From the first inspection on 27 November 2002 until the last on 17 March 2003, VERTIC monitored and chronicled the progress of weapons inspections conducted in Iraq by the United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). This searchable database provides a detailed record of each inspection, as both a historical record of the inspections regime and to allow for quantitative and qualitative analyses of the inspections.

VERTIC's analysis
VERTIC's analysis of the data appears in 'UNMOVIC in Iraq: opportunity lost' by Trevor Findlay and Ben Mines in Verification Yearbook 2003. Noting that the pattern of inspections shows two distinct phases, they look at the extent of Iraqi cooperation and the chief difficulties the weapons inspectors encountered. The most important results of the inspections—both what was found and what was not—are discussed.

This analysis is set against the background of the debate by the UN Security Council about the appropriate course of action, and its timing, once Iraq was found to be in 'material breach' of its obligations under Resolution 1441. The viewpoints of the key players in the debate as it progressed are noted.

Findlay and Mines also enumerate the ways in which UNMOVIC was better equipped for its mission than its predecessor, the United Nations Special Commission on Iraq (UNSCOM), including training, preparation time, and advances in technology for inspections and monitoring. Although it is unlikely that UNMOVIC will be allowed to return to Iraq to complete its mandate, the authors consider whether there are other ways in which its expertise and experience might be retained for future use. The chapter concludes with a look at this possibility and an evaluation of what the lessons learned from the inspectors' work in Iraq might mean for future multilateral verification efforts.

Background
Following the 1991 Persian Gulf War, the UN Security Council required Iraq to disarm itself of its weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and associated capabilities and delivery systems. The United Nations Special Commission (UNSCOM), created by Resolution 687 of 3 April 1991, was mandated to verify the disarmament of Iraq’s chemical and biological weapons and missiles with a range of more than 150 km and to operate a system of Ongoing Monitoring and Verification (OMV) to verify Iraq's compliance with its obligations not to reacquire WMD. The IAEA was mandated to verify Iraq’s disarmament of its nuclear weapons programmes.

In December 1998, despite substantive disarmament, Iraq’s intransigence and persistent failure to cooperate resulted in military action by the US and UK against Iraq. The UNSCOM inspectors, withdrawn for their safety, were never to return to Iraq. On 17 December 1999 Security Council Resolution 1284 disbanded UNSCOM and replaced it with UNMOVIC. UNMOVIC inherited the mandate and responsibilities of UNSCOM as well as being tasked to establish a system of Reinforced Ongoing Monitoring and Verification (R-OMV). The IAEA resumed its mandate with regard to nuclear weapons.

UNMOVIC spent the next three years carefully preparing for a return to Iraq. In September 2002, under the threat of military action by the US, Iraq finally declared its intention to allow inspections to resume. The Security Council adopted Resolution 1441 on 8 November 2002, which declared that Iraq was still in material breach of its obligations under previous resolutions but offered a final opportunity for Iraq to comply. It was also required to provide an accurate, full and complete declaration of all its weapon and missile programmes, which it submitted on 7 December.

Inspections resumed on 27 November 2002. UNMOVIC received greater cooperation from Iraq than had UNSCOM and made some progress, notably in destroying 72 Al Samoud 2 missiles that exceeded the permitted 150 km range. However, the inspections were short-lived. By 17 March 2003 differences in the Security Council over continuing Iraqi non-compliance reached a head. With no consensus on a second resolution to authorise the use of force to compel Iraq to fulfil its obligations, the US declared its intention to act unilaterally. On 17 March the US advised the UN that inspectors should leave Iraq. They were withdrawn the next day, signalling the end of the inspections.

The database

Project methodology

VERTIC compiled a daily record of inspections from UNMOVIC/IAEA press releases, supplemented by statements released by the Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) and other open sources. From the UN press releases we recorded, where possible, the following variables:

Acronyms

This database has been independently compiled by VERTIC and is not an official UNMOVIC or IAEA record. While every effort has been made to ensure its accuracy and completeness, the database may differ from official records of the inspections.

Resources

VERTIC publications

Trevor Findlay and Ben Mines, 'UNMOVIC in Iraq: opportunity lost', Verification Yearbook 2003, VERTIC, 2003

Ben Mines, ‘Iraq Survey Group takes up baton in hunt for WMD’, Trust & Verify, no. 109, July-August 2003

Trevor Findlay and Ben Mines, ‘Iraq’s weapons: the US fails to best UNMOVIC’, Trust & Verify, no. 108, May-June 2003

Ben Mines, ‘UNMOVIC: progress, but to what end?’, Trust & Verify, no. 107, March-April 2003

Alex Wood, ‘UNMOVIC: quality time in Iraq’, Trust & Verify, no. 106, January-February 2003

Trevor Findlay, ‘UNMOVIC’s balancing act’, Trust & Verify, no. 105, November-December 2002

Stephen Black, ‘Verification under duress: the case of UNSCOM’, Verification Yearbook 2000, VERTIC, 2000

Links

United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC)

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Iraq

IAEA Iraq Nuclear Verification Office (INVO)

United Nations Special Commission (UNSCOM)

Conflict in Iraq (a BASIC, ISIS and Saferworld initiative)

Database compiled by Alex Wood and Ben Mines with the assistance of Jane Awford. Database designed by Olle Bodelius (W3Logic).

Contact us

Please contact Jane Awford if you have any queries or comments.