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CNN Live At Daybreak

Wake-Up Call: Timetable for War?

Aired March 06, 2003 - 06:32   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 White House says President Bush has talked with congressional leaders about a timetable for going to war, but it is giving no specifics.
Let's talk more about when a war might start. A lot of war talk in Washington this week, a good topic for a "Wake-Up Call."

Our White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux is on the phone with us right now.

Good morning -- Suzanne.

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

COSTELLO: The president met with General Tommy Franks on Wednesday, and you'd have to guess they did talk about a date for starting war. What do you think they said?

MALVEAUX: Well, here's what it looks like. I mean, once the president gives the A-OK, then they can start anywhere from 72 hours -- I mean, just within days of the president giving the order.

Something interesting you mentioned about the British prime minister offering this alternative. It really wouldn’t give that much more time for Saddam Hussein. I mean, we're talking anywhere from 72 hours to about a week after that resolution was passed before they would give an ultimatum to Saddam Hussein, and then...

COSTELLO: But still, Suzanne, it seems like the compromise, might it sway nations who just aren't sure whether to go with the United States and Britain?

MALVEAUX: Sure. It offers just a little bit more time, but I guess perhaps what's more important is the political cover that it gives a lot of those nations to show that they are not in a rush to war.

But the timetable you're looking at, of course, tomorrow is really critical, the Blix report.

And then following that, really depending on what the Blix report says, you're looking at a call for a vote some time next week. It could be as early as Monday or Tuesday. And even if they don't feel like they have the support, they may just decide that the resolution would just simply languish and move forward without it. So, you're looking at some time, the timetable being next week when the president would make that decision of whether or not to move forward without the U.N. Security Council and whether or not they would be ready to go to war.

COSTELLO: It will be an interesting next couple of days. 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 6, 2003 - 06:32   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: The White House says President Bush has talked with congressional leaders about a timetable for going to war, but it is giving no specifics.
Let's talk more about when a war might start. A lot of war talk in Washington this week, a good topic for a "Wake-Up Call."

Our White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux is on the phone with us right now.

Good morning -- Suzanne.

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

COSTELLO: The president met with General Tommy Franks on Wednesday, and you'd have to guess they did talk about a date for starting war. What do you think they said?

MALVEAUX: Well, here's what it looks like. I mean, once the president gives the A-OK, then they can start anywhere from 72 hours -- I mean, just within days of the president giving the order.

Something interesting you mentioned about the British prime minister offering this alternative. It really wouldn’t give that much more time for Saddam Hussein. I mean, we're talking anywhere from 72 hours to about a week after that resolution was passed before they would give an ultimatum to Saddam Hussein, and then...

COSTELLO: But still, Suzanne, it seems like the compromise, might it sway nations who just aren't sure whether to go with the United States and Britain?

MALVEAUX: Sure. It offers just a little bit more time, but I guess perhaps what's more important is the political cover that it gives a lot of those nations to show that they are not in a rush to war.

But the timetable you're looking at, of course, tomorrow is really critical, the Blix report.

And then following that, really depending on what the Blix report says, you're looking at a call for a vote some time next week. It could be as early as Monday or Tuesday. And even if they don't feel like they have the support, they may just decide that the resolution would just simply languish and move forward without it. So, you're looking at some time, the timetable being next week when the president would make that decision of whether or not to move forward without the U.N. Security Council and whether or not they would be ready to go to war.

COSTELLO: It will be an interesting next couple of days. 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.