US Ends Search for WMD in Iraq

Birdseye · Post by **Birdseye** » Wed Jan 12, 2005 10:43 am

Looks like the inspections were working

http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/01/12/wmd.search/index.html

Now if they would just tell OJ to stop searching for the real killers.

Dedman · Post by **Dedman** » Wed Jan 12, 2005 11:01 am

"[Saddam] wanted to end sanctions while preserving the capability to reconstitute his weapons of mass destruction when sanctions were lifted," a summary of the report said.

Will Robinson · Post by **Will Robinson** » Wed Jan 12, 2005 11:31 am

Dedman wrote:"[Saddam] wanted to end sanctions while preserving the capability to reconstitute his weapons of mass destruction when sanctions were lifted," a summary of the report said.

Why do you hate liberal america so much Dedman?

KlubMarcus · Post by **KlubMarcus** » Wed Jan 12, 2005 11:47 am

Why do you hate liberal america so much Dedman?

I figure it's because he realizes the liberal media keeps getting things wrong.

Ferno · Post by **Ferno** » Wed Jan 12, 2005 11:49 am

no WMD's were found.. i'm in shock.

/sarcasm

Krom · Post by **Krom** » Wed Jan 12, 2005 11:53 am

Ferno wrote:no WMD's were found.. i'm in shock.

/sarcasm

x2

KlubMarcus · Post by **KlubMarcus** » Wed Jan 12, 2005 12:00 pm

Ferno wrote: no WMD's were found.. i'm in shock. /sarcasm

And that's a good thing.

Because if WMD's were there they would be used on our troops.

"There might be" some WMD's in Iran. We should send the Marines to do a "surprise inspection".

If the Iranians couldn't beat the Iraqis, what chance do they have against us? Oh yeah, none.

Avder · Post by **Avder** » Wed Jan 12, 2005 12:17 pm

This is just utterly shocking....not.

KlubMarcus · Post by **KlubMarcus** » Wed Jan 12, 2005 12:33 pm

Avder wrote:This is just utterly shocking....not.

There's a safehouse for armed robbers in your neighborhood. The neighborhood watch can't do anything about them. You call the cops. The cops mount a raid. But the robbers left to for someplace else because they heard the cops were cracking down on that neighborhood. Do you blame the cops? Or do you blame the robbers to begin with?

There's a safezone for bad guys and WMD's in the Mid-East. The UN can't do anything about it, heck the UN is part of the problem. You flee the country and tell everybody. The USA mounts an invasion. We catch/kill a lot of bad guys, but the WMD's are gone because everybody knew we were rolling in. Do you blame the USA? Or do you blame the Saddam regime to begin with?

Avder · Post by **Avder** » Wed Jan 12, 2005 4:37 pm

Prove they were there before we planned our invasion. You cant, because they werent.

Tyranny · Post by **Tyranny** » Wed Jan 12, 2005 6:18 pm

*Trips over opened Can 'O' Worms*

aw...wtf...here we go again.

*takes cover*

woodchip · Post by **woodchip** » Wed Jan 12, 2005 6:39 pm

Vader, before you get all creamy over this, buried somewhere in Charles Duelfer's report is his sentiment that Iraqs WMD's being taken to Syria cannot be ruled out nor that once sanctions were lifted that Saddam would not reconstitute his WMD programs.

Phoenix Red · Post by **Phoenix Red** » Wed Jan 12, 2005 9:25 pm

You also can't underestimate the lengths that were taken to hide stuff byt hte Saddam regime. The marines once dug up russian jets out of the ground, deep beneath a perfectly normal stretch of unmarked desert. What lead them to them, a paper trail? An interrogation? No, one Iraqi civilian tipped them off that there was digging going on there at one point.

You won't find everything he hid, and we know he hid some stuff, cause we found some stuff.

Sirius · Post by **Sirius** » Wed Jan 12, 2005 10:07 pm

It's hard to deny the probability that there actually weren't any biological, chemical or nuclear weapons in Iraq at all. The Bush government was looking for excuses and everybody knows it.

Old news.

