To the Point

Iraq and the UN

In his address to the UN Security Council today, Chief Weapons Inspector Hans Blix concluded that Iraq-s declaration contains -omissions- and -unanswered questions- that leave him with -no confidence- that Saddam Hussein has eliminated his weapons of mass destruction. The Bush administration calls that a -material breach- of Resolution 1441. Though the violation could be a trigger for war, the US says the inspection process will continue, as will the American military buildup in the Persian Gulf. We get an update from the UN and elsewhere around the world, and hear about preparations for war, from Arab and American journalists, the editor of Jane-s World Armies, a former State Department official, and security experts in the US and Russia. Newsmaker: UN Security Council Report on Weapons Inspections in Iraq Chief weapons inspector Hans Blix announced today that Iraq missed an important opportunity for full disclosure in its declaration to the UN Security Council. His comments strengthen US contentions of Iraq-s -material breach.- Colum Lynch, United Nations correspondent for the Washington Post, says Blix-s response further opens the door to American military action in the Gulf. Reporter-s Notebook: Stocks Suddenly Bullish in the Iraqi Stock Market In 1992, Saddam Hussein privatized national assets and founded a stock exchange. This year, though the prospect of war has increased almost daily, investors are still bullish. The value of the Baghdad Stock Index has surged by more than 50%, even since the Security Council passed the resolution that led to renewed inspections and threatened military action against Iraq. John Burns of the New York Times explains why.