Watch The Case Against Saddam

The war of rhetoric between the Bush administration and Saddam Hussein threatens to spill over into a bloody confrontation that may change the regime in Baghdad but in the process spark a conflagration throughout the Middle East.

Amidst this rhetoric, what is the real truth - the real case against Saddam?

Panorama investigates the evidence against the Iraqi dictator - his ambition to create weapons of mass destruction, the instability of a leader described as a psychopath and the corruption of his cronies that has let the Iraqi people suffer while militarisation continues in secret.

Discovering the truth

Using testimony from top scientists in the west, and from defectors who have fled the regime carrying its secrets, Panorama examines Saddam's history of developing nuclear, chemical and biological weapons and reveals just what he still has in his arsenal and where it is hidden.

UN Inspectors pulled out of Iraq in November 1998

In New York we visit the UN Agency charged with finding and destroying his weapons of mass destruction and talk to the weapons inspectors involved with assessing his capability.

Just how close did the Iraqis get to firing missiles with anthrax warheads during the Gulf War?

And how real now are the claims that Iraq will soon have enough uranium for four nuclear bombs?

Panorama speaks to the politicians who will be making the case for war - the Republican Hawks who are busily plotting the next stage in the War on Terrorism. And we speak to the players in the last war to see whether they stand by their action then and whether they support a new war.

"The cult of Saddam"

We examine the real motivation of Bush and his inner circle and explore the fears of would-be allies in Britain and Europe, afraid of the price both their own troops and the Iraqi people will pay.

We also investigate the cult of Saddam himself and his cronies to assess how he would react with his back to the wall and what that means for Israel and the Middle East. It may be unfinished business for America but what will a war amidst the oilfields in countries where Islamic extremists wait in the wings mean for the rest of the world?

Jane Corbin, the award winning Panorama reporter, has made a number of films about Saddam's secret weapons programmes and first brought the public's attention to the threat posed by his nuclear, chemical and biological projects.

Panorama: The Case Against Iraq will be shown on Monday 23 September at 2235 BST on BBC One.

Production Team:
Reporter: Jane Corbin
Producer: Thea Guest
Assistant Producer: Shabnam Grewal
Assistant Producer: James Giles
Editor: Mike Robinson