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CNN Live At Daybreak

Timeline Facing Saddam Hussein

Aired March 05, 2003 - 05:02   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.


CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: OK, let's get right to the situation with Iraq and the time line facing Saddam Hussein. Today, the Organization of Islamic Conference is meeting in emergency session in Doha, Qatar. The 56 member organization will try to find a way to avoid war. On Friday, U.N. chief weapons inspector Hans Blix makes his next and perhaps pivotal report to the Security Council. And then on Monday or Tuesday, the U.N. Security Council could vote on that U.S. resolution that might lead to war.
So the big question, what kind of time line is the United States working on for a possible attack?

CNN White House correspondent Chris Burns has more for you.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRIS BURNS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): If it isn't a war ultimatum yet, it's increasingly looking like one, both for Saddam Hussein and for the United Nations.

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.

BURNS: The Bush administration still working the diplomatic window, though working, too, as if it's about to slam that window shut.

COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: We're not talking a long period of time. I don't want to get pinned down on days or weeks or a week, but certainly I think next week we would have to give very serious consideration as to what the next step should be.

BURNS: Despite Iraq's destruction of Al Samoud missiles, the White House lists tons of anthrax, nerve agents and munitions it says Iraq has yet to account for. The administration continues lobbying for another U.N. Security Council resolution authorizing war and waiting to see what Chief weapons inspector Hans Blix reports Friday. But White House officials say they would likely avoid a vote if they still risk a veto by permanent members France, China or Russia. The administration contends existing Resolution 1441 is enough to justify military action against Baghdad.

So when an ultimatum for Saddam Hussein? ARI FLEISCHER, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: I think it's too soon to say. The president continues to hope, one, that this can be settled peacefully, but, two, let's see what the outcome is up in New York. Let's see what happens in the Blix report. Let's see what happens after a second vote takes place.

BURNS: Meanwhile, the president is to meet in Washington this week with General Tommy Franks, who would lead a war against Iraq. Military planners say they can attack with or without a Turkish-based U.S. force.

(on camera): President Bush also plans to meet with an envoy of Pope John Paul II, who argues that a war isn't morally justified. The administration argues that in this case, it is.

Chris Burns, CNN, the White House.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: And we'll get more on that Vatican envoy and the latest administration view of Iraq in the next hour of DAYBREAK when we place a wake up call to our State Department producer, Elise Labott. And, of course, you can track the latest with Iraq on our Web site. Be up to date. All you have to do is click onto cnn.com, AOL keyword: CNN.

Our Brent Sadler has been in northern Iraq. That's the part of Iraq governed by the ethnic Kurdish people.

Brent tells us there are definitely signs that something is happening there.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRENT SADLER, NBC CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): For most Kurds in northern Iraq, it's not a case of if but when a war with Saddam Hussein should start. Especially for these Kurds in the now tranquil town of Harir. But that could soon change as attention focuses on this air field close by. Kurdish forces sealed off this area a month ago. But the activity here has turned into an open secret.

"You'll know if the Americans will land here before we do," says this guard. His men refuse to let us through. But even from afar, there's obvious sign of renovation in a region whose people have no aircraft.

(on camera): Even without bases in Turkey, U.S. ground forces can still build a northern front by dropping troops into the possible invasion zone, using landing strips in the Kurdish area. The one behind me was built by Saddam Hussein in the early 1980s. It has never been used, but it is long enough to take heavy military transport aircraft.

(voice-over): That's welcome news for Taha Ali (ph) and his friends in Harir. Taha hopes his failing garage business may pick up with American customers. "We would welcome them," he says. "We'd be happy."

If American troops can expect the red carpet treatment, the Turkish military cannot. In the street, there's already a rising tide of anger. These protesters cast the Turks as a villain, second only to Saddam Hussein for repressing Turkey's own Kurdish minority and now threatening to put a Turkish boot, claim the Kurds, on Iraqi Kurdish chests.

PRES. JALAL TALABANI, UNION OF KURDISTAN: You are here. I think you have seen the people who became very nervous, especially when they hear that the Turkish Army will come to destroy our democratic experiment.

SADLER: And there are other signs of strain. This is the end of the line for Turkish fuel tankers running an illicit oil trade from Saddam Hussein's controlled Iraq. Turkey cutting off a vital supply line into Kurdish held northern Iraq in a prelude to possible war. The last oil trucks heading home. Turkish suspicion and Kurdish mistrust dividing the two.

