The United States and the UK asserted that Saddam Hussein still possessed large hidden stockpiles of WMD in 2003, and that he was clandestinely procuring and producing more.

Many nations possess vast stockpiles of weaponized agents in preparation for wartime use.

In his presentation to the United Nations Security Council last Feb. 5, for example, Mr. Powell described the evidence that Iraq possessed illicit stockpiles as reflecting facts and not allegations.

Let's face it, it would have taken an overwhelming body of evidence for any reasonable person in 2002 to think that Saddam Hussein did not possess stockpiles of chemical and biological agents.

In its current form, the report reaffirms previous interim findings that there is no evidence that Iraq possessed stockpiles of illicit weapons at the time of the American invasion in March 2003, the officials said.

Additionally, it is possible that Egypt may possess limited stockpiles of chemical bombs, rockets and shells.

Few doubt that Japan possesses large stockpiles of plutonium for its breeder reactor experiments and could assemble a weapon rapidly if it ever developed the political will to do so.

Mr. Rumsfeld sought to play down Dr. Kay's view that "we were all wrong, probably" in believing that Iraq possessed large stockpiles of illicit weapons before the war.

Ratification has not been universal, and those states that do not currently intend to ratify the treaty possess large stockpiles of anti-personnel mines.

It has long been apparent that Iraq did not possess the chemical and biological stockpiles and revived nuclear program that the United States had claimed.