Darn these Iraqis 
Another set-back for the US administration. Time to concoct another hyped-up justification for invading a sovereign country.
Blix: Iraq Hasn’t Used Banned Weapons, The Guardian, 27 March 2003
Chief U.N. weapons inspector Hans Blix said Thursday there is no evidence that the Iraqis have used banned weapons in the week-old war - and he doesn’t believe they will because world opinion would then turn against them.
"So far, we have not identified or heard from the allies that anything that was proscribed would have been used,‘’ he said.
At the beginning of the U.S.-led military conflict, there were some statements that Iraq had fired Scud missiles, which would be illegal, but "this was later on withdrawn,‘’ Blix told reporters at U.N. headquarters.
"I have not heard any assertion that there would have been proscribed missiles yet,‘’ he said. "It may come.‘’
Blix’s comment contradicted a statement by U.S. Central Command in Qatar. Spokesman Jim Wilkinson told The Associated Press Thursday that Iraq had fired at least two missiles exceeding the 150-kilometer (93-mile) limit, one that flew 158 kilometers (about 99 miles) and one that flew 190 kilometers (about 119 miles), since the war started.
Kuwait’s U.N. Ambassador Mohammad Abulhasan also claimed in a letter to the Security Council that at least one of 11 missiles fired by Iraq into Kuwait between Thursday and Monday was a banned Scud missile.
Iraq imported Scud-B missiles in 1974 with a range of 300 kilometers (190 miles) and later modified them to extend their range to more than 600 kilometers (372 miles). Under U.N. sanctions imposed after its 1990 invasion of Kuwait, Iraq is not allowed to possess missiles with a range beyond 150 kilometers (93 miles).
Blix said in a report earlier this month that previous U.N. inspectors had reported that all but two of the 819 Scud-B combat missiles had been "effectively’’ accounted for, but not all could be independently verified including 14 Scud-B missiles used as targets in a missile interception project.
As for chemical and biological weapons, Blix said Thursday there is no indication that Iraq was using them.
"I think everybody will be relieved that no prohibited weapons are being used,‘’ Blix said. “I didn’t think they would do it because … the world would say they were liars and … the skepticism about the armed conflict would, I think, give way to one of greater understanding. … But I may be wrong.” The chief inspector said his inspectors remain ready to return to Iraq on short notice. "No one is asking us and we will certainly look to the Security Council which we serve,‘’ he said.
Secretary-General Kofi Annan ordered U.N. employees to leave Iraq earlier this month, after the United States, Britain and Spain abandoned efforts to win U.N. backing for military action.