The End of UNMOVIC

The final report:

Despite some skepticism from many areas within the international community, in hindsight, it has now become clear that the UN inspection system in Iraq was indeed successful to a large degree, in fulfilling its disarmament and monitoring obligations. Crucial to the inspection system was the underlying backing of military, political, and economic pressure particularly from the permanent members of the Security Council. While it will be for others to judge the level success or shortcomings from the UN inspections regime in Iraq, it seems clear that without such international pressure, even limited success was not assured.

See also Robert Farley and Arms Control Wonk. In the immortal April 2003 words of Charles Krauthammer, "Hans Blix had five months to find weapons. He found nothing. We’ve had five weeks. Come back to me in five months. If we haven’t found any, we will have a credibility problem."

Comments

This is a blast from the past... speaking of which, whatever happened with that whole oil-for-food scandal? Anyone ever figure out where Kofi Annon's son got those shiny new cars and six-figure consulting gigs out of college?

Given so much corruption at the UN, and so many bribes by Saddam Hussein, how could their inspections regime have been trusted?

Posted by Harry | July 2, 2007 3:50 PM

Yeah, what Harry said! Plus, the UN can't be trusted because it's multicultural!

Posted by DMonteith | July 2, 2007 3:58 PM

The huge latitude given to Bush's cronyism by Repubs in the last six years has been amazing in comparison to the lack of any patience for the UN. That's the Republican way, I guess: if it's not working, burn it down ... it's not the policies or the personalities, it's the nature of government, period. I mean c'mon ... Kofi Annon's son getting some sweet cars or Condi Rice's involvement in the Oil for Food thing has no bearing on us giving up on the UN and its efforts to find the weapons before the Iraq war.

Posted by Chris_ | July 2, 2007 4:02 PM

Can we get someone to tape that to the back of his wheelchair?

Posted by jerry | July 2, 2007 4:04 PM

...sir! (stands up out of his wheelchair) I have a plan. Heh. (pauses, realizing that he is standing) Mein Fuhrer, I can walk!

Posted by Charles Krauthammer | July 2, 2007 4:07 PM

No WMD in Iraq. Maybe an Iran Contra post next?

Posted by Dave | July 2, 2007 4:08 PM

"Given so much corruption at the UN, and so many bribes by Saddam Hussein, how could their inspections regime have been trusted?"

Yes, much better to trust the Niger yellowcake forgery, and that British dossier that was totally made up, and some grainy satellite photos that proved the existence of trucks in Iraq.

Posted by Jake H. | July 2, 2007 4:22 PM

the WMD were all moved to Syria. the Sunnis just don't want to bring them out, preferring instead to fight the US and the Iraqi Shia with conventional weapons, car bombs and IEDs. they're big on rules of engagement, ya know.

Posted by cleek | July 2, 2007 4:26 PM

Was Dr. Strangelove based on Krauthammer?

Posted by goethean | July 2, 2007 4:27 PM

Krauthhammer, Kissinger, & Kagan (KKK)

Booosh is the guy riding the A bomb out of the B-52 (NOT - anything horselike scares Bush).

Wouldn't it be nice if words had actual substance, like pretzels or dog sh*t, so we could force Dr. K's words down his throat?

Posted by JimPortlandOR | July 3, 2007 1:26 AM