destruction." However their degraded state may make them more dangerous to those who find them than anyone else.

Maples said the pre-Gulf War rockets and artillery rounds recently reported by the Pentagon were produced in the 1980s and could not be used as intended.


If the chemical agent, sarin, was removed from the munitions and repackaged, it could be lethal. Its release in a U.S. city, in certain circumstances, would be devastating, Maples said.


But despite statements of concern by Republicans about the risk of terrorists releasing the chemical in the United States, defense officials said the munitions pose as much a threat to people who try to handle them as potential victims.


When asked by a Democrat to confirm the weapons pose a risk to troops in Iraq, not Americans at home, Maples said, "Yes."


Republican lawmakers, some facing tough election battles amid growing anti-war sentiment, called the discovery of the weapons significant.


Republican Rep. Curt Weldon of Pennsylvania suggested the munitions were in fact the weapons of mass destruction that former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein lied about, leading the United States to war.


"For those who claim that these weapons are not the weapons of mass destruction that the United States went to war over, I would refer them to 17 United Nations Security Council resolutions that Saddam Hussein violated," Weldon said. "It didn't say pre-'91 chemical weapons. It didn't say post-'91 chemical weapons. It said chemical weapons."

But Democrats dismissed such arguments and said the weapons were not the "imminent threat" used to justify the war.


"It's very difficult to characterize these as the imminent threat weapons that we were told we were looking for," said Rep. Ellen Tauscher, a California Democrat.



(c) Reuters 2006. All rights reserved.

[Riverwind]

I will steal those lines!

Me too

River

[Riverwind]

No not knee jerk, fact, kristoff. I think you and others here need to read the UN resolution 1441 again, to refresh your memory.


I don't care if you agree with, or don't agree with, on anything. JUST GET THE FACTS RIGHT. To not do so shows ignorance of the news and history. As some do all of the time, just plane ignorance, and if you agree with an opinion as fact, with no facts to back up your statements, you are just as ignorant as the orginal opinion is.

Do I need to post 1441 for you?



Rep. Curt Weldon: U.S. Still Finding WMD in Iraq

The U.S. military has found more Iraqi weapons in recent months, in addition to the 500 chemical munitions recently reported by the Pentagon, a top defense intelligence official said Thursday.

Lt. Gen. Michael Maples, director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, did not specify if the newly found weapons were also chemical munitions. But he said he expected more.

"I do not believe we have found all the weapons," he told the House Armed Services Committee, offering few details in an open session that preceded a classified briefing to lawmakers.

Responding to questions from lawmakers anxious to make political points ahead of the November congressional elections, U.S. defense officials said the 500 chemical weapons discovered in Iraq were "weapons of mass destruction." However their degraded state may make them more dangerous to those who find them than anyone else.

Maples said the pre-Gulf War rockets and artillery rounds recently reported by the Pentagon were produced in the 1980s and could not be used as intended.


If the chemical agent, sarin, was removed from the munitions and repackaged, it could be lethal. Its release in a U.S. city, in certain circumstances, would be devastating, Maples said.


But despite statements of concern by Republicans about the risk of terrorists releasing the chemical in the United States, defense officials said the munitions pose as much a threat to people who try to handle them as potential victims.


When asked by a Democrat to confirm the weapons pose a risk to troops in Iraq, not Americans at home, Maples said, "Yes."


Republican lawmakers, some facing tough election battles amid growing anti-war sentiment, called the discovery of the weapons significant.


Republican Rep. Curt Weldon of Pennsylvania suggested the munitions were in fact the weapons of mass destruction that former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein lied about, leading the United States to war.


"For those who claim that these weapons are not the weapons of mass destruction that the United States went to war over, I would refer them to 17 United Nations Security Council resolutions that Saddam Hussein violated," Weldon said. "It didn't say pre-'91 chemical weapons. It didn't say post-'91 chemical weapons. It said chemical weapons."

But Democrats dismissed such arguments and said the weapons were not the "imminent threat" used to justify the war.


"It's very difficult to characterize these as the imminent threat weapons that we were told we were looking for," said Rep. Ellen Tauscher, a California Democrat.



