Volume 1 - Iraq Watch

Regime Strategy and WMD Timeline Events (continued)311Iraq misinterprets US reaction to events of 9/11; adopts ill-conceived diplomaticpositionPOL 12-Sep-01312 OTHER/NUCLate 2001 IAEC Modernization Project begins and initiates purchase of CNC machines313 POL Oct-Nov 2001 Enduring Freedom defeats the Taliban in Afghanistan314 DS Dec 2001 Iraq begins serial production of the Al Samud II315316 OTHER/NUCPOL Late 2001January 2002Around this time, Iraqi scientists tell Regime leaders they cannot produceWMDSaddam issues order for IAEC and MIC to implement cooperative projects inphysics, machining, electronics317 PROC January 2002 Saddam directs the MIC to assist the IAEC with foreign procurement31826-28 January Tariq ‘Aziz visits Moscow and Beijing to bolster international support for liftingUNSC sanctionsPROC2002319 POL 29-Jan-02 Bush refers to ‘Axis of Evil’ in State of the Union address320 NUC 12-Feb-02 Saddam declares “We will not return to it” with reference to nuclear weapons321 POL 13-Feb-02 Iraq says inspectors will not be allowed to return322 PROC March 2002 MIC front company ARMOS authorized to trade outside of Russia323 POL 21-Mar-02 Russia blocks UNSC attempt to tighten-up OFF, reduce violations324March/AprilPOL2002Iraq & UN hold new inspection talks in NY325 DS 01-Jun-02 Jinin cruise missile project initiated (1000km range; 500kg payload)326 DS 2002 Ibn Firnas recommends MIC cancel L-29 RPV program327 POL July 2002 Iraq & UN hold more inspection talks in Vienna328 OTHER/NUCMid 2002329 OTHER/NUC05-Jul-02330PROC 2002MIC Rotating Machinery Department (RMD) formed; machine tools ordered,including a balancing machineCopper vapor laser demonstrated to Huwaysh; put into storageRegime procurement with Belarus, France, FRY, India, Jordan, PRC, Russia,Syria and Ukraine leads to further sanctions erosion331Iraq and Russia negotiate $40B oil development deal to be undertaken oncePOL/PROC 2002sanctions are lifted332 OTHER/NUC2002 MIC sponsors 3200 research projects in Iraqi universities (up from 40 in 1997)333 OTHER/NUC2002 MIC builds explosive test facility capable of researching shaped charges334 POL Mid 2002 Iraq begins production of 81mm aluminum tubes for rockets335DS Sept 2002CAD designs for a launcher accommodating missiles up to 1m in diameter; 9min length336Higher Committee, once controlled by Tariq ‘Aziz, is reconstituted to deal withPOL Sept 2002inspections, headed by Taha Ramadan337 CW Sep 02 Over 900,000 nerve agent antidote autoinjectors had been purchased12