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American Morning

Saddam Hussein Rejects Ultimatum from President Bush

Aired March 18, 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.


BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Iraqi President Saddam Hussein has rejected the ultimatum from President Bush, but at the White House, the clock is still ticking.
We have reports from Suzanne Malveaux at the White House, Nic Robertson in Baghdad.

We're going to get started this morning with Suzanne.

Good morning, Suzanne.

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Paula.

Well, in the president's words, the tyrant will soon be gone. While the White House is not officially responding to Saddam Hussein not accepting that ultimatum, clearly White House officials are not surprised by the latest developments.

President Bush is meeting with his top advisers this morning. We already saw national security adviser Condoleezza Rice, and the vice president, as well as the head of the CIA, George Tenet, as well as the secretary of homeland security Tom Ridge. While Bush administration officials are saying now is the time to sell the war, to keep the coalition of the willing together, the president's message very clear that Saddam Hussein is such a great threat to the United States that the administration must strike first.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The American people can know that every measure has been taken to avoid war. And every measure will be taken to win it. Americans understand the cost of conflict, because we have paid them in the past. War has no certainty, except the certainty of sacrifice. Yet, the only way to reduce the harm and duration of war is to apply the full force and might of our military, and we are prepared to do so.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: And, Paula, this morning we have seen some changes in security just here around the White House. The perimeter, the buffer around the perimeter has been expanded. Pennsylvania Avenue, now they have barricades up. Also they ask the White House press corps to present their passes, their badges, about a block away before approaching the White House grounds, all of these changes happening overnight -- Paula. ZAHN: Suzanne Malveaux, thanks so much.

Now back too Baghdad, where Nic Robertson is standing by.

Good morning, Nic.

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SR. INTL. CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Paula.

Well, we have just seen President Saddam Hussein in military uniform meeting with his top political leader, leaders of the Revolutionary Command Council, the leaders of the Baath Party, denouncing President Bush's ultimatum that he should leave, saying that this was a debased and reckless assessment and request, and that Iraq was denouncing it.

Also saying that it was clear that the United States was trying to win this, get victory, without having to actually fight, and he said that shows how isolated and how defeated President Bush was already.

We've heard today from Uday Saddam Hussein, President Saddam Hussein's elder son, saying it was President Bush and his family that should step down from power. Also saying that anyone that attacked Iraq would lament the game that they began such an attack, very strong language coming this day -- Paula.

ZAHN: Give us an idea how local residents reacting to the threat of war this morning?

ROBERTSON: Shops are boarding up. Storekeepers have taken stores out. We see some people on the road here, their vehicles loaded up with family possessions, likely heading out of the city.

We see fewer vehicles on the road, and in the neighborhoods around Baghdad. There are some five million people living here. Many people staying at home in their neighborhoods. The expectations very much there, that war is imminent. There is not only the expectation, there's a great deal of fear.

We're also told today, government officials say that there will be big demonstrations across Iraq, beginning right about this time, and also local television here, the station run by President Saddam Hussein's elder son, Uday Saddam Hussein, has been showing people joining up to his Fedahin (ph), or Martyr's Brigade. These people, we're told, were seen joining up at dawn this morning -- Paula.

ZAHN: Nic, in fact, we were looking at pictures of what appear to be some of those men raising posters of Saddam Hussein, raising the Iraqi flag. How many people are we talking about here?

ROBERTSON: It's very, very difficult to tell. These pictures only show perhaps tens of, dozens, maybe a hundred or so people. These are pictures that are played out in this particular case on the president's son's own television channel. They're clearly pictures at this time designed to build support for the leadership, to show at this time that the leadership is strong, that the people support the leadership. These are the images that the government here is very much trying to portray. Clearly, the president's son, who has always stood completely, squarely behind his father, putting his views forward that people support his father, support President Saddam Hussein, and that they don't want to intercept them, as requested in the ultimatum.

ZAHN: Nic Robertson in Baghdad, thanks so much. Suzanne Malveaux at the White House.

