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American Morning
Saddam Hussein Calling Emergency Session of Iraqi Parliament
Aired November 11, 2002 - 08:12 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: Still to come here this morning, more on Iraq and how the Iraqis are likely to react to the Security Council resolution. Saddam Hussein is calling an emergency session of the Iraqi parliament today to consider how the country should respond to the U.N. Security Council resolution. But now that the Bush administration has reportedly finalized its war plans -- actually, that's not true, they say there's a broad plan they're considering, they're still tweaking it -- how much of a warning is that to Saddam Hussein that any false move will lead to military action?
Joining us now live from inside the White House briefing room on a very wet Washington morning, our own Frank Buckley -- good morning, Frank.
FRANK BUCKLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Paula.
Still a chance of severe weather, so we've moved inside to the briefing room here. And you're right, there is a broad outline of a war plan in place. It still needs to be refined. Critical deployment decisions still to be made.
But here's what we do know. The troops that will be required, somewhere in the neighborhood of 200,000 to 250,000 military personnel to be used. A massive air assault would be a part of the attack plan, not just to knockout air defenses, but also to demoralize and dissuade Iraqi military leaders from using chemical or biological weapons. Finally, there will be a call up of some 265,000 National Guard and Reserve soldiers. Expect some of them to be deployed to homeland security posts.
The military force will be called into action if Iraq refuses to cooperate with U.N. inspectors. Over the weekend, Bush administration officials made it clear that the U.S. government doesn't believe it needs a second U.N. Security Council resolution to take military action if it believes it is necessary.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: The United States believes, because of past material breaches, current material breaches and new material breaches, there is more than enough authority for it to act with like-minded nations, if not with the entire Council supporting in all necessary means a new resolution.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BUCKLEY: Having said that, the U.S. government does say that it will participate in any debates in the Security Council if it comes to that -- Paula.
ZAHN: Frank, we just saw pictures of the president as he arrived at the Vietnam War Memorial to pay tribute to those veterans who lost their lives. What else is on his agenda today?
BUCKLEY: Well, first, at the Vietnam War Memorial, we know that the president, we just heard, placed at the wall there a military challenge coin, a commander-in-chief's military challenge coin. He also placed a flag at the wall. That was an off the schedule trip that, an impromptu trip that came this morning. And he also has a reception in the East Room this morning here at the White House with veterans and later today he'll be at Arlington National Cemetery for a wreath laying ceremony -- Paula.
ZAHN: And we, of course, will be covering that live.
Thanks, Frank.
Appreciate the live update. Stay inside. It sounds like the tornado warning has passed but we don't want you to get wet and miserable.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Parliament>
Aired November 11, 2002 - 08:12 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Still to come here this morning, more on Iraq and how the Iraqis are likely to react to the Security Council resolution. Saddam Hussein is calling an emergency session of the Iraqi parliament today to consider how the country should respond to the U.N. Security Council resolution. But now that the Bush administration has reportedly finalized its war plans -- actually, that's not true, they say there's a broad plan they're considering, they're still tweaking it -- how much of a warning is that to Saddam Hussein that any false move will lead to military action?
Joining us now live from inside the White House briefing room on a very wet Washington morning, our own Frank Buckley -- good morning, Frank.
FRANK BUCKLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Paula.
Still a chance of severe weather, so we've moved inside to the briefing room here. And you're right, there is a broad outline of a war plan in place. It still needs to be refined. Critical deployment decisions still to be made.
But here's what we do know. The troops that will be required, somewhere in the neighborhood of 200,000 to 250,000 military personnel to be used. A massive air assault would be a part of the attack plan, not just to knockout air defenses, but also to demoralize and dissuade Iraqi military leaders from using chemical or biological weapons. Finally, there will be a call up of some 265,000 National Guard and Reserve soldiers. Expect some of them to be deployed to homeland security posts.
The military force will be called into action if Iraq refuses to cooperate with U.N. inspectors. Over the weekend, Bush administration officials made it clear that the U.S. government doesn't believe it needs a second U.N. Security Council resolution to take military action if it believes it is necessary.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: The United States believes, because of past material breaches, current material breaches and new material breaches, there is more than enough authority for it to act with like-minded nations, if not with the entire Council supporting in all necessary means a new resolution.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BUCKLEY: Having said that, the U.S. government does say that it will participate in any debates in the Security Council if it comes to that -- Paula.
ZAHN: Frank, we just saw pictures of the president as he arrived at the Vietnam War Memorial to pay tribute to those veterans who lost their lives. What else is on his agenda today?
BUCKLEY: Well, first, at the Vietnam War Memorial, we know that the president, we just heard, placed at the wall there a military challenge coin, a commander-in-chief's military challenge coin. He also placed a flag at the wall. That was an off the schedule trip that, an impromptu trip that came this morning. And he also has a reception in the East Room this morning here at the White House with veterans and later today he'll be at Arlington National Cemetery for a wreath laying ceremony -- Paula.
ZAHN: And we, of course, will be covering that live.
Thanks, Frank.
Appreciate the live update. Stay inside. It sounds like the tornado warning has passed but we don't want you to get wet and miserable.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Parliament>
