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American Morning
Iraq Won't Comply with New U.N. Resolution
Aired September 23, 2002 - 07:03 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: Saddam Hussein is now vowing to reject any new U.N. resolution, and might withdraw his invitation to let weapons inspectors back into the country. Iraq's defiance is a challenge to the Bush administration, which has been lobbying very hard for Security Council members to adopt a tougher resolution.
John King is standing by at the White House with more.
Good morning -- John.
JOHN KING, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Paula.
And here at the White House, they say this latest threat, they would call it, from Saddam Hussein proved to the White House that he was not serious to begin with in inviting weapons inspectors back in.
Still, a challenge we will see for the administration on two fronts this week. First, we should get to see the language early this week, by the middle of the week at the latest we are told, of the new resolution that the United States and Great Britain will put before members of the Security Council, hoping the Security Council goes on record and says any military strikes would be justified if those inspectors do go back in, or if Iraq does not keep its other commitments to the United Nations.
The president still lobbying for votes on that front, but we are told the proposal should be ready in the next day or so.
In Congress, the administration promising to make some changes to that resolution the president sent up last week, seeking broad powers for military confrontation with Iraq. Key members of Congress saying that resolution is too broad, and they want some changes. The White House says it is more than open to that.
We also learned over the weekend that the president has a war plan on his desk. Senior officials say it might not be final; that the president has many questions.
And the defense secretary, Donald Rumsfeld, upset, many details of this were leaked, did confirm that one priority in any military confrontation with Iraq would be to try to keep civilian casualties to a minimum.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD RUMSFELD, DEFENSE SECRETARY: The people in that country are hostages to a small group of dictatorial, repressive government officials, and it's not a large group. The United States hasn't and never had had any problem or issue with the Iraqi people.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: Secretary Rumsfeld speaking there aboard his airplane. He is in Poland. He is attending a meeting there of NATO defense ministers, NATO expansion (ph). One of the top subjects that you can also be sure, military strategy and discussions about Iraq topping the agenda there as well -- Paula.
ZAHN: Thanks, John -- appreciate it.
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 September 23, 2002 - 07:03 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Saddam Hussein is now vowing to reject any new U.N. resolution, and might withdraw his invitation to let weapons inspectors back into the country. Iraq's defiance is a challenge to the Bush administration, which has been lobbying very hard for Security Council members to adopt a tougher resolution.
John King is standing by at the White House with more.
Good morning -- John.
JOHN KING, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Paula.
And here at the White House, they say this latest threat, they would call it, from Saddam Hussein proved to the White House that he was not serious to begin with in inviting weapons inspectors back in.
Still, a challenge we will see for the administration on two fronts this week. First, we should get to see the language early this week, by the middle of the week at the latest we are told, of the new resolution that the United States and Great Britain will put before members of the Security Council, hoping the Security Council goes on record and says any military strikes would be justified if those inspectors do go back in, or if Iraq does not keep its other commitments to the United Nations.
The president still lobbying for votes on that front, but we are told the proposal should be ready in the next day or so.
In Congress, the administration promising to make some changes to that resolution the president sent up last week, seeking broad powers for military confrontation with Iraq. Key members of Congress saying that resolution is too broad, and they want some changes. The White House says it is more than open to that.
We also learned over the weekend that the president has a war plan on his desk. Senior officials say it might not be final; that the president has many questions.
And the defense secretary, Donald Rumsfeld, upset, many details of this were leaked, did confirm that one priority in any military confrontation with Iraq would be to try to keep civilian casualties to a minimum.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD RUMSFELD, DEFENSE SECRETARY: The people in that country are hostages to a small group of dictatorial, repressive government officials, and it's not a large group. The United States hasn't and never had had any problem or issue with the Iraqi people.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: Secretary Rumsfeld speaking there aboard his airplane. He is in Poland. He is attending a meeting there of NATO defense ministers, NATO expansion (ph). One of the top subjects that you can also be sure, military strategy and discussions about Iraq topping the agenda there as well -- Paula.
ZAHN: Thanks, John -- appreciate it.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
