National Security Report: Background and Perspective on Important National Security and Defense Policy Issues. Volume 2, Issue 5, November 1998. U.S. Policy Towards Iraq: Conceding Defect

Iraqi President Saddam Hussein's most recent and most serious challenge to the international community halting all Cooperation with United Nations weapons in inspectors has brought the United State the closest to war with Iraq since 1991. Moreever, the United States has again refrained from military action in exchange for a last-minute promise from Saddam Hussein that he will allow UN weapons Inspectors to resume their work unconditionally. This continuing pattern of Iraqi behavior placing obstacles in the path of weapons inspectors and then removing them in the face of a threatened military response has raised new questions regarding the credibility of the United States and the effectiveness of efforts to prevent Iraq from reconstituting its ability to develop or use weapons of mass destruction.