• Research
  • Emissary
  • About
  • Experts
Carnegie Global logoCarnegie lettermark logo
Democracy
  • Donate
WMD in Iraq: Evidence and Implications
Report

WMD in Iraq: Evidence and Implications

A groundbreaking report details what the U.S. and international intelligence communities understood about Iraq's weapons programs before the war and outlines policy reforms to improve threat assessments, deter transfer of WMD to terrorists, strengthen the UN weapons inspection process, and avoid politicization of the intelligence process.

Link Copied
By Joseph Cirincione, Jessica Tuchman Mathews, George Perkovich, with Alexis Orton
Published on Jan 8, 2004

Additional Links

Table 6. Summary: Missile and Delivery SystemAppendicesNotesFull Text (PDF)Guide to Key Findings and Summary of RecomendationChapter I: IntroductionChapter II: Iraq's WMD CapabilitiesChapter III: Findings and RecomendationsTable of ContentsTable 1. Summary of WMD Search TeamsTable 2. Key NIE DissentsTable 3. Summary of Iraq's Nuclear Weapon ProgramTable 4. Summary of Iraq's Chemical Weapon ProgramTable 5. Summary of Iraq's Biological Weapon ProgrTranscript: Authors present findings
Program mobile hero image

Program

Nuclear Policy

The Nuclear Policy Program aims to reduce the risk of nuclear war. Our experts diagnose acute risks stemming from technical and geopolitical developments, generate pragmatic solutions, and use our global network to advance risk-reduction policies. Our work covers deterrence, disarmament, arms control, nonproliferation, and nuclear energy.

Learn More

Summary
This new study details what the U.S. and international intelligence communities understood about Iraq's weapons programs before the war and outlines policy reforms to improve threat assessments, deter transfer of WMD to terrorists, strengthen the UN weapons inspection process, and avoid politicization of the intelligence process.

The report distills a massive amount of data into side-by-side comparisons of pre-war intelligence, the official presentation of that intelligence, and what is now known about Iraq's programs.

Click on the link above for full text or the links to the right for specific sections of this Carnegie report.

About the Authors
Joseph Cirincione is a senior associate and director of the Non-Proliferation Project. Jessica T. Mathews is president and George Perkovich is vice president for studies of the Carnegie Endowment. Alexis Orton is a Junior Fellow with the Non-Proliferation Project.

This is a web-only publication.

Authors

Joseph Cirincione
Former Senior Associate, Director for NonProliferation
Joseph Cirincione
Jessica Tuchman Mathews
Distinguished Fellow
Jessica Tuchman Mathews
George Perkovich
Japan Chair for a World Without Nuclear Weapons, Senior Fellow
George Perkovich
with Alexis Orton
Middle EastIranIraqSecurityNuclear PolicyNuclear Energy

Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.

More Work from Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

  • Commentary
    Carnegie Politika
    Is There Really a Threat From China and Russia in Greenland?

    The supposed threats from China and Russia pose far less of a danger to both Greenland and the Arctic than the prospect of an unscrupulous takeover of the island.

      Andrei Dagaev

  • Assessing the International Legality of Nuclear Threats
    Paper
    ‘All Options Are on the Table’: Assessing the International Legality of Nuclear Threats

    There is an urgent need to strengthen the relevant international legal frameworks if they are to protect against threats to use nuclear weapons.

      Anna Hood, Monique Cormier

  • Police standing watch
    Commentary
    Emissary
    What’s Keeping the Iranian Regime in Power—for Now

    A conversation with Karim Sadjadpour and Robin Wright about the recent protests and where the Islamic Republic might go from here.

      Aaron David Miller, Karim Sadjadpour, Robin Wright

  • Commentary
    The Middle East’s Promising Gen Z

    Fifteen years after the Arab uprisings, a new generation is mobilizing behind an inclusive growth model, and has the technical savvy to lead an economic transformation that works for all.

      Jihad Azour

  • Commentary
    Carnegie Politika
    Has Trump the Destroyer Eclipsed Putin the Destroyer?

    Unexpectedly, Trump’s America appears to have replaced Putin’s Russia’s as the world’s biggest disruptor.

      Alexander Baunov

Get more news and analysis from
Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
Carnegie global logo, stacked
1779 Massachusetts Avenue NWWashington, DC, 20036-2103Phone: 202 483 7600Fax: 202 483 1840
  • Research
  • Emissary
  • About
  • Experts
  • Donate
  • Programs
  • Events
  • Blogs
  • Podcasts
  • Contact
  • Annual Reports
  • Careers
  • Privacy
  • For Media
  • Government Resources
Get more news and analysis from
Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
© 2026 Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. All rights reserved.