Iraq Hiding Chemical Weapons, Cia Chief Says

Iraq is continuing to hide chemical and biological weapons from United Nations weapons inspectors, CIA Director George Tenet told Congress on Wednesday.

Tenet’s testimony came amid warnings from the United States that it was preparing to use military force unless Iraq complies with U.N. Security Council efforts to dismantle its secret nuclear, chemical and biological weapons programs.

Tenet testified before the Senate Intelligence Committee, which periodically hears from top officials on current and projected national security threats.

“We assess that Iraq continues to hide critical (weapons of mass destruction) production equipment and material from U.N. inspectors,” he said.

“Iraq, under (President) Saddam (Hussein), continues to pose a serious threat to U.S. forces, interests and allies,” Tenet said. “Our principal aim must be to ensure that Saddam does not have weapons of mass destruction or the capacity to regain any he has lost” since the Iraq was driven from Kuwait in the 1991 Gulf War.

Other major security concerns for the United States, Tenet told the panel, include:

Iran, which has received extensive missile assistance from North Korea and will probably have medium-range missiles capable of hitting Saudi Arabia and Israel in less than 10 years.

China, whose relationship with Taiwan remains a potential flash point in U.S.-China relations. Tenet said another problem is that China’s defense industries are under increasing pressures to generate profits, an imperative that could lead to a military buildup in the huge Asian nation.

North Korea, whose economy, society, and military are on the verge of collapse. Even amid the crisis, the country retains significant artillery, missiles, rocket launchers and aircraft that can inflict enormous damage to South Korea with little or no warning.

Russia, whose controls to regulate the export of missile-related technologies and components to rogue countries has not worked well and whose political instability, economic weakness, organized crime and corruption will likely continue.