ARMS CONTROL IN THE INTERNATIONAL SYSTEM: THE ROLE OF THE UNITED NATION SECURITY COUNCIL IN IRAQ

ABSTRACT

The case of Iraq since the 1991 Gulf War illustrates the UN’s roles as a font, a funnel and a forum. However, the case also throws into sharp relief the limits of the UN in the face of lack of agreement in the Security Council. Despite incredible hurdles, UNSCOM and the IAEA were successful in determining the extent of the Iraqi WMD programme and in disarming Iraq even without the cooperation of the Iraqi government. But, following a 1998 cruise missile attack on Iraq by the United States, damning revelations about the abuse of UNSCOM by American intelligence brought about its downfall. UNMOVIC was established as a clean slate, a new mandate inspection body for Iraq. But it was not until the 2002 showdown with the United States—backed by the threat of massive military action—that Iraq allowed Hans Blix and the UNMOVIC inspectors into the country to carry out their mandate (although months passed before Iraq began to show genuine procedural cooperation). Concerned that Saddam Hussein had failed to honour his obligations to the United Nations, the United States, backed by the United Kingdom and others, went to war in early 2003 without UN authorization.