July 2021

DIGITAL MAGAZINE

DIGITAL MAGAZINE

July 2021

UNSCOM bioweapons inspectors at a facility in Iraq, October 1991.
(UN photo; cover by Thomas Gaulkin)

Introduction: UNSCOM and the future of WMD verification

By Henrietta Wilson, Filippa Lentzos

UNSCOM remains relevant to contemporary efforts to minimize the risks of biological weapons. It faced enormous challenges in fulfilling its mandate—in the form of an Iraq determined to obstruct the international inspections—but its efforts nevertheless showed that internationally verified elimination of weapons of mass destruction is technically possible.

Introduction: UNSCOM and the future of WMD verification

By Henrietta Wilson, Filippa Lentzos

UNSCOM remains relevant to contemporary efforts to minimize the risks of biological weapons. It faced enormous challenges in fulfilling its mandate—in the form of an Iraq determined to obstruct the international inspections—but its efforts nevertheless showed that internationally verified elimination of weapons of mass destruction is technically possible.

Between two wars

By Rolf Ekéus

In this article, Rolf Ekéus, Swedish ambassador and UNSCOM executive chair from 1991 to 1997 gives his perspective on the UNSCOM process.

Puzzling out the Iraqi biological weapons program

By David R. Franz

In this article, the former biological chief inspector for the UN Special Commission on Iraq from 1993-1995 recounts his efforts during two missions to locate biological weapons and biological weapons facilities in the wake of the First Gulf War.

Monitoring Iraq’s dual-use capabilities: An interview with Gabriele Kraatz-Wadsack

By Filippa Lentzos

In this interview, a former biological weapons chief inspector for UNSCOM describes the importance of biological monitoring in Iraq, its challenges and successes.

leaking 122mm rockets in Iraq, containing chemical nerve agent

UNSCOM: A successful experiment in disarmament

By Åke Sellström

In this article, a former chemical and biological chief inspector for the UN Special Commission on Iraq from 1996-1998 concludes that the UNSCOM experience was a successful full-scale experiment in disarmament that uncovered and destroyed the infrastructure of the Iraqi bioweapons program. The UNSCOM experience, however, also illustrated the limitations of inspection methods, especially when it comes to small-scale activities in a distrusted country.

chemical-filled Iraqi mortar shells being scanned for leaks

The many lessons to be drawn from the search for Iraqi WMD

By Terence Taylor

After the Gulf War, Terence Taylor served on the UN Special Commission investigating weapons of mass destruction programs in the country. Technical expertise in weapons inspections, an understanding of global trade, and a knack for the element of surprise helped Taylor and other weapons inspectors discover, among other things, the existence of Iraq’s biological weapons program.

Nikita Smidovich at a 2015 Global Conference on Biological Threat Reduction in Paris. Photo by World Organisation for Animal Health.

Perspectives on UNSCOM and UNMOVIC: An interview with Nikita Smidovich

By Henrietta Wilson

In this interview with Henrietta Wilson, a researcher at SOAS University of London, Nikita Smidovich details the lessons that the UNSCOM experience can teach those who undertake weapons of mass destruction verification efforts today.

Some long-term effects of UNSCOM: People are important, or, therein lies much of the problem

By Charles A. Duelfer

In this article, Charles A. Duelfer, Deputy Executive Chair of UNSCOM, 1993-1998, and Head of the Iraq Survey Group, 2004-2005, finds that UNSCOM demonstrated the value of access to individuals in achieving monitoring goals. A vital aspect of UNSCOM’s inspection authorities (arguably the most important) was the access to interview identified individuals. “Experts talking to experts” produced data and intangible, but critical, confidence in the weapons of mass destruction declarations of Iraq.

How countries can build on UNSCOM’s legacy to solve today’s problems

By Ioan Tudor

In this article, the author, who was chief of the WMD Branch at the UN Office for Disarmament Affairs, explains how UNSCOM provided a foundational example of multilateral efforts to prevent the spread and use of weapons of mass destruction and why it is incumbent on all countries to work together to follow and build on that example today.

A perspective on UNSCOM culture

By Tim Trevan

In this article, the author—who served as special adviser to UNSCOM’s executive chair and spokesperson for UNSCOM for nearly four years—focuses on the way in which UNSCOM’s organization and culture evolved to adapt to its mission to destroy, remove, and render harmless Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction and its long-range missiles.

UNSCOM’s work to uncover Iraq’s illicit biological weapons program: A primer

By Stephen Black, Henrietta Wilson, Filippa Lentzos

In this article, the authors offer a primer of sorts that outlines UNSCOM’s historical context and the logistics of its work—central aspects contributing to Special Commission’s successes in searching for Iraq’s hidden biological weapons program.

It’s time to reignite US-Russia cooperation in space. Nuclear power may hold the key

By Stephen Buono, Jake Hecla, Vladimir Kobezskii, Julien de Troullioud de Lanversin, Katie Mummah

As US-Russia tensions in space have increased over the last several years, cooperation in space nuclear research presents itself as one opportunity to both ease bilateral relations and develop the technologies needed for the next generation of crewed space missions.

Can small modular reactors help mitigate climate change?

By Arjun Makhijani, M.V. Ramana

Small modular reactors fail the tests of time and cost, which are of the essence in meeting the challenge of climate change. Even the official schedules indicate that their contributions will be negligible by 2030 and remain small by 2035, when the grid needs to be nearly completely decarbonized.

A test version of the new B61-12 guided nuclear bomb to be deployed in Europe as part of a modernization program. Photo from a video by Air Force Staff Sgt. Cody Griffith.

Do Germany and the Netherlands want to say goodbye to US nuclear weapons?