Genghis · Post by **Genghis** » Wed Jan 12, 2005 10:49 pm

I'm confused; I thought the administration's line on this is that the CIA led them astray with bad evidence, thus huge shakeups and resignations at the CIA. Where did this new line come from? Are we now saying that the WMD's were in fact there but are now hidden or moved, and the CIA was right the whole time? If so, I suppose everyone at CIA gets their job back?

Ferno · Post by **Ferno** » Thu Jan 13, 2005 1:58 am

man some of you guys are hangin onto the WMD thing like a grudge.

just give it up, it's over.

Lothar · Post by **Lothar** » Thu Jan 13, 2005 2:50 am

seriously... the WMD stuff got hyped up too much before the war. Now it's getting hyped up too much again. Let it go.

Birdseye · Post by **Birdseye** » Thu Jan 13, 2005 4:51 pm

Sorry, I just thought it was a humorous headline, such as "OJ Ends Search For the Real Killers"

MehYam · Post by **MehYam** » Thu Jan 13, 2005 10:32 pm

woodchip wrote:Vader, before you get all creamy over this, buried somewhere in Charles Duelfer's report is his sentiment that Iraqs WMD's being taken to Syria cannot be ruled out nor that once sanctions were lifted that Saddam would not reconstitute his WMD programs.

This seems really unlikely to me. Who would be dumb enough to hide WMD for Iraq when the threat of the most powerful army in the history of the universe is invading because of them? Sure dude, I'll hide your drugs for ya... those 300 ATF goons knocking on your door won't suspect a thing!

As for the WMD getting overhyped, Lothar's been proven right. The administration way overhyped the presence of WMD.

Will Robinson · Post by **Will Robinson** » Thu Jan 13, 2005 10:40 pm

MehYam wrote:This seems really unlikely to me. Who would be dumb enough to hide WMD for Iraq when the threat of the most powerful army in the history of the universe is invading because of them?...

Probably the same guys who are constantly sending men and supplies in non-stop to kill our troops. The same guys who have for decades been blatently supporting and exporting terrorism all over the region. Syria.
They have never shown any fear of us....

Lothar · Post by **Lothar** » Thu Jan 13, 2005 11:53 pm

MehYam wrote:The administration way overhyped the presence of WMD.

As did the media, and the administration's opponents. There was a feedback effect -- the administration mentioned WMD, firing on US planes, harboring terrorists, oppressing his own people, etc. as reasons for taking out Saddam. People asked questions about the WMD point and ignored the others. The administration responded by focusing more on the WMD aspect and less on the other points. People asked more questions about WMD's. Pretty soon, it was a non-stop discussion of WMD's (way, way overhyped) and the other reasons for war were ignored.

Then, when we failed to find WMD, it was a failure of "the only justification for the war", which had initially been one of several.

There's plenty of blame to go around for the overhyping. The Bush administration should've hit the other points harder and treated WMD like the icing on the cake -- because whether or not Saddam actually had weapons, the other justifications were more than enough.

Zoop! · Post by **Zoop!** » Fri Jan 14, 2005 12:45 am

Hopefully, White House presidents and other world leaders will look back at this and see why you have to be able to justify a war.

Iceman · Post by **Iceman** » Fri Jan 14, 2005 8:14 am

It's too bad that the intelligence photos showing the massive exodus of WMDs to Syria just prior to the war are classified. There was some mention of this at first but the media quickly dropped it in favor of using the no-WMD club for their own agenda. Really guys, Saddam is no clueless idiot, he covered his bases pretty well in this respect.

Ferno · Post by **Ferno** » Fri Jan 14, 2005 11:47 am

Actually Birds, it was. i did get a kick out of it. Of course I knew they weren't there over six months ago, but no one listened. *shrug*

Although I don't think Iraq trucked their WMD's to Syria, because Syria has their own little cache.

Iceman · Post by **Iceman** » Fri Jan 14, 2005 12:03 pm

What kind of logic is that?

That's like, say ... I have a safe in my home with a lot of money in it. My good neighbor is fearful that someone is gonna break into his home and steal his unprotected cash and he asks me to store/protect it for him. I turn him down because I already have lots of money.

