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American Morning
Intense Diplomatic Efforts Under Way Ahead of Critical U.N. Vote
Aired March 06, 2003 - 07:33 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.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Intense diplomatic efforts under way ahead of a critical U.N. vote, possibly as early as next week. Meanwhile, the Pentagon reports it is ready for war with Iraq if ordered to go.
We have two reports for you this morning, from Suzanne Malveaux standing by at the White House, Nic Robertson joins us from Baghdad.
We're going to get started with Suzanne this morning -- good morning, Suzanne.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, good morning, Paula.
Secretary of State Colin Powell is going to be engaged in eleventh hour diplomacy, still trying to convince those U.N. Security Council members to vote for the resolution. But as you said, military planners told the president yesterday that the country is ready for war. They just need his signature, the go ahead.
Here is a possible scenario, a timetable that we're looking at. Tomorrow, Friday, Blix is going to present his critical report on Iraqi disarmament, on the state of inspections. In the following days, the administration would decide on when that vote would take place, possibly as early as Monday or Tuesday. And then in the following days, the president is expected to make that decision whether or not the country will go to war.
White House Spokesman Ari Fleischer saying if the president does decide that, that he will address the American people. There will be a 72 hour window to warn people to get out of the country.
Now, Paula, I should say that there are two scenarios that could change this timetable. First, if the administration doesn't believe it has the votes for that resolution, it could move the timetable up. Or, British Prime Minister Tony Blair's amended resolution, if that passes, it actually could move it back a little bit, but not by much, maybe 72 hours to a week.
But having said all this, the administration says the president has not yet decided whether or not to go to war -- Paula.
ZAHN: Suzanne Malveaux, thanks for that update.
Back to Nic Robertson now in Baghdad -- good morning, Nic.
MALVEAUX: Good morning, Paula. We're learning from diplomatic sources that over the next few days, U.N. workers that had three months ago numbered 900 in this country will be down to just 45 workers, 855 will have left over the last few months until a few day's time, we are told. That's from diplomatic sources.
Also, we're seeing today a number of Russian workers leaving Iraq. We understand from diplomatic sources, again, that not only have dependents of Russian diplomats here left over last weekend, but now a number of Russian workers, and there have been several hundreds working around the country. They also are leaving.
Iraqi officials today saying six more of Iraq's Al Samoud 2 missiles are being destroyed. We had heard from President Saddam Hussein for the first time on Iraqi television last night, talking about the destruction of the Al Samoud missiles. He was giving a morale boosting speech to military commanders. In that speech he said that the destruction of the Al Samouds would not affect the morale of the country.
He also talked about or appeared to talk about, at least, the U.S. fleet that's building in the Persian Gulf. He talked about ships that had nine floors that could deliver 20,000 meals a day, but he said where are the wheels on these ships? How will they get to Baghdad? He told his officers that the battle for Iraq would only be won by soldiers on the ground and he warned the United States to look at its history in Vietnam.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PRES. SADDAM HUSSEIN, IRAQ: They should take Vietnam into account when planning their Iraq strategy, why and how they were defeated there. They have not achieved any of their aims with their panicked policies, not in Afghanistan, although there is a difference between us and Afghanistan, with due respect to Afghanistan as a warrior nation.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTSON: Indeed, headlines in the newspapers today following that up, saying that Iraq's deserts will be turned into graveyards for the invaders -- Paula.
ZAHN: Well, we're going to have to leave it there this morning.
Thanks, Nic.
Nic Robertson reporting live from Baghdad for us.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
U.N. Vote>
Aired March 6, 2003 - 07:33 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Intense diplomatic efforts under way ahead of a critical U.N. vote, possibly as early as next week. Meanwhile, the Pentagon reports it is ready for war with Iraq if ordered to go.
We have two reports for you this morning, from Suzanne Malveaux standing by at the White House, Nic Robertson joins us from Baghdad.
We're going to get started with Suzanne this morning -- good morning, Suzanne.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, good morning, Paula.
Secretary of State Colin Powell is going to be engaged in eleventh hour diplomacy, still trying to convince those U.N. Security Council members to vote for the resolution. But as you said, military planners told the president yesterday that the country is ready for war. They just need his signature, the go ahead.
Here is a possible scenario, a timetable that we're looking at. Tomorrow, Friday, Blix is going to present his critical report on Iraqi disarmament, on the state of inspections. In the following days, the administration would decide on when that vote would take place, possibly as early as Monday or Tuesday. And then in the following days, the president is expected to make that decision whether or not the country will go to war.
White House Spokesman Ari Fleischer saying if the president does decide that, that he will address the American people. There will be a 72 hour window to warn people to get out of the country.
Now, Paula, I should say that there are two scenarios that could change this timetable. First, if the administration doesn't believe it has the votes for that resolution, it could move the timetable up. Or, British Prime Minister Tony Blair's amended resolution, if that passes, it actually could move it back a little bit, but not by much, maybe 72 hours to a week.
But having said all this, the administration says the president has not yet decided whether or not to go to war -- Paula.
ZAHN: Suzanne Malveaux, thanks for that update.
Back to Nic Robertson now in Baghdad -- good morning, Nic.
MALVEAUX: Good morning, Paula. We're learning from diplomatic sources that over the next few days, U.N. workers that had three months ago numbered 900 in this country will be down to just 45 workers, 855 will have left over the last few months until a few day's time, we are told. That's from diplomatic sources.
Also, we're seeing today a number of Russian workers leaving Iraq. We understand from diplomatic sources, again, that not only have dependents of Russian diplomats here left over last weekend, but now a number of Russian workers, and there have been several hundreds working around the country. They also are leaving.
Iraqi officials today saying six more of Iraq's Al Samoud 2 missiles are being destroyed. We had heard from President Saddam Hussein for the first time on Iraqi television last night, talking about the destruction of the Al Samoud missiles. He was giving a morale boosting speech to military commanders. In that speech he said that the destruction of the Al Samouds would not affect the morale of the country.
He also talked about or appeared to talk about, at least, the U.S. fleet that's building in the Persian Gulf. He talked about ships that had nine floors that could deliver 20,000 meals a day, but he said where are the wheels on these ships? How will they get to Baghdad? He told his officers that the battle for Iraq would only be won by soldiers on the ground and he warned the United States to look at its history in Vietnam.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PRES. SADDAM HUSSEIN, IRAQ: They should take Vietnam into account when planning their Iraq strategy, why and how they were defeated there. They have not achieved any of their aims with their panicked policies, not in Afghanistan, although there is a difference between us and Afghanistan, with due respect to Afghanistan as a warrior nation.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTSON: Indeed, headlines in the newspapers today following that up, saying that Iraq's deserts will be turned into graveyards for the invaders -- Paula.
ZAHN: Well, we're going to have to leave it there this morning.
Thanks, Nic.
Nic Robertson reporting live from Baghdad for us.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
U.N. Vote>