By Michal Smetana, Michal Onderco, Tom Etienne

The United States still deploys about 100 nuclear weapons in Europe under NATO’s nuclear sharing policy. Germany and the Netherlands are now debating the prospective withdrawal of these weapons. This article presents the findings of a recent public opinion poll in the two countries on withdrawal.

North Korea’s military parade on October 10, 2020

Nuclear Notebook: How many nuclear weapons does North Korea have in 2021?

By Hans M. Kristensen, Matt Korda

This Nuclear Notebook column examines North Korea’s nuclear arsenal. The authors cautiously estimate that North Korea may have produced enough fissile material to build between 40 and 50 nuclear weapons; however, it may not have actually assembled that many.

Between two wars

By Rolf Ekéus

In this article, Rolf Ekéus, Swedish ambassador and UNSCOM executive chair from 1991 to 1997 gives his perspective on the UNSCOM process.

Puzzling out the Iraqi biological weapons program

By David R. Franz

In this article, the former biological chief inspector for the UN Special Commission on Iraq from 1993-1995 recounts his efforts during two missions to locate biological weapons and biological weapons facilities in the wake of the First Gulf War.

Monitoring Iraq’s dual-use capabilities: An interview with Gabriele Kraatz-Wadsack

By Filippa Lentzos

In this interview, a former biological weapons chief inspector for UNSCOM describes the importance of biological monitoring in Iraq, its challenges and successes.

UNSCOM: A successful experiment in disarmament

By Åke Sellström

In this article, a former chemical and biological chief inspector for the UN Special Commission on Iraq from 1996-1998 concludes that the UNSCOM experience was a successful full-scale experiment in disarmament that uncovered and destroyed the infrastructure of the Iraqi bioweapons program. The UNSCOM experience, however, also illustrated the limitations of inspection methods, especially when it comes to small-scale activities in a distrusted country.

The many lessons to be drawn from the search for Iraqi WMD

By Terence Taylor

After the Gulf War, Terence Taylor served on the UN Special Commission investigating weapons of mass destruction programs in the country. Technical expertise in weapons inspections, an understanding of global trade, and a knack for the element of surprise helped Taylor and other weapons inspectors discover, among other things, the existence of Iraq’s biological weapons program.

Perspectives on UNSCOM and UNMOVIC: An interview with Nikita Smidovich

By Henrietta Wilson

In this interview with Henrietta Wilson, a researcher at SOAS University of London, Nikita Smidovich details the lessons that the UNSCOM experience can teach those who undertake weapons of mass destruction verification efforts today.

Some long-term effects of UNSCOM: People are important, or, therein lies much of the problem

By Charles A. Duelfer

In this article, Charles A. Duelfer, Deputy Executive Chair of UNSCOM, 1993-1998, and Head of the Iraq Survey Group, 2004-2005, finds that UNSCOM demonstrated the value of access to individuals in achieving monitoring goals. A vital aspect of UNSCOM’s inspection authorities (arguably the most important) was the access to interview identified individuals. “Experts talking to experts” produced data and intangible, but critical, confidence in the weapons of mass destruction declarations of Iraq.

How countries can build on UNSCOM’s legacy to solve today’s problems

By Ioan Tudor

In this article, the author, who was chief of the WMD Branch at the UN Office for Disarmament Affairs, explains how UNSCOM provided a foundational example of multilateral efforts to prevent the spread and use of weapons of mass destruction and why it is incumbent on all countries to work together to follow and build on that example today.

A perspective on UNSCOM culture

By Tim Trevan

In this article, the author—who served as special adviser to UNSCOM’s executive chair and spokesperson for UNSCOM for nearly four years—focuses on the way in which UNSCOM’s organization and culture evolved to adapt to its mission to destroy, remove, and render harmless Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction and its long-range missiles.

UNSCOM’s work to uncover Iraq’s illicit biological weapons program: A primer

By Stephen Black, Henrietta Wilson, Filippa Lentzos

In this article, the authors offer a primer of sorts that outlines UNSCOM’s historical context and the logistics of its work—central aspects contributing to Special Commission’s successes in searching for Iraq’s hidden biological weapons program.

It’s time to reignite US-Russia cooperation in space. Nuclear power may hold the key

By Stephen Buono, Jake Hecla, Vladimir Kobezskii, Julien de Troullioud de Lanversin, Katie Mummah

As US-Russia tensions in space have increased over the last several years, cooperation in space nuclear research presents itself as one opportunity to both ease bilateral relations and develop the technologies needed for the next generation of crewed space missions.

Can small modular reactors help mitigate climate change?

By Arjun Makhijani, M.V. Ramana

Small modular reactors fail the tests of time and cost, which are of the essence in meeting the challenge of climate change. Even the official schedules indicate that their contributions will be negligible by 2030 and remain small by 2035, when the grid needs to be nearly completely decarbonized.

Do Germany and the Netherlands want to say goodbye to US nuclear weapons?

By Michal Smetana, Michal Onderco, Tom Etienne

The United States still deploys about 100 nuclear weapons in Europe under NATO’s nuclear sharing policy. Germany and the Netherlands are now debating the prospective withdrawal of these weapons. This article presents the findings of a recent public opinion poll in the two countries on withdrawal.

Nuclear Notebook: How many nuclear weapons does North Korea have in 2021?

By Hans M. Kristensen, Matt Korda

This Nuclear Notebook column examines North Korea’s nuclear arsenal. The authors cautiously estimate that North Korea may have produced enough fissile material to build between 40 and 50 nuclear weapons; however, it may not have actually assembled that many.

DIGITAL MAGAZINE

July 2021

DIGITAL MAGAZINE

July 2021

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