(c) Reuters 2006. All rights reserved.

Weapons of mass destruction, chemical weapons, not the same thing and finding anything at this point just before an election is well, oh never mind.


River the Republican yes, Republican. The party left me not the other way around. Yes, I will vote for every Demicrat this election, we must bring some sense of sanity back to the country.

[Slammr]

TABLE 4. SUMMARY OF IRAQ’S CHEMICAL WEAPON PROGRAM
PREWAR CONCERNS PRE-2002 INTELLIGENCE ASSESSMENTS OCTOBER 2002 NIE ASSESSMENT UN FINDINGS 2002–2003 ADMINISTRATION STATEMENTS EVIDENCE SINCE MARCH 2003

No chemical weapons found. Appears none were produced after 1991. Kay: “Iraq did not have a large, ongoing, centrally controlled CW program after 1991.”

UNMOVIC inspections did not find any active production facilities or evidence of hidden chemical weapon production capability.

No open or covert chemical munitions or production facilities found. Some low-level research activity and dual-use programs possible. link

Report concludes no WMD in Iraq

Saddam Hussein had used chemical weapons in the past
Iraq had no stockpiles of biological, chemical or nuclear weapons before last year's US-led invasion, the chief US weapons inspector has concluded.
Iraq Survey Group head Charles Duelfer said Iraq's nuclear capability had decayed not grown since the 1991 war. link

Intelligence officials have confirmed the US has stopped searching for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.
They say the chief US investigator, Charles Duelfer, is not planning to return to the country.

Mr Duelfer reported last year that Iraq had no stockpiles of chemical or biological weapons at the time of the US-led invasion nearly two years ago.
link

During the run-up to the 2003 attack on Iraq, we were repeatedly told by US leaders that Iraq absolutely, positively had weapons of mass destruction [read more]. The country was an immediate threat not only to its neighbors but to the entire world. It had the capability of launching WMDs within 45 minutes.

In August 2002, Cheney insisted: "Simply stated, there is no doubt that Saddam Hussein now has weapons of mass destruction."

In a March 2003 address to the nation, Bush said: "Intelligence gathered by this and other governments leaves no doubt that the Iraq regime continues to possess and conceal some of the most lethal weapons ever devised."

In April 2003, Fleischer claimed: "But make no mistake--as I said earlier--we have high confidence that they have weapons of mass destruction. That is what this war was about and it is about."

In February 2003, Powell said: "We know that Saddam Hussein is determined to keep his weapons of mass destruction, is determined to make more."

But two years earlier, Powell said just the opposite. The occasion was a press conference on 24 February 2001 during Powell's visit to Cairo, Egypt. Answering a question about the US-led sanctions against Iraq, the Secretary of State said:

We had a good discussion, the Foreign Minister and I and the President and I, had a good discussion about the nature of the sanctions -- the fact that the sanctions exist -- not for the purpose of hurting the Iraqi people, but for the purpose of keeping in check Saddam Hussein's ambitions toward developing weapons of mass destruction. We should constantly be reviewing our policies, constantly be looking at those sanctions to make sure that they are directed toward that purpose. That purpose is every bit as important now as it was ten years ago when we began it. And frankly they have worked. He has not developed any significant capability with respect to weapons of mass destruction. He is unable to project conventional power against his neighbors. So in effect, our policies have strengthened the security of the neighbors of Iraq... link

While leading the hunt for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq in the summer of 2003, David Kay received a phone call from "Scooter" Libby, Dick Cheney's chief of staff, who wanted a particular place searched: "The vice president wants to know if you've looked at this area. We have indications -- and here are the geocoordinates -- that something's buried there." Kay and his experts located the area on the map. It was in the middle of Lebanon.

Santorum: We Found the WMD
Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA) took to the microphone today to announce a shocking discovery — that WMD have been found in Iraq:

Congressman Hoekstra and I are here today to say that we have found weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, chemical weapons. … Since 2003, coalition forces have recovered approximately 500 weapons munitions which contain degraded mustard or sarin nerve agent. Despite many efforts to locate and destroy Iraq’s pre-Gulf War chemical munitions, filled and unfilled pre-Gulf War chemical munitions are assessed to still exist.

