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It Is About Disarming Iraq, Not About Inspectors

- Tuesday, September 17, 2002 |
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The relevant UN Resolution on Iraq is UNSCR 687 (4-3-91), which commands that Iraq must “unconditionally accept” the destruction, removal or rendering harmless “under international supervision” of all “chemical and biological weapons and all stocks of agents and all related subsystems and components and all research, development, support and manufacturing facilities.” In addition:


The relevant UN Resolution on Iraq is UNSCR 687 (4-3-91), which commands that Iraq must “unconditionally accept” the destruction, removal or rendering harmless “under international supervision” of all “chemical and biological weapons and all stocks of agents and all related subsystems and components and all research, development, support and manufacturing facilities.” In addition:

  • Iraq must “unconditionally agree not to acquire or develop nuclear weapons or nuclear-weapons-usable material” or any research, development or manufacturing facilities.
  • Iraq must “unconditionally accept” the destruction, removal or rendering harmless “under international supervision” of all “ballistic missiles with a range greater than 150 KM and related major parts and repair and production facilities.”
  • Iraq must not “use, develop, construct or acquire” any weapons of mass destruction.
  • Iraq must reaffirm its obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
  • Creates the United Nations Special Commission (UNSCOM) to verify the elimination of Iraq’s chemical and biological weapons programs and mandates that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) verify elimination of Iraq’s nuclear weapons program.
  • Iraq must declare fully its weapons of mass destruction programs.
  • Iraq must not commit or support terrorism, or allow terrorist organizations to operate in Iraq.
  • Iraq must cooperate in accounting for the missing and dead Kuwaitis and others.
  • Iraq must return Kuwaiti property seized during the Gulf War.

The inspectors, clearly then are only the means to an end and the end is disarming Iraq. All the rest, as Rabbi Hillel said, is commentary.

UNSCR 686 (3-2-91) defines Iraq’s liability for the war, UNSCR 688 (4-5-91) condemns repression of Iraqi civilian population, and UNSCR 949 – (10-15-94) condemns Iraq’s military deployments toward Kuwait. UNSCR 1284 (12-17-99) creates a new (and still unused) monitoring regime.

UNSCR 707 (8-15-91), UNSCR 1060 (6-12-96) all “Condemn… serious violation” of UNSCR 687, and UNSCR 715 (10-11-91) and UNSCR 1051 (10-15-94) call for cooperation with the UN and IAEA inspectors; UNSCR 1154 (3-2-98) adds the threat of “severest consequences for Iraq” for non-cooperation. UNSCR 1205 (11-5-98) repeats the condemnation without threat of consequences. UNSCR 1115 (6-24-97), UNSCR 1134 (10-23-97), UNSCR 1137 (11-12-97) and UNSCR 1194 (9-9-98) add specificity to the general condemnation by listing the “clear and flagrant violation” of UNSCR 687, 707, 715, and 1060.