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BLIX Dossier Includes Undeclared Drones (AP has the full report)
Associated Press | 8 March 2003 | Edith Lederer

Posted on 03/08/2003 5:55:08 PM PST by PhiKapMom

BLIX DOSSIER INCLUDES UNDECLARED DRONES

Edith Lederer
AP

UNITED NATIONS (March 8) - In a 173-page dossier on Iraq's weapons of mass destruction, chief U.N. inspector Hans Blix says Baghdad may possess about 10,000 liters of anthrax, Scud missile warheads filled with deadly biological and chemical agents, and drones capable of flying far beyond a 93-mile limit.

The report, obtained late Friday by The Associated Press, traces the history of Iraq's weapons programs and outlines the many areas where questions remain, many old but some new. Blix told the Security Council earlier in the day that he planned to cull items from the document and compile a list of key remaining disarmament tasks by the end of March that Iraq must complete.

The table of contents reflects the scope of the unanswered questions: missile technology, aerial bombs, spray devices and drone aircraft, mustard gas, sarin, chemical processing equipment, Botulinum toxin, ricin, genetic engineering and viral research - and the list goes on.

British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw described the document as ''a shocking indictment of the record of Saddam Hussein's deception and deceit, but above all, of the danger which he poses to the region and to the world.''

Britain and the United States, which are seeking Security Council approval for a war against Iraq, can find plenty of ammunition in the dossier to support their argument that Baghdad has failed to cooperate and fully disarm. But opponents of a rush to war counter that Iraq is starting to provide evidence - and therefore U.N. weapons inspections should continue.

Blix has previously questioned Iraq's reporting of its destruction of anthrax supplies from 1988 to 1991. He said Iraq declared that it produced 8,445 liters but cited evidence in the new report that it produced more.

''The strong presumption is that about 10,000 liters of anthrax was not destroyed and may still exist,'' he said. In addition, ''Iraq currently possesses the technology and materials, including fermenters, bacterial growth media and seed stock, to enable it to produce anthrax.''

''Many of the skilled personnel familiar with anthrax production have been transferred to civilian industries. There does not appear to be any choke points, which would prevent Iraq from producing anthrax on at least the scale of its pre-1991 level,'' Blix said.

The chief inspector also expressed concern about Iraq's program to build pilotless aircraft known as drones, citing intelligence reports that Saddam Hussein is developing vehicles with a range of 312 miles - far exceeding the 93-mile limit.

While small, Blix said, drones can be used to spray biological warfare agents such as anthrax.

Iraq hasn't revealed the development of any drones that fly automatically, though it has declared that it developed two vehicles controlled from the ground or other aircraft with a range of 62 miles, he said, adding that this must be investigated.

''Recent inspections have also revealed the existence of a drone with a wingspan of 7.45 meters (24 1/2 feet) that has not been declared by Iraq. Officials at the inspection site stated that the drone had been test flown,'' Blix said.

The chief inspector also expressed concern that Baghdad may be developing or planning missiles other than the Al Samoud 2 that may also have ranges exceeding 93 miles. Iraq has begun destroying its Al Samoud 2s.

''Indications of this come from solid propellant casting chambers Iraq has acquired through indigenous production, or from the repair of old chambers,'' he said. ''The size of these chambers would enable the manufacture of a missile system with a range much greater than 93 miles.''

Blix said Iraq must also produce evidence to prove that it has fully abandoned its program to develop a medium-range ballistic missile with a range of between 625 and 1,875 miles.

On Scud-B missiles, he said, ''the lack of documentation to support the destruction of Scud-B liquid propellant, and the fact that approximately 50 warheads were not accounted for among the remnants of unilateral destruction, suggest that these items may have been retained for a proscribed missile force.''

Iraq must also account for up to 30 chemical and biological Scud-type warheads which it claims it destroyed, he said. One way would be to provide minutes from a committee formed in 1991 to address the issue of retaining banned material and weapons, he said.

AP-NY-03-08-03 0341EST


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Front Page News
KEYWORDS: blix; drone; liar; saddam; supporter; warlist
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To: Howlin
MSNBC had the same report -- I was watching Scarborough's show and at the newbreak they covered it.
21 posted on 03/08/2003 6:07:40 PM PST by PhiKapMom (Get the US out of the UN and the UN out of the US)
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To: chuck allen
I only reported what a Brit reporter stated on Fox News...
22 posted on 03/08/2003 6:07:44 PM PST by Dog (Courage is being scared to death... and saddling up anyway. ~John Wayne)
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To: PhiKapMom
But opponents of a rush to war

Good grief! They are still rolling out that ridiculous old saw.

