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American Morning
White House Says It Wants Action in Short Order on New U.N. Resolution
Aired February 25, 2003 - 09:03 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: The White House says it wants action in short order on the new U.N. resolution, declaring that Iraq has failed to disarm. The Bush administration is characterizing the decision to not as a choice over war, but as a crucial test of the U.N.'s legitimacy.
Let's check in with John King, who's standing by at the White House.
Good morning, John.
What would it mean if the U.S. went ahead with a war without the backing of the Security Council?
JOHN KING, CNN SR. WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Paula, that would certainly, if it comes to that, a war without the backing of the Security Council would you have this president's critics saying not only is Saddam Hussein perhaps in defiance of the United Nations, but George Bush Is as well. So, internationally it would give much fire to the criticism of this president.
Mr. Bush just yesterday made note of that possibility, in saying that the country expects its leaders to lead, regardless of public opinion, and he served public notice yesterday, and he was prepared to go to war without the council's blessing. He said he would very much like it. The president calls this a defining challenge for the Security Council. That message echoed just moments ago in London by the president's chief ally, Prime Minister Tony Blair.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TONY BLAIR, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: At stake in Iraq is not just peace or war; it is the authority of the United Nations and the international community. Resolution 1441 is clear. All we are asking is that it now be upheld. If it is not, the consequences will stretch far beyond Iraq.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: U.S. officials say the consequences, as the prime minister just noted, would include how the world reacts to the nuclear standoff with North Korea, how the world reacts to future threats from terrorist organizations. The Bush administration, along with Prime Minister Blair, will make the case over the next two weeks that the United Nations must come to the conclusion that Saddam Hussein has failed the test of resolution 1441, and must now embrace those -- quote -- "serious consequences" called for in 1441. Those serious consequences, of course, could be a war within a matter of weeks.
As we speak here this morning, Paula, the president having his regular meeting with the National Security Council, Defense Secretary Rumsfeld on hand, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, General Richard Meyers, top of the agenda, the war plans for Iraq.
ZAHN: John, you just mentioned some of the risks that the U.S. would have to face if it didn't get approval of the Security Council. There is also a lot of people out there who feel that if the president doesn't go through with war given the runup militarily to war, that he would severely compromise his credibility. What is the talk there?
KING: That is a point the White House makes repeatedly. The White House says you do not send 200,000 troops overseas, have this escalating buildup, tell Saddam Hussein he faces a choice, disarm or face military action, and then blink. This White House says the president is not bluffing, and he will not blink. They are cautiously optimistic in the end he'll have the support of the U.N. Security Council, but they say this president is prepared to go forward, and they are well aware here, Mr. Bush is risking his presidency, and he could also be risking the leadership positions of Prime Minister Blair, and Prime Minister Berlusconi of Italy, Prime Minister Aznar of Spain, three men who stood with him, despite public opposition in their countries.
They say here at the White House, that is why the president himself will take the lead over the next two weeks in lobbying Security Council members, trying to get their support.
ZAHN: John King, reporting from the White House this morning, thanks so much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
U.N. Resolution>
Aired February 25, 2003 - 09:03 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: The White House says it wants action in short order on the new U.N. resolution, declaring that Iraq has failed to disarm. The Bush administration is characterizing the decision to not as a choice over war, but as a crucial test of the U.N.'s legitimacy.
Let's check in with John King, who's standing by at the White House.
Good morning, John.
What would it mean if the U.S. went ahead with a war without the backing of the Security Council?
JOHN KING, CNN SR. WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Paula, that would certainly, if it comes to that, a war without the backing of the Security Council would you have this president's critics saying not only is Saddam Hussein perhaps in defiance of the United Nations, but George Bush Is as well. So, internationally it would give much fire to the criticism of this president.
Mr. Bush just yesterday made note of that possibility, in saying that the country expects its leaders to lead, regardless of public opinion, and he served public notice yesterday, and he was prepared to go to war without the council's blessing. He said he would very much like it. The president calls this a defining challenge for the Security Council. That message echoed just moments ago in London by the president's chief ally, Prime Minister Tony Blair.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TONY BLAIR, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: At stake in Iraq is not just peace or war; it is the authority of the United Nations and the international community. Resolution 1441 is clear. All we are asking is that it now be upheld. If it is not, the consequences will stretch far beyond Iraq.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: U.S. officials say the consequences, as the prime minister just noted, would include how the world reacts to the nuclear standoff with North Korea, how the world reacts to future threats from terrorist organizations. The Bush administration, along with Prime Minister Blair, will make the case over the next two weeks that the United Nations must come to the conclusion that Saddam Hussein has failed the test of resolution 1441, and must now embrace those -- quote -- "serious consequences" called for in 1441. Those serious consequences, of course, could be a war within a matter of weeks.
As we speak here this morning, Paula, the president having his regular meeting with the National Security Council, Defense Secretary Rumsfeld on hand, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, General Richard Meyers, top of the agenda, the war plans for Iraq.
ZAHN: John, you just mentioned some of the risks that the U.S. would have to face if it didn't get approval of the Security Council. There is also a lot of people out there who feel that if the president doesn't go through with war given the runup militarily to war, that he would severely compromise his credibility. What is the talk there?
KING: That is a point the White House makes repeatedly. The White House says you do not send 200,000 troops overseas, have this escalating buildup, tell Saddam Hussein he faces a choice, disarm or face military action, and then blink. This White House says the president is not bluffing, and he will not blink. They are cautiously optimistic in the end he'll have the support of the U.N. Security Council, but they say this president is prepared to go forward, and they are well aware here, Mr. Bush is risking his presidency, and he could also be risking the leadership positions of Prime Minister Blair, and Prime Minister Berlusconi of Italy, Prime Minister Aznar of Spain, three men who stood with him, despite public opposition in their countries.
They say here at the White House, that is why the president himself will take the lead over the next two weeks in lobbying Security Council members, trying to get their support.
ZAHN: John King, reporting from the White House this morning, thanks so much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
U.N. Resolution>
