Changes

Although no physical weapons of mass destruction have been found in Iraq, the search is not over, and it has yielded some results so far. This however greatly contrasts with the press release in 2002 that Weapons "could be released within 45 minutes". 5 years later, this has never materialised. Persons associated with the programs have been detained and documents related to various programs have yet to be translated.  Only about one-third of 36 million captured pages have been examined by a linguist and a summary gist of the document prepared.<ref>[https://www.cia.gov/cia/reports/iraq_wmd_2004/scope.html Comprehensive Report of the Special Advisor to the DCI on Iraq’s WMD], 30 September 2004.</ref>  Some believe the physical WMDs that had been produced prior to the invasion were smuggled out of the country, possibly to [[Syria]], before the onset of the war.  

Although no physical weapons of mass destruction have been found in Iraq, the search is not over, and it has yielded some results so far. This however greatly contrasts with the press release in 2002 that Weapons "could be released within 45 minutes". 5 years later, this has never materialised. Persons associated with the programs have been detained and documents related to various programs have yet to be translated.  Only about one-third of 36 million captured pages have been examined by a linguist and a summary gist of the document prepared.<ref>[https://www.cia.gov/cia/reports/iraq_wmd_2004/scope.html Comprehensive Report of the Special Advisor to the DCI on Iraq’s WMD], 30 September 2004.</ref>  Some believe the physical WMDs that had been produced prior to the invasion were smuggled out of the country, possibly to [[Syria]], before the onset of the war.  

In 2004, the [[Iraq Survey Group]] released what has been called the [[Duelfer Report]], named after chairman Charles Duelfer.  The report was controversial on both sides of the political arena, since while it found that Saddam Hussein was intent on production of WMDs and actively working to undermine international sanctions to do so (in particular by gaming the Oil-for-Food program), the report also found that Hussein's capacity to produce WMDs had deteriorated significantly since 1991, the end of the [[Gulf War|First Gulf War]] when Hussein effectively terminated the functional operation of his nuclear program, that no physical WMDs were in Iraq at the time of invasion, and that any remaining WMD-related programs were "not of a militarily significant capability."<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/3718150.stm BBC News - Report Concludes No WMD in Iraq] 7 October 2004</ref>  Former Survey Group Chairman [[David Kay]] said "I don't think they existed... What everyone was talking about is stockpiles produced after the end of the last Gulf War and I don't think there was a large-scale production program in the nineties"<ref>[http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/01/28/kay.transcript/ CNN.com - Transcript: David Kay at Senate hearing] 28 January 2004.</ref>

Regarding stockpiles of WMD which were destroyed after the [[Gulf War|First Gulf War]], some critics have alleged Saddam was perhaps a decade away from being able to produce more WMD unfettered with his given knowhow and personal in place and a lack of willpower among the Western powers or the International community to confront such flagrant violations of International conventions. They reference the [[Duelfer Report]] of the [[Iraq Survey Group]] headed by Charles Duelfer. A former Survey Group chairman, [[David Kay]], once said regarding manufacturing facilities and staockpiles, "I don't think they existed... What everyone was talking about is stockpiles produced after the end of the last Gulf War and I don't think there was a large-scale production program in the nineties"<ref>[http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/01/28/kay.transcript/ CNN.com - Transcript: David Kay at Senate hearing] 28 January 2004.</ref> after the end of the First Gulf War. The report did conclude Saddam was beginning production again using his personal and knowhow when the sanctions against [[Iraq]] were lifted. The Bush Administration took preventative action in accordance with the reports conclusions that WMD capabilty then was "not of a militarily significant capability."<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/3718150.stm BBC News - Report Concludes No WMD in Iraq] 7 October 2004</ref>

===Costs===

===Costs===