Early 1998
Raafat Abbas, the director-general of Al-Azal Trading Corporation, arranges a $160 million arms purchase from Russia for Iraq. Al-Azal is the largest privately owned conglomerate in Iraq.
--Jamie Dettmer, "Russia Becomes Saddam's Military Superstore," Insight on the News, 15 March 1999, p. 6.

1998
Iraqi Oil Minister Amir Rashid visits Pyongyang, North Korea, and meets North Korea's missile dealer, Chon Byong-Ho. They discuss building a Scud missile factory in Sudan. Rashid also visits the Chang Gwang Sinyong Corporation, a major international supplier of illicit weapons.
--"Iraq Rumored to Build Missile Factory in Sudan," IPR Strategic Business Information Database, 2 April 2000; William Safire, "Essay; Saddam's Sudan?" The New York Times, 23 March 2000, p. 27, in Lexis-Nexis, <http://web.lexis-nexis.com/>.

January 1998-December 1999
The Trepca battery plant in Bujanovac, in the southern part of the Yugoslav Republic of Serbia, exports 10 percent of its battery production to Iraq, Russia, Ukraine, and Libya.
--"Bujanovac Plant Official Says KFOR Hindering Business," Belgrade Tanjug in English, 3 December 1999, in FBIS Document FTS19991203000465, 3 December 1999.

27 January 1998
At a meeting with representatives from American Jewish organizations in New York, United Nations Special Commission (UNSCOM) Executive Chairman Richard Butler reveals that UNSCOM still cannot account for approximately 45 chemical or biological warheads for Al-Hussein missiles. He says, "There remain some very serious residual questions about the extent to which [Iraq] indigenously produced long-range missiles."
--"Butler Warns of 'truly serious' Danger from Iraq as US & UK Prepare for Attack," Center for Defence and International Security Studies, February 1998, <http://www.cdiss.org/>.

28 January 1998
Western sources are quoted as saying that Saddam Hussein has enough biological weapons to equip 25 surface-to-surface missiles (SSMs). The sources also claim that Iraq continues to conceal 75 non-conventional warheads.
--Dafana Linzer, "Report: Iraq Can Arm 25 Bio Weapons," Associated Press (Online), 28 January 1998; Harel Amos, "Iraq Can Arm 25 Missiles with Biological Warheads," Haaretz (Online), 28 January 1998.

1 February 1998
The Technical Evaluation Meeting (TEM), which convenes to account for Iraq's special missile warheads, takes place in Baghdad at the request of Iraqi officials. Iraqi officials and an expert team sent by UNSCOM offer presentations about their views of Iraq's missile warhead capabilities related to biological and chemical weapons.
--"Letter Dated 19 February 1998 From The Executive Chairman of The Special Commission Established by the Secretary-General Pursuant to Paragraph 9 (b) (i) Of Security Council Resolution 687 (1991)," S/1998/176, 27 February 1998.

2 February 1998
The TEM examines issues related to missile warhead material balance and accounting.
--"Letter Dated 19 February 1998 From The Executive Chairman of The Special Commission Established by the Secretary-General Pursuant to Paragraph 9 (b) (i) Of Security Council Resolution 687 (1991)," S/1998/176, 27 February 1998.

3 February 1998
The TEM examines issues related to missile warhead designs and testing.
--"Letter Dated 19 February 1998 From The Executive Chairman of The Special Commission Established by the Secretary-General Pursuant to Paragraph 9 (b) (i) Of Security Council Resolution 687 (1991)," S/1998/176, 27 February 1998.

4 February 1998
The TEM examines issues related to special missile warheads, and missile warhead material balance and accounting.
--"Letter Dated 19 February 1998 From The Executive Chairman of The Special Commission Established by the Secretary-General Pursuant to Paragraph 9 (b) (i) Of Security Council Resolution 687 (1991)," S/1998/176, 27 February 1998.

