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Analysis: Iraq Continues to Deny It Has Technology to Manufacture Weapons of Mass Destruction While U.S. Considers When to Release Intelligence Information
All Things Considered: December 8, 2002
U.N. Examines Iraq's Weapons Response
VICKY O'HARA reporting:
I'm Vicky O'Hara in New York.
US officials say they have solid evidence that Iraq still has weapons of mass destruction, even though UN weapons inspectors destroyed some Iraqi weapons facilities in the past. The outgoing chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Democrat Bob Graham of Florida, told CBS today that he has seen some of the evidence.
SOUNDBITE OF "FACE THE NATION"
Senator BOB GRAHAM (Democrat, Florida): We are in possession of what I think to be compelling evidence that Saddam Hussein has and has had for a number of years a developing capacity for the production and storage of weapons of mass destruction. At what point we do what President Kennedy did in 1962, which is to make that information available to the American people and to the international community as a predicate for whatever use of force will follow, is going to be an important strategic decision for this administration.
O'HARA: In 1962, the United States presented photographs showing the installation of Soviet missiles on Cuban soil and demanded their removal in a dramatic showdown with Moscow. The incoming chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Republican Senator Richard Lugar of Indiana, told CBS that the delicate decision on when to declassify the evidence concerning Iraq should be made in consultation with US allies.
The chief UN weapons inspector, Hans Blix, says any such information should be turned over to the inspectors to assist their mission in Iraq. But the inspectors may not share all of Iraq's declaration on its weapons programs with Washington. According to Blix, a copy of Iraq's declaration will not be turned over to the US or to other UN Security Council members until it's purged of information that could be helpful to those trying to manufacture or otherwise obtain chemical, biological or nuclear weapons. International arms conventions and treaties forbid the dissemination of that kind of information.
David Kay, a former UN weapons inspector, told NPR's "Weekend Edition Sunday" there are good reasons not to share the entire document with all 15 nations on the Security Council.
SOUNDBITE OF "WEEKEND EDITION SUNDAY"
Mr. DAVID KAY (Former UN Weapons Inspector): Their fear is that, in fact, for example, Syria is on the Security Council, and in the Board of Governors of the IAEA, Iraq used to be a member, Iran is very often there, as well as other countries of proliferation concern. What I don't understand is our work around to this was to always share it with the five permanent members fully and share less with the broad membership or the Board of Governors or the Security Council. The five permanent members already have weapons; their people are cleared for it. I mean, it's a little bit being hung up on a diplomatic nicety that's just not needed.
O'HARA: Once the declaration is turned over, in full or in part, Security Council members will take it back to their governments so that analysts can compare the contents with their own intelligence concerning Iraq. The UN weapons inspectors, meanwhile, will compare what is in the declaration with what they find on the ground inside Iraq.
SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC
STEVE INSKEEP (Host): That was NPR's Vicky O'Hara in New York.
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