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Monday, 9 September, 2002, 11:06 GMT 12:06 UK
Iraq weapons report: Key findings
122mm rockets filled with Sarin being destroyed by Allied forces after the Gulf War
Sarin-filled rockets were found in Iraq after the Gulf War
The International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) in London has delivered an in-depth report on the current weapons programme being undertaken by Iraq. Here are the key findings:

Nuclear

  • Iraq does not possess facilities to produce fissile material (enriched uranium or plutonium) in sufficient amounts for nuclear weapons.

    Iraqi R400 bombs from the Gulf War, capable of chemical/biological use
    Iraq ''can deliver chemical or biological weapons in various tactical arms''

  • It would need at least several years and extensive foreign assistance to build such fissile material production facilities.

  • It could probably assemble nuclear weapons within months if fissile material from foreign sources were obtained (and there is no evidence that this has happened).

    Biological

  • Iraq probably retained substantial growth media and biological weapons agents (perhaps thousands of litres of anthrax) from pre-1991 stocks.


    Iraq is capable of resuming chemical weapons production on short notice (months)

    IISS report

  • It is capable of resuming production on short notice (weeks) and could have produced thousands of litres of anthrax, botulinium and other agents since 1998. (actual stocks unknown).

    Chemical

  • Iraq probably retained a few hundred tonnes of mustard agent and precursors for a few hundred tonnes of sarin/cyclosarin and perhaps similar amounts of VX from pre-1991 stocks.

  • It is capable of resuming chemical weapons production on short notice (months) and could have produced hundreds of tonnes of agent (mustard and nerve agents) since 1998 (actual stocks unknown).

    Ballistic missiles

  • Iraq probably retained a small force of 650km (al-Hussein) missiles, perhaps around a dozen missiles.

    Scud missiles in an Iraqi parade
    The Scud: Iraq's most effective weapon of the Gulf War

  • It does not possess facilities to produce long-range missiles, would require several years and extensive foreign assistance to construct such facilities.

  • It may have produced some al-Samoud missiles with ranges up to 200km, and is capable of manufacturing rudimentary chemical/biological weapons warheads; development of more advanced designs unknown.

    Other delivery means

  • Iraq is capable of delivering chemical/biological weapons in various impact-fuse tactical munitions (artillery shells, rockets, aerial bombs).

  • It could have a few thousand chemical weapons tactical munitions.

  • It is capable of delivering biological weapons with simple airborne wet spray devices; a small inventory of modern strike aircraft with 750km combat radius; some ground attack aircraft, helicopters, possible unmanned aerial vehicles based on trainer aircraft.

    Note: These findings are in line with other reports, including a recently updated assessment by the Washington-based Centre for Strategic and International Studies.


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    See also:

    05 Sep 02 | Politics
    08 Sep 02 | Politics
    08 Sep 02 | Middle East
    08 Sep 02 | Politics
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