No WMD Stockpiles, but...

by Robert J. Romano

October 11th, 2004

Charles Duelfer, in delivering testimony to Congress on Wednesday and the Comprehensive Report of the Special Advisor to the DCI on Iraq's WMD, found that while no militarily significant weapons of mass destruction stockpiles have been found, that the regime's capabilities in these areas remained in place, and could have been started quite rapidly towards reconstituting the programs which develop these deadly weapons.  From the report's key findings: "Saddam [Hussein] so dominated the Iraqi Regime that its strategic intent was his alone. He wanted to end sanctions while preserving the capability to reconstitute his weapons of mass destruction (WMD) when sanctions were lifted... Saddam wanted to recreate Iraq’s WMD capability—which was essentially destroyed in 1991—after sanctions were removed and Iraq’s economy stabilized, but probably with a different mix of capabilities to that which previously existed. Saddam aspired to develop a nuclear capability—in an incremental fashion, irrespective of international pressure and the resulting economic risks—but he intended to focus on ballistic missile and tactical chemical warfare (CW) capabilities..." Since the regime's overarching goal was the removal of the sanctions, they did not overtly develop weapons of mass destruction, and the programs laid dormant for a later date when international pressure would not be brought to bear.  

        In addition to these findings, Mr. Duelfer also testified that the investigation "also makes quite clear how Baghdad exploited the mechanism for executing the Oil-for-Food [OFF] program to give individuals and countries an economic stake in ending sanctions.  The Regime, following a pattern that Saddam has applied throughout his career, offered rewards and a rationale for accepting them, successfully arguing its case that the sanctions were harming the innocent, and that the moral choice was to elude and diminish them.  It is grossly obvious how successful the Regime was.  It is also grossly obvious how the sanctions perverted not just the national system of finance and economics, but to some extent the international markets and organizations... The Procurement and Finance section [of the report] notes that a sizeable portion of the illicit revenues generated under the Oil-for-Food program went to the Military Industrial Commission (the government-run military-industrial establishment).  The funding for this organization, which had responsibility for many of the past WMD programs went from approximately $7.8 million in 1998 to $350 million in 2001..." We now know that some of this money was being used by the regime to develop long-range missiles in violation of the UN Security Council resolutions.  The development of delivery systems continued after the first Gulf War and increased after Iraq's decision to accept the Oil-for-Food program in 1996.  The extent of this activity is also being investigated internally at the United Nations, and also by the U.S. Congress.  

        Though the Iraq Survey Group has judged that the bulk of Iraq's weapons were in fact destroyed, it does not rule out the possibility that materials were transported out of the country.  Duelfer stated, "A variety of questions about Iraqi WMD capabilities and intentions remain unanswered, even after extensive investigation by ISG.  For example, we cannot yet definitively say whether or not WMD materials were transferred out of Iraq before the war.  Neither can we definitively answer some questions about possible retained stocks..." Also ambiguous were Iraq's activities which were concealed from the United Nations when Iraq made her declaration of WMD-related activities.  It was reasonable to assume that noncompliance by Iraq to UN Security Council resolutions meant that the country still retained stocks from prior declarations.  However, since such stockpiles were a risk that would mean continuing sanctions, they were apparently destroyed following the Gulf War.  Instead, even during the inspections of 2002-3, there were laboratories operated by the security services for biological research which were not declared to the UN, but should have been.  Iraq retained chemical and biological weapons experts from the former programs, the knowledge base for future production, and the intention to reconstitute these efforts when sanctions might be lifted.

        Iraq leaned on the United Nations Security Council to have sanctions lifted through diplomacy, and according to the report's findings, Hussein "wanted to divide the five permanent members and foment international public support of Iraq at the UN and throughout the world by a savvy public relations campaign and an extensive diplomatic effort." Also, trade agreements with other governments throughout the world circumvented the Oil-for-Food program and economic sanctions and generated a "large amount of revenue outside the purview of the UN." With successful agreements in place, "continued oil smuggling efforts, and the manipulation of UN OFF contracts emboldened Saddam to pursue military reconstitution efforts starting in 1997 and peaking in 2001.  These efforts covered conventional arms, dual-use goods acquisition, and some WMD-related programs." The regime was able to finance these activities through $11 billion in illicit revenues amassed from the early-1990's to Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003.  Iraq received $2 billion in kickbacks from the OFF: "$990 million from oil 'cash-sales' or smuggling; and another $230 million from other surcharge impositions."  

        The activities which occurred in violation of the Security Council  resolutions, such as 1441, were contrary to the law of nations, and the president was authorized by the U.S. Congress to enforce the resolutions through military force.  The Security Council also authorized a multinational force under unified command in resolution 1511 to take all necessary measures to maintain security and stability in Iraq.  Resolution 1546 recognized the transfer of sovereignty to the interim government of Iraq, and on June 28th of this year, they took sovereignty.  Because we acted the sanctions against Iraq were lifted, the Iraqi people are benefiting from the country's oil wealth, and the noncompliant regime is in custody.  Free elections are to take place in January, and the country is currently rebuilding both her economic, political, and security institutions so that they may ensure a better future for their people.  Prime Minister Allawi of Iraq has thanked the American people for sacrificing on their behalf.  The rogue regime is no longer in power, and the leadership of President Bush and the coalition of the willing is responsible helping the Iraqis gain their freedom.