The Bush administration commissioned the Iraq Survey Group to determine whether in fact any WMD existed in Iraq. After a year and half of meticulously combing through the country, here’s what the administration’s own inspectors reported:

While a small number of old, abandoned chemical munitions have been discovered, ISG judges that Iraq unilaterally destroyed its undeclared chemical weapons stockpile in 1991. There are no credible Indications that Baghdad resumed production of chemical munitions thereafter, a policy ISG attributes to Baghdad’s desire to see sanctions lifted, or rendered ineffectual, or its fear of force against it should WMD be discovered.

The White House should immediately announce whether it stands with Santorum or whether it stands behind the review conducted by Charles Duelfer and the Iraq Survey Group. Recall, in October 2004, Bush said of Duelfer’s analysis:

The chief weapons inspector, Charles Duelfer, has now issued a comprehensive report that confirms the earlier conclusion of David Kay that Iraq did not have the weapons that our intelligence believed were there.

Lies About WMD in Iraq...By Democrats!As the war in Iraq becomes more unpopular with an increasing number of Americans, Democrats in collusion with the liberal mainstream media, continue to politicize the war by blatantly distorting the facts

Who's lying -- the Democrats or the Republicans that want to cover their butts? How come these two Republicans, Congressman Hoekstra and Senator Santorum, are privy to this information, and no one else has it? Why hasn't Bush said anything about it, if it's true?

Rick Santorum announces "We have found WMD in Iraq"
Reported by Chrish - June 21, 2006
There was a FOX News Alert today 6/21/06 on The Big Story for a news conference being held by Congressmen Rick Santorum (R-PA) and Pete Hoekstra (R-MI), declaring that WMDs had been found in Iraq. The announcement followed Santorum's naming three Democratic Senators who just today, in the course of debating withdrawal plans from Iraq, had stated that no weapons of mass destruction had been found. He forgot to mention UN Weapons Inspectors who declared in 2004 that there were no WMDs of any significance in Iraq.

Relevant portions of Santorum's statement:

"Congressman Hoekstra and I are here today to say the we have found weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, chemical weapons. It's document that was developed by our intelligence community which, over the last two-and-a-half months I have been pursuing and thanks to the help of the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, was ultimately, he was able to get it in his hands and I was able to look for, and look at. Both of us feel very strongly that this is vitally important information that the American public needs to know. And so I will read portions of the unclassified version and then turn it over to Peter.... The unclassified version of this report states as follows:

"Since 2003 coalition forces have recovered about 500 weapons munitions which contain degraded mustard or sarin nerve agent. Despite many efforts to locate and destroy Iraq's pre-Gulf War chemical munitions, filled and unfilled pre-Gulf War chemical munitions are assessed to still exist."


He went off-quote to emphasize that in addition to the 500, there are still filled and unfilled munition believed to exist. In case you didn't catch that the first time. He continues back on statement:

"Pre-Gulf War Iraqi chemical weapons could be sold on the black market. Use of these weapons by terrorists or insurgent groups would have implications for coalition forces in Iraq. The possibility of use outside of Iraq cannot be ruled out. The most likely munitions remaining are Sarin and mustard-filled ( projectiles."

He pauses to underscore filled. Resuming:

"The purity of the agents inside the munitions depends on many factors, including the manufacturing process, potential additives, and environmental storage conditions. While agents degrade over time, chemicals warfare agents remain hazardous and potentially lethal.

It has been reported in open press that insurgents and Iraqi groups desire to acquire and use chemical weapons."


He said this is, in his mind, an incredibly significant finding. The idea that his colleagues on the other side of the aisle continue to repeat is, in fact, false. We have found 500 WMDs and there are additional chemical weapons.

The camera went back to Gibson in the studio, who had Bill Kristol handy to comment. The chyron below Gibson read "FOX NEWS ALERT Report: US has found some 500 chemical munitions in Iraq". There's no indication that this "find" occurred over two years ago.

