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American Morning
Final Warning for Saddam Hussein?
Aired March 05, 2003 - 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: More on our top story. The White House may be considering a final warning to Iraqi President Saddam Hussein just before a war starts.
For more on that, let's go to Suzanne Malveaux, who is standing by at the White House.
So, what is your understanding, Suzanne? A warning would be given or a deadline of some sort to get out of the country?
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Paula, it's just one of the ideas that the administration is floating. We're going to hear more about that.
The National Security Council is going to be meeting at the White House in a couple of hours, and General Tommy Franks, who is the head of the U.S. Central Command, is possibly considering this ultimatum to Saddam Hussein, what he needs to do to avoid a war. This is something that would not only serve as a signal, as a final warning to Saddam, but also as a signal to journalists, to Iraqi citizens, to inspectors that they may have as little as 72 hours to get out of the country before war is imminent -- Paula.
ZAHN: Suzanne, I'm going to move on to another topic, and that is the issue of how hard the U.S. is going to press for a second resolution, I guess which is expected maybe to be presented as early as next week. I know you reporters tried to get some information out of Ari Fleischer that he was unyielding on. What is your final analysis of the administration's position on this?
MALVEAUX: Well, advisors are telling us that the president and his top officials are going to be making that determination this week and next week. I mean, really it's going to come down to whether or not they think they have the votes for the U.N. Security Council to pass that resolution.
We are looking at a possible vote maybe Monday or Tuesday of next week, and then that's when the administration will decide whether or not the president will just say, hey, we're going to give up on this, we're going to withdraw our resolution, we will go forward without the U.N. Security Council.
They have not given up on diplomacy here. We heard from Secretary Powell saying he's optimistic about it, but of course, the administration also is realistic about this. We're looking at some time next week.
ZAHN: So, what is the final determination then? If they can't get the nine votes, they'll drop it?
MALVEAUX: That is one thing that they're definitely considering is dropping this resolution. Of course, it is not the scenario that they would like to play out, particularly because British Prime Minister Tony Blair really needs the political cover here. This is something that he had been pushing, and the administration went along with to give him that kind of political cover.
But it's also something that the president has said from the very beginning he did not believe that they actually needed to move forward for military action. They already have the authority with Resolution 1441. So, if it all comes down to the fact they cannot get those votes, perhaps even a veto from the permanent members, that they will perhaps withdraw that resolution next week and just simply move forward.
ZAHN: Suzanne Malveaux reporting from the White House -- 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.
Aired March 5, 2003 - 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: More on our top story. The White House may be considering a final warning to Iraqi President Saddam Hussein just before a war starts.
For more on that, let's go to Suzanne Malveaux, who is standing by at the White House.
So, what is your understanding, Suzanne? A warning would be given or a deadline of some sort to get out of the country?
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Paula, it's just one of the ideas that the administration is floating. We're going to hear more about that.
The National Security Council is going to be meeting at the White House in a couple of hours, and General Tommy Franks, who is the head of the U.S. Central Command, is possibly considering this ultimatum to Saddam Hussein, what he needs to do to avoid a war. This is something that would not only serve as a signal, as a final warning to Saddam, but also as a signal to journalists, to Iraqi citizens, to inspectors that they may have as little as 72 hours to get out of the country before war is imminent -- Paula.
ZAHN: Suzanne, I'm going to move on to another topic, and that is the issue of how hard the U.S. is going to press for a second resolution, I guess which is expected maybe to be presented as early as next week. I know you reporters tried to get some information out of Ari Fleischer that he was unyielding on. What is your final analysis of the administration's position on this?
MALVEAUX: Well, advisors are telling us that the president and his top officials are going to be making that determination this week and next week. I mean, really it's going to come down to whether or not they think they have the votes for the U.N. Security Council to pass that resolution.
We are looking at a possible vote maybe Monday or Tuesday of next week, and then that's when the administration will decide whether or not the president will just say, hey, we're going to give up on this, we're going to withdraw our resolution, we will go forward without the U.N. Security Council.
They have not given up on diplomacy here. We heard from Secretary Powell saying he's optimistic about it, but of course, the administration also is realistic about this. We're looking at some time next week.
ZAHN: So, what is the final determination then? If they can't get the nine votes, they'll drop it?
MALVEAUX: That is one thing that they're definitely considering is dropping this resolution. Of course, it is not the scenario that they would like to play out, particularly because British Prime Minister Tony Blair really needs the political cover here. This is something that he had been pushing, and the administration went along with to give him that kind of political cover.
But it's also something that the president has said from the very beginning he did not believe that they actually needed to move forward for military action. They already have the authority with Resolution 1441. So, if it all comes down to the fact they cannot get those votes, perhaps even a veto from the permanent members, that they will perhaps withdraw that resolution next week and just simply move forward.
ZAHN: Suzanne Malveaux reporting from the White House -- 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.
