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Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)


27 January Iraq Special Weapons News

Operations
Deployments
US Policy
United Nations
Foreign Reactions
News Reports

Current Operations

  • EOD eliminates threat, safeguards troops USMC News 27 Jan 2003 -- Their work sometimes resembles that of archeologists, carefully probing the ground for artifacts buried beneath the surface. But rather than finding bones or pottery fragments, they search for deadly reminders of past conflicts.

Deployments

  • Maritime Administration Activates Ready Reserve Force Ships MARAD 27 Jan 2003 -- The U.S. Department of Transportation's Maritime Administration (MARAD) today announced that it activated 13 Ready Reserve Force (RRF) ships on Friday, Jan. 24 to support Operation Enduring Freedom. The activations follow orders received from the U.S. Navy's Military Sealift Command.
  • Navy Amphibious Command Deploys to Kuwait NNS 27 Jan 2003 -- A joint-service American military force of more than 1,000 personnel recently arrived in Kuwait in support of Operation Enduring Freedom

US Policy

  • White House Daily Briefing White House 27 Jan 2003
  • Iraq and Biological Warfare Agents AFPS 27 Jan 2003 -- With weapons of mass destruction, what you don't know can kill you. Iraq has persistently lied, delayed and deceived U.N. inspectors who are in the country to ensure it is ridding itself of chemical, biological and nuclear capabilities. One of the biggest problems is just what is the size and scope of the Iraqi biological weapons program?
  • Iraq's Disarmament Inevitable, Defense Policymaker Says AFPS 27 Jan 2003 -- Iraq's disarmament is inevitable, the Defense Department's senior policy writer told an Arab media outlet Jan. 24
  • EDITORIAL: BUSH ON WHY THE WORLD MUST ACT VOA 27 Jan 2003 -- The United Nations Security Council has given Saddam Hussein a clear message: the Iraqi dictator must comply with U-N resolutions and disarm. He must destroy his weapons of mass destruction
  • BUSH / IRAQ VOA 27 Jan 2003 -- The Bush Administration says a report by U-N weapons inspectors is a "frightening reminder" that Iraq is not accounting for all of its weapons
  • CONGRESS/ IRAQ VOA 27 Jan 2003 -- U-S Congressional Democrats are criticizing U-S policy toward Iraq, and urging President Bush not to launch a war against Baghdad, without support of an international coalition. Their comments come as the U-N Security Council assesses a report on U-N arms inspections in Iraq, and as President Bush prepares to address the Iraq issue in his State of the Union address Tuesday
  • Bolton Says U.S. Has Evidence Iraq Has Weapons Program Washington File 27 Jan 2003 -- The United States has "very convincing evidence" that the Iraqi regime maintains "an extensive program for the production and weaponization of weapons of mass destruction and long-range ballistic missiles that have been forbidden to it since the time of the Gulf War Ceasefire Resolution 687 in 1991," according to Under Secretary of State John Bolton
  • Bolton Says U.S. Will Present Evidence Against Iraq When Time Is Right Washington File 27 Jan 2003 -- In an interview with CNBC on January 24, Under Secretary of State John Bolton answered questions relating to U.S. foreign policy in Iraq, North Korea and Iran
  • Powell Says Time Running Out for Iraq to Disarm Peacefully Washington File 27 Jan 2003 -- Secretary of State Colin Powell said Iraq's time for choosing peaceful disarmament is quickly coming to an end
  • Iraq Failed Two Key Tests of U.N. Compliance, Negroponte Says Washington File 27 Jan 2003 -- The United States sees no evidence to indicate that Saddam Hussein is voluntarily disarming his nation of its biological and chemical weapons, nuclear capabilities and ballistic missiles or that he will actively cooperate with the United Nations to assure the international community that he has fully disarmed, U.S. Ambassador John Negroponte told the Security Council January 27.
  • White House Cites Links Between al Qaeda and Iraq Washington File 27 Jan 2003 -- Speaking shortly before United Nations Chief Weapons Inspector Hans Blix delivered his report on Iraq to the U.N. Security Council, White House Press Secretary Ari Fleisher said the Saddam Hussein regime continues to give the U.N. inspectors the runaround
  • Little Hope Iraq Intends to Comply, Negroponte Says Washington File 27 Jan 2003 -- Reports from the chief U.N. weapons inspectors do not give the United States hope that Iraq intends to fully comply with Security Council demands to disarm, U.S. Ambassador John Negroponte said January 27.
  • Little Time Left to Disarm Iraq, U.S. Says Washington File 27 Jan 2003 -- After hearing from the chief U.N. weapons inspectors on their 60 days in Iraq, the United States said January 27 that the reports provide no evidence that Saddam Hussein is voluntarily ridding his nation of its biological and chemical weapons, nuclear capabilities and ballistic missiles. U.S. Ambassador John Negroponte warned Security Council members that "there is little time left for the council to face its responsibilities" in disarming Iraq
  • U.S. Says January 27 Reports Show Iraq Not Complying with U.N. Washington File 27 Jan 2003 -- The January 27 reports on Iraq delivered to the United Nations Security Council by chief U.N. weapons inspectors Hans Blix and Mohamed ElBaradei show clearly that Iraq is not complying with United Nations demands that it disarm, the Bush administration says
  • BUSH IRAQ VOA 27 Jan 2003 -- The Bush Administration says it wants to see evidence from U-N inspectors that Iraq has given a full accounting of all of its weapons. With inspectors briefing the Security Council Monday, the White House says anything short of a full accounting means that Iraq is violating U-N resolutions