Gibson reiterated that Democrats repeat every day that no WMD were found, and asked Kristol why Santorum would have to fight to get this report released? That's Kristol's first question, too. His colleague at the Weekly Standard, Steve Hayes, has been fighting for years to get them released. He and Hoekstra have been fighting, remarkably, the Bush administration, who you'd think would want to strengthen the case for the war in Iraq, and the fact is Saddam Hussein did not account for all his missing weapons. Kristol says they have been timid in releasing it, and Gibson says they appear to be unwilling to get into this fight again. Kristol agrees and deems it a huge mistake - they've allowed to go unchallenged for 2-3 years that the war was based on at best a terrible mistake, and at worst on a lie. He gives Santorum and Hoekstra a lot of credit for forcing the issue. He wraps up by saying that this information confirms that "Saddam remained a big menace."

But according to Scott Ritter, UNSCOM Weapons Inspector in Iraq for 7 years, Sarin has a shelf life of five years and as of the writing of "What Team Bush doesn't want you to know" in 2002, any Sarin that hadn't been found would have been "useless, harmless, goo." (p. 33) And from BBC News,

" Iraq had no stockpiles of biological, chemical or nuclear weapons before last year's US-led invasion, the chief US weapons inspector has concluded.

Iraq Survey Group head Charles Duelfer said Iraq's nuclear capability had decayed not grown since the 1991 war.

Key findings of the report:
* "The ISG has not found evidence that Saddam possessed WMD stocks in 2003, but [there is] the possibility that some weapons existed in Iraq, although not of a militarily significant capability."


One has to wonder why Santorum thought this was important for Americans to know and fought the Bush administration to get it released. It appears it will only open old wounds and expose the administration to more charges of exaggerating the danger posed by Iraq. It did, however, give them ample opportunity to infer that Democrats were wrong again and Bush was right. We'll see where this "revelation" goes in the coming days.

Amend 6/22/06: FOXNews.com reports, under the headline "Report: Hundreds of WMDs Found in Iraq"


WASHINGTON — The United States has found 500 chemical weapons in Iraq since 2003, and more weapons of mass destruction are likely to be uncovered, two Republican lawmakers said Wednesday.

"We have found weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, chemical weapons," Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa., said in a quickly called press conference late Wednesday afternoon.

However, paragraphs 10-11 state

"Offering the official administration response to FOX News, a senior
Defense Department official pointed out that the chemical weapons were
not in useable conditions.

"This does not reflect a capacity that was built up after 1991," the
official said, adding the munitions "are not the WMDs this country and
the rest of the world believed Iraq had, and not the WMDs for which this
country went to war."

Rhetorical question: Why is FOX News abetting the spread of misinformation?

I don't know. Who do you believe, the commissions and inspectors or these two Republicans and the right wing blogs -- or Fox News? Now, if Fox News said it -- wow -- it must be true. We all know how unbiased they are.

[chastized]

Weapons of mass destruction, chemical weapons, not the same thing

You have to be kidding me, right?????? Come on Riverwind, just a quick trip to the beloved UN web site

Terrorism and Weapons of Mass Destruction [to be amended following 15 May meeting]

[to be discussed] Access by terrorists to chemical, biological and nuclear weapons is a source of growing global concern. http://www.un.org/Docs/sc/committees/1373/wmd.html

The Weapons of Mass Destruction Branch provides substantive support for the activities of the United Nations in the area of weapons of mass destruction (nuclear, chemical and biological weapons), including the threat of use of weapons of mass destruction in terrorist acts, as well as missiles. http://disarmament.un.org/wmd/

So Slammer are you going to stand by your statement """"Four years in Iraq without one weapon of mass destruction being discovered"""" or not. A WMD is a WMD no matter when it was made. Sure we didn't find what all of the worlds intel agencies thought we would find, but your statement that we have found NONE is wrong in my mind. There are to many reports that say differant.

