Duelfer report |
Charles Duelfer was in charge of the Iraq Survey Group (ISG). The ISG were trying to figure out whether or not there were weapons of mass destruction (WMD) in Iraq. They published their research, the Duelfer Report on September 30, 2004. Near the end of their research, they found that there was no sign of any mass production of WMDs and that it was all a bluff on Saddam Hussein’s part.[i] Saddam Hussein of Iraq gave the impression he had WMD’s but he was held back by UN sanctions. According to the report, “Saddam’s primary goal from 1991 to 2003 was to have UN sanctions lifted, while maintaining the security of the Regime. He sought to balance the need to cooperate with the UN inspections — to gain support for lifting the sanctions — with his intention to preserve Iraq’s intellectual capital for WMD with a minimum of foreign intrusiveness and loss of face.”[ii] To get rid of the UN sanctions, Saddam Hussein manipulated a UN program called Oil-For-Food by providing oil to other countries at a premium cost. France, Russia, and China were main beneficiaries to this program. Saddam used money from this program to bribe UN officials to eliminate the sanctions and then carry on with the WMD production.[iii]
[i] Dale, Helle C. The Real News in the Duelfuer Report. The Heritage Foundation. 7 October 2004. Web. 1 December 2014. http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2004/10/the-real-news-in-the-duelfer-report
[ii] The Washington Times. Misreporting the Duelfer Report. The Washington Times. 7 October 2004. Web. 1 December 2014. http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2004/oct/7/20041007-092535-2936r/
[iii] Dale, Helle C.
[i] Dale, Helle C. The Real News in the Duelfuer Report. The Heritage Foundation. 7 October 2004. Web. 1 December 2014. http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2004/10/the-real-news-in-the-duelfer-report
[ii] The Washington Times. Misreporting the Duelfer Report. The Washington Times. 7 October 2004. Web. 1 December 2014. http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2004/oct/7/20041007-092535-2936r/
[iii] Dale, Helle C.