The New York Times November 17, 2002
The Nation; Iraqs Long March of Defiance
By TOM ZELLER
IRAQS acquiescence last week to United Nations Security Council Resolution 1441, which promised severe consequences for "continued violations of its obligations," resembled just one more turn in a dysfunctional relationship. But it was more complicated than that.
The Security Councils language of severe consequences and the bipolar Iraqi response (Iraqs parliament rejected the resolution before Saddam Hussein made a show of grudging acceptance) appeared to follow an unhealthy pattern. In 1991, Resolution 687 brokered an end to the gulf war and earned a commitment from Mr. Hussein to disarm and allow U.N. inspectors to come in and oversee things. But the relationship quickly soured. Each new period of cooperation by Iraq was quickly followed by stalling and sidestepping, and then by limited cooperation again. In a cycle of geopolitical codependency, the U.N. passed new resolutions that reconfirmed old ones and that the Iraqis quickly ignored. Inspectors eventually walked away in 1998, frustrated, stonewalled and in some cases manhandled by Iraqi officials who, by most accounts, were playing a shell game with weapons of mass destruction.
Still, almost no one believes the current go-round will follow the standard script, with the United States mobilizing for war even as it abides by the Security Councils latest 12-step program. Below is a look back at the past year and inside, the past decade of a long-running routine that may well be nearing an end. TOM ZELLER http://www.nytimes.com
GRAPHIC: Photos: United Nations workers ready Iraqi rockets for destruction in 1998. (Associated Press)(pg. 1)
Chart
Some significant moments in: 2002
JAN. 30 -- In his State of the Union address, President Bush names Iraq as part of an "axis of evil."
SEPT. 12 -- At the United Nations, President Bush says Iraq must be disarmed. "Delegates to the General Assembly," he says, "we have been more than patient."
SEPT. 16 -- The U.N. receives a letter from Iraq agreeing to a new round of inspections.
SEPT. 24 -- Responding to a British report detailing Iraq's weapons program, Baghdad offers "unfettered access" to inspectors.
SEPT. 28 -- Iraq rejects a draft of a U.N. Security Council resolution on new inspections.
SEPT. -- U.S. and British warplanes step up attacks on Iraqi air defenses
OCT. 4 -- New inspections are postponed while the Security Council completes work on a new resolution drafted by the U.S. and Britain.
OCT. 12 -- Baghdad sends a letter to the U.N. saying Iraq is ready allow the return of inspectors. The United States dismisses the offer.
OCT 15 -- Iraq says Mr. Hussein wins 100 percent of votes in a national election.
NOV. 8 -- The U.N. Security Council unanimously approves resolution 1441, which says Iraq must disarm or face "serious consequences."
NOV. 12 -- Iraq's parliament recommends rejecting resolution 1441.
NOV 13. -- Iraq accepts U.N. resolution 1441 and says it is awaiting the arrival of inspectors. (pg. 1)
Some significant moments in: 1991-94
APRIL 3 -- Resolution 687 sets terms for a gulf war ceasefire and calls for Iraq to disarm and accept weapons inspections.
APRIL -- 18 Iraq declares some items, but not suspected biological weapons.
APRIL 6 -- Iraq accepts resolution 687.
JUNE 17 -- Resolution 699 reaffirms 687.
AUG. 15 -- Resolution 707 demands full disclosures.
OCT. 11 -- Resolution 715 calls for Iraq to accept inspectors unconditionally.
OCTOBER Iraq declares 715 unlawful.
FEB. 19, 1992 -- Security Council expresses "grave concern" over Iraq's failure to fulfill its obligations.
MARCH 12 -- Security Council says Iraq has not complied "fully and unconditionally."
MARCH 19 -- Iraq declares the existence of previously undisclosed ballistic missiles and chemical weapons.
JUNE -- Iraq provides its first disclosure report on its chemical weapons program.
JULY -- United Nations begins destroying Iraq's chemical weapons and production facilities.
JULY 6 -- Iraq refuses to allow inspectors access to the Iraqi Ministry of Agriculture.
OCT. 15 Iraq issues what appears to be a threat to all inspectors.
