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CNN Live At Daybreak
Critical Week in Global Crisis with Iraq
Aired March 10, 2003 - 05:31 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: This is a critical week in the global crisis with Iraq. It's time to look at the time line on the situation. The White House has told Security Council members to be ready to vote by tomorrow on a new U.S.-British resolution on Iraq. The U.N. says Iraq has indicated it will submit a more detailed report, possibly this week, on the nerve gas and anthrax it claims to have destroyed back in 1991. And the new resolution pushed by Washington sets a March 17th deadline for Iraq's full, unconditional and immediate cooperation in revealing its weapons prohibited by the United Nations.
The diplomatic battle over the, over an ultimatum for Iraq is intense. President Bush and his top advisers worked the phones over the weekend in a race for Security Council swing votes.
CNN's Dana Bash says the White House believes it's now within striking distance of winging U.N. approval.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DANA BASH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The president and first lady took advantage of a beautiful Sunday in Washington, heading out for some exercise, while top advisers paused from private diplomacy to make the talk show rounds on Iraq. One was greeted by anti-war protesters.
Secretary of State Colin Powell has been lobbying for votes on a U.N. resolution giving Iraq a March 17th deadline to disarm. He said he's encouraged a majority of the Security Council will support the ultimatum this week, but uncertain it would ultimately pass.
COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: I think we're making some progress with the elected 10 members. But as you know, the French have taken a strong position to oppose any resolution. Although they haven't used the word veto, they're certainly indicating that.
BASH: Administration officials dismissed the idea of pushing back the March 17th deadline to secure more votes, saying Saddam Hussein has "blown his last chance."
A key U.S. ally said Mr. Bush's efforts at the U.N. to disarm Iraq are working, warning the U.S. policy of regime change establishes a risky precedent.
JEAN CHRETIEN, CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER: That is one of the concerns a lot of people has, you know, China might say we have a problem somewhere and, you know, we don't like the regime and we're going to change that regime. That's why it's dangerous.
BASH: But Bush officials note ridding Iraq of Saddam Hussein was policy before they took office and as they make the diplomatic rounds, a hint of the administration's private pitch. The U.S. is well aware of economic interests of Security Council nations. But the U.N. should not repeat past mistakes that could have cost millions of lives.
CONDOLEEZZA RICE, NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: The Security Council needs to act. It's unfortunate that it couldn't act when the Kosovo crisis had reached really mammoth proportions with people being killed daily in the Balkans. It was unfortunate that the Security Council couldn't act in Rwanda.
BASH: The president has no public events on his schedule over the next few days as he restarts his personal appeal for votes. But regardless of what happens at the U.N., Bush aides say he already has the authority to attack Iraq and, as Secretary Powell admitted, the possibility for war is rapidly increasing.
Dana Bash, CNN, the White House.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: Let's go to the possible battlefront now. As coalition troops in Kuwait prepare for possible war fears are rising about the humanitarian crisis that could follow.
CNN's Richard Blystone joins us live from you know with more -- good morning.
RICHARD BLYSTONE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Carol.
Well, experts and officials have long agreed that war in Iraq could touch off a humanitarian crisis that would make the battle look small. The United States and British war planners have built humanitarian relief right into their war plans and Kuwait says it's preparing to hand out aid across, although not within, its borders.
But where is the evidence? Well, here is some grain that has come into Kuwait recently, possibly for humanitarian purposes. But by and large, authorities have been reluctant to show supplies or give hard figures. So today we had a chance to ask the Kuwaiti head of the Joint Humanitarian Operations Center, General Ali Al-Munin.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LT. GEN. ALI AL-MUNIN, KUWAIT HUMANITARIAN OPERATIONS COMMITTEE: We've got things on the ground, yes. We've got more to come, yes. And if things develop, I think people will be more active if conflict, god forbid, takes place.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLYSTONE: Well, there you have it. A U.S. military officer told me today, and I wrote it down, "We could have everything go right militarily but if this goes wrong, the war is lost."
Carol?