Syria a State of Terror
Home | Terror on Lebanese | Terror on Syrians | Terror on Americans | Terror on Europeans | Lebanon January 26, 2006


A senior Syrian journalist reports Iraq WMD located in three Syrian sites
06 January, 2004

AFP

Nizar Nayuf (Nayyouf-Nayyuf), a Syrian journalist who recently defected from Syria to Western Europe and is known for bravely challenging the Syrian regime, said in a letter Monday, January 5, to Dutch newspaper “De Telegraaf,” that he knows the three sites where Iraq's Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) are kept. The storage places are:



click for images of Iraq's WMD location in Syria

-1- Tunnels dug under the town of al-Baida near the city of Hama in northern Syria. These tunnels are an integral part of an underground factory, built by the North Koreans, for producing Syrian Scud missiles. Iraqi chemical weapons and long-range missiles are stored in these tunnels.

-2- The village of Tal Snan, north of the town of Salamija, where there is a big Syrian air force camp. Vital parts of Iraq's WMD are stored there.

-3-. The city of Sjinsjar on the Syrian border with the Lebanon, south of Homs city.

ADVERTISEMENT

Nayouf writes that the transfer of Iraqi WMD to Syria was organized by the commanders of Saddam Hussein's Special Republican Guard, including General Shalish, with the help of Assif Shoakat , Bashar Assad's cousin. Shoakat is the CEO of Bhaha, an import/export company owned by the Assad family.

In February 2003, a month before America's invasion in Iraq, very few are aware about the efforts to bring the Weapons of Mass Destruction from Iraq to Syria, and the personal involvement of Bashar Assad and his family in the operation.
Nayouf, who has won prizes for journalistic integrity, says he wrote his letter because he has terminal cancer.

Click here for Satellite Images of the Syrian-Iraq's WMD Locations

Ad: Hate your job? Take the Tickle.com Free Career Test to discover your ideal career.

First Message from the Syrian source to Nizar Nayouf

First messages from a Syrian Source, WMD Location
"Dear Nizar.

We received confirmations that the Iraqi weapons, which were moved to Syria by the help of General Zoul-Himla Chalich are now hidden in three places inside Syria:

First place: a tunnel dug in the mountain close to the Al-Baïdah village, which is roughly two kilometers from Misyaf village. This place is under the 489 Safety cipher Documents' office control .

Second place: the factory of the Air Armed Forces in the village of Tal Sinan, between the town of Hama and Salamiyyah. This factory is under the Air Force control.

Third place: the location of Shinsar, 40 kilometers south of Homs, two kilometers east of the Homs - Damascus road. There are underground tunnels there, controlled by Brigade 661 of the armed air Forces. It is a Brigade of air Patrol. The tunnels are several tens of meters deep.

The weapons were transported in large wooden cases and barrels, under the supervision of the General Zoul-Himla Chalich and the son of his brother Assef, who works at Al-Bachaer company.

The company is owned by the Assad family and has offices in Beirut, Damascus and Baghdad.

This company also undertook the illegal Iraqi oil importation in Syria, and supplied weapons to Saddam. I will try to send you all the new information as i get .

Take care and be safe."


Second Message to Nizar Nayuf

Second messages from a Syrian Source, WMD Location
"Dear Nizar.

I have sent you another chart of the positions which tells where the weapons which were sent from Iraq into Syria, are hidden. Because the preceding chart that I sent you earlier is not clear.

Until now, the authorities in Syria did not worry of what was being published by the Dutch television news about this subject.

New information: The weapons were evacuated by the means of ambulances. Mohammed Mansoura also took part in the operation.

There are other serious, detailed pieces of information concerning the money of Saddam being moved into Syria and into Lebanon and those who took part in moving it - Syrians and Lebanese.Also there are more details about the assassination of the General Moustapha Tajer which took place last summer.

Take care of yourself.

Damascus, January 7, 2004."

Good question, why hasn't he said anything? huh? Shit, who knows.

But as I'll say again, it wasn't up to us (the US) to prove that he had them, it was up to him to prove that he didn't. I believe that he thought that he had the security counsel in his pocket via the oil for food scandel.