United Nations

  • Tracking the Inspections 27 January 2003 RFE/L 27 Jan 2003 -- A team of three International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors visited the Al-Sumoud State Company (a.k.a. Al-Sumud Industrial Manufacturing Plant). Located 35 kilometers north of Baghdad in Taji.
  • UN/IRAQ LOOK AHEAD VOA 27 Jan 2003 -- Members of the U-N Security Council are continuing consultations on how to proceed regarding Iraq, in the wake of the report from U-N weapons inspectors, who said questions remain unanswered about Iraq's weapons program. Some key Security Council members say the inspectors should be given more time to complete their work. But the United States and Britain say time for Iraq to disarm peacefully is quickly running out
  • IRAQ / U-N VOA 27 Jan 2003 -- The chief United Nations weapons inspector for Iraq says Baghdad has provided his teams generally good access to its facilities, but that significant questions remain about whether Iraq has destroyed all of its banned weapons of mass destruction
  • U-N/IRAQ/U-S/WRAP VOA 27 Jan 2003 -- U-N weapons inspectors, in their much-anticipated report to the Security Council Monday, gave a mixed review of Iraq's cooperation with disarmament demands. Here in Washington, Secretary of State Colin Powell said the finding came as no surprise, and that Iraq does not have much more time to comply, if it wants to avoid war
  • UN / IRAQ / REAX VOA 27 Jan 2003 -- Key members of the U-N Security Council disagree with the U-S assertion that Iraq is running out of time to comply with its obligations under last November's resolution. France, Russia and China, favor giving weapons inspectors more time
  • DAVOS/MOUSSA VOA 27 Jan 2003 -- Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa says war with Iraq can still be avoided. Mr. Moussa also says the U-N weapons inspectors should be given more time
  • POWELL/IRAQ VOA 27 Jan 2003 -- Secretary of State Colin Powell, giving the Bush administration's formal response to the U-N weapons inspectors' report, says Iraq does not have much more time to comply with last November's Security Council resolution. Mr. Powell indicated that decisions on the possible use of force against Iraq may only be days away
  • Iraq cooperating but needs to do more on 'substance,' Blix tells Security Council UN News Centre 27 Jan 2003 -- While Iraq has cooperated in allowing United Nations inspectors into various sites, the top UN arms expert, Hans Blix, told the Security Council today that Baghdad should be more forthcoming with information and allow greater access to key personnel with knowledge of the country's weapons programmes
  • IAEA chief: no evidence so far of revived Iraqi nuclear arms programme UN News Centre 27 Jan 2003 -- The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has so far found no evidence that Iraq has revived the nuclear weapons programme it had eliminated in the 1990s, the head of the UN agency told the Security Council today, while stressing that more time was needed for a conclusive assessment.
  • After briefing by inspectors, Security Council plans to consult on Iraq Wednesday UN News Centre 27 Jan 2003 -- The United Nations Security Council, which was briefed today by the chief UN weapons inspectors on their work in Iraq over the past two months, will consult on the matter again on Wednesday, the Council President said on Monday