COSTELLO: Richard Blystone reporting live from Kuwait this morning.
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 10, 2003 - 05:31 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: This is a critical week in the global crisis with Iraq. It's time to look at the time line on the situation. The White House has told Security Council members to be ready to vote by tomorrow on a new U.S.-British resolution on Iraq. The U.N. says Iraq has indicated it will submit a more detailed report, possibly this week, on the nerve gas and anthrax it claims to have destroyed back in 1991. And the new resolution pushed by Washington sets a March 17th deadline for Iraq's full, unconditional and immediate cooperation in revealing its weapons prohibited by the United Nations.
The diplomatic battle over the, over an ultimatum for Iraq is intense. President Bush and his top advisers worked the phones over the weekend in a race for Security Council swing votes.
CNN's Dana Bash says the White House believes it's now within striking distance of winging U.N. approval.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DANA BASH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The president and first lady took advantage of a beautiful Sunday in Washington, heading out for some exercise, while top advisers paused from private diplomacy to make the talk show rounds on Iraq. One was greeted by anti-war protesters.
Secretary of State Colin Powell has been lobbying for votes on a U.N. resolution giving Iraq a March 17th deadline to disarm. He said he's encouraged a majority of the Security Council will support the ultimatum this week, but uncertain it would ultimately pass.
COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: I think we're making some progress with the elected 10 members. But as you know, the French have taken a strong position to oppose any resolution. Although they haven't used the word veto, they're certainly indicating that.
BASH: Administration officials dismissed the idea of pushing back the March 17th deadline to secure more votes, saying Saddam Hussein has "blown his last chance."
A key U.S. ally said Mr. Bush's efforts at the U.N. to disarm Iraq are working, warning the U.S. policy of regime change establishes a risky precedent.
JEAN CHRETIEN, CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER: That is one of the concerns a lot of people has, you know, China might say we have a problem somewhere and, you know, we don't like the regime and we're going to change that regime. That's why it's dangerous.
BASH: But Bush officials note ridding Iraq of Saddam Hussein was policy before they took office and as they make the diplomatic rounds, a hint of the administration's private pitch. The U.S. is well aware of economic interests of Security Council nations. But the U.N. should not repeat past mistakes that could have cost millions of lives.
CONDOLEEZZA RICE, NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: The Security Council needs to act. It's unfortunate that it couldn't act when the Kosovo crisis had reached really mammoth proportions with people being killed daily in the Balkans. It was unfortunate that the Security Council couldn't act in Rwanda.
BASH: The president has no public events on his schedule over the next few days as he restarts his personal appeal for votes. But regardless of what happens at the U.N., Bush aides say he already has the authority to attack Iraq and, as Secretary Powell admitted, the possibility for war is rapidly increasing.
Dana Bash, CNN, the White House.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: Let's go to the possible battlefront now. As coalition troops in Kuwait prepare for possible war fears are rising about the humanitarian crisis that could follow.
CNN's Richard Blystone joins us live from you know with more -- good morning.
RICHARD BLYSTONE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Carol.
Well, experts and officials have long agreed that war in Iraq could touch off a humanitarian crisis that would make the battle look small. The United States and British war planners have built humanitarian relief right into their war plans and Kuwait says it's preparing to hand out aid across, although not within, its borders.
But where is the evidence? Well, here is some grain that has come into Kuwait recently, possibly for humanitarian purposes. But by and large, authorities have been reluctant to show supplies or give hard figures. So today we had a chance to ask the Kuwaiti head of the Joint Humanitarian Operations Center, General Ali Al-Munin.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LT. GEN. ALI AL-MUNIN, KUWAIT HUMANITARIAN OPERATIONS COMMITTEE: We've got things on the ground, yes. We've got more to come, yes. And if things develop, I think people will be more active if conflict, god forbid, takes place.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLYSTONE: Well, there you have it. A U.S. military officer told me today, and I wrote it down, "We could have everything go right militarily but if this goes wrong, the war is lost."
Carol?
COSTELLO: Richard Blystone reporting live from Kuwait this morning.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
