Updated: 11/13/02

Established by United Nations Security Council Resolution 1441, are four key deadline dates for actions the Iraqi government, under its leader Saddam Hussein, must take in order to comply with U.N. demands and avoid military attack by the Unites States.

Four Key U.N. Deadline Dates for Iraq

• By November 15, 2002: Iraq must inform the U.N. Security Council of its intention to comply with the resolution. Specifically, the resolution, "demands that Iraq confirm within seven days of that notification its intention to comply fully with this resolution..."
  
  On Nov. 12: The Iraqi parliament unanimously rejected the U.N. resolution demanding that the nation be disarmed. President Bush, however, said the final decision remained with Iraqi President Saddam Hussein. Hussein's son Uday had urged the parliament to accept the terms of the resolution. In its decision, the Iraqi parliament stated, "Parliament authorizes President Saddam Hussein to take the appropriate decision and will stand by our leadership in any decision it takes."
  
  On Nov. 13: Iraq leader Saddam Hussein, in a letter to the U.N. Security Council, accepted the U.N. resolution calling for disarmament and return of weapons inspectors. [See: Iraq accepts U.N. resolution (CNN)]
  
  On Nov. 25: As UN arms inspectors arrived in Baghdad, Iraq sent an angry letter to the U.N., complaining that the United States was looking for an excuse to start a war. [See: U.N. inspectors back in Baghdad (CNN)]
  
  
• By December 8, 2002: Iraq must provide the Security Council with an accounting of any programs to develop weapons of mass destruction being conducted within its borders.
  
  For this deadline, the resolution demands of Iraq, "a currently accurate, full, and complete declaration of all aspects of its programmes to develop chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons, ballistic missiles, and other delivery systems such as unmanned aerial vehicles and dispersal systems designed for use on aircraft, including any holdings and precise locations of such weapons, components, sub-components, stocks of agents, and related material and equipment, the locations and work of its research, development and production facilities, as well as all other chemical, biological, and nuclear programmes, including any which it claims are for purposes not related to weapon production or material;"
  
  On Nov. 19, Iraq indicated that it would provide complete accounting of its weapons programs by the Dec. 8 deadline. "They are working on that declaration and they will produce it by December 8,"  said Mohamed ElBaradei, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency. The Iraqis also stated that U.N. arms inspectors would be given free access to all weapons sites.
  
  On Dec. 7, Iraq delivered its declaration on weapons of mass destruction programs to the U.N. on Dec. 8.  Made up of almost 11,800 pages, the declaration will be analyzed and edited by the U.N. weapons inspections team before being forwarded to the U.N. Security Council. The declaration will be edited in order to reduce "the risks of releasing parts of this declaration that might help to achieve proliferation of nuclear, biological, or chemical weapons," according to the U.N. [See: Iraq submits arms report (CNN)]
  
  
• By December 23, 2002: Iraq must allow the U.N-appointed arms inspection team - UNMOVIC - to resume its search for evidence of weapons of mass destruction.
  
  The resolution demands that "Iraq shall provide UNMOVIC and the IAEA immediate, unimpeded, unconditional, and unrestricted access to any and all, including underground, areas, facilities, buildings, equipment, records, and means of transport which they wish to inspect, as well as immediate, unimpeded, unrestricted, and private access to all officials and other persons whom UNMOVIC or the IAEA wish to interview in the mode or location of UNMOVIC's or the IAEA's choice pursuant to any aspect of their mandates;"
  
  
• By February 21, 2003: The arms inspection team is to report its findings to the Security Council.

What if Iraq Fails to Comply?
Any failure on the part of Iraq to comply fully as required by the established dates would justify the United States and its allies to use military force in order to enforce the U.N. resolution.

While the resolution requires the U.S. to consult with the U.N. Security Council on any military action taken, the Bush administration has stated that U.N. approval of a military strike is not required should Iraq fail to comply.

Quoting U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. John Negroponte, "If the Security Council fails to act decisively in the event of further Iraqi violations this resolution does not constrain any member state from acting to defend itself against the threat posed by Iraq or to enforce relevant United Nations resolutions and protect world peace and security." 

Military Force Already Okayed by US Congress
On Oct. 10, 2002, the United States Congress passed a resolution authorizing President Bush to use the Armed Forces of the United States against Iraq.

Specifically, the resolution authorizes President Bush to:

• use the Armed Forces of the United States as he determines to be necessary and appropriate in order to --

  (1) defend the national security of the United States against the continuing threat posed by Iraq; and

  (2) enforce all relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions regarding Iraq.

• See: US Congress Okays Use of Force Against Iraq for details on the resolution and restrictions placed on President Bush by Congress.