Excerpts from previous political updates, by subject:

11-19-02

Iraqi Declaration

The report cautioned that it contained "detailed information" about making "agents and weapons," and that publishing such information "entails risk." Accordingly, the report was initially confined to the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council, which already have nuclear weapons, until it could be redacted.

U.S. and U.K. Policy on Iraq

The Bush administration's victory at the United Nations followed on the heels of its success in the U.S. Congress. After lackluster opposition by Democrats, Congress took the fateful step of authorizing war against Iraq on October 10 and 11, and President Bush signed the joint resolution on October 16.

In September, British Prime Minister Tony Blair also joined the fray. On September 24, Blair released a long-awaited dossier asserting that Iraq was still producing chemical and biological agents and had plans to use them. The dossier also alleged that Iraq was still trying to purchase equipment needed to make nuclear weapon fuel (see the accompanying update on Iraq's weapons status). Blair had been ready to release the dossier in April, but in light of the perilous situation in Palestine, he decided to wait for a more favorable moment.