If this is a "rush" than a turtle race is at the speed of light.

23 posted on 03/08/2003 6:07:57 PM PST by Scott from the Left Coast
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To: Dog
Who is this Hunter idiot on Fox?
24 posted on 03/08/2003 6:09:58 PM PST by gov_bean_ counter
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To: Dog
According to the Fox article, our intelligence said they had drones. The inspectors had never declared they found the drones so SoS Powell had no knowledge that our intelligence reports had been proved true.

In fact, Blix went out of his way to diss the US Intelligence in his oral report.
25 posted on 03/08/2003 6:10:28 PM PST by PhiKapMom (Get the US out of the UN and the UN out of the US)
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To: brewcrew
Good catch!

I thought I just had the wromg number in mind.

26 posted on 03/08/2003 6:11:00 PM PST by StriperSniper (Frogs are for gigging)
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To: bkwells
ping
27 posted on 03/08/2003 6:11:46 PM PST by snippy_about_it (Pray for our Troops)
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To: Scott from the Left Coast
I wonder if AP is going to publish the report since they have a copy.
28 posted on 03/08/2003 6:11:48 PM PST by PhiKapMom (Get the US out of the UN and the UN out of the US)
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To: PhiKapMom
I wonder if AP is going to publish the report since they have a copy.

If they do, I'll bet it'll be convoluted in some way to obscure the full truth of Blix's treachery.

29 posted on 03/08/2003 6:14:22 PM PST by Scott from the Left Coast
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To: PhiKapMom
It would be rather fun to haul Blix back in to the Security Council and ask him why he left this report off the 167 page report he turned in before the meeting.

This is backfiring bigtime on Blix and the French, so I'm glad it worked out this way. But it certainly wasn't intentionally done as a favor to us.

It's a cover-up that failed.

30 posted on 03/08/2003 6:15:16 PM PST by Dog Gone
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To: Dog Gone
They just reported on MSNBC that Iraq is one of France's biggest trading partners over and above oil.
31 posted on 03/08/2003 6:16:53 PM PST by PhiKapMom (Get the US out of the UN and the UN out of the US)
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To: PhiKapMom
Blix told MSNBC that the reason he didn't bring it up was because they didn't have time to prioritize items in the draft report.

Drones that carry WMD are not a priority ... ???

WTF

32 posted on 03/08/2003 6:18:22 PM PST by Mo1 (RALLY FOR AMERICA - VALLEY FORGE,PA MARCH 16, 2003 1:00 PM)
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To: Dog Gone; PhiKapMom
If I understand it right.....6 pages were missing??
33 posted on 03/08/2003 6:19:47 PM PST by Dog (Courage is being scared to death... and saddling up anyway. ~John Wayne)
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To: Dog
OK...I don't have the TV tonight. Were the pages missing and then added back? Or are there still 6 pages missing?
34 posted on 03/08/2003 6:21:24 PM PST by Miss Marple
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To: PhiKapMom
he accidentaly did? This has got to stop! Un-freakin' real! How do you prioritize by only stating that they are cooperating and not by their material breaches? This is crazy!
35 posted on 03/08/2003 6:21:51 PM PST by knak (kelly in alaska)
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To: Dog
I think it was 4 pages added after the Security Council meeting.
36 posted on 03/08/2003 6:23:28 PM PST by Dog Gone
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To: Miss Marple
Blix was chosen because the French submitted his name. He is the essence of the United Nations bureaucrat.

I remember there was an argument of sorts of who was going to head the inespections .. but I didn't know it was the French that insisted on Blix

37 posted on 03/08/2003 6:23:29 PM PST by Mo1 (RALLY FOR AMERICA - VALLEY FORGE,PA MARCH 16, 2003 1:00 PM)
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To: Dog Gone
On Fox just a few minutes ago, it was reported that Blix said that the copy of the report was a draft and they did not have time to prioritize. Imagine that.
38 posted on 03/08/2003 6:24:10 PM PST by TexKat
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To: Dog Gone
WOW!
39 posted on 03/08/2003 6:26:23 PM PST by Dog (Courage is being scared to death... and saddling up anyway. ~John Wayne)
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To: Dog; Dog Gone; Mo1; PhiKapMom
Six pages. Remember, the first reports said a 167 page document; then all of a sudden it was 173!

Oh, yes, I want THESE people to decide my fate!
40 posted on 03/08/2003 6:26:42 PM PST by Howlin (Only UNamericans put the UN before America!)
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