Although Iraq has made several promises and guarantees of declaring their nuclear and biological warfare programs, obviously this is not the case.
RECENT DECEPTIONS
In August of 2002, Vice President Dick Cheney made a claim to a group of veterans that he has "no doubt" that Saddam Hussein is in the middle of preparation of using a large quantity of weapons of mass destruction against the United States (Source F). He then followed by dismissing war critics as victims of "wishful thinking". Vice President Chaney also said, in the same address, "Simply stated, there is no doubt that Saddam Hussein now has weapons of mass destruction; there is no doubt that he is amassing them to use against our friends, against our allies, and against us," (Source F).
In October of 2002, FOX News reported their feelings on Iraq's current weapon developments. They claimed that, not only is Iraq developing new chemical and biological weapons, but that information from United States intelligence agencies concluded that they could also have a nuclear weapon by 2010 (Source X). This report continues to say, "Iraq has some lethal and incapacitating BW (biological weapons) agents. Its ability to produce the agents has grown in the last decade, despite sanctions, U.S. bombing and United Nations inspections"(Source X). These weapons are able to be delivered in several ways, including missiles, bombs, aerial sprayers and covert operatives. Also noted in this report was that Iraq could use these weapons "potentially against the United States Homeland" (Source X).
Later that year, on Friday, December 13, 2002, the Associated Press wrote that the United Sates and British intelligence had published new reports. These reports claimed that "new construction at old weapons sites and other activities suggest that the Iraqis may have resumed making weapons of mass destruction" (Source P).
Also on December 13, the San Diego Tribune's John J. Lumpkin reported on Iraq's recently submitted 12,000 page weapons declaration. In his report, Lumpkin notes, "[The] declaration does not account for a number of missing chemical and biological weapons and fails to explain attempted purchases of uranium and other items United States intelligence believes are related to Saddam Hussein's nuclear program, United States officials said" (Source N). This report shows another example of Iraqi deception.
After being analyzed at the CIA and "Elsewhere", officials also said that the report fails to mention the whereabouts of large quantities of biological and chemical components that were found missing in 1998, when the United Nations inspectors were forced to leave Iraq (Source N). For example, some of the unaccounted items included hundreds of mustard gas shells (Source N), which is a World-War 1 era blistering agent, sarin, cyclosarin and VX, which are all three extremely deadly nerve agents (Source X).
The report also succeeds in dodging the explanation of several Iraqi accusations that are linked to Saddam's nuclear program. Officials make claims that this includes not only the purchase of uranium in Africa, but also purchases of high technical equipment made in Western countries. These purchases could be used in an uranium enrichment program and would be a necessary component of a nuclear weapon (Source N).
Several notable people of today's government have given their opinions of Saddamm Hussein and his report. For example, when questioned by ABC News about Saddam's report, President Bush replied, "he is a man who deceives, denies" (Source N). In addition, when asked for his opinion on the topic, Lt. Gen. Hossam Mohammed Amin called the intelligence reports "just a lie" (Source P).
Once again, although Iraq has made several promises and guarantees of declaring their nuclear and biological warfare programs, obviously this is not the case.
So, what happens now?
Resolution 1441, a resolution which "establishes an enhanced inspection regime for Iraq's disbarment" (Source Z). states that, "false statements or omissions in the declaration-coupled with a failure to comply with inspections" (Source Q), is a "material breech"(Source Q) of Iraq's obligations. Therefore, as the first assessment of Iraq's weapons report was released to the public by the Bush administration, the Presidents can then seek more information on Iraq. Officials say that Pres. Bush could declare Saddam's report in violation of the "material breech" and that war is required to disarm him" (Source Q). However, White House officials say that the President will not take that route at this time (Source Q).
Furthermore, Pres. Bush is also able to inform United States intelligence on "suspected weapons programs to the United Nations inspectors" (Source Q). This would help in the attempt to prove Saddam's lies in the declaration.