United Nations

S/2002/1198




Security Council

Provisional



7 November 2002



Original: English






United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and United States of America: draft resolution

[Adopted as Resolution 1441 at Security Council meeting 4644, 8 November 2002]

The Security Council,

Recalling all its previous relevant resolutions, in particular its resolutions 661 (1990) of 6 August 1990, 678 (1990) of 29 November 1990, 686 (1991) of 2 March 1991, 687 (1991) of 3 April 1991, 688 (1991) of 5 April 1991, 707 (1991) of 15 August 1991, 715 (1991) of 11 October 1991, 986 (1995) of 14 April 1995, and 1284 (1999) of 17 December 1999, and all the relevant statements of its President,

Recalling also its resolution 1382 (2001) of 29 November 2001 and its intention to implement it fully,

Recognizing the threat Iraq’s non-compliance with Council resolutions and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and long-range missiles poses to international peace and security,

Recalling that its resolution 678 (1990) authorized Member States to use all necessary means to uphold and implement its resolution 660 (1990) of 2 August 1990 and all relevant resolutions subsequent to resolution 660 (1990) and to restore international peace and security in the area,

Further recalling that its resolution 687 (1991) imposed obligations on Iraq as a necessary step for achievement of its stated objective of restoring international peace and security in the area,

Deploring the fact that Iraq has not provided an accurate, full, final, and complete disclosure, as required by resolution 687 (1991), of all aspects of its programmes to develop weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missiles with a range greater than one hundred and fifty kilometres, and of all holdings of such weapons, their components and production facilities and locations, as well as all other nuclear programmes, including any which it claims are for purposes not related to nuclear-weapons-usable material,

Deploring further that Iraq repeatedly obstructed immediate, unconditional, and unrestricted access to sites designated by the United Nations Special Commission (UNSCOM) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), failed to cooperate fully and unconditionally with UNSCOM and IAEA weapons inspectors, as required by resolution 687 (1991), and ultimately ceased all cooperation with UNSCOM and the IAEA in 1998,

Deploring the absence, since December 1998, in Iraq of international monitoring, inspection, and verification, as required by relevant resolutions, of weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missiles, in spite of the Council’s repeated demands that Iraq provide immediate, unconditional, and unrestricted access to the United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC), established in resolution 1284 (1999) as the successor organization to UNSCOM, and the IAEA, and regretting the consequent prolonging of the crisis in the region and the suffering of the Iraqi people,

Deploring also that the Government of Iraq has failed to comply with its commitments pursuant to resolution 687 (1991) with regard to terrorism, pursuant to resolution 688 (1991) to end repression of its civilian population and to provide access by international humanitarian organizations to all those in need of assistance in Iraq, and pursuant to resolutions 686 (1991), 687 (1991), and 1284 (1999) to return or cooperate in accounting for Kuwaiti and third country nationals wrongfully detained by Iraq, or to return Kuwaiti property wrongfully seized by Iraq,

Recalling that in its resolution 687 (1991) the Council declared that a ceasefire would be based on acceptance by Iraq of the provisions of that resolution, including the obligations on Iraq contained therein,

Determined to ensure full and immediate compliance by Iraq without conditions or restrictions with its obligations under resolution 687 (1991) and other relevant resolutions and recalling that the resolutions of the Council constitute the governing standard of Iraqi compliance,

Recalling that the effective operation of UNMOVIC, as the successor organization to the Special Commission, and the IAEA is essential for the implementation of resolution 687 (1991) and other relevant resolutions,

Noting the letter dated 16 September 2002 from the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Iraq addressed to the Secretary-General is a necessary first step toward rectifying Iraq’s continued failure to comply with relevant Council resolutions,

Noting further the letter dated 8 October 2002 from the Executive Chairman of UNMOVIC and the Director-General of the IAEA to General Al-Saadi of the Government of Iraq laying out the practical arrangements, as a follow-up to their meeting in Vienna, that are prerequisites for the resumption of inspections in Iraq by UNMOVIC and the IAEA, and expressing the gravest concern at the continued failure by the Government of Iraq to provide confirmation of the arrangements as laid out in that letter,

Reaffirming the commitment of all Member States to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Iraq, Kuwait, and the neighbouring States,

Commending the Secretary-General and members of the League of Arab States and its Secretary-General for their efforts in this regard,

