From: "Anthony Crifasi" <crifasi-AT-hotmail.com>
Subject: RE: FYI: Why did the United States invade and destabilize Iraq?
Date: Wed, 03 Dec 2003 15:17:09 +0000


Well, why don't we let CANADA answer that question.

>From the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade.
http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/middle_east/iraq_weapons-en.asp.

================Iraq: Weapons of Mass Destruction
Canada continues to be concerned by the legacy of Iraq's weapons of mass 
destruction (WMD) and missile proliferation, as well as its decade-long 
non-compliance with its disarmament obligations under United Nations 
Security Council resolutions.

Military action by the United Kingdom, United States and coalition partners 
against Iraq was precipitated by persistent concerns regarding Iraq's 
PROBABLE STOCKS OF CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS and fears that it may 
have resumed a nuclear weapons development programme. Despite resumed United 
Nations weapons inspections under Security Council resolution 1441 (2002) 
and subsequent searches by the coalition partners, hard information on Iraqi 
WMD development programs has to date remained unattainable. While there is 
no evidence we are aware of that Iraq had resumed production of chemical 
weapons (CW) agents since the departure of UN weapons inspectors in 1998, 
nor clear evidence that it had resumed nuclear weapons-related activities, 
THERE WAS CONCERN THAT IT WAS REBUILDING THE INFRASTRUCTURE IT WOULD NEED TO 
DO SO.

There is also a HIGH PROBABILITY that under the government of President 
Saddam Hussein, Iraq retained small quantities of biological weapons (BW) or 
BW agents. While there is no evidence we are aware of that Iraq had resumed 
production of BW agents since 1998, IT COULD HAVE DONE SO WITHOUT BEING 
DETECTEDit could have done so without being detected. The retention and 
continued possession by Iraq of any CW or BW capability would be a matter of 
grave concern.

Saddam Hussein's Iraq retained at least a modest technical capability that 
could be A BASIS FOR THE RESUMPTION [see paragraph 3 of UN resolution 1441] 
of a nuclear weapons development program. It is believed, however, that Iraq 
neither possesses a nuclear weapon nor is close to having one, in large 
measure due to the difficulty of producing or otherwise acquiring the 
necessary weapons-grade fissile material. At present, Iraq cannot produce 
sufficient quantities of fissile material to produce a nuclear explosive 
device, and would find it difficult to obtain such material from external 
sources without detection.

Important outstanding disarmament questions have been documented by United 
Nations weapons inspectors and provided to the Security Council. The return 
of United Nations-mandated inspectors to Iraq is needed to resolve these 
questions and to establish an effective system of ongoing monitoring and 
verification to ensure that Iraq does not seek to reacquire these 
capabilities. Canada welcomed the recent return of IAEA inspectors pursuant 
to Iraq's safeguards agreement under the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty 
(NPT) to secure nuclear facilities, which had been looted, and investigate 
the status of nuclear and radioactive materials at those facilities. 
However, Canada continues to support the return of the IAEA and UNMOVIC 
inspectors to Iraq on a timely basis so that they may complete their 
UNSC-mandated work. This is very important in order to provide an 
independent and objective assessment of Iraq's WMD capabilities and to 
verify disarmament.

UN Special Commission
The former Government of Iraq formally accepted UN Security Council 
Resolution 687 (April 1991), establishing the terms and conditions of the 
cease-fire that ended military operations following Iraq's invasion of 
Kuwait. Under these terms, Iraq accepted unconditionally and under 
international supervision the destruction, removal, or rendering harmless of 
all its weapons of mass destruction and long-range missiles, and to allow UN 
inspections to verify Iraq's compliance. The UN Special Commission (UNSCOM) 
was established in 1991 to carry out immediate on-site inspections, and to 
verify Iraqi compliance with its obligations. Although UNSCOM inspections 
and other activity over the period 1991-1998 did uncover and result in the 
destruction of considerable elements of the Iraqi WMD and missile 
development programs, SYSTEMATIC IRAQI EFFORTS TO CONCEAL SUCH PROGRAMS AND 
TO DECEIVE UN INSPECTORS RESULTED IN SIGNIFICANT UNCERTAINTY IN SOME AREAS.

=====================More at the link cited above.

Anthony Crifasi

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