On 9 September 2002 the International Institute for Strategic Studies published Iraq's Weapons of Mass Destruction: A Net Assessment. This IISS 'Strategic Dossier' was widely publicised and cited in the intense debate leading up to the spring 2003 invasion of Iraq. In light of subsequent controversy about the failure to find weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, and to improve the Institute's ability to conduct such exercises in the future, the IISS invited Rolf Ekeus, former Executive Chairman of the UN Special Commission (UNSCOM) for Iraqi disarmament, to undertake an independent assessment of the analysis and conclusions contained in the dossier. In order to ensure the independence of Rolf Ekeus's assessment, neither the IISS Director, John Chipman, who was in overall charge of the IISS Strategic Dossier, nor Gary Samore, its principal editor, have had any involvement in the editorial process leading to the publication of this article.