Palzon · Post by **Palzon** » Wed Jan 19, 2005 12:18 am

Iceman wrote: It's too bad that the intelligence photos showing the massive exodus of WMDs to Syria just prior to the war are classified...Really guys, Saddam is no clueless idiot, he covered his bases pretty well in this respect.

ok. we didn't fight a war with a time table dictated by faulty intelligence! we had the right intelligence!

we just failed to achieve the overall objective of securing against the use of specific WMD stockpiles because we let them escape to Syria.

i feel much better now!

Iceman wrote:What kind of logic is that?

Ferno · Post by **Ferno** » Wed Jan 19, 2005 2:13 am

Ice: WMD isn't money you can keep in the bank. They'd probably turn around and use those against you.

Now if Isreal knew they were about to get invaded, would they truck their WMD's to some other country? What about Pakistan? or China?

Why are you guys still hanging onto the idea that Iraq had WMD when your own administration said they didn't?

"we just failed to achieve the overall objective of securing against the use of specific WMD stockpiles because we let them escape to Syria."

so let me get this striaght.. if the intelligence was correct, they just went 'well there goes a truckload of WMD to syria.. hey what's on TV tonight?' this is like watching someone get nailed by a dump truck while waiting at a light and then going on about your business as usual.

woodchip · Post by **woodchip** » Wed Jan 19, 2005 8:14 am

Ferno wrote:Ice: WMD isn't money you can keep in the bank. They'd probably turn around and use those against you.

Now if Isreal knew they were about to get invaded, would they truck their WMD's to some other country?

I don't suppose Fern, you remember back to the first gulf war when Saddam had some of his fighter fly to Iran to keep them from being destroyed by us. Iran...you know that country he had been at war with. I wonder if Saddam ever got his planes back.

KlubMarcus · Post by **KlubMarcus** » Wed Jan 19, 2005 9:48 am

Avder wrote:Prove they were there before we planned our invasion. You cant, because they werent.

In the USA we need to file paperwork for "reasonable cause" to raid a crackhouse. In Iraq, where US laws do not apply, you still expect to file paperwork?

Besides, if we had the all the "evidence" then we would just bomb the targets. The UN weren't going to side with us anyway because they've been bribed by Saddam. So the obvious option is to go in shooting and tell everyone else to kiss our butts.

Tyranny · Post by **Tyranny** » Wed Jan 19, 2005 11:33 am

Wow, you're suddenly working overtime I see

Will Robinson · Post by **Will Robinson** » Wed Jan 19, 2005 1:30 pm

I wonder...

If after Bush's initial speech, where he laid out a long list of reasons to get rid of Saddam, from torturing and gassing segments of his population, to non-compliance to U.N. resolutions and cease fire agreements, to the threat of WMD use or proliferation....

If after that speech the press had focused on the mass killings and human rights issues instead of focusing so much on only the WMD's...

Don't you think Bush would have started hyping up that aspect of his listed reasons to go?

And then, if after we went in and we hadn't found the hundreds of thousands of brutally slaughtered people he gassed and burned and poisoned and shot in the head while some clutched their crying babies and then bulldozed them all into mass graves while some were not even dead yet.....if we hadn't found all that...

Would the anti-Bush crowd be saying "Well yea there is some sign of WMD's, sure some mustard gas and Sarin gas, and long range missiles with chemical warheads ready to be loaded and recently smuggled in military hardware that was against all resolutions, plenty of dual use chemicals stored at military bases not farm supply stores and the nuclear programs are still basically intact just dormant....sure, we found all that!"
*BUT*
"Where are the dead bodies?! Where are the mass graves?!! Where's the evidence of all those atrocities?!?"
"Bush-lied-about-those-that-died!!!"

With the benefit of hindsight that so many are fond of using I'd have to say: What a rush to war!
What a rush indeed.