  • UN arms inspectors need time 'to do their work,' Annan says UN News Centre 27 Jan 2003 -- The United Nations Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, said today that UN weapons inspectors should be given the necessary time to do their job in Iraq, but stressed the need for a proactive approach by Baghdad in cooperating with the UN
  • More Work Remains on Iraqi Disarmament, Blix Says Washington File 27 Jan 2003 -- Significant questions remain to be answered concerning Iraq's chemical, biological and ballistic weapons programs before dossiers are closed and there can be confidence that Iraq has been disarmed, Hans Blix, the chief U.N. weapons inspector told the Security Council January 27
  • ElBaradei Says IAEA Needs More Time to Complete Iraqi Inspections Washington File 27 Jan 2003 -- The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has found "no evidence that Iraq has revived its nuclear weapons program," but IAEA's work is continuing and "should be allowed to run its natural course," Mohamed ElBaradei, IAEA director general, told the U.N. Security Council January 27
  • Iraq cooperating but needs to do more on 'substantive' issues, Blix tells Security Council UN News Centre 27 Jan 2003 -- While Iraq has cooperated in allowing United Nations inspectors into various sites, the top UN arms expert, Hans Blix, told the Security Council today that Baghdad should be more forthcoming with information and allow greater access to key personnel with knowledge of the country's weapons programmes
  • UN arms inspectors visit missile installations, manufacturing plants in Iraq UN News Centre 27 Jan 2003 -- With the chief United Nations arms experts in New York reporting on the first 60 days of inspections in Iraq, UN monitors continued their probe on the ground today with visits to missile installations and other sites
  • Chief UN monitors report on first 60 days of inspections in Iraq UN News Centre 27 Jan 2003 -- The chief United Nations weapons experts today presented their reports to the Security Council on the first 60 days of inspections in Iraq
  • UN / IRAQ / REPORT VOA 27 Jan 2003 -- Chief U-N weapons inspectors Hans Blix and Mohammed ElBaredei are scheduled to deliver ([are delivering. . .] EDS. PLS WATCH WIRES) their much anticipated-report on the search for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq
  • IRAQ / INSPECTORS VOA 27 Jan 2003 -- U-N inspectors will give their report the U-N Security Council today (Monday) and are expected to say that Iraq is still is not fully cooperating in the search for banned weapons. In December, Iraq submitted a 12-thousand page document that was supposed to account for all of its Chemical, Biological and other weapons of mass destruction. Mr. Blix has said that report is incomplete
  • UN / IRAQ / REPORT VOA 27 Jan 2003 -- Chief U-N weapons inspectors Hans Blix and Mohammed ElBaredei are scheduled to deliver their much anticipated report on their search for weapons of mass destruction to the United Nations
  • Chief UN monitors set to report on first 60 days of inspections in Iraq UN News centre 27 Jan 2003 -- The chief United Nations weapons experts are set to brief the Security Council today on their findings after the first 60 days of inspections in Iraq
  • UNMOVIC IAEA Press Statement on Inspection Activities in Iraq UNMOVIC/IAEA 27 January 2003