Brent Sadler, CNN, Zaco, in northern Iraq.

(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 March 5, 2003 - 05:02   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: OK, let's get right to the situation with Iraq and the time line facing Saddam Hussein. Today, the Organization of Islamic Conference is meeting in emergency session in Doha, Qatar. The 56 member organization will try to find a way to avoid war. On Friday, U.N. chief weapons inspector Hans Blix makes his next and perhaps pivotal report to the Security Council. And then on Monday or Tuesday, the U.N. Security Council could vote on that U.S. resolution that might lead to war.
So the big question, what kind of time line is the United States working on for a possible attack?

CNN White House correspondent Chris Burns has more for you.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRIS BURNS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): If it isn't a war ultimatum yet, it's increasingly looking like one, both for Saddam Hussein and for the United Nations.

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.

BURNS: The Bush administration still working the diplomatic window, though working, too, as if it's about to slam that window shut.

COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: We're not talking a long period of time. I don't want to get pinned down on days or weeks or a week, but certainly I think next week we would have to give very serious consideration as to what the next step should be.

BURNS: Despite Iraq's destruction of Al Samoud missiles, the White House lists tons of anthrax, nerve agents and munitions it says Iraq has yet to account for. The administration continues lobbying for another U.N. Security Council resolution authorizing war and waiting to see what Chief weapons inspector Hans Blix reports Friday. But White House officials say they would likely avoid a vote if they still risk a veto by permanent members France, China or Russia. The administration contends existing Resolution 1441 is enough to justify military action against Baghdad.

So when an ultimatum for Saddam Hussein? ARI FLEISCHER, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: I think it's too soon to say. The president continues to hope, one, that this can be settled peacefully, but, two, let's see what the outcome is up in New York. Let's see what happens in the Blix report. Let's see what happens after a second vote takes place.

BURNS: Meanwhile, the president is to meet in Washington this week with General Tommy Franks, who would lead a war against Iraq. Military planners say they can attack with or without a Turkish-based U.S. force.

(on camera): President Bush also plans to meet with an envoy of Pope John Paul II, who argues that a war isn't morally justified. The administration argues that in this case, it is.

Chris Burns, CNN, the White House.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: And we'll get more on that Vatican envoy and the latest administration view of Iraq in the next hour of DAYBREAK when we place a wake up call to our State Department producer, Elise Labott. And, of course, you can track the latest with Iraq on our Web site. Be up to date. All you have to do is click onto cnn.com, AOL keyword: CNN.

Our Brent Sadler has been in northern Iraq. That's the part of Iraq governed by the ethnic Kurdish people.

Brent tells us there are definitely signs that something is happening there.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRENT SADLER, NBC CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): For most Kurds in northern Iraq, it's not a case of if but when a war with Saddam Hussein should start. Especially for these Kurds in the now tranquil town of Harir. But that could soon change as attention focuses on this air field close by. Kurdish forces sealed off this area a month ago. But the activity here has turned into an open secret.

"You'll know if the Americans will land here before we do," says this guard. His men refuse to let us through. But even from afar, there's obvious sign of renovation in a region whose people have no aircraft.

(on camera): Even without bases in Turkey, U.S. ground forces can still build a northern front by dropping troops into the possible invasion zone, using landing strips in the Kurdish area. The one behind me was built by Saddam Hussein in the early 1980s. It has never been used, but it is long enough to take heavy military transport aircraft.

(voice-over): That's welcome news for Taha Ali (ph) and his friends in Harir. Taha hopes his failing garage business may pick up with American customers. "We would welcome them," he says. "We'd be happy."

If American troops can expect the red carpet treatment, the Turkish military cannot. In the street, there's already a rising tide of anger. These protesters cast the Turks as a villain, second only to Saddam Hussein for repressing Turkey's own Kurdish minority and now threatening to put a Turkish boot, claim the Kurds, on Iraqi Kurdish chests.

PRES. JALAL TALABANI, UNION OF KURDISTAN: You are here. I think you have seen the people who became very nervous, especially when they hear that the Turkish Army will come to destroy our democratic experiment.

SADLER: And there are other signs of strain. This is the end of the line for Turkish fuel tankers running an illicit oil trade from Saddam Hussein's controlled Iraq. Turkey cutting off a vital supply line into Kurdish held northern Iraq in a prelude to possible war. The last oil trucks heading home. Turkish suspicion and Kurdish mistrust dividing the two.

Brent Sadler, CNN, Zaco, in northern Iraq.

(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