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CNN Live Saturday
Bush Braces U.S. for Possible War With Iraq
Aired March 15, 2003 - 17:44 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.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: On the eve of his summit in the Azores, President Bush again braced the country for possible war with Iraq. He meets tomorrow with key allies, of Britain and Spain. What can emerge from the talks? Let's check in with CNN White House correspondent, Dana Bash.
DANA BASH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Fredricka. Well, as we speak, preparations on the island of Terceira, that is in the Portuguese Azores in the Atlantic Ocean. Preparations are going on as we speak for a really a hastily arranged summit between President Bush, Spanish President Jose Maria Aznar, and British Prime Minister Tony Blair for final discussions, for a final round of diplomacy is what they're calling it here, on how to deal with Iraq, whether or not to go through the United Nations, how they could possibly go through the United Nations, or whether they're going to have to go with a smaller coalition.
And the president for his part is at Camp David today. He made some phone calls. He talked to Tony Blair, we are told, to compare notes before tomorrow. He also spoke with Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, an ally in this issue for the president. He told the president, we are told by an aide that -- that he is planning to go the extra mile in terms of diplomacy. But the president, as you alluded to, Fredricka, made clear in his radio address today that war with Iraq could be imminent.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: There is little reason to hope that Saddam Hussein will disarm. If force is required to disarm him, the American people can know that our armed forces have been given every tool and every resource to achieve victory. The people of Iraq can know that every effort will be made to spare innocent life and to help Iraq recover from three decades of totalitarian rule.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BASH: These leaders have been talking a lot over the past week, and even over the past month about the lobbying efforts that are going on at the United Nations. But this, a summit provides a chance for the leaders to meet face to face; also to show the world that they have unity on this issue, and it also allows them to discuss -- to take stock, as one aide said, of where they are, where they need to go forward, whether or not they are going to deal with the United Nations, whether it is at all a possibility, or whether they have to have a smaller coalition, to use force against Saddam Hussein.
But the president making it pretty clear that the days ahead will help decide if that will happen and who will be on board with the president -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: Well, Dana, since the president is now concentrating on tomorrow's summit, does this mean that he is no longer lobbying those undecided U.N. members for their backing on that proposed second resolution which we're still not even clear if it will ever get that vote?
BASH: Well, a large part of what they're going to discuss tomorrow, we are told, is where they think after all of the discussions that the president, Tony Blair and others have had, with those six key swing nations at the U.N. Security Council, they will figure out where those nations are, whether or not the -- the -- what they want for some kind of ultimatum at the United Nations, will kind of jibe with what the U.S. wants, with what Britain wants and with what Spain wants, whether they can come to some kind of resolution.
So that's what they're going to be doing, a lot of the sort of comparing notes, we're told. But you are right, there is a very strong chance that they will decide there isn't any kind of breakthrough possible and that they will have to decide whether or not they just go for it at the U.N. and risk a no vote -- a potential no vote -- or whether they just decide not to have the resolution at all at the U.N. Those are the key things that they'll be talking about at the summit tomorrow -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: All right, Dana, thank you, from the White House.
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 15, 2003 - 17:44 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: On the eve of his summit in the Azores, President Bush again braced the country for possible war with Iraq. He meets tomorrow with key allies, of Britain and Spain. What can emerge from the talks? Let's check in with CNN White House correspondent, Dana Bash.
DANA BASH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Fredricka. Well, as we speak, preparations on the island of Terceira, that is in the Portuguese Azores in the Atlantic Ocean. Preparations are going on as we speak for a really a hastily arranged summit between President Bush, Spanish President Jose Maria Aznar, and British Prime Minister Tony Blair for final discussions, for a final round of diplomacy is what they're calling it here, on how to deal with Iraq, whether or not to go through the United Nations, how they could possibly go through the United Nations, or whether they're going to have to go with a smaller coalition.
And the president for his part is at Camp David today. He made some phone calls. He talked to Tony Blair, we are told, to compare notes before tomorrow. He also spoke with Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, an ally in this issue for the president. He told the president, we are told by an aide that -- that he is planning to go the extra mile in terms of diplomacy. But the president, as you alluded to, Fredricka, made clear in his radio address today that war with Iraq could be imminent.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: There is little reason to hope that Saddam Hussein will disarm. If force is required to disarm him, the American people can know that our armed forces have been given every tool and every resource to achieve victory. The people of Iraq can know that every effort will be made to spare innocent life and to help Iraq recover from three decades of totalitarian rule.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BASH: These leaders have been talking a lot over the past week, and even over the past month about the lobbying efforts that are going on at the United Nations. But this, a summit provides a chance for the leaders to meet face to face; also to show the world that they have unity on this issue, and it also allows them to discuss -- to take stock, as one aide said, of where they are, where they need to go forward, whether or not they are going to deal with the United Nations, whether it is at all a possibility, or whether they have to have a smaller coalition, to use force against Saddam Hussein.
But the president making it pretty clear that the days ahead will help decide if that will happen and who will be on board with the president -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: Well, Dana, since the president is now concentrating on tomorrow's summit, does this mean that he is no longer lobbying those undecided U.N. members for their backing on that proposed second resolution which we're still not even clear if it will ever get that vote?
BASH: Well, a large part of what they're going to discuss tomorrow, we are told, is where they think after all of the discussions that the president, Tony Blair and others have had, with those six key swing nations at the U.N. Security Council, they will figure out where those nations are, whether or not the -- the -- what they want for some kind of ultimatum at the United Nations, will kind of jibe with what the U.S. wants, with what Britain wants and with what Spain wants, whether they can come to some kind of resolution.
So that's what they're going to be doing, a lot of the sort of comparing notes, we're told. But you are right, there is a very strong chance that they will decide there isn't any kind of breakthrough possible and that they will have to decide whether or not they just go for it at the U.N. and risk a no vote -- a potential no vote -- or whether they just decide not to have the resolution at all at the U.N. Those are the key things that they'll be talking about at the summit tomorrow -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: All right, Dana, thank you, from the White House.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
