This disarmament was to be monitored closely by United Nations Special Commission (UNSCOM). Over seven years this organization did destroy some weapons, but primarily played a game of cat-and-mouse with the Iraqi regime over the disclosure of its weapons programs - (Read: GlobalSecurity.org - Iraq Deception Activities | ABC NEWS: Tapes show deception | Saddam's secret weapons exports). In 1996, over growing concern for the humanitarian toll of the sanctions on the Iraqi people, UN Resolution 986 set up the Oil-For-Food program, allowing Iraq to export oil in order to purchase food, medicines, and other items required by the population. The program was regularly criticized as being inadequate to meet the needs of the people, however, it is now known that money from the program was funneled to illegal uses such as building weapons, and in some cases was used to fund terrorist activity. (More about that below).

Beginning in 1997, Saddam Hussein stopped all cooperation with UNSCOM, including expulsion of U.S. and UN weapons inspectors, demanding all sanctions be lifted from his country. Only after the threat of military force were inspectors permitted to return. Read about it: here and here. On August 14, 1998, U.S. President Clinton signed Public Law 105-235, which declared that "the Government of Iraq is in material and unacceptable breach of its international obligations" and urged the President "to take appropriate action, in accordance with the Constitution and relevant laws of the United States, to bring Iraq into compliance with its international obligations.". Read the Iraqi Liberation Act of 1998. This document states "It should be the policy of the United States to support efforts to remove the regime headed by Saddam Hussein from power in Iraq and to promote the emergence of a democratic government to replace that regime." Yes, 1998! The case was already made for the removal of the Saddam Hussein regime nearly three years prior to George W. Bush taking office - primarily by democrats who now seem stricken with amnesia. (More about that below)

Throughout the rest of the 1990s, U.S. and British forces had regular skirmishes with Iraqi military firing on planes patrolling the "no-fly" zones. In addition, UN and U.S. inspectors were regularly hampered in their jobs to inspect weapons sites. Several brief bombing campaigns by the Clinton administration did little to bring Iraq into compliance with the United Nations mandates. In all, 16 UN Security Council resolutions were adopted to compel Iraq to comply. All resolutions were violated over the 12 year run up to the overthrow of Saddam Hussein in 2003. It's worth noting - at this time when Iraq was in clear defiance of the world community, the usual suspects - Russia, France and China were calling to end the embargo and sanctions. Read about it here. Can anyone say backdoor deals?

Next: 9/11 and WAR


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