Foreign Reactions

  • E-U / FOREIGN MINISTERS VOA 27 Jan 2003 -- The European Union has issued a forceful call for Iraq to cooperate with United Nations weapons inspectors, while also indicating the inspectors may need more time to do their job
  • TURKEY / U-S / IRAQ VOA 27 Jan 2003 -- senior Turkish official has accused the United States of hypocrisy in its policy on Iraq. Amberin Zaman reports from Istanbul the statement comes amid mounting public opposition in Turkey to a war against Iraq.
  • DAVOS/ROBERTSON VOA 27 Jan 2003 -- NATO Secretary General George Robertson is playing down differences in the alliance over a possible action against Iraq
  • DAVOS/MOUSSA VOA 27 Jan 2003 -- Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa says war with Iraq can still be avoided. Mr. Moussa also says the U-N weapons inspectors should be given more time
  • BRITAIN / IRAQ VOA 27 Jan 2003 -- Britain says international patience with Iraq is coming to an end in the stalemate over Baghdad's suspected arsenal of weapons of mass destruction. British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw addressed the issue as European Union foreign ministers gathered in Brussels to discuss the Iraq crisis

News Reports

  • RFE/RL Iraq Report, Volume 6, Number 3 Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty 27 January 2003 -- OPPOSITION MEETING IN IRBIL IN EARLY FEBRUARY / REGIONAL FOREIGN MINISTERS ATTEND IRAQ MEETING IN ISTANBUL / U.S. VICE PRESIDENT HOLDS TALKS WITH PUK OFFICIAL / KURDISH OFFICIAL FINDS DIFFICULTY IN ACQUIRING NEEDED MEDICINES IN TIME OF WAR / IRAQI ARMY OFFICER ON MOVEMENT OF WMD / U.S. LIFT OF TROOPS DIRECTLY TO IRAQI KURDISTAN SUGGESTED / EIGHTY RUSSIAN PARLIAMENTARIANS SIGN PETITION AGAINST WAR IN IRAQ / IRAQ AWARDS RUSSIA OIL CONTRACTS / IRAQI INFORMATION MINISTER VISITS SUDAN / SADDAM MEETS WITH MILITARY COMMANDERS / UDAY SADDAM HUSSEIN THREATENS U.S. WITH 'MAJOR LOSSES' IF IT ATTACKS IRAQ / SHI'ITE OPPOSITION FORCES CONSOLIDATING POSITIONS IN KURDISH REGION / ASSYRIAN SCHOLAR ARGUES FOR NATIONAL UNITY / KURDS IN KAZAKHSTAN OPPOSE U.S. ATTACK ON IRAQ
  • KURDISH FIGHTERS VOA 27 Jan 2003 -- The national daily newspaper, U-S-A Today, reports on Kurdish Pesh Merga fighters preparing for their role in a possible war with Baghdad. Boston's Christian Science Monitor discusses the possibility of a popular uprising in Iraq, but feels it may be too late for that. And The Los Angeles Times reports that Secretary of State Colin Powell, speaking in Davos, Switzerland, says if necessary the United States will attack Iraq alone
  • HOPKINSON IRAQ VOA 27 Jan 2003 -- Chief U-N weapons inspector Hans Blix says Iraq has not genuinely accepted the U-N demands of disarmament. Leaders of the U-N inspection team in Iraq delivered a much anticipated report to the Security Council in New York Monday on their search for banned weapons of mass destruction over the past 60 days. Mr. Blix said key issues remain unresolved, such as the whereabouts of thousands of chemical bombs and stocks of anthrax and other biological weapons. Iraqi Foreign Minister Naji Sabri insists that his government has cooperated fully with U-N inspections and met all of its obligations under Security Council resolutions. William Hopkinson is a security expert (and Associate Fellow) at the Royal Institute of International Affairs in London. He tells NewsNow's Pat Bodnar that the countdown to a possible U.S.-led war against Iraq is entering a critical phase.
  • MONDAY'S EDITORIALS VOA 27 Jan 2003 -- While opposition to a war with Iraq grows in the U-S press, some papers are decrying French and German indecision on the issue. Other commentaries deal with U-S Homeland Security; Israel's election; and Libya's Chairmanship of a U-N Commission




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