5 February 1998
The TEM examines issues related to missile warhead material balance and accounting.
--"Letter Dated 19 February 1998 From The Executive Chairman of The Special Commission Established by the Secretary-General Pursuant to Paragraph 9 (b) (i) Of Security Council Resolution 687 (1991)," S/1998/176, 27 February 1998.

6 February 1998
The TEM examines issues related to missile warhead material balance and accounting, and warhead production. It concludes the session.
--"Letter Dated 19 February 1998 From The Executive Chairman of The Special Commission Established by the Secretary-General Pursuant to Paragraph 9 (b) (i) Of Security Council Resolution 687 (1991)," S/1998/176, 27 February 1998.

February 1998
Iraq admits that P3 at Nabai was a special warhead disposal site. [NOTE: See 1997, August 1997, March 1998.]
--"Summary of UNSCOM Presentation to UNSC on Iraq WMD," Washington File, 25 June 1998, <http://usinfo.state.gov/>; "Iraq Special Collection; Missile-Related Issues," Center for Nonproliferation Studies, <http://cns.miis.edu/>.

February 1998
The Russian Federal Security Service formally ends its investigation of the alleged shipment of Russian missile-guidance gyroscopes and accelerometers to Iraq.
--Vladimir Orlov and William C. Potter, "The Mystery of the Sunken Gyros," Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, Vol. 54 (November/December 1998), <http://www.bullatomsci.org/>.

February 1998
According to the Mlada fronta Dnes, the United States accuses Iraq of attempting to illegally purchase the Czech Tamara radar system for $375 million with the help of Czech arms dealers. The radar is reportedly capable of monitoring US Stealth combat aircraft. [NOTE: See October 1997.]
--"Iraq Trying to Get Tamara Radar despite Embargo," Czech News Agency (CTK) National News Wire, 24 August 1998, in Lexis-Nexis, <http://web.lexis-nexis.com/>; "Arms Transfers Continue from NATO Member to Hostile States," STRATFOR's Global Intelligence Update, 14 May 1999, <http://www.nyu.edu/>.

13 February 1998
Iraqi Foreign Minister Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf confirms Iraq's first test-launch of a new medium-range missile with a reported range of 150km.
--Anthony Goodman, "UN Council Told New Iraqi Missile in November," Reuters, 13 February 1998.

23 February 1998
Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz and the UN Secretary General Kofi Annan sign the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). The MOU reaffirms UNSCOM's right to inspect any site at any time. The parties also agree to apply special procedures to UNSCOM's mandated inspections at the eight presidential sites in Iraq.
--"Letter Dated 25 February 1998 From the Secretary-General Addressed to the President of the Security Council," S/1998/166, 27 February 1998.

2 March 1998
The UN Security Council adopts Resolution 1154, which endorses the provisions of the MOU that Tariq Aziz and Kofi Annan signed on 23 February 1998.
--United Nations, "Resolution 1154," S/RES/1154, 2 March 1998, <http://www.un.org/>.

March 1998
Iraq declares that it destroyed 10 chemical weapons warheads and 15 special warheads at the P3 warhead destruction site. [NOTE: See 1997, August 1997, February 1998.]
--"Iraq Special Collection; Missile-Related Issues," Center for Nonproliferation Studies, <http://cns.miis.edu>.

22-26 March 1998
UNSCOM and Iraqi officials, including General Amir Rashid, hold a Technical Evaluation Meeting (TEM) concerning special missile warheads. The Commission's experts address the discrepancies that appear to exist regarding the timing and methodology of the unilateral destruction of special warheads by the Iraqis. In response, Iraqi General Rashid states that Iraq undertook the unilateral destruction in the summer of 1991 at Nabai. Richard Butler also reiterates that certain other major issues related to general missile production remain unresolved, such as the indigenous production of missile engines and the need for a full accounting of missile propellants.
--United Nations, "Letter Dated 27 March 1998 from the Executive Chairman of the Special Commission Established by the Secretary-General Pursuant to Paragraph 9 (b) (i) of Security Council Resolution 687 (1991) Addressed to the President of the Security Council," S/1998/278, 27 March 1998.

