Iraq's Weapons of Mass Destruction Programs

Iraq-· which has the expertise, facilities and equipment to expand its WMD arsenal-is working to reconstitute prohibited WMD programs. • Since December 1998, Baghdad has refused to allow UN inspectors into Iraq as required by UN Security Council resolutions; in the absence of such inspections, Iraq's ability to work on prohibited programs without risk of discovery has increased.

• Iraq has stockpiles of CW and BW agents and munitions and is rebuilding its dual-use production facilities giving Baghdad the capability of producing large quantities of agents quickly. Additionally, Iraq is aggressively pursuing delivery platforms including UAVs-for chemical and biological agents.

• Iraq is developing a ballistic missile capability that exceeds the UN imposed 150-km range limitation and probably retains a small force of prohibited Scud-variant missiles and launchers and is developing two short-range ballistic missile systems that could violate UN-imposed range restrictions. Currently, all of these Iraqi weapons could have warheads that deliver chemical or biological agents. Iraq admitted filling some of its Scud warheads with either chemical or biological agents in 1991.

• Iraq still has much of the.infrastructure needed to pursue its goal of building a nuclear weapon, although it is unlikely to produce indigenously enough weapons-grade material for a deliverable nuclear weapon until the last half this decade. Baghdad could shorten the acquisition timeline significantly if it were able to procure fissile material abroad. Baghdad could have procured nuclear weapons related materials and equipment without detection.

• Iraq has been able to import dual-use, WMD-related equipment and material through procurements both within and outside the UN sanctions regime. Baghdad diverts some of the $10 billion worth of goods now entering Iraq every year for humanitarian . needs to support the military and WMD programs.