No War on Iraq: the background

See also: CND briefing on Iraq, March 2003
Legal opinion on UN Resolution 1441
Legal opinion on draft US/UK second resolution
CND briefing on Iraq, November 2002

Following the 1991 Gulf War, UN weapons inspectors (UNSCOM – the UN Special Commission on Iraq) carried out inspections in Iraq for eight years, seeking to verify Iraqi compliance with disarmament of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons. In 1998, then UN chief weapons inspector Richard Butler reported to the UN that Iraq “did not keep its promise of full cooperation”.

Immediately following submission of Butler’s report, the US and the UK launched unilateral air strikes against Iraq, codenamed Operation Desert Fox. The attacks shattered the international consensus on Iraq policy. The bombing was strongly opposed by China, France and Russia, and NATO was unable to give it explicit backing.

Following the attacks, Iraq declared that UNSCOM weapons inspectors would never be allowed to resume their work. UNSCOM had been dogged by accusations that it was being used as a front organisation for US spying activities in Iraq.

A year of periodic US and UK bombing followed, until the UN Security Council adopted a new resolution 1284 despite abstentions from China, France and Russia. Resolution 1284 established the UN Monitoring and Verification Commission (UNMOVIC). Shortly afterwards, Dr Hans Blix was appointed Executive Chairman.

However, Iraq continued not to cooperate with UNMOVIC and there was little progress. Meanwhile economic sanctions against Iraq continued to take their toll on the Iraqi population and in February 2000 two senior UN officials (Hans von Sponeck, the co-ordinator of UN humanitarian programmes in Iraq and Jutta Burghardt, head of the UN World Food Programme in Iraq) resigned from their posts in protest at the ongoing, severe civilian suffering caused by sanctions.

Bush’s War on Iraq

Since his appointment as US President in January 2001, George W. Bush has put war with Iraq at the centre of his foreign policy agenda, branding Iraq as part of an “axis of evil”, pushing for “regime change”, and attempting to link Iraq with Al Qaeda.

Shortly after taking office, Bush and Blair launched large-scale air strikes against Iraq in support of “no-fly zones” imposed by the US and the UK. This increased divisions in the UN Security Council over Iraq, as the no-fly zones are not endorsed by any UN Security Council resolution and some Security Council members regard them as illegal.

Talks on Iraq continued periodically throughout 2001, with Iraq demanding immediate, unconditional removal of all sanctions. Meanwhile the US and the UK proposed “smart sanctions” – lifting restrictions on civilian imports whilst strengthening controls on military equipment.

The “smart sanctions” plan was blocked by Russia in summer 2001. This was swiftly followed by intensified military action against Iraq by the US and the UK, with numerous bombing raids against Iraqi targets during August and September.

UN-Iraq relations remained stalled during late 2001 while the US undertook military action against Afghanistan and began planning major action against Iraq as part of the “war on terrorism”.

In January 2002, Bush used his State of the Union address to brand Iraq, Iran and North Korea as an “axis of evil”. These three states were accused of threatening world peace by developing weapons of mass destruction. Throughout 2002, the Bush Administration made clear its policy: the removal of Saddam Hussein by all means necessary and “regime change” in Iraq.

UN Security Council Resolution 1441

Following high level negotiations between Iraq and the United Nations throughout spring and summer 2002, and against a background of the US and Britain insisting on the war option, Iraq finally agreed that it was willing to readmit weapons inspectors in September. Throughout October, the UN Security Council wrestled with the issue finally adopting UN Security Council Resolution 1441 unanimously on 8 November 2002. Resolution 1441:

• States that, “Iraq has been and remains in material breach of its obligations under relevant resolutions… in particular through Iraq's failure to cooperate with United Nations inspectors and the IAEA”;
• Offers Iraq, a “final opportunity to comply with its disarmament obligations” and sets up “an enhanced inspection regime with the aim of bringing to full and verified completion the disarmament process”;
• Directs, “the Executive Chairman of UNMOVIC and the Director-General of the IAEA to report immediately to the Council any interference by Iraq with inspection activities, as well as any failure by Iraq to comply with its disarmament obligations, including its obligations regarding inspections under this resolution,” and;
• Recalls, “that the Council has repeatedly warned Iraq that it will face serious consequences as a result of its continued violations of its obligations”.

Further information and updates on Iraq can be found at:

• www.iraqconflict.org
• www.iraqpolicy.com
• www.acronym.org.uk/iraq

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