So, if you're lucky enough to go to heaven when you die, be sure to tell the souls of those that were uncovered in the mass graves that we didn't mean to rush in there and stop that madman.
We realize now that we should have waited until he killed their sons and daughters...and grandsons and granddaughters...or at least until Saddam and Ossama teamed up, painted a big nuke missile day-glo orange and rode on it rodeo style on the back of a trailer while it was towed by satans hell-hounds right into the center of Times Square so we could be absolutely sure they were up to no good!!!

Yea, please make that apology for me when you get there.

Palzon · Post by **Palzon** » Thu Jan 20, 2005 1:13 am

the distinction often obscured here as elsewhere apologists are abundant, is that of all the items on the laundry list, only wmd dictated the timetable, now obviously bogus.

Gooberman · Post by **Gooberman** » Thu Jan 20, 2005 1:15 am

Ya, we could have waited and gone in with the army we wanted instead of the army we had.

Ferno · Post by **Ferno** » Thu Jan 20, 2005 1:39 am

woodchip wrote:I don't suppose Fern, you remember back to the first gulf war when Saddam had some of his fighter fly to Iran to keep them from being destroyed by us. Iran...you know that country he had been at war with. I wonder if Saddam ever got his planes back.

I think I was twelve when the first one happened.

Will Robinson · Post by **Will Robinson** » Thu Jan 20, 2005 8:22 am

Palzon wrote:the distinction often obscured here as elsewhere apologists are abundant, is that of all the items on the laundry list, only wmd dictated the timetable, now obviously bogus.

Your right, that was the most pressing issue as far as time but with the benefit of hindsight, knowing now exactly what he was doing and had done, do we hate Bush so much we need to say no other reason would have caused us to go to war to get rid of Saddam? That all the other reasons don't count for anything?

Remember, the so called allies at the U.N. were *never* going to go in with us so when was time table looking good for you? Should we go ahead and offer our regrets for rushing in there to those souls I mentioned?

Palzon · Post by **Palzon** » Fri Jan 21, 2005 12:45 am

Will Robinson wrote:...so when was time table looking good for you?

The time table was lookin' pretty darn good during the first Gulf War under Bush I.

I'm glad Iraq was invaded and Hussein deposed, but we already knew those other reasons existed since prior to the first war. imho, it's about 15 years too late for Bush II to point to those reasons as his motivation.

Bush II foists phony WMD on us to justify a bogus time table when invading was already a day late and a dollar short.

woodchip · Post by **woodchip** » Fri Jan 21, 2005 7:44 am

Palzon wrote: Bush II foists phony WMD on us to justify a bogus time table when invading was already a day late and a dollar short.

No, Bill Clinton's CIA foisted WMD's on us.

Palzon · Post by **Palzon** » Fri Jan 21, 2005 9:08 am

i have a new theory about you woody. you are actually trying to discredit the right by continually posting the most inane things you can conceive. keep up the good work.

Will Robinson · Post by **Will Robinson** » Fri Jan 21, 2005 3:14 pm

Palzon wrote:The time table was lookin' pretty darn good during the first Gulf War under Bush I.

Yep, but there was no legal or political support to go into Baghdad. The world said kick them out of Kuwait not take over the country. Bush's daddy wasn't as brave..or maybe as arrogant...or maybe as foolish, depending on your point of view, to go that far.

With the benefit of hindsight we can see dethroning Saddam opens a vacuum for the fundamentalist and at the time there wasn't a feeling that we needed to do that.

Then came 9/11....

I'm glad Iraq was invaded and Hussein deposed, but we already knew those other reasons existed since prior to the first war. imho, it's about 15 years too late for Bush II to point to those reasons as his motivation.

Then came 9/11...

Bush II foists phony WMD on us to justify a bogus time table when invading was already a day late and a dollar short.

Better late than never...especially after 9/11. Like the man said, '9/11 changed everything.'

The real reason wasn't just to stop WMD proliferation, that was merely a great sales pitch based on the truth, to what degree is up for debate.

The real reason though, was to start wiping out terrorists and their bases of operation and Saddam fits that mold and was ripe for the picking. That much is established and was just cause for most of us.

Pebkac · Post by **Pebkac** » Fri Jan 21, 2005 9:09 pm

Of course I knew they weren't there over six months ago, but no one listened. *shrug*

You knew exactly nothing, so let's get over ourselves, shall we?

