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CNN Live Saturday
Bush Administration Monitors Developments in Iraq, Middle East
Aired September 21, 2002 - 17:02 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
RENAY SAN MIGUEL, CNN ANCHOR: Turning now to the latest on Iraq, Baghdad says it will not accept a new United Nations resolution that would differ from an earlier agreement made with Secretary General Kofi Annan. For reaction from the Bush administration, we are joined by our White House correspondent, Suzanne Malveaux -- Suzanne.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, CNN has learned from two administration officials that President Bush earlier this month received a detailed war plan against Iraq, that it's a plan that was drafted by General Tommy Franks, who is the head of the U.S. Central Command, that it was presented through the Pentagon. We are told that it is a plan, not the plan. It still requires some refining. But we have been told that it's on the president's desk. He has yet to make a decision whether or not this plan is even going to be necessary. But in the meantime, the administration keeping a close eye on Saddam and his latest act of defiance.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice-over): Saddam Hussein meets with his top aides and then releases a short but defiant statement. "Iraq will not cooperate with the new resolution, which is different from what has been agreed upon with the U.N. secretary-general." Under that agreement, weapons inspectors were barred from entering certain sites without special permission, had to announce their arrival at palaces, and be accompanied by diplomats as they went along.
The condition so frustrated U.N. inspectors' efforts, they eventually pulled out of Baghdad, cleared the way for U.S. and British forces to deliver punishing air strikes.
Just days ago, it appeared Iraq was bowing to world pressure to accept weapons inspections unconditionally. But now an apparent about-face. A Saddam move President Bush and his top advisers say they expected all along.
DONALD RUMSFELD, DEFENSE SECRETARY: Anyone who has watched the past decade has seen the Iraqi government defy some 16 U.N. resolutions and change their position depending on what they thought was tactically advantageous to them, and kind of jerked the United Nations around. So it is no surprise at all.
MALVEAUX: General Tommy Franks, head of the U.S. Central Command, readies the U.S. troops for a possible military confrontation with Saddam. Sources say the administration's war plan is complete, but not finalized. No decision yet by Mr. Bush on whether it will be used. But White House aides say Saddam's defiance only bolsters the U.S. case to go in.
GEN. TOMMY FRANKS, HEAD OF U.S. CENTRAL COMMAND: We're prepared to undertake whatever -- whatever activities and whatever actions we may be directed to take by our nation. We're prepared -- we're prepared to do whatever we're asked to do.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MALVEAUX: And the White House also closely monitoring the situation out of Israel. White House officials quietly urging Israel to exercise some restraint. The real concern here is that the issue is going to become Yasser Arafat again instead of the progress that has been made for its Middle East peace. Also, the concern as well that U.S. allies will take their focus off of Iraq, an issue the administration sees as equally important, and go ahead and look at the Middle East peace process instead -- Renay.
SAN MIGUEL: Suzanne Malveaux, reporting from the White House. Thank you very much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
East>
Aired September 21, 2002 - 17:02 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
RENAY SAN MIGUEL, CNN ANCHOR: Turning now to the latest on Iraq, Baghdad says it will not accept a new United Nations resolution that would differ from an earlier agreement made with Secretary General Kofi Annan. For reaction from the Bush administration, we are joined by our White House correspondent, Suzanne Malveaux -- Suzanne.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, CNN has learned from two administration officials that President Bush earlier this month received a detailed war plan against Iraq, that it's a plan that was drafted by General Tommy Franks, who is the head of the U.S. Central Command, that it was presented through the Pentagon. We are told that it is a plan, not the plan. It still requires some refining. But we have been told that it's on the president's desk. He has yet to make a decision whether or not this plan is even going to be necessary. But in the meantime, the administration keeping a close eye on Saddam and his latest act of defiance.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice-over): Saddam Hussein meets with his top aides and then releases a short but defiant statement. "Iraq will not cooperate with the new resolution, which is different from what has been agreed upon with the U.N. secretary-general." Under that agreement, weapons inspectors were barred from entering certain sites without special permission, had to announce their arrival at palaces, and be accompanied by diplomats as they went along.
The condition so frustrated U.N. inspectors' efforts, they eventually pulled out of Baghdad, cleared the way for U.S. and British forces to deliver punishing air strikes.
Just days ago, it appeared Iraq was bowing to world pressure to accept weapons inspections unconditionally. But now an apparent about-face. A Saddam move President Bush and his top advisers say they expected all along.
DONALD RUMSFELD, DEFENSE SECRETARY: Anyone who has watched the past decade has seen the Iraqi government defy some 16 U.N. resolutions and change their position depending on what they thought was tactically advantageous to them, and kind of jerked the United Nations around. So it is no surprise at all.
MALVEAUX: General Tommy Franks, head of the U.S. Central Command, readies the U.S. troops for a possible military confrontation with Saddam. Sources say the administration's war plan is complete, but not finalized. No decision yet by Mr. Bush on whether it will be used. But White House aides say Saddam's defiance only bolsters the U.S. case to go in.
GEN. TOMMY FRANKS, HEAD OF U.S. CENTRAL COMMAND: We're prepared to undertake whatever -- whatever activities and whatever actions we may be directed to take by our nation. We're prepared -- we're prepared to do whatever we're asked to do.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MALVEAUX: And the White House also closely monitoring the situation out of Israel. White House officials quietly urging Israel to exercise some restraint. The real concern here is that the issue is going to become Yasser Arafat again instead of the progress that has been made for its Middle East peace. Also, the concern as well that U.S. allies will take their focus off of Iraq, an issue the administration sees as equally important, and go ahead and look at the Middle East peace process instead -- Renay.
SAN MIGUEL: Suzanne Malveaux, reporting from the White House. Thank you very much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
East>
