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CNN Live Today

High Stakes

Aired January 14, 2003 - 11:26   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.


DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: We want to continue our coverage right now of the comments coming out of the United Nations with Kofi Annan. We want to go to the White House, and John King standing by with more on that.
John, hello.

JOHN KING, CNN SR. WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Hello to you, Daryn.

The White House, obviously, has a keen interest in whatever the secretary general of the United Nations says. Obviously, though, no surprise that Kofi Annan, being a diplomat and the world's leading diplomat, you might say, from his position, is urging a go-slow cautious approach to the whole standoff with Iraq, and North Korea, as well.

Here at the White House, Ari Fleischer briefing us a short time ago. He says, on the one hand, the president has no timetable for deciding how long the inspections should continue, when and whether it would become time to discuss possible military confrontation.

Yet on the other hand, Ari Fleischer also saying, time is running out, even though the president has no timetable. Mr. Fleischer also saying, time is running out, even though the president has no timetable. Mr. Fleischer saying, time is running out, but the inspectors cannot stay in Iraq forever if there is no proof that Saddam Hussein is cooperating -- the way Ari Fleischer put it is Saddam Hussein cannot be allowed to string the world along forever.

So there is deliberate ambiguity, if you will, from the White House, in part, because they're waiting to see what the inspectors say in the next report to the Security Council on January 27th, in part because the military preparations are still underway, escalating dramatically now as the troop build-up in the region continues, and in part because they simply don't want Saddam Hussein to know just what they're thinking on any given day here at the White House.

But you cannot sustain this military deployment much past the February, March timeframe, so the president does face a decision relatively soon. The White House just won't tell us exactly where it sees the line for the president to decide.

KAGAN: John, different part of the world, Poland. The polish president visiting with the president right now. What are the nature of those meetings? KING: Well, a different part of the world, but the same subjects. The poles have said for quite sometime now that they would be willing to help the United States if there is any kind of a confrontation with Iraq. President Alexander Kwasnieski arriving here at the White House a short time ago. He is in with Mr. Bush right now, discussing the U.S., Polish alliance. Poland recently purchased F-16s from the United States. Poland Could provide some help, not direct military assistance, but perhaps use of airspace, use of its bases for staging, if necessary, in any confrontation with Iraq, and certainly any country that would join what the president calls the coalition of the wilding would give the president symbolic support to say this is not simply a United States military confrontation, if it comes to that.

The two leaders meeting now. We might hear the president's view on the latest on both the Iraq and North Korea situations. Reporters will be allowed in for a brief part of that meeting. We'll see if the president will take some question.

KAGAN: We will look forward to that. John King at the White House. John, thank you.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com






Aired January 14, 2003 - 11:26   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: We want to continue our coverage right now of the comments coming out of the United Nations with Kofi Annan. We want to go to the White House, and John King standing by with more on that.
John, hello.

JOHN KING, CNN SR. WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Hello to you, Daryn.

The White House, obviously, has a keen interest in whatever the secretary general of the United Nations says. Obviously, though, no surprise that Kofi Annan, being a diplomat and the world's leading diplomat, you might say, from his position, is urging a go-slow cautious approach to the whole standoff with Iraq, and North Korea, as well.

Here at the White House, Ari Fleischer briefing us a short time ago. He says, on the one hand, the president has no timetable for deciding how long the inspections should continue, when and whether it would become time to discuss possible military confrontation.

Yet on the other hand, Ari Fleischer also saying, time is running out, even though the president has no timetable. Mr. Fleischer also saying, time is running out, even though the president has no timetable. Mr. Fleischer saying, time is running out, but the inspectors cannot stay in Iraq forever if there is no proof that Saddam Hussein is cooperating -- the way Ari Fleischer put it is Saddam Hussein cannot be allowed to string the world along forever.

So there is deliberate ambiguity, if you will, from the White House, in part, because they're waiting to see what the inspectors say in the next report to the Security Council on January 27th, in part because the military preparations are still underway, escalating dramatically now as the troop build-up in the region continues, and in part because they simply don't want Saddam Hussein to know just what they're thinking on any given day here at the White House.

But you cannot sustain this military deployment much past the February, March timeframe, so the president does face a decision relatively soon. The White House just won't tell us exactly where it sees the line for the president to decide.

KAGAN: John, different part of the world, Poland. The polish president visiting with the president right now. What are the nature of those meetings? KING: Well, a different part of the world, but the same subjects. The poles have said for quite sometime now that they would be willing to help the United States if there is any kind of a confrontation with Iraq. President Alexander Kwasnieski arriving here at the White House a short time ago. He is in with Mr. Bush right now, discussing the U.S., Polish alliance. Poland recently purchased F-16s from the United States. Poland Could provide some help, not direct military assistance, but perhaps use of airspace, use of its bases for staging, if necessary, in any confrontation with Iraq, and certainly any country that would join what the president calls the coalition of the wilding would give the president symbolic support to say this is not simply a United States military confrontation, if it comes to that.

The two leaders meeting now. We might hear the president's view on the latest on both the Iraq and North Korea situations. Reporters will be allowed in for a brief part of that meeting. We'll see if the president will take some question.

KAGAN: We will look forward to that. John King at the White House. John, thank you.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com