The Link

1991

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Date United Nations Actions/
Security Council Resolution Iraqi Action Coalition Response
2 Mar UNSC adopts RES 686 ordering cessation of hostilities
3 Mar Iraq accepts RES 686
3 Apr UNSC adopts RES 687 outlining provisions of cease-fire and setting up inspections
5 Apr UNSC adopts RES 688 ordering cessation of Baghdad's repression of Iraqi civilians
6 Apr Iraq accepts RES 687 US, UK, France begin enforcing no-fly zone covering territory north of 36th parallel
19 Apr UNSCOM is created to carry out RES 687
15-21 May IAEA conducts first nuclear inspection in Iraq
20 May UNSC adopts RES 692 establishing UN Compensation Fund / Commission
9-15 Jun UNSCOM conducts first chemical weapons inspection
17 Jun UNSC adopts RES 699 approving UN Secretary-General plan to eliminate Iraq's WMD programs
17 Jun UNSC adopts RES 700 approving guidelines for monitoring Iraqi arms embargo
23-28 Jun Iraq caught attempting to conceal nuclear equipment
28 Jun UNSC presidential statement condemns Iraq for flagrant violations of RES 687 in denying inspectors access
30 Jun-7 Jul UNSCOM conducts first missile inspection
2-8 Aug UNSCOM conducts first biological weapons inspection
11 Aug UNSCOM begins reconnaissance flights over Iraq
15 Aug UNSC adopts RES 705 stating that Gulf War compensation paid by Iraq shall not exceed 30% of annual value of oil exports
15 Aug UNSC adopts RES 706 authorizing 6-month export of Iraqi petroleum products to finance purchase of humanitarian supplies Iraq has never accepted RES 706
15 Aug UNSC adopts RES 707 demanding that Iraq halt all nuclear activities and provide full disclosure of weapons programs
16 Aug Iraq objects to RES 705 and 707
6-24 September Iraq blocks UNSCOM's use of helicopters on inspections, accepts on 24 Sept
19 Sep UNSC adopts RES 712 addressing various aspects of Iraqi petroleum sales in RES 706 Iraq has never accepted RES 712
21-30 Sep Iraq refuses to allow IAEA inspectors to leave inspection site with nuclear documents
11 Oct UNSC adopts RES 715 approving plans for system of ongoing monitoring to verify Iraqi compliance and to detect WMD reconstitution
11 Dec Iraq releases information on its nuclear program

1992

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Date United Nations Actions/
Security Council Resolution Iraqi Action Coalition Response
19 Feb UNSC presidential statement endorses visit of UNSCOM chairman to Iraq to obtain unconditional Iraqi acceptance of UN resolutions
28 Feb UNSC presidential statement deplores Iraq's failure to disclose WMD programs
11 Mar UNSC presidential statement reviews Iraqi noncompliance with UN resolutions Iraqi Deputy Foreign Minister Aziz discusses compliance with UNSC
19 Mar Iraq agrees to provide UNSCOM full, final and complete declaration of its weapons program
19 Jun UNSC presidential statement notes concern over Iraqi statements critical of boundary demarcation
5-26 Jul Iraq refuses to provide UNSCOM with access to the Ministry of Agriculture until the UNSC president's statement
6 Jul UNSC presidential statement declares that Iraq is in material breach of RES 687
26 Aug UNSC adopts RES 773 endorsing the work of the UN Iraq-Kuwait boundary demarcation commission
27 Aug No-fly zone covering territory below 32nd parallel in southern Iraq is created by coalition states in response to renewed Iraqi airstrikes against its civilian population
2 Oct UNSC adopts RES 778 designating proceeds of Iraqi petroleum sales to UN escrow account
23 Nov UNSC presidential statement reviews Iraqi compliance with UN resolutions Iraqi Deputy Foreign Minister Aziz addresses UNSC and claims Iraqi compliance, criticizing RES 687

