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CNN Live At Daybreak

Wake-Up Call: Ultimatum for Saddam Hussein

Aired March 05, 2003 - 06:04   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: The Bush administration is working the diplomatic front, hoping to guarantee a unity amongst Security Council members.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I went to the United Nations to remind them that that body has a responsibility to make sure its words mean something. I reminded them that for 12 long years, the United Nations has asked Saddam to disarm because he's dangerous.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: So, let's talk more about the Security Council vote. Will the United States push for a vote or withdraw the resolution? And what about an ultimatum for Saddam? Good topics for a "Wake-Up Call."

Our White House correspondent, Suzanne Malveaux, on the phone from Washington.

Good morning.

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.

COSTELLO: Hey, let's talk about the ultimatum first of all. What is it?

MALVEAUX: Well, sure. You know, the president has a very busy schedule today, and one of the things that he is going to be dealing with is in the National Security Council meeting, there is this idea being floated now, and from General Tommy Franks and others at the Pentagon, that they might consider issuing a possible ultimatum to Saddam Hussein, what he must do to avoid a war. Kind of a last chance here.

But not only sending a signal to Saddam, but also to the many people who are in Iraq at this time -- to journalists, inspectors, Iraqi citizens -- that, look, you know, you have 72 hours to get out of town, that this is going to be imminent once this warning is issued. That is just one of the possible things that they are considering.

COSTELLO: Gotcha. So, let's talk about this imminent war possibly. You talked about a meeting between President Bush and General Tommy Franks. Talk more about that.

MALVEAUX: Well, the president is going to be not only meeting with Tommy Franks, but also with the National Security Council, and that's really a team of his closest and top advisors dealing with the military as well as political strategy. And they're going to be talking about the resolution, the need to push forward with that, and of course, making the decision on whether or not they will withdraw that resolution if they don't have that kind of support.

What is interesting, Carol, is that the president not only meeting with those that he normally meets with, his close circle, but also today, later he's going to be meeting with an envoy at the Vatican, Cardinal Laghi, who will be delivering a message from the pope that war is neither legally or morally justified.

The president feels very different about that, sees it as a different issue, and does see it as a morally justified war if it's decided that that's the route that he's going to go.

COSTELLO: Yes.

MALVEAUX: We had heard that the president for months now saying that it's America's duty to bring God's gift of liberty to the world. So that is going to be very interesting to see what comes out of that meeting.

COSTELLO: And I know you'll be covering that on all fronts. Suzanne Malveaux, thanks 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 March 5, 2003 - 06:04   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: The Bush administration is working the diplomatic front, hoping to guarantee a unity amongst Security Council members.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I went to the United Nations to remind them that that body has a responsibility to make sure its words mean something. I reminded them that for 12 long years, the United Nations has asked Saddam to disarm because he's dangerous.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: So, let's talk more about the Security Council vote. Will the United States push for a vote or withdraw the resolution? And what about an ultimatum for Saddam? Good topics for a "Wake-Up Call."

Our White House correspondent, Suzanne Malveaux, on the phone from Washington.

Good morning.

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.

COSTELLO: Hey, let's talk about the ultimatum first of all. What is it?

MALVEAUX: Well, sure. You know, the president has a very busy schedule today, and one of the things that he is going to be dealing with is in the National Security Council meeting, there is this idea being floated now, and from General Tommy Franks and others at the Pentagon, that they might consider issuing a possible ultimatum to Saddam Hussein, what he must do to avoid a war. Kind of a last chance here.

But not only sending a signal to Saddam, but also to the many people who are in Iraq at this time -- to journalists, inspectors, Iraqi citizens -- that, look, you know, you have 72 hours to get out of town, that this is going to be imminent once this warning is issued. That is just one of the possible things that they are considering.

COSTELLO: Gotcha. So, let's talk about this imminent war possibly. You talked about a meeting between President Bush and General Tommy Franks. Talk more about that.

MALVEAUX: Well, the president is going to be not only meeting with Tommy Franks, but also with the National Security Council, and that's really a team of his closest and top advisors dealing with the military as well as political strategy. And they're going to be talking about the resolution, the need to push forward with that, and of course, making the decision on whether or not they will withdraw that resolution if they don't have that kind of support.

What is interesting, Carol, is that the president not only meeting with those that he normally meets with, his close circle, but also today, later he's going to be meeting with an envoy at the Vatican, Cardinal Laghi, who will be delivering a message from the pope that war is neither legally or morally justified.

The president feels very different about that, sees it as a different issue, and does see it as a morally justified war if it's decided that that's the route that he's going to go.

COSTELLO: Yes.

MALVEAUX: We had heard that the president for months now saying that it's America's duty to bring God's gift of liberty to the world. So that is going to be very interesting to see what comes out of that meeting.

COSTELLO: And I know you'll be covering that on all fronts. Suzanne Malveaux, thanks 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.