In an unclassified report to Congress in February 2001, “The CIA had concluded in 2000 that ‘we do not have any direct evidence’ that Iraq had reconstituted its WMD programs, ‘although given its past behavior this type of activity must be regarded as likely.’ Baghdad ‘has had the capability to reinitiate’ both chemical and biological weapons programs, the agency assessed, but ‘without an inspection monitoring program…it is more difficult to determine if Iraq has done so.’ It also reported that ‘low-level theoretical R&D [research and development]’ on a nuclear program had ‘probably continued,’ although ‘a sufficient source of fissile material remains Iraq’s most significant obstacle to being able to produce a nuclear weapon.’ “ [The 15th of the month used for date sorting purposes only.]
– Karen DeYoung, Soldier: The Life of Colin Powell, Page 422