1993

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Date United Nations Actions/
Security Council Resolution Iraqi Action Coalition Response
8 Jan UNSC presidential statement terms Iraqi restrictions of UN aircraft a material breach of RES 687 Iraq announces it cannot guarantee the safety of UN aircraft flying over Iraqi territory
10 Jan Iraq removes equipment from the Kuwaiti side of DMZ
11 Jan UNSC presidential statement condemns Iraq for material breach of RES 687 in preventing UNSCOM from flying its own aircraft
13 Jan US, UK, France conduct air raids on Iraqi anti-aircraft missile sites and radar bases in southern Iraq
17 Jan US fires missiles at industrial complex in suburban Baghdad
18-21 Jan US and UK launch air raids against radar sites in southern and northern Iraq
5 Feb UNSC adopts RES 806 allowing UNIKOM to take direct action to prevent or redress violations in DMZ
27 May UNSC adopts RES 833 reaffirming Kuwaiti border issues in RES 733; guarantees inviolability of border
10 Jun Iraq refuses to allow emplacement of UN monitoring cameras at weapons facilities
18 Jun UNSC presidential statement terms Iraq's refusal of cameras material breach of RES 687, warns of serious consequences
27 Jun US launches cruise missile at Iraqi intelligence headquarters in retaliation for assassination plot against former President Bush
28 Jun UNSC presidential statement criticizes Iraqi statements on boundary demarcation
19 Jul Iraq agrees to emplacement of monitoring cameras following Rolf Ekeus visit to Baghdad
16-20 Nov Iraqi demonstrators cross into Kuwaiti territory protesting border demarcation
23 Nov UNSC presidential statement terms Iraqi border violations breach of RES 687
26 Nov Iraq accepts RES 715

1994

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Date United Nations Actions/
Security Council Resolution Iraqi Action Coalition Response
4 Mar UNSC adopts RES 899 stating that compensation may be made to Iraqi citizens for loss of assets from demarcation of Iraq-Kuwait border
6 Oct Iraq threatens to cease cooperation with UNSCOM and the IAEA, moves troops towards Kuwaiti border
7 Oct US buildup of forces in region begins
8 Oct UNSC presidential statement expresses grave concern over Iraqi actions toward UNSCOM and Kuwait
15 Oct UNSC adopts RES 949 condemning Iraq's large-scale deployment of military units toward Kuwaiti border
20 Oct US, UK issue demarche to Iraq prohibiting "enhancement" of military capabilities south of 32nd parallel, establishing no-drive zone
10 Nov Iraq formally recognizes Kuwait and UN border demarcation in compliance with RES 833
16 Nov UNSC presidential statement welcomes Iraqi recognition of Kuwait

1995

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Date United Nations Actions/
Security Council Resolution Iraqi Action Coalition Response
14 Apr UNSC adopts RES 986 offering Iraq another opportunity to export petroleum products and to use proceeds to meet humanitarian needs
15 Apr Iraq rejects RES 986
14 Jun Iraq threatens to halt cooperation with UN by August if UNSCOM report is unfavorable
1 Jul Iraq admits for the first time existence of offensive biological weapons program
4 Aug Iraq submits "full, final, and complete declaration" on its biological weapons program
8 Aug Hussein Kamalâ??Saddam's son-in-law and figure in charge of Iraq's WMD effortâ??defects
17 Aug Iraq withdraws June deadline and admits that its biological weapons program is more extensive than previously acknowledged
7 Nov Iraq submits new declarations on its BW and CW programs to UNSCOM
10 Nov Under UN mandate, Jordan intercepts shipment of Russian-origin missile gyroscopes intended for Iraq

