For Immediate Release: October 2, 2002
Contact: Daryl Kimball, (202) 463-8270 x107 or Paul Kerr, (202) 463-8270 x102
(Washington): From 1991 to 1998, United Nations weapons inspectors worked to rid Iraq of much of its weapons of mass destruction (WMD), which Baghdad pursued in violation of international nonproliferation agreements. But since the inspectors left in 1998, Iraq has been free to resume its WMD programs unchecked.
Now, Bush administration officials argue that renewed inspections cannot adequately address the threat of WMD in Iraq. They argue that the only viable option for solving the Iraqi WMD problem is pre-emptive military action to overthrow Saddam Hussein. But a growing number of world leaders, members of Congress, and former government officials oppose unilateral, U.S. military invasion because, they argue, it would further destabilize the Middle East and undermine international rule of law.
ACA Resources on Iraq
The September and October issues of Arms Control Today, the monthly journal of the Arms Control Association (ACA), include important new articles and analysis from leading experts on options and challenges for containing Iraq's WMD programs. Also, an online resource guide contains a series of authoritative Arms Control Today interviews with former weapons inspectors, as well as detailed news reports and commentaries dating back to 1997. These resources are available online at: http://www.armscontrol.org/country/iraq/.
- ACA's special report, "Iraq: A Chronology of UN Inspections in Iraq and an Assessment of Their Accomplishments," is a comprehensive guide to the history of inspections in Iraq from the beginning of the Persian Gulf War to present.
- In "Disarming Iraq: Nonmilitary Strategies and Options," David Cortright of the Fourth Freedom Forum and George Lopez of the University of Notre Dame call for a credible, coercive Iraq policy that consists of "continuing revenue controls, intensive diplomatic efforts to resume weapons inspections, and the creation of an enhanced containment system through strengthened border monitoring."
- In "The Inevitable Failure of Inspections in Iraq," the former deputy executive chairman of UNSCOM, Charles Duelfer, outlines the limitations of past weapons inspection efforts. He writes "any weapons inspectors sent into Iraq under the existing UN Security Council resolutions are doomed to fail." He argues that "permanent disarmament goals imposed on Iraq were out of proportion with the inspectors' tools and the rewards and punishments the Security Council could practically impose."
- Extensive Interviews by Arms Control Today with the current chief of the UN Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission, Hans Blix; chairman of the UN Special Commission on Iraq (UNSCOM) from 1997-98, Ambassador Richard Butler; and the first chairman of UNSCOM, Ambassador Rolf Ekeus. Former UN weapons inspector Scott Ritter also provided his views on the past challenges and future prospects for successful inspections in Iraq in a June 2000 article.
- Documents, fact sheets, and news reports from Arms Control Today on key developments.
- Commentary from Association director, Daryl G. Kimball, on the case for focused U.S. diplomatic efforts "to secure Security Council reaffirmation and Iraqi acceptance of UN inspections under new, more effective rules."
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The Arms Control Association is an independent, nonprofit membership organization dedicated to promoting public understanding of and support for effective arms control policies. Established in 1971,the Association publishes the monthly journal, Arms Control Today.