Two weeks ago, the Washington Post reported that more than four years after the fall of Baghdad, the “United Nations is spending millions of dollars in Iraqi oil money to continue the hunt for Saddam Husseinâs alleged weapons of mass destruction.” Everyone fully recognizes that there are no weapons to be found, but bureaucratic hurdles keep inspectors where they aren’t needed. “The inspectors acknowledge that their chief task — disarming Iraq — was largely fulfilled long ago. But, they say, their masters at the U.N. Security Council have been unable to agree to either shut down their effort or revise their mandate to make their work more relevant,” the Post explained.
Two weeks later, good news: the pointless hunt is nearing an end.
The search for Saddam Husseinâs weapons of mass destruction appears close to an official conclusion, several years after their absence became a foregone one.
The United States and Britain have circulated a new proposal to the members of the United Nations Security Council to âterminate immediately the mandatesâ of the weapons inspectors. Staff meetings on the latest proposal have already taken place, and officials say that the permanent Council members, each of whom has veto power, seem ready to let the inspection group â the United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission â meet its end.
Two weeks ago, Feisal Amin al-Istrabadi, Iraqâs deputy permanent representative to the United Nations, said, âThis is really absurd. Weâre approaching five years now of this exercise in futility.”
Finally, the exercise appears ready to come to a merciful conclusion — several years too late.
