Iraq's decade of defiance: America's case for war

January 1991 - a US-led coalition launches Operation Desert Storm against Iraq
under provisions of the UN security council.

The reason? The former US ally had invaded neighbouring Kuwait.

Now, a sequel to that war is in the works.

And the justification this time according to President George W Bush, "Iraq has answered a decade of UN demands with a decade of defiance."

President Bush in a radio address said, "16 times the United Nations Security Council has passed resolutions designed to ensure that Iraq does not pose a threat to international peace and security. Saddam Hussein has violated every one of these 16 resolutions - not once, but many times."

This is the core of the US argument.

In 1991, UN Security Council Resolution 687 declared that Iraq accept unconditionally, the demolition of its weapons of mass destruction.

This was to be overseen by UNSCOM, a team of international weapons experts.

Iraq accepted the resolution

But according to UNSCOM, the country prevented the inspectors from visiting what
it calls presidential sites, and even seized their documents.

In 1998, Iraq decided to stop cooperating with UNSCOM altogether until the
Security Council lifted the oil embargo against it.

That led to the exit of inspectors from Iraq, until last year when UN Resolution 1441 sent them back in.

The US says the lag time is sufficient for Iraq to redevelop its weapons of mass destruction.

In his highly anticipated speech to the UN Security Council, the US Secretary
of State gave evidence that Iraq's chemical weapons programme is still active.

US Secretary General Colin Powell said, "This is one of about 65 such facilities in Iraq. We know that this one has housed chemical munitions. In fact, this is where the Iraqis recently came up with the additional four chemical weapon shells. Here you see 15 munitions bunkers in yellow and red outlines. The four that are in red squares represent active chemical munitions bunkers."

As for the much feared nuclear weapons, the Pentagon has released these satellite images as proof of continued activity.

This is the Al Furat manufacturing facility.

The construction of the building was suspended in 1991, when UN inspectors destroyed its nuclear arms making capabilities.

But these 2001 photos appear to show the building in operation.

Still, a recent Central Intelligence Agency report, billed as the most specific to date, says iraqi president Saddam hussein doesn't have a nuclear bomb, yet.

But it warned that Iraq would probably produce one within the decade, if left
unchecked.

Even with checks, there is no guarantee, at least that's what the US seems to be saying.

Secretary of State Colin Powell says this taped conversation between two Iraqi
Republican Guards shows Iraq is trying to cover its tracks.

So rather than sit back and wait for inspectors to find something, the US is taking action.

US Defence Secretary, Donald Rumsfeld said, "The question facing us is this: what is the responsible course of action for our country? Do we believe it is our responsibility to wait for a weapons of mass destruction 9-11 or is it the responsibility of free people to do something, to take steps to deal with such a threat before it occurs?"

The September 11 attacks is Washington's trump card.

The september 11 attacks in 2001 changed the face of American national security policy.

The US feels it can no longer afford to wait for conclusive proof of terror attacks or weapons of mass destruction before it acts.

To drive the message home, the US says Iraq and the al Qaeda are in cahoots.

Donald Rumsfeld also said, "We have what we consider to be credible evidence that al Qaeda leaders have sought contacts in Iraq who could help them acquire weapons of mass destruction capabilities. We do have, I believe its one report, that Iraq provided unspecified training relating to chemical and or biological matters for al Qaeda members."

Analysts see this connection as unlikely though.

They say Saddam Hussein is a secular dictator who's spent the last 30 years
crushing Islamic fundamentalism in his country, and it's also one of the reasons he went to war with Iran.

But Mr Powell has this to say to the critics, "Ambition and hatred are enough to bring Iraq and al Qaeda together. Enough so al Qaeda could learn how to build more sophisticated bombs, and learn how to forge documents. Enough so that al Qaeda could turn to Iraq for help and acquire expertise on weapons of mass destruction."

And so the US presses on with its campaign against Iraq, and Saddam.

Donald Rumsfeld said, "He's used his weapons against his own people. He's used them against his neighbours. He's demonstrated an intention to take the territory of his
neighbours.

US President George W Bush said, "We know that the Iraqi regime is led by a dangerous and brutal man. We know he's actively seeking the destructive technologies to match his hatred. And we know he must be stopped."

And the US has now admitted, its not just disarmament they want, they also want regime change.

According to Condoleeza Rice, US National Security Adviser, "This is not a matter of just returning inspectors, it is getting a regime that can make a difference."

So it seems Saddam Hussein doesn't really have a choice but to face war.

And in Gulf War 2, he may just reveal his arsenal of weapons of mass destruction.

Former US President, Bill Clinton said, "Today Saddam Hussein has all the incentive in the world not to use or give these weapons away, but with certain defeat, he would have all the incentive to do just that."

If that happens, the US will be proven right, but the truth might come at too high a price.