Iraq has No Option but to Swallow Hans Blix's "Bitter Pill"

On Saturday, the next day after Baghdad received a letter from Hans Blix with the demand to eliminate his "Al-Samoud-2" missiles UN inspectors started inspection of three Iraqi facilities.

The Iraqi Ministry of Information reported that missile experts were examining on Saturday three Iraqi facilities related to production or tests of "Al-Samoud-2" missiles. Among them were "Al-Nasr" and "Ibn Al-Heisam" companies which manufactured components of the missile as well as another enterprise of the "Faluja" complex where, among others, missile propulsion systems were tested.

The letter from UNMOVIC head Hans Blix received on Friday in Baghdad demanded from Iraq to destroy by 8 March 32 Iraqi "Al-Samoud-2" missiles. Earlier UN specialists established that their range exceeded the 150 km authorized limit established for Iraq by UN Security Council's resolutions.

At the moment there was no official reaction of Baghdad to that demand. It is expected to be announced by General Hussam Mohammed Amin, head of the National department on monitoring UN programs to inspect Iraqi armaments during a press conference scheduled for Sunday. But according to observers in the Iraqi capital, the Iraqi leadership has no other choice but to swallow that bitter pill prepared for him by Hans Blix and to destroy "Al-Samoud-2" missiles.

In addition to enterprises related to the Iraqi missile program UN inspectors are visiting on Saturday another 7 Iraqi facilities.