From the first day it possessed nuclear weapons, China has solemnly declared its determination not to be the first to use such weapons at any time and in any circumstances, and later undertook unconditionally not to use or threaten to use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear-weapon states or nuclear-weapon-free zones.
The BBC's Middle East Editor Jeremy Bowen says many will ask why the government would want to use such weapons at a time when inspectors are in the country and the military has been doing well militarily in the area around Damascus.
While this turned out to be a much smaller theme during the war than we might have expected beforehand, we found that all four channels were much more likely to report speculation that implied Iraq might use such weapons than to cast doubt on their possible use.
In a speech which overran his five-minute slot by half an hour, he declared: "Regrettably, the government of the US has not only used nuclear weapons, but also continues to threaten to use such weapons against other countries, including Iran".
A part of an American draft resolution, for instance, calls for nuclear-armed states to vow never to use such weapons against non-nuclear states.
Because many countries retained the right to use such weapons in a retaliatory strike, the Geneva Protocol came to be seen as a broader and more effective agreement that included prohibitions of using such weapons in a first strike.
Mr. Bush has specifically warned against that, and openly encouraged Iraqi generals not to act on any instructions from Mr. Hussein to use such weapons against American troops, Israel or other neighbors.
For example, as part of an effort in 1995 to get nations without nuclear weapons to swear off acquiring them, the United States and four other nuclear powers pledged never to use such weapons against a treaty signatory -- unless they were attacked by a nonnuclear treaty member allied with a nuclear state.
The proliferation of WMD to irrational tyrants with demonstrable aggressive designs on neighbouring states, and a willingness to use such weapons, is an appalling prospect.
"To use such weapons in jihad would be un-Islamic," he said, pointing his finger.
