Channelnewsasia.com : Gulf War

Facts & Figures

All about missiles

Al-Samoud-2 missiles

• banned by the UN for exceeding the 150km limit
• some 30 out of estimated 100 rockets have been destroyed
• 2 warheads, 2 casting chambers, a launcher, 5 engines also destroyed
• liquid propellant
• recent tests say it exceeds UN-approved range of 150km

Banned Missiles

• Iraq may be developing banned missiles
• clues from solid propellent casting chambers

Ababil-100 Missile

• solid propellant
• may carry chemical and biological warheads

The U2 Reconnaissance

Spy Planes

• single seat, all weather, high altitude aircraft
• UN surveillance flights were only allowed in last few weeks

Lockheed U2 Spy Planes

• single seat, all weather, high altitude aircraft
• detected Russian missiles that sparked 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis

All things nuclear

Nuclear questions

• IAEA Chief says Iraqi cooperation improving
• IAEA Chief says inspections "bearing fruit", should continue
• US accuses Baghdad of trying to buy special aluminium tubes to enrich uranium for bombs

Nuclear programme

• aluminium tubes, magnets & carbon fibre can be used in centrifuges to make fuel for neclear warheads

Biological & Chemical

Biological agents

• UN disputes Iraq claim that 21,000 litres of biologican warfare agend destroyed
• Intelligence organisations think Iraq has relaunched several weapons of mass destruction programmes

Anthrax

• Iraq declares 8,445 litres o anthrax
• 3 forms: skin, inhalation & stomach
• Iraq has tested aerosol dispersion of anthrax stimulant

Mobile Factories

• UN does not discount mobile warfare factories
• Iraq needs to provide information in chemical and biological field

Mustard Gas

• causes blisters, damages lungs and other organs
• Iraq used it against Kurds in the late 1980s

VX Nerve Agent

• 'V' stands for 'venomous'
• severe exposure results in convulsions and respiratory failure before death
• Iraq said it destroyed 4 tonnes but not verified

Military Might

Iraqi Forces

• 350,000 regular troops, about 500,000 reserves
• about 300 active warplanes

Coalition Forces

• 300,000 troops deployed in surrounding region
• 500 combat aircraft are poised to strike

Iraqi Scientists

Iraqi experts debriefed

• 7 scientists linked to Iraqi weapons programmes questioned without minders or tape recorders

All about the UN & UN Inspections

UN Resolution 1441

• provides for latest inspection regime
• warns of "serious consequences" for Iraqi non-compliance

UN Security Council

• 5 permanent members: US, Britain, France, Russia & China
• France, Russia & China oppose US draft resolution

UN inspection regime

• nearly 600 inspections carried out since November 2002
• some 200 inspectors on the ground

Smouldering Gun?

• 12 empty chemical warheads were found last month during UN inspection of a munitions depot