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 18, 2003 - 09:03   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Iraqi President Saddam Hussein has rejected the ultimatum from President Bush, but at the White House, the clock is still ticking.
We have reports from Suzanne Malveaux at the White House, Nic Robertson in Baghdad.

We're going to get started this morning with Suzanne.

Good morning, Suzanne.

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Paula.

Well, in the president's words, the tyrant will soon be gone. While the White House is not officially responding to Saddam Hussein not accepting that ultimatum, clearly White House officials are not surprised by the latest developments.

President Bush is meeting with his top advisers this morning. We already saw national security adviser Condoleezza Rice, and the vice president, as well as the head of the CIA, George Tenet, as well as the secretary of homeland security Tom Ridge. While Bush administration officials are saying now is the time to sell the war, to keep the coalition of the willing together, the president's message very clear that Saddam Hussein is such a great threat to the United States that the administration must strike first.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The American people can know that every measure has been taken to avoid war. And every measure will be taken to win it. Americans understand the cost of conflict, because we have paid them in the past. War has no certainty, except the certainty of sacrifice. Yet, the only way to reduce the harm and duration of war is to apply the full force and might of our military, and we are prepared to do so.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: And, Paula, this morning we have seen some changes in security just here around the White House. The perimeter, the buffer around the perimeter has been expanded. Pennsylvania Avenue, now they have barricades up. Also they ask the White House press corps to present their passes, their badges, about a block away before approaching the White House grounds, all of these changes happening overnight -- Paula. ZAHN: Suzanne Malveaux, thanks so much.

Now back too Baghdad, where Nic Robertson is standing by.

Good morning, Nic.

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SR. INTL. CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Paula.

Well, we have just seen President Saddam Hussein in military uniform meeting with his top political leader, leaders of the Revolutionary Command Council, the leaders of the Baath Party, denouncing President Bush's ultimatum that he should leave, saying that this was a debased and reckless assessment and request, and that Iraq was denouncing it.

Also saying that it was clear that the United States was trying to win this, get victory, without having to actually fight, and he said that shows how isolated and how defeated President Bush was already.

We've heard today from Uday Saddam Hussein, President Saddam Hussein's elder son, saying it was President Bush and his family that should step down from power. Also saying that anyone that attacked Iraq would lament the game that they began such an attack, very strong language coming this day -- Paula.

ZAHN: Give us an idea how local residents reacting to the threat of war this morning?

ROBERTSON: Shops are boarding up. Storekeepers have taken stores out. We see some people on the road here, their vehicles loaded up with family possessions, likely heading out of the city.

We see fewer vehicles on the road, and in the neighborhoods around Baghdad. There are some five million people living here. Many people staying at home in their neighborhoods. The expectations very much there, that war is imminent. There is not only the expectation, there's a great deal of fear.

We're also told today, government officials say that there will be big demonstrations across Iraq, beginning right about this time, and also local television here, the station run by President Saddam Hussein's elder son, Uday Saddam Hussein, has been showing people joining up to his Fedahin (ph), or Martyr's Brigade. These people, we're told, were seen joining up at dawn this morning -- Paula.

ZAHN: Nic, in fact, we were looking at pictures of what appear to be some of those men raising posters of Saddam Hussein, raising the Iraqi flag. How many people are we talking about here?

ROBERTSON: It's very, very difficult to tell. These pictures only show perhaps tens of, dozens, maybe a hundred or so people. These are pictures that are played out in this particular case on the president's son's own television channel. They're clearly pictures at this time designed to build support for the leadership, to show at this time that the leadership is strong, that the people support the leadership. These are the images that the government here is very much trying to portray. Clearly, the president's son, who has always stood completely, squarely behind his father, putting his views forward that people support his father, support President Saddam Hussein, and that they don't want to intercept them, as requested in the ultimatum.

ZAHN: Nic Robertson in Baghdad, thanks so much. Suzanne Malveaux at the White House.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com