Lonely Holiday for American Arms Inspector
B A G H D A D, Iraq, Dec. 24 -- On the job, U.N. weapons inspector Kay Mareish comes off as brisk, focused and tough. While conducting inspections, she is often the only woman — and she is unquestionably in charge.
Her demeanor changes completely, however, when you ask about her 7-year-old daughter.
"Sarah is a beautiful princess," Mareish gushes, "with the greatest eyes that God created and the greatest smile that I ever saw in my life."
Mareish hasn't seen her daughter or her husband since Dec. 5, when she left her home in Leesburg, Va., to come to Iraq.
She admits to missing her family so much that, some days, she cries. But as the United Nation's chief biological inspector — whose job it is to find secret Iraq bioweapons programs — Mareish doesn't get that much time for reflection.
At work by 7 a.m., Mareish leads inspections at factories, hospitals and laboratories across the country. After a quick dinner at the U.N. compound in Baghdad, Mareish and the 23 members of her team get back to work — writing reports and planning for the next day's inspections. She usually doesn't head back to her hotel until 10 p.m.
Scientifically Speaking
Thus far, she says she's developed a good working relationship with the Iraqis, who have not obstructed her work. "I get to see every room that I want," she said. "Every closet, every refrigerator, every freezer. I talk to every person I could meet in that building, from the directors to the head of departments to the technicians running equipment in the laboratory."
Mereish was raised overseas, and moved to the United States for college. She became an American citizen, and went to work as a scientist for the U.S. Army and the State Department. As someone with experience in Iraq — she was one of the original weapons inspectors in the 1990s — she casts some doubt on the plan, popular in Washington, to take Iraqi scientists out of the country for questioning.
While many U.S. officials say removing scientists and their families is the best way to expose Iraq's weapons secrets, Mareish isn't so sure the scientists themselves will go along.
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