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CNN Live At Daybreak
White House Dismisses Iraq Cooperation Pledge
Aired February 10, 2003 - 05:06 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.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: You heard what Robin mentioned what President Putin, the Russian leader, had to say. Well, despite that, President Bush remains adamant.
Here's CNN White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): At an annual Republican retreat, a message from President Bush to Saddam Hussein: Too little, too late.
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: He wants the world to think that hide and seek is a game that we should play, and it's over.
MALVEAUX: Iraq's renewed offer to more fully cooperate with weapons inspectors dismissed out of hand.
CONDOLEEZZA RICE, NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR: There is nothing in Resolution 1441 that talks about making a little bit of progress. There is nothing in 1441 that allows the Iraqis to sit there and meter out a little bit of cooperation here, a little bit of cooperation there, in order to deceive the world and to make the world think that they're trying to cooperate.
MALVEAUX: Another slap to the White House, reports of a possible plan by France and Germany to push for tougher inspections inside Iraq. A senior administration official said the mission of inspectors is not to negotiate, but to verify Saddam Hussein is disarming. U.S. officials now worry Security Council members are simply delaying making the tough decision of whether going to war is necessary.
COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: Everyone who voted for that resolution last November knew that this moment might come, and this is not the time to step back and ignore the fact that that moment is now upon us.
SEN. CARL LEVIN (D), MICHIGAN: We should not be treating the Security Council of the United Nations as though it's some kind of a stumbling block or a road block. We ought to look at that as an asset, a way to rally world opinion to try to get rid of the threat.
MALVEAUX: But Powell says war with Iraq can still be avoided. Americans don't agree. A new CNN/TIME poll shows most believe it's inevitable, from 63 percent in January to 75 percent now. But even so, most Americans don't believe Iraq poses an immediate threat to the U.S. Only 39 percent say yes, but 60 percent say no.
(on camera): President Bush and his top advisors say they'll wait until Friday, when U.N. weapons inspectors report their findings to the U.N. Security Council, before they make any final decisions. In the meantime, the president will meet with the leaders of Australia and Ecuador, and also visit with U.S. troops here to prepare the country for a possible war.
Suzanne Malveaux, CNN, the White House.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
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 February 10, 2003 - 05:06 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: You heard what Robin mentioned what President Putin, the Russian leader, had to say. Well, despite that, President Bush remains adamant.
Here's CNN White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): At an annual Republican retreat, a message from President Bush to Saddam Hussein: Too little, too late.
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: He wants the world to think that hide and seek is a game that we should play, and it's over.
MALVEAUX: Iraq's renewed offer to more fully cooperate with weapons inspectors dismissed out of hand.
CONDOLEEZZA RICE, NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR: There is nothing in Resolution 1441 that talks about making a little bit of progress. There is nothing in 1441 that allows the Iraqis to sit there and meter out a little bit of cooperation here, a little bit of cooperation there, in order to deceive the world and to make the world think that they're trying to cooperate.
MALVEAUX: Another slap to the White House, reports of a possible plan by France and Germany to push for tougher inspections inside Iraq. A senior administration official said the mission of inspectors is not to negotiate, but to verify Saddam Hussein is disarming. U.S. officials now worry Security Council members are simply delaying making the tough decision of whether going to war is necessary.
COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: Everyone who voted for that resolution last November knew that this moment might come, and this is not the time to step back and ignore the fact that that moment is now upon us.
SEN. CARL LEVIN (D), MICHIGAN: We should not be treating the Security Council of the United Nations as though it's some kind of a stumbling block or a road block. We ought to look at that as an asset, a way to rally world opinion to try to get rid of the threat.
MALVEAUX: But Powell says war with Iraq can still be avoided. Americans don't agree. A new CNN/TIME poll shows most believe it's inevitable, from 63 percent in January to 75 percent now. But even so, most Americans don't believe Iraq poses an immediate threat to the U.S. Only 39 percent say yes, but 60 percent say no.
(on camera): President Bush and his top advisors say they'll wait until Friday, when U.N. weapons inspectors report their findings to the U.N. Security Council, before they make any final decisions. In the meantime, the president will meet with the leaders of Australia and Ecuador, and also visit with U.S. troops here to prepare the country for a possible war.
Suzanne Malveaux, CNN, the White House.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