April 1998
Saddam Hussein orders the creation of a department of astronomy that will train qualified personnel to work in that field.
--"Saddam Confers with Baghdad University Professors on Astronomy," Baghdad Republic of Iraq Television in Arabic, 7 November 2001, in FBIS Document 20011107000271, 7 November 2001.

May 1998
A team of Iraqi engineers headed by Dr. Hamid Halil Ibrahim al-Azawi visits Bucharest, Romania, in an attempt to obtain sophisticated missile guidance equipment through intermediaries from the Romanian firm, Aerofina.
--"Iraqis Attempted to Buy Missile Guidance Equipment from Romania, CNN Learns," Cable News Network (Online), 30 November 1998, <http://www.cnn.com/>.

Mid-1998
Iraq begins to assemble and install a large vacuum furnace at one of its declared facilities for missile engine production. [NOTE: Iraq imported this furnace in 1994 specifically for producing engines for Al-Hussein missiles. UNSCOM placed the facility under its monitoring protocol. See January 1994.]
--United Nations, "Report on Status of Disarmament and Monitoring," S/1999/94, 29 January 1999, <http://www.un.org/Depts/unscom/unscmdoc.htm/>.

24 June 1998
Richard Butler tells the UN Security Council that US Army tests leave "no doubt" that Iraq placed VX nerve gas in missile warheads. UNSCOM sends missile material to France and Switzerland for further tests.
--Judy Aita, "UNSCOM Chief Says Iraq Put Chemical Weapons in Warheads," USIS Washington File, 24 June 1998, <http://www.fas.org/>; United States Information Agency: U.S. Policy on Iraq, <http://usinfo.state.gov/regional/nea/iraq/>.

July 1998
UNSCOM sends an international team of experts to Baghdad. The team determines that by the end of 1990, Iraq had the capability to assemble a limited number of liquid propellant engines for Al-Hussein class missiles but was still experiencing production related problems.
--United Nations, "Report on Status of Disarmament and Monitoring," S/1999/94, 29 January 1999, <http://www.un.org/Depts/unscom/unscmdoc.htm/>.

July 1998
UNSCOM asks Iraq for clarification of issues related to its missile warhead program in order to enable the Commission to verify this area of interest. [See July 1997-June 1998, 1-6 February 1998, November 1998.]
--United Nations, "Report on Status of Disarmament and Monitoring," S/1999/94, 29 January 1999, <http://www.un.org/Depts/unscom/unscmdoc.htm/>.

15 July 1998
The US Commission to Assess the Ballistic Missile Threat to the United States submits a report to Congress. In the report, the Commission states that Iraq has maintained the skills and industrial capabilities required to reestablish its long-range ballistic missile program. It also states that Iraq has actively continued to work on the short-range liquid and solid fueled missile programs. The Commission estimates that once the United Nations lifts sanctions, Iraq could intensify its efforts to acquire necessary plants and equipment. The Commission further estimates that such an effort would allow Iraq to pose an inter-continental ballistic missile (ICBM) threat to the United States within 10 years. Iraq could develop a shorter range, covert, ship-launched missile that could threaten the United States in a very short time.
--"Executive Summary of the Report of the Commission to Assess the Ballistic Missile Threat to the United States," The Commission to Assess the Ballistic Missile Threat to the United Sates, 15 July 1998, <http://www.fas.org/irp/threat/missile/rumsfeld/>.

August 1998
Yugoslavian officials travel to Iraq and Libya hoping to secure oil imports. [NOTE: Yugoslavia's Jugoimport firm will later establish a trade relationship with Iraq. Jugoimport mainly exports grain to Iraq, but it is also well known for producing strategic military equipment. See Early 1999.]
--"Serbia's Grain Trade: Milosevic's Hidden Cash Crop," ICG Balkans Report, 5 June 2000, No. 93.

