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The Standoff with Iraq

Iraq stymies U.S.-led inspection team again

American Scott Ritter, left, leads the weapons inspection team blocked by Iraq

CNN's Ben Wedeman in Baghdad On the scene at UNSCOM headquarters: AIFF or WAV (309 K / 28 sec. audio) On Monday's activity and Ritter's mission: AIFF or WAV (289 K / 27 sec. audio) On Butler's visit and prospects for a solution: AIFF or WAV (421 K / 39 sec. audio)

January 14, 1998
Web posted at: 2:47 a.m. EST (0747 GMT)

BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- For a second day, Iraq has blocked a U.S.-led weapons inspection team from doing its job.

United Nations weapons inspector Scott Ritter, an American, said his team was unable to begin weapon site inspections on Wednesday. Ritter said the team was unable to leave the area of the U.N. headquarters since Iraqi authorities did not provide escorts to accompany them to the inspection sites.

"Once again I had to postpone the inspection because the Iraqi officials did not show up, and I will report this to the executive chairman," Ritter told reporters.

Iraq used the same bureaucratic ploy Tuesday to prevent the U.S.-led arms inspection team from doing its job. The move drew new warnings from Washington that it will not tolerate interference in the U.N. program to find Iraq's hidden weapons.

Ritter was ready and waiting Tuesday at U.N. headquarters in Baghdad. Iraq's National Monitoring Directorate had been told on Tuesday night that his team would be waiting outside U.N. headquarters in Baghdad at 9 a.m. (0600 GMT) on Wednesday to begin work, Ritter told reporters.

Other inspections teams did go out and conducted business as usual.

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