1996

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Date United Nations Actions/
Security Council Resolution Iraqi Action Coalition Response
8 Mar Iraq refuses UNSCOM access to Ministry of Irrigation for 18 hours
11 Mar Iraq refuses UNSCOM access to Republican Guard training facility for 12 hours
27 Mar UNSC adopts RES 1051 establishing export-monitoring mechanism and review for dual-use goods
20 May Iraq accepts RES 986
11 Jun Iraq denies UNSCOM access to Republican Guard facility and refuses to allow UNSCOM helicopter to monitor site
12 Jun UNSC adopts RES 1060 demanding that Iraq grant immediate access to sites and terms Iraqi actions as clear violations of UN resolutions
13 Jun Iraq blocks UNSCOM access to two additional facilities
14 Jun UNSC issues presidential statement sending Rolf Ekeus to Baghdad to secure access
24 Jun UNSCOM reaches agreement with Iraq establishing procedures for inspections
16 Jul Iraq refuses UNSCOM access to two facilities
23 Aug UNSC issues presidential statement terming Iraqi obstruction gross violation of Iraq's obligations
3 Sep US and UK expand southern no-fly zone to 33rd parallel and strike targets in response to Iraq's 31 August move into Kurdish-held territory
16 Nov Iraq refuses to allow UNSCOM removal of missile remnants
30 Dec UNSC presidential statement deplores Iraqi refusal to allow removal of missile engines from Iraq

1997

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Date United Nations Actions/
Security Council Resolution Iraqi Action Coalition Response
23 Feb Iraq allows UNSCOM to remove Scud missile engines from Iraq
early Jun Iraq interferes with UNSCOM's aerial operations in four separate incidents
10 Jun Iraq blocks UNSCOM access to site for seven hours
12 Jun Iraq denies UNSCOM access to two sites
13 Jun UNSC presidential statement deplores Iraq's interference with UN aerial inspections
21 Jun UNSC adopts RES 1115 condemning "clear and flagrant violations" of relevant resolutions, suspends sanctions reviews
17 Sep UNSC press statement expressing concern over Iraqi interference with inspections Iraqis video-taped burning documents at sensitive sites as inspectors wait at gate
Sep/Oct Iraq blocks UNSC access to presidential site
23 Oct UNSC adopts RES 1134 condemning Iraq's noncompliance and threatens travel ban for Iraqi officials
29 Oct UNSC presidential statement condemns Iraq's announcement and demands that it reverse its decision unconditionally Iraq states it will no longer accept US personnel in UNSCOM and demands that U-2 flights end
2 Nov Iraq warns that UNSCOM U-2 missions will fly "at their own risk"
12 Nov UNSC adopts RES 1137 banning travel of Iraqi officials responsible for Iraq's obstruction of UNSCOM inspections
13 Nov UNSCOM withdraws all personnel except for only a skeleton staff in Baghdad; UNSC presidential statement condemns Iraq Iraq demands that all US inspectors leave within 24 hours
20 Nov Iraq agrees to reverse decision to expel US UNSCOM inspectors
22 Dec UNSCOM inspects "sensitive sites" after Iraq delays entry; UNSC presidential statement terms Iraqi obstruction a clear violation of relevant UN resolutions

1998

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Date United Nations Actions/
Security Council Resolution Iraqi Action Coalition Response
12 Jan Iraq announces that it will bar further inspections by UNSCOM team led by Scott Ritter because of "imbalance" of US and UK inspectors
14 Jan UNSC presidential statement declares Iraqi actions a clear violation
16 Jan UNSCOM team led by Scott Ritter leaves Iraq
20 Feb UNSC adopts RES 1153 expanding oil sales to $5.2 billion
20-23 Feb UN Secretary-General visits Iraq and reaches an agreement with Baghdad for limited inspections of presidential sites
2 Mar UNSC adopts RES 1154 endorsing agreement between UNSCOM Chief Ekeus and Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Aziz, warns of severest consequences if Baghdad fails to heed agreement
26 Mar-3 Apr UN inspectors accompanied by diplomats inspect presidential sites
4 Apr Iraq allows access to presidential sites
14 May UNSC presidential statement on transition of IAEA to long-term monitoring
19 Jun UNSC adopts RES 1175 authorizing the allocation of $300 million for oil spare parts
5 Aug Iraq's RCC and Ba'ath Party Command halt cooperation with UNSCOM and IAEA, end no-notice inspections; monitoring activities are allowed to continue
9 Sep UNSC adopts RES 1194 condemning Iraq and suspending reviews of sanctions until UNSCOM is permitted to resume full operations
31 Oct UNSC press statement condemns Iraq, calls move a flagrant violation of UN resolutions Saddam ends all cooperation with UNSCOM
5 Nov UNSC adopts RES 1205 ordering Iraq to resume cooperation with UNSCOM
14 Nov Saddam allows UNSCOM to return to Iraq US airstrikes aborted after Saddam allows UNSCOM's return; US and UK threaten without full cooperation, they will strike without warning
9-14 Dec UNSCOM team obstructed during inspections of suspect sites
15-16 Dec UNSCOM reports to UNSC that it is unable to perform disarmament mandate, withdraws inspectors
6-19 Dec Operation Desert Fox
19 Dec Iraq declares that UNSCOM will never be allowed back in Iraq