3 August 1998
UNSCOM requests clarification from Iraqi officials regarding contradictions in the Iraqi declaration on the unilateral destruction of its special warheads and pertaining to the physical evidence UNSCOM collected at the destruction site.
--United Nations, "Note by the Secretary-General," S/1998/920, 6 October 1998.

Fall 1998
Director General Raafat Abbas of Iraq's largest privately owned conglomerate, Al Azal Trading Corporation, reportedly arranges deals involving Iraq and the Russian companies Techmashimport, Vneshtechnicka, and Mashinoimportinvest. The deals are for the purchase of components necessary in the manufacturing of surface-to-surface missiles, as well as navigational equipment for fighters and anti-aircraft missiles. Another Russian firm, Ramenskoe, is also involved in these transfers. Ramenskoe specializes in navigation and airflow systems for aircraft and missiles.
--Jamie Dettmer, "Russia Becomes Saddam's Military Superstore," Insight on the News, 15 March 1999, p. 6; Hugo Gurdon, "Russia Accused of Re-arming Saddam," Daily Telegraph (London), 23 February 1999, p. 16; "Iraqi Entity: Al Azal Trading Co.," in Iraqi Entity Database, Wisconsin Project for Nuclear Arms Control, <http://www.iraqwatch.org/>.

21 September 1998
Swiss and French analysts find no evidence of VX nerve gas on missile warheads recovered by UNSCOM.
--Craig Turner, "European Tests Find No Nerve Gas on Iraqi Missiles," Los Angeles Times, 22 September 1998, p. A4; in Lexis-Nexis, <http://web.lexis-nexis.com/>.

6 October 1998
A UN diplomat says that French laboratory tests found traces of lethal VX nerve gas on Iraqi warheads.
--"French Tests Find Nerve Gas on Iraqi Warheads: Diplomat," Agence France Presse, 7 October 1998, in Lexis-Nexis, <http://web.lexis-nexis.com/>.

21 October 1998
Viktor Sigayev, the deputy director-general of Russia's Energomash, tells the BBC that his company never held talks or concluded any contracts with Iraqi officials concerning the sale of rocket engines, equipment, or services in violation of UN sanctions. Sigayev "categorically" denies having met Iraqi experts or having sold them liquid-propellant rocket engines with thrusts of approximately four tons.
--"Russian Company Denies Selling Rocket Engines to Iraq," BBC Worldwide Monitoring, 22 October 1998, in Lexis-Nexis, <http://web.lexis-nexis.com/>.

22 October 1998
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Vladimir Rakhmanin denies the report by The Washington Times on 18 October that Russia delivered missile components to Iraq, including 800 gyroscopes that were allegedly sent from Moscow to Iraq in 1995.
--"Moscow Did Not Deliver Missile Homing Systems to Iraq," Interfax, 22 October 1998, in "Foreign Ministry Spokesman Denies Russia Has Breached UN Sanctions Against Iraq," BBC Worldwide Monitoring, 22 October 1998, in Lexis-Nexis, <http://web.lexis-nexis.com/>.

22-23 October 1998
Military and science experts convene in New York to examine whether Iraq has been able to equip missiles with the VX nerve agent.
--Youssef M. Ibrahim, "Issues at U.N. Again: Iraq, Nerve Gas and Weapons Inspections," The New York Times, 23 October 1998, in Lexis-Nexis, <http://web.lexis-nexis.com/>.

26 October 1998
United Nations weapons experts confirm that a French laboratory found a trace of a nerve agent on an Iraqi missile warhead.
--Nicole Winfield, "Nerve Agent Found on Iraqi Warhead," Associated Press (Online), 26 October 1998, in Lexis-Nexis, <http://web.lexis-nexis.com/>.

27 October 1998
Iraqi Ambassador to Ukraine Hasan Fahmi Jum'ah meets with representatives of a number of enterprises and scientific research institutes located in the Ukranian district of Kharkov regarding trade cooperation between the two countries. According to Yuriy Orshanskiy, the head of the Kharkov-based company Vostok, international pressure leads many Ukrainian state officials to fear contracting with Iraq. [NOTE: See Late November 1998.]
--"Ukraine: Iraqi Envoy Meets Kharkov Representatives," Kiev Intelnews in English, 27 October 1998, in FBIS Document LD2810222298, 27 October 1998.