Determined to secure full compliance with its decisions,

Acting under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations,

1. Decides that Iraq has been and remains in material breach of its obligations under relevant resolutions, including resolution 687 (1991), in particular through Iraq’s failure to cooperate with United Nations inspectors and the IAEA, and to complete the actions required under paragraphs 8 to 13 of resolution 687 (1991);

2. Decides, while acknowledging paragraph 1 above, to afford Iraq, by this resolution, a final opportunity to comply with its disarmament obligations under relevant resolutions of the Council; and accordingly decides to set up an enhanced inspection regime with the aim of bringing to full and verified completion the disarmament process established by resolution 687 (1991) and subsequent resolutions of the Council;

3. Decides that, in order to begin to comply with its disarmament obligations, in addition to submitting the required biannual declarations, the Government of Iraq shall provide to UNMOVIC, the IAEA, and the Council, not later than 30 days from the date of this resolution, a currently accurate, full, and complete declaration of all aspects of its programmes to develop chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons, ballistic missiles, and other delivery systems such as unmanned aerial vehicles and dispersal systems designed for use on aircraft, including any holdings and precise locations of such weapons, components, sub-components, stocks of agents, and related material and equipment, the locations and work of its research, development and production facilities, as well as all other chemical, biological, and nuclear programmes, including any which it claims are for purposes not related to weapon production or material;

4. Decides that false statements or omissions in the declarations submitted by Iraq pursuant to this resolution and failure by Iraq at any time to comply with, and cooperate fully in the implementation of, this resolution shall constitute a further material breach of Iraq’s obligations and will be reported to the Council for assessment in accordance with paragraphs 11 and 12 below;

5. Decides that Iraq shall provide UNMOVIC and the IAEA immediate, unimpeded, unconditional, and unrestricted access to any and all, including underground, areas, facilities, buildings, equipment, records, and means of transport which they wish to inspect, as well as immediate, unimpeded, unrestricted, and private access to all officials and other persons whom UNMOVIC or the IAEA wish to interview in the mode or location of UNMOVIC’s or the IAEA’s choice pursuant to any aspect of their mandates; further decides that UNMOVIC and the IAEA may at their discretion conduct interviews inside or outside of Iraq, may facilitate the travel of those interviewed and family members outside of Iraq, and that, at the sole discretion of UNMOVIC and the IAEA, such interviews may occur without the presence of observers from the Iraqi Government; and instructs UNMOVIC and requests the IAEA to resume inspections no later than 45 days following adoption of this resolution and to update the Council 60 days thereafter;

6. Endorses the 8 October 2002 letter from the Executive Chairman of UNMOVIC and the Director-General of the IAEA to General Al-Saadi of the Government of Iraq, which is annexed hereto, and decides that the contents of the letter shall be binding upon Iraq;

7. Decides further that, in view of the prolonged interruption by Iraq of the presence of UNMOVIC and the IAEA and in order for them to accomplish the tasks set forth in this resolution and all previous relevant resolutions and notwithstanding prior understandings, the Council hereby establishes the following revised or additional authorities, which shall be binding upon Iraq, to facilitate their work in Iraq:

– UNMOVIC and the IAEA shall determine the composition of their inspection teams and ensure that these teams are composed of the most qualified and experienced experts available;

– All UNMOVIC and IAEA personnel shall enjoy the privileges and immunities, corresponding to those of experts on mission, provided in the Convention on Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations and the Agreement on the Privileges and Immunities of the IAEA;

– UNMOVIC and the IAEA shall have unrestricted rights of entry into and out of Iraq, the right to free, unrestricted, and immediate movement to and from inspection sites, and the right to inspect any sites and buildings, including immediate, unimpeded, unconditional, and unrestricted access to Presidential Sites equal to that at other sites, notwithstanding the provisions of resolution 1154 (1998);

– UNMOVIC and the IAEA shall have the right to be provided by Iraq the names of all personnel currently and formerly associated with Iraq’s chemical, biological, nuclear, and ballistic missile programmes and the associated research, development, and production facilities;

