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Published December 31, 2002
December 28, 2002
Iraqi government gives U.N. inspectors a list of more than 500 scientists and technicians who have worked on the country's programs to develop ballistic missiles and weapons of mass destruction.
December 19, 2002
Hans Blix and Mohamed ElBaradei, in an initial assessment of Iraq's December 7 weapons declaration, tell the Security Council the document does not provide a thorough accounting of Saddam's arsenal of banned weapons. U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell says it "totally failed" to meet U.N. demands.
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December 7, 2002
One day in advance of Security Council deadline, Iraq delivers 12,000 pages of information about its chemical, biological and nuclear programs to U.N. inspectors. The documents, which deny that Iraq has developed weapons of mass destruction, focus primarily on civilian materials that could have military applications.
December 4, 2002
President Bush says that although it is too early to tell whether Saddam Hussein will comply with Resolution 1441, he is "not somebody who looks like he's interested in complying with disarmament."
Excerpts from Bush's remarks
In a White House press briefing, spokesman Ari Fleischer says, "The president has said that war is his last resort."
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December 3, 2002
Inspectors conduct first visit to a presidential site, Al Sijood palace in Baghdad.
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November 27, 2002
Formal inspections begin, almost a month before the 45-day deadline for resumption of inspections set by Resolution 1441. IAEA visited Al Tahidi Science Research Center; UMOVIC inspectors visited two sites at Al Rafah--a graphite plant (graphite can be used for both pencils and missile batteries, as well as in missile cones during reentry) and a missile engine testing facility.
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November 25, 2002
Seventeen U.N. weapons inspectors - six from IAEA, 11 from UNMOVIC - arrive in Baghdad. (Inspections will grow incrementally by year's end; more than 100 inspectors were working in Baghdad.)
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November 23, 2002
Foreign Minister Naji Sabri sends letter to U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan calling Resolution 1441 a pretext for U.S. aggression.
November 20, 2002
At a NATO summit in Prague, President Bush says "War [with Iraq] is my last choice, my last option."
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November 18, 2002
Hans Blix and Mohamed ElBaradei arrive in Baghdad with 25 technicians to set up communications, transport and laboratories.
November 13, 2002
Iraq accepts U.N. resolution two days in advance of the seven-day deadline stipulation in Resolution 1441.
Text of letter from Naji Sabri to Kofi Annan (PDF file)
November 12, 2002
Iraqi parliament recommends rejecting U.N. proposal--with Saddam Hussein's son Uday as the lone voice urging acceptance--but leaves the final decision to Saddam.
November 10, 2002
Arab League accepts Resolution 1441 calling for Arab inspectors to be added to the inspections team.
November 8, 2002
U.N. Security Council unanimously passes Resolution 1441 ordering Iraq to disarm and provide UNMOVIC and IAEA unrestricted access to all areas, facilities, and individuals.
Resolution 1441
October 16, 2002
President Bush signs U.S. Joint Resolution 114 authorizing him to use force against Iraq.
Full text Joint Resolution 114 (PDF file)
October 3, 2002
Hans Blix briefs U.N. Security Council on talks in Vienna with Iraqi delegation regarding practical arrangements for weapons inspections.
Full text
September 16, 2002
Iraq accepts return of weapons inspectors without conditions.
Text of letter from Naji Sabri to Kofi Annan (PDF file)
September 12, 2002
President Bush urges the U.N. General Assembly to "hold Iraq to account" for its defiance of past U.N. Security Council resolutions and says that the United States is prepared to move alone against Iraq to enforce resolutions if necessary.
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August 1, 2002
Naji Sabri sends letter to Kofi Annan inviting Hans Blix to Baghdad to discuss disarmament.
Text of letter
January 29, 2002
In his State of the Union address, President Bush identifies Iraq as part of the "axis of evil."
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