28 October 1998
Iraq refuses a request by UNSCOM inspectors and chemical weapons experts to explain the presence of VX nerve agent on missile warheads.
--Nicole Winfield, "Iraq: Inspectors Seized on One Test," Associated Press (Online), 28 October 1998, in Lexis-Nexis, <http://web.lexis-nexis.com/>.

November 1998
UNSCOM asks Iraq for clarification in their missile warhead reporting in order to enable the Commission to verify this area of interest. [See July 1997-June 1998, 1-6 February 1998, July 1998.]
--United Nations, "Report on Status of Disarmament and Monitoring," S/1999/94, 29 January 1999, <http://www.un.org/Depts/unscom/unscmdoc.htm/>.

November 1998
The Iraqi Military Industrial Commission (MIC) submits a comprehensive purchase list comprised of Iraq's military requirements to its permanent representative from the Russian state-run arms exporting company Rosvooruzheniye. The list includes avionics systems, engines and other parts; MIG combat aircraft; and advanced air-defense batteries.
--Con Coughlin, "The Re-Arming of Saddam: Russia and Iraq," Sunday Telegraph (London), 14 February 1999, p. 22.

7-12 November 1998
UNSCOM inspectors leave Iraq as a result of Saddam's decision to halt all cooperation with the inspectors.
--"First Batch of U.N. Inspectors Prepare to Leave," Associated Press Worldstream, 7 November 1998, in Lexis-Nexis, <http://web.lexis-nexis.com/>.

14 November 1998
Tariq Aziz sends a letter to the United Nations conveying Iraq's decision to resume cooperation with UNSCOM.
--"Letter Dated 20 November 1998 From The Executive Chairman of The Special Commission Established by the Secretary-General Pursuant to Paragraph 9 (b) (i) of Security Council Resolution 687 (1991) Addressed to the President of the Security Council," S/1998/1106, 20 November 1998.

17 November 1998
UNSCOM inspectors return to Baghdad to continue their mission.
--"Iraq Slams UNSCOM as Inspectors Return to Baghdad," Agence France Presse, 17 November 1998, in Lexis-Nexis, <http://web.lexis-nexis.com/>.

17 November 1998
Richard Butler sends a letter to Tariq Aziz in response to the 14 November letter sent to the UN from Iraq.
--"Letter Dated 20 November 1998 From The Executive Chairman of The Special Commission Established by the Secretary-General Pursuant to Paragraph 9 (b) (i) of Security Council Resolution 687 (1991) Addressed to the President of the Security Council," S/1998/1106, 20 November 1998.

19 November 1998
Richard Butler sends a letter to the Iraqi government requesting key documents related to the missile fuel propellant project that Iraq claims to have destroyed unilaterally in 1991. Butler also requests that Iraq hand over indigenously produced missile engine components for analysis. Iraq rejects these requests.
--"Iraq Balks at UN Request for Key Documents," Agence France Presse, 20 November 1998, in Lexis-Nexis, <http://web.lexis-nexis.com/>; "Letter Dated 15 December 1998 from the Secretary-General Addressed to the President of the Security Council," S/1998/1172, 15 December 1998; Edith M. Lederer, "Iraq Reacts Positively to Some U.N. Demands, Rejects Others," Agence France Presse, 20 November 1998, in Lexis-Nexis, <http://web.lexis-nexis.com/>.

20 November 1998
Iraq's Deputy Foreign Minister Riyadh al-Qaisi tells Richard Butler that Iraq destroyed many of the documents that the UNSCOM inspectors seek regarding the production of nuclear weapons, chemical and biological weapons, and missiles.
--"Crucial events in the confrontation between Iraq, U.S.," Associated Press, 17 December 1998, in Lexis-Nexis, <http://www.lexis-nexis.com/>.

