Weapons of Mass Destruction in West Asia

Abstract

For most of the 1990s and the early 2000s, the international community was concerned about finding and destroying Iraq`s weapons of mass destruction (WMD). Following the toppling of Saddam Hussein`s regime in 2003 the focus has shifted to neighboring Iran. This paper examines the motives of Iran and Iraq for seeking such capabilities regarding the acquisition of chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons and the missiles that deliver them in both countries. Finally, it analyzes American efforts to prevent, or at least slow, the proliferation of WMD in Iran in the aftermath of the 2003 war. The 2003 war opened a new chapter in Iraq`s domestic and foreign policies. The question of WMD in post-Saddam Iraq will take some time to be fully addressed. The issue and future of Iraq`s non-conventional capabilities should be viewed in the context of a broader regional security system. The nature of the political regime in Tehran is not the main reason for any Iranian efforts to acquire WMD. Instead, it is the perception of threats from regional powers (Iraq, Pakistan, and Israel) as well as a global power-the United States. There is no consensus on how to prevent Iran from developing nuclear capability. The Iranians categorically deny any interest in nuclear weapons. Also, it is not clear whether a nuclear Iran will behave in any way different from a non-nuclear Iran. In the long run, there is no substitute for addressing the underlying reasons for conflict in West Asia, particularly in the Persian Gulf and the Arab-Israeli conflict.