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Bush on Possible New U.N. Resolution: Helpful, But Not Necessary
Aired February 18, 2003 - 13:30 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.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Helpful, but not necessary. President Bush's take on the second U.N. resolution authorizing the use of force against Iraq. And the president tells reporters that Hussein couldn't care less about the first resolution.
CNN's Dana Bash now live at the White House -- Dana.
DANA BASH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Kyra.
Well, that's right, the president made clear that he is not letting up on his policy towards Iraq, that is, to disarm Saddam Hussein if he has to militarily. He said that despite worldwide protest we saw over the weekend, he is pushing on with his policy.
And on those protests, we heard his views on them for the first time today. He said that he of course respects the right to protest, the right of free speech. But he respectfully disagrees with those who say that Saddam Hussein is not a threat to the world.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: The role of a leader is to decide policy based upon the security, in this case, the security of the people. Tony Blair understands that Saddam Hussein is a risk. Tony Blair sees that you know, a weakened United Nations is not good for world peace. And he is a courageous leader and I'm proud to call him friend.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BASH: And the president said that he's not going to have his policy be like a focus group, that he will do what he needs to do in order to lead, in order to secure America and make it a safe place.
The other thing that the White House is focusing on today, the big thing that they're focusing on, is working on the next resolution. They say that they are going to perhaps, table it as they call it, at the U.N. either this week or next week. They're working on it with the Brits.
And they're also consulting all of the members of the Security Council because what they need do is find language that they can -- that will actually pass. We're told that the language will be relatively short, concise, to the point, because as the president said today he feels that he doesn't need a second resolution because the last one made it very clear that Saddam Hussein will face serious consequences if he does not disarm. So that is something they're working on.
It will be, they admit, a difficult task, especially given words from the French, French President Jacques Chirac saying it's not need. So this is something that is going to be a difficult push here.
On another front yet, in terms of dealing with trying to get permission to use Turkey's bases -- to use Turkey's facilities for the U.S. military -- that is something that is another intense negotiation that the White House is dealing with right now. They really were hoping to get Turkey to allow the U.S. to use it as a staging area. Turkey is Iraq's border -- northern neighbor.
That is something that they're talking about in terms of an aid package. They're hoping, the president said, that they can work something out. If not, they're working on plan B, perhaps not using Turkey at this time -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Dana Bash live from White House, thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Necessary>
Aired February 18, 2003 - 13:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Helpful, but not necessary. President Bush's take on the second U.N. resolution authorizing the use of force against Iraq. And the president tells reporters that Hussein couldn't care less about the first resolution.
CNN's Dana Bash now live at the White House -- Dana.
DANA BASH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Kyra.
Well, that's right, the president made clear that he is not letting up on his policy towards Iraq, that is, to disarm Saddam Hussein if he has to militarily. He said that despite worldwide protest we saw over the weekend, he is pushing on with his policy.
And on those protests, we heard his views on them for the first time today. He said that he of course respects the right to protest, the right of free speech. But he respectfully disagrees with those who say that Saddam Hussein is not a threat to the world.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: The role of a leader is to decide policy based upon the security, in this case, the security of the people. Tony Blair understands that Saddam Hussein is a risk. Tony Blair sees that you know, a weakened United Nations is not good for world peace. And he is a courageous leader and I'm proud to call him friend.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BASH: And the president said that he's not going to have his policy be like a focus group, that he will do what he needs to do in order to lead, in order to secure America and make it a safe place.
The other thing that the White House is focusing on today, the big thing that they're focusing on, is working on the next resolution. They say that they are going to perhaps, table it as they call it, at the U.N. either this week or next week. They're working on it with the Brits.
And they're also consulting all of the members of the Security Council because what they need do is find language that they can -- that will actually pass. We're told that the language will be relatively short, concise, to the point, because as the president said today he feels that he doesn't need a second resolution because the last one made it very clear that Saddam Hussein will face serious consequences if he does not disarm. So that is something they're working on.
It will be, they admit, a difficult task, especially given words from the French, French President Jacques Chirac saying it's not need. So this is something that is going to be a difficult push here.
On another front yet, in terms of dealing with trying to get permission to use Turkey's bases -- to use Turkey's facilities for the U.S. military -- that is something that is another intense negotiation that the White House is dealing with right now. They really were hoping to get Turkey to allow the U.S. to use it as a staging area. Turkey is Iraq's border -- northern neighbor.
That is something that they're talking about in terms of an aid package. They're hoping, the president said, that they can work something out. If not, they're working on plan B, perhaps not using Turkey at this time -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Dana Bash live from White House, thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Necessary>