Late November 1998
An Iraqi senior diplomat and representatives of an Iraqi arms company visit Kiev, Ukraine. They sign a secret agreement for military cooperation with the chief executives of two Ukrainian arms manufacturing firms.
--"An Iraq-Ukraine Deal?" Foreign Report, 22 April 1999, <http://www.foreignreport.com/>.

26 November 1998
Riyadh al-Qaisi informs Richard Butler that Iraq will submit a 42-page report to UNSCOM concerning the analyses of swab samples of special warhead remnants taken in July 1998.
--United Nations Special Commission, "Report on the Activities of the Special Commission during the Period 17 November to 2 December 1998," 3 December 1998.

27 November 1998
In a letter to Tariq Aziz, Richard Butler reiterates the Commission's request that Iraq provide two specific batches of documentation that were referred to in the annex to Butler's letter of 17 November. One of the batches, comprised of 12 particular sets of documents, relates to the creation and armament of Missile Unit 223. Also included is a request for access to the relevant archives of Iraq's Ministry of Defense and Military Industrialization Corporation, as well as other government departments. [NOTE: In April 1990, Iraq established Unit 223, a new military unit of brigade size to be equipped with operational missile assets.]
--United Nations Special Commission, "Report on the Activities of the Special Commission during the Period 17 November to 2 December 1998," 3 December 1998; United Nations, "Final Compendium," S/1999/94, 25 January 1999.

30 November 1998
Iraq delivers to UNSCOM a nearly 64-page document related to Missile Unit 223. This document details personnel and non-combat equipment, such as radios and cars, which are assigned to the units. It does not, however, contain the information regarding combat supplies that UNSCOM wants.
--United Nations Special Commission, "Report on the Activities of the Special Commission during the Period 17 November to 2 December 1998," 3 December 1998; United Nations, "Final Compendium," S/1999/94, 25 January 1999.

December 1998
The Romanian National Defense Ministry admits that a representative for the state company Aerofina signed a contract in 1995 to provide Iraq with short-range missile components. Those components were to be delivered to Iraq through a Jordanian company serving as an intermediary.
--"Arms Production, Exports and Decision-Making in Central and Eastern Europe; Bulgaria," Safer World, July 2002, <http://www.saferworld.co.uk/>.

December 1998
Iraq relocates SSM batteries to the coastal area of the Al Faw Peninsula. The missiles have a range of nearly 96km.
--William J. Clinton, "Text of a Letter from the President to Congress on Iraq," M2 Presswire, 4 March 1999.

December 1998
Richard Butler says that Iraq claims attempts are underway to illegally "extend their missile program."
--Joie Chen and David Ensor, "A Look at What U.S. Intelligence Thinks Iraq Is Doing Behind the Scenes," CNN The World Today, 2 December 1999.

December 1998
According to Haaretz, Saddam Hussein pre-authorizes his district commanders to launch Scud missiles armed with chemical warheads in the event that communication with Baghdad is lost.
--Amos Har'el, "Saddam Said Assumes Power to Operate Chemical Weapons," Haaretz in Hebrew, 11 August 2000; in FBIS Document GMP20000811000129, 11 August 2000.

December 1998
Iraq and Russia move quickly to complete an arms deal that has been under negotiation since early December. Russian Prime Minister Yevgeny Primakov unofficially approves a 100 million pounds arms deal with Iraq.
--Con Coughlin, "The Re-Arming of Saddam: Russia and Iraq," Sunday Telegraph (London), 14 February 1999, p. 22.

3 December 1998
UNSCOM-259/BM70 arrives in Baghdad to perform preliminary technical work for enhanced monitoring of missile tests.
--"UNSCOM Report on Its Activities, Nov 17 to Dec 2," Center for Nonproliferation Studies, <http://cns.miis.edu/>.

