The Iraqis finally assented to allowing the UN and US arms inspectors to enter Iraq and "search" for weapons of mass destruction. However, they quickly put additional roadblocks in the way of a thorough search by saying that a large number of installations were now off limits, including some 30-40 royal palaces that have been built by Iraqi President Saddam Hussein. So far, the UN hasn't pressed Iraq to come clean and allow inspectors into these locations but this entire situation has got to make you wonder what exactly is Iraq up to that they prevented inspectors from going into various locations for two weeks, and then opened up the country again, only to restrict where the inspectors could go.
Weapons of mass destruction have long been considered the number one threat to the stability in the region. Israel has been suspected of having a nuclear program with approximately 100 nuclear weapons in its inventory since the early 1970s and Iran, Iraq and Syria have all been suspected of working to develop nuclear weapons or chemical or biological weapons. Iraq had the most advanced chemical weapons development program in the region, using them to some effect against Kurdish tribesmen to put down armed insurrection, before the Persian Gulf War significantly reduced Iraq's ability to manufacture, store and deliver chemical weapons on the battlefield and strategically.
Iraq has been working to rebuild their military and weapons of mass destruction program as they have focused on both chemical and biological weapons production programs. It's been suggested that the Iraqis have been working to develop advanced nerve toxins, biological agents including anthrax and smallpox, and other chemical agents that could kill or disable. This threat is considered so realistic that many Israelis have gone to army surplus stores to purchase gas masks, believing that any US/UN action against Iraq will result in a retaliatory strike against Israel.
The next move will likely include the US posturing additional military forces against Iraq and letting Iraq know that they will not be able to keep the UN inspectors at bay for much longer without having some repercussions. This is one situation where everyone knows that Iraq is doing something wrong, the Iraqis know the US and UN knows, the US and UN knows the Iraqis know, but everyone acts like they don't know. And this leaves the public at large in the region not knowing what will come next.
