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CNN Live At Daybreak
Wake-Up Call: Showdown Iraq
Aired February 17, 2003 - 06:35 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: Now we want to get you up-to-date on events surrounding a possible war with Iraq. The U.S. and Britain are now working on a number of versions of a second U.N. resolution. A top British official says the resolution would authorize the use of force if Iraq doesnt disarm.
And a stalemate has been broken among the NATO countries, allowing defensive preparations for Turkey in the case of a war with Iraq.
To get the very latest on U.S. moves involving Iraq, we've put in a "Wake-Up Call" to our White House correspondent, Dana Bash.
Good morning -- Dana.
DANA BASH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning from snowy Washington, Carol.
COSTELLO: Oh, I know. I hope you're warm.
Hey, let's talk about this second U.N. resolution and what it might say.
BASH: Well, what it might say -- they're actually probably working on that as we speak, or maybe we'll give them a couple of hours. But what U.S. and British officials say that they're trying to do is come up with language that makes perfectly clear that Iraq did not comply with the first resolution that said that if they didn't disarm that there would be serious consequences. And of course, serious consequences is code for military action.
So, they're trying to find, at this point, language that they think that can actually get through the Security Council. Of course, they have to get it through so that there aren't any vetoes. Five members of the Security Council can veto any resolution.
COSTELLO: I want to interrupt you for a moment...
BASH: Yes.
COSTELLO: ... to ask you about this. There were massive demonstrations overseas and here in this country.
BASH: Yes.
COSTELLO: Might that affect the way the resolution is worded? Because there must be immense political pressure on Tony Blair because of the massive demonstrations in England.
BASH: It might. You know, that is the key. The key is to be able to get something through, to word something so that it gets through the Security Council. And clearly, these demonstrations were massive. I mean, there were so many people protesting, and it's hard to imagine that it won't have an impact.
However, you know, at least here at the White House, what they're saying is that everybody is right to protest, but that they believe that they are going to do what's right, and if they can't get something through the Security Council, they can't get a second resolution through, they are still saying that they will go it not alone, but they say with this coalition of the willing that they have if they feel that it's necessary to disarm Saddam Hussein with military force.
COSTELLO: Right. Sort of like, you know, we've tried everything, but now we have to act how we feel is best.
BASH: Exactly.
COSTELLO: Dana Bash, thanks very much for waking up early with DAYBREAK.
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 17, 2003 - 06:35 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Now we want to get you up-to-date on events surrounding a possible war with Iraq. The U.S. and Britain are now working on a number of versions of a second U.N. resolution. A top British official says the resolution would authorize the use of force if Iraq doesnt disarm.
And a stalemate has been broken among the NATO countries, allowing defensive preparations for Turkey in the case of a war with Iraq.
To get the very latest on U.S. moves involving Iraq, we've put in a "Wake-Up Call" to our White House correspondent, Dana Bash.
Good morning -- Dana.
DANA BASH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning from snowy Washington, Carol.
COSTELLO: Oh, I know. I hope you're warm.
Hey, let's talk about this second U.N. resolution and what it might say.
BASH: Well, what it might say -- they're actually probably working on that as we speak, or maybe we'll give them a couple of hours. But what U.S. and British officials say that they're trying to do is come up with language that makes perfectly clear that Iraq did not comply with the first resolution that said that if they didn't disarm that there would be serious consequences. And of course, serious consequences is code for military action.
So, they're trying to find, at this point, language that they think that can actually get through the Security Council. Of course, they have to get it through so that there aren't any vetoes. Five members of the Security Council can veto any resolution.
COSTELLO: I want to interrupt you for a moment...
BASH: Yes.
COSTELLO: ... to ask you about this. There were massive demonstrations overseas and here in this country.
BASH: Yes.
COSTELLO: Might that affect the way the resolution is worded? Because there must be immense political pressure on Tony Blair because of the massive demonstrations in England.
BASH: It might. You know, that is the key. The key is to be able to get something through, to word something so that it gets through the Security Council. And clearly, these demonstrations were massive. I mean, there were so many people protesting, and it's hard to imagine that it won't have an impact.
However, you know, at least here at the White House, what they're saying is that everybody is right to protest, but that they believe that they are going to do what's right, and if they can't get something through the Security Council, they can't get a second resolution through, they are still saying that they will go it not alone, but they say with this coalition of the willing that they have if they feel that it's necessary to disarm Saddam Hussein with military force.
COSTELLO: Right. Sort of like, you know, we've tried everything, but now we have to act how we feel is best.
BASH: Exactly.
COSTELLO: Dana Bash, thanks very much for waking up early with DAYBREAK.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