3-7 December 1998 (two weeks before US-UK air raids)
Tariq Aziz and senior members of the Iraqi Military Industrial Commission (MIC) visit the Russian headquarters of the Mapo-MIG Company, makers of Russia's MIG jet fighters, and Avtoexport, a major exporter of military vehicles and spare parts. Aziz and Russian Prime Minister Yevgeny Primakov sign a military procurement agreement.
--Con Coughlin, "The Re-Arming of Saddam: Russia and Iraq," Sunday Telegraph (London), 14 February 1999, p. 22; Jeffrey Smith, "Did Russia Sell Iraq Germs Warfare Equipment? Document Seized by UN Inspectors Indicates Illicit Deal," The Washington Post, 12 February 1998, p. A1.

7 December 1998
Iraqi Foreign Minister Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf announces that Iraq is preparing to test-fire the Al-Samoud and Al-Ababil short-range missiles.
--"Iraqi Foreign Minister on Test-Firing Missiles," Agence France Presse (Paris), December 7, 1998, in FBIS Document NES-98-342, 8 December 1998.

9 December 1998
Iraq refuses UNSCOM's no-notice inspection in Baghdad, barring inspectors from Ba'ath Party headquaters.
--"Crucial Events in the Confrontation between Iraq, U.S." Associated Press, 17 December 1998, in Lexis-Nexis, <http://web.lexis-nexis.com/>; "Attack on Iraq," The New York Times, 17 December 1998.

12-15 December 1998
UN weapons inspectors resume full-scale operations, as teams from the IAEA and UNSCOM visit 24 sites.
--United States Information Agency: U.S. Policy on Iraq, <http://usinfo.state.gov/regional/nea/iraq/>.

December 1998
UN inspectors estimate that Iraq still possesses up to nine ballistic missiles as well as imported guidance components.
--Kelly Motz, "What Has Iraq Been Up To Recently in Its Weapon Programs; Is Iraq Rebuilding Its WMD Sites?" Iraq Watch, <http://www.iraqwatch.org/>.

16 December 1998
UNSCOM withdraws its staff from Iraq.
--UNSCOM Chronology of Main Events, <http://www.un.org/>.

16 December 1998
In response to Richard Butler's report that Iraq again thwarted the inspectors' work, US President Bill Clinton authorizes an air strike against Iraq. The attack is named Desert Fox.
--"Attack on Iraq," The New York Times, 17 December 1998, p. A16, in Lexis-Nexis, <http://web.lexis-nexis.com/>.

16-19 December 1998
According to the Iraqi Broadcasting Corporation (IBC), British and US military air strikes destroy: 22 SSMs, 13 surface-to-air missiles (SAMs) and six missile launchers at Al-Taji; an anti-aircraft battery containing 18 anti-aircraft guns and missiles belonging to Al-Nida forces; three launchers for SAMs and Roland missiles belonging to Nebuchadhnasser forces; 19 anti-aircraft batteries belonging to Al-Medina Al-Munawera forces; six SAM launchers belonging to Adnan forces; two anti-aircraft batteries comprised of 42 anti-aircraft guns and SAMs; and, several mobile radar units together with the Al-Rashid armory that belonged to the Baghdad Forces Command.
--"INC Details Saddam's 'Desert Fox' Losses," Iraqi National Congress, 7 January 1999, <http://www.inc.org/>.

16-19 December 1998
US and British planes strike approximately 100 targets in Iraq. Twelve out of the 100 sites are industrial and military factories involved in Iraq's missile program. These 12 sites include one in the Taji military complex, a machine tool plant at Zaafaraniyah, a target at Shahiyat where missile and rockets are tested, and one at the nearby Ibn al-Haytham missile center where Iraq produces the Al-Samoud missile. According to US General Anthony Zinni, the US-British air strikes have severely damaged facilities and equipment that Iraq would otherwise have to obtain from abroad.
--Steven Lee Myers, "Flight Tests Show Iraq Has Resumed a Missile Program," The New York Times, 1 July 2000, p.1, in Lexis-Nexis, <http://web.lexis-nexis.com/>; "Iraq Rebuilds Its Arsenal," New East Report, 24 July 2000, <http://www.us-israel.org/>; "The Facility at Zaafarniyah was under the Control of the Iraqi Ministry of Industry and Military Production," Federation of American Scientists, <http://www.fas.org/>; "Special Defense Department Briefing with General Anthony Zinni, Commander, U.S. Central Command," Federal News Service, 8 January 1999.