1999

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Date United Nations Actions/
Security Council Resolution Iraqi Action Coalition Response
4 Jan Iraq advises UN that it will not renew visas for US and UK Oil-for-Food monitors because it could not guarantee their safety
27 Jan Hans von Sponeck visits southern Iraq and reports on damage caused by air strikes
3 Feb UN Secretary-General Annan orders all US and UK Oil-for-Food monitors out of Iraq
Mar Iraq rejects UN proposal for Hajj pilgrims
Oct UNSC adopts RES 1266 allowing Iraq to exceed oil sales ceiling
17 Dec UNSC adopts RES 1284 specifying conditions under which sanctions would be suspended; establishes United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC) to continue UNSCOM's mandate; eliminates cap on Iraqi oil exports Iraq has yet to accept RES 1284

2000

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Date United Nations Actions/
Security Council Resolution Iraqi Action Coalition Response
27 Jan Hans Blix is appointed chairman of UNMOVIC
Mar Iraq rejects UN proposal for Hajj pilgrims
31 Mar UNSC adopts RES 1293 doubling allocations for oil spare parts
7 Apr UNMOVIC chairman Blix submits organizational plan to UNSC
13 Apr UNSC approves UNMOVIC organizational plan
8 Jun UN Secretary-General reports that Iraq has sufficient revenues to take care of food and nutrition and solve health problems; UNSC adopts RES 1302 improving implementation of humanitarian program
9 Nov Iraq attempts to gain direct control over some oil
20 Nov UN Sanctions Committee rejects Iraqi oil surcharge proposal
30 Nov Iraq rejects UN Secretary-General offer to discuss weapons inspections
1 Dec Iraq temporarily halts oil exports

2001

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Date United Nations Actions/
Security Council Resolution Iraqi Action Coalition Response
2 Mar UN Secretary-General reports Iraq's underproduction of oil is affecting critical humanitarian programs
7 Mar UN-Iraq talks in NY on renewing weapons inspections
8 Apr Iraq suspends oil production
18 Apr UN-Iraq talks in NY on renewing weapons inspections
20 Apr US, UK strike mobile early warning radar in response to increasing Iraqi acts against coalition aircraft in the southern no-fly zone
1 May UN-Iraq talks in NY on renewing weapons inspections
1 Jun UNSC adopts RES 1352 to revise economic sanctions to improve flow of civilian goods into Iraq
3 Sep Iraq orders 5 UN Oil-for-Food workers to leave Baghdad without consulting UN

2002

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Date United Nations Actions/
Security Council Resolution Iraqi Action Coalition Response
11 Feb UN Special Rapporteur visits Baghdad
14 May UNSC adopts RES 1409, revised 300-page Goods Review List
12 Sep UNSC begins discussion on Iraqi non-compliance with UN resolutions
17 Sep Iraq says it will permit UN weapons inspections
8 Nov UNSC adopts RES 1441 outlining provisions for enhanced weapons inspections
13 Nov Iraq accepts RES 1441
18 Nov UNMOVIC and IAEA chairman in Baghdad for technical talks

Of course, I'M the idiot because I think Bush was right (not only right, had no choice but) to go in based on the above. In a post-9/11 world, the possibility of a Hussein with WMDs could not stand.

The only way to know for sure was to go in and have a look. If only the Bush administration could have gotten a phone call through to Ferno, we could have avoided this whole thing.