JANUARY, 1993 -- Iraq refuses U.N. aircraft, breaches the demilitarized zone near Kuwait and increases military activity in no-fly zones.
JAN. 8 -- Security Council warns of "serious consequences" for further defiance.
JAN. 19 -- France, Britain and the U.S. conduct air raids on targets in southern Iraq.
JUNE JULY -- Iraq refuses to allow the U.N. to install remote-controlled cameras at two of its missile engine test sites.
JUNE 18 -- Security Council expresses "deep concern" over Iraq's refusal of cameras. Warns of "serious consequences."
JULY 18 -- Iraq agrees to allow the installation of security cameras.
NOV. 26 -- Iraq accepts resolution 715 and continued monitoring.
JAN. -- British, French and American air strikes
FEB. 5, 1994 -- Iraq issues statement noting "serious progress" made in negotiations, and expresses readiness to expedite the monitoring.
APRIL 29 -- U.N. commits to conducting inspections and monitoring in a manner that respects Iraqs concerns regarding "sovereignty, independence, security and dignity."
SEPT. OCT. -- Iraq threatens to stop cooperation with inspectors and begins sending troops in the direction of Kuwait.
OCT. 15 -- Resolution 949 demands that Iraq "cooperate fully" with inspectors and withdraw troops deployed to southern Iraq.
OCT 15 -- Iraq announces that it has withdrawn its troops and is prepared to resume working with inspectors. (pg. 2)
Some significant moments in: 1995-98
MARCH -- Iraq provides its second disclosure report on prohibited weapons.
JULY 1 -- Iraq admits that it has a biological weapons program.
JULY -- Iraq threatens to end all cooperation unless sanctions are lifted.
AUG 8 -- Iraq admits to advanced weapons programs and releases related documents that had been hidden on a chicken farm.
NOVEMBER -- Jordan intercepts shipment of high-grade missile components bound for Iraq.
MARCH 27, 1996 -- Resolution 1051 establishes monitoring of Iraqs imports and exports.
JUNE -- Iraq denies access to some sites suspected of being hiding places for prohibited items.
JUNE JULY -- After several incidents of defiance, the U.N. and Iraq agree on a Joint Program of Action, which takes into account Iraqs "legitimate security concerns."
JUNE JULY -- Iraq makes several new disclosures.
NOVEMBER -- Iraq blocks inspectors from removing remnants of missile engines.
DEC. 30 -- Security Council deplores Iraq's defiance and demands that Iraq allow removal of missile engines.
SEPT. -- Operation Desert Strike
FEBRUARY 1997 -- Iraq allows removal of engines.
JUNE -- Iraq threatens U.N. helicopters and crews.
JUNE 21 -- Resolution 1115 condemns Iraqs actions and calls for "immediate, unconditional and unrestricted" access to any and all sites.
SEPT. 13 -- An inspector is "manhandled" by an Iraqi officer while trying to photograph unauthorized vehicle movement at an inspection site.
OCT. 23 -- Resolution 1134 demands that Iraq cooperate fully with inspections.
OCT. 29 -- Iraq says it wont work with American inspectors.
NOV. 12 -- Resolution 1137 condemns Iraqs rejection of American inspectors.
DEC. 22 -- Iraq declares "Presidential Sites" off limits.
FEB. 20-23, 1998 -- Iraq and U.N. agree to a Memorandum of Understanding in which Iraq accepts all relevant resolutions and the U.N. commits to respecting Iraq's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
FEB. 20-23 -- Resolution 1154 endorses the memorandum.
AUG. 5 -- Iraq suspends cooperation.
SEPT. 9 -- Resolution 1194 condemns Iraq's decision.
OCT. 31 -- Iraq ends all cooperation.
NOV. 5 -- Resolution 1205 condemns Iraqs decision.
DEC. 16 -- Inspection teams are withdrawn from Iraq. U.S.-led forces begin bombing raids.
DEC. -- Operation Desert Fox
Inspections were never resumed. A 1999 Security Council resolution reaffirmed all previous resolutions and changed the name of the special commission charged with conducting inspections.
(Sources: United Nations Special Commission; Reuters; U.S. Department of State; GlobalSecurity.org)(pg. 3)
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