17 December 1998
British Tornado jets attack Iraq's Talil air base southeast of Baghdad. Photos of the ruined base reveal rows of drones, which Iraq has hidden inside a hangar at the remote base. [NOTE: The drones are identified as Czech-made L-29s, a light trainer jet model that Iraq purchased in the late 1960s then converted to unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Tests of drones have been underway.]
--Jody Warrick, "Uncertain Ability to Deliver a Blow; Iraq Cobbles Together Weapons System with Mixed Results, Analysts Say," The Washington Post, 5 September 2002, p. A1, <http://www.washingtonpost.com/>.

December 1998-27 January 2000
According to the Pentagon and other officials, Iraq rebuilds many of the 100 damaged installations, including the Al-Taji missile complex north of Baghdad.
--Steven Lee Myers, "Signs of Iraqi Arms Buildup Bedevil U.S. Administration," The New York Times, 1 February 2000, p. A1, in Lexis-Nexis, <http://web.lexis-nexis.com/>.

Post-16 December 1998
Baghdad initiates reconstruction efforts for facilities destroyed by Coalition bombing, including several critical missile production complexes. Iraq continues work on its L-29 UAV program, which involves the modification of L-29 jet trainer aircraft originally acquired from Eastern Europe.
--Central Intelligence Information Agency, "Acquisition of Technology Relating to Weapons of Mass Destruction and Advanced Conventional Munitions," Unclassified Report to Congress, 1 January 2001, <http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/bian/bian_jan_2002.htm/>.

Post-6 December 1998
Iraq continues to pursue development of the short-range ballistic missile (SRBM) systems that the United Nations does not prohibit and may be expanding to longer range systems. Development of UN-permitted missiles allows for the creation of technological improvements and infrastructure that Iraq could apply to a longer range missile program.
--"Acquisition of Technology Relating to Weapons of Mass Destruction and Advanced Conventional Munitions," Unclassified Report to Congress, 1 January 2001, <http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/bian/bian_jan_2002.htm/>.

Post-16 December 1998
According to Richard Butler, Iraq is developing missiles with a range of 600km.
--Ewen MacAskill, "Iraqi Nerve Gas 'Could Paralyse Western Cities,'" The Guardian (London), 24 May 2000, p.17; in Lexis-Nexis, <http://web.lexis-nexis.com/>.

December 1998-August 1999
Iraq conducts "significant" reconstruction work at a number of missile sites that the United States and Great Britain destroyed in December 1998. These sites include the Al-Taji missile complex.
--Steven Lee Myers, "In Intense but Little-Noticed Fight, Allies Have Bombed Iraq All Year," The New York Times, 13 August 1999, p. A1, in Lexis-Nexis, <http://web.lexis-nexis.com/>; Steven Lee Myers, "Signs of Iraqi Arms Buildup Bedevil U.S. Administration," The New York Times, 1 February 2000, p. A1, in Lexis-Nexis, <http://web.lexis-nexis.com/>.

1998-1999
Iraq says that it intends to carry out a number of tests of recently produced intermediate-range missiles.
--"3rd Army Corps Mutiny Reported in South Iraq," Al-Hayah (London), p. 3, in FBIS Document FTS199990101000423, 1 January 1999.

30 December 1998-1 January 1999
The Iraqi Civil Defense teams in the Wasit Governorate in southern Iraq defuse six missiles of various types that had been launched against Iraq by the United States and Britain.
--"Source Says Six Missiles from US-UK 'Aggression' Defused," Baghdad Iraq Satellite Channel Television in Arabic; in FBIS Document FTS19990102000420, 2 January 1999.

	Updated May 2006