– Security of UNMOVIC and IAEA facilities shall be ensured by sufficient United Nations security guards;

– UNMOVIC and the IAEA shall have the right to declare, for the purposes of freezing a site to be inspected, exclusion zones, including surrounding areas and transit corridors, in which Iraq will suspend ground and aerial movement so that nothing is changed in or taken out of a site being inspected;

– UNMOVIC and the IAEA shall have the free and unrestricted use and landing of fixed- and rotary-winged aircraft, including manned and unmanned reconnaissance vehicles;

– UNMOVIC and the IAEA shall have the right at their sole discretion verifiably to remove, destroy, or render harmless all prohibited weapons, subsystems, components, records, materials, and other related items, and the right to impound or close any facilities or equipment for the production thereof; and

– UNMOVIC and the IAEA shall have the right to free import and use of equipment or materials for inspections and to seize and export any equipment, materials, or documents taken during inspections, without search of UNMOVIC or IAEA personnel or official or personal baggage;

8. Decides further that Iraq shall not take or threaten hostile acts directed against any representative or personnel of the United Nations or the IAEA or of any Member State taking action to uphold any Council resolution;

9. Requests the Secretary-General immediately to notify Iraq of this resolution, which is binding on Iraq; demands that Iraq confirm within seven days of that notification its intention to comply fully with this resolution; and demands further that Iraq cooperate immediately, unconditionally, and actively with UNMOVIC and the IAEA;

10. Requests all Member States to give full support to UNMOVIC and the IAEA in the discharge of their mandates, including by providing any information related to prohibited programmes or other aspects of their mandates, including on Iraqi attempts since 1998 to acquire prohibited items, and by recommending sites to be inspected, persons to be interviewed, conditions of such interviews, and data to be collected, the results of which shall be reported to the Council by UNMOVIC and the IAEA;

11. Directs the Executive Chairman of UNMOVIC and the Director-General of the IAEA to report immediately to the Council any interference by Iraq with inspection activities, as well as any failure by Iraq to comply with its disarmament obligations, including its obligations regarding inspections under this resolution;

12. Decides to convene immediately upon receipt of a report in accordance with paragraphs 4 or 11 above, in order to consider the situation and the need for full compliance with all of the relevant Council resolutions in order to secure international peace and security;

13. Recalls, in that context, that the Council has repeatedly warned Iraq that it will face serious consequences as a result of its continued violations of its obligations;

14. Decides to remain seized of the matter.




Annex



Text of Blix/El-Baradei letter









United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission



The Executive Chairman
International Atomic Energy Agency





The Director General








8 October 2002



Dear General Al-Saadi,



During our recent meeting in Vienna, we discussed practical arrangements that are prerequisites for the resumption of inspections in Iraq by UNMOVIC and the IAEA. As you recall, at the end of our meeting in Vienna we agreed on a statement which listed some of the principal results achieved, particularly Iraq’s acceptance of all the rights of inspection provided for in all of the relevant Security Council resolutions. This acceptance was stated to be without any conditions attached.



During our 3 October 2002 briefing to the Security Council, members of the Council suggested that we prepare a written document on all of the conclusions we reached in Vienna. This letter lists those conclusions and seeks your confirmation thereof. We shall report accordingly to the Security Council.



In the statement at the end of the meeting, it was clarified that UNMOVIC and the IAEA will be granted immediate, unconditional and unrestricted access to sites, including what was termed “sensitive sites” in the past. As we noted, however, eight presidential sites have been the subject of special procedures under a Memorandum of Understanding of 1998. Should these sites be subject, as all other sites, to immediate, unconditional and unrestricted access, UNMOVIC and the IAEA would conduct inspections there with the same professionalism.

[kristoff]

But as I'll say again, it wasn't up to us (the US) to prove that he had them, it was up to him to prove that he didn't. I believe that he thought that he had the security counsel in his pocket via the oil for food scandel.

Actually I would think that if we are going to invade someone, then it is up to the invader to make and prove its case. Else you are creating a negative proof rather than a positive proof. If you don't prove to me that you were not going to punch me, then I am justified in punching you..... Good logical thinking!