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CNN Sunday Morning
President Bush Receives Pentagon Plans for Deposing Hussein
Aired September 22, 2002 - 08:37 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.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Sources are telling us that President Bush has now detailed plans on his desk on military action for deposing Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein. CNN White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux joining us with the latest on this story as it trickles out. Suzanne, why is this story leaking out at all?
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, that's a good question. Why is it leaking out at all? It really has been on the table for a while, but it really wasn't -- it didn't really gain momentum until the last couple of days. The Pentagon informing the president -- it was early in the month, rather -- that this military plan was presented to the president.
Now, while the administration is still focusing on diplomatic means to force Saddam Hussein to comply, to force him to disarm Iraq, the administration, military planners, administration officials are fine-tuning this plan. It's a strategy to possibly strike Iraq. Officials are telling us that it's going to be different than the Persian Gulf War. It is going to be quick, it is going to be narrowly focused on Saddam Hussein and the leadership. It's also going to rely heavily on American and British air power, as well as Special Forces.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice-over): CNN has learned from two administration officials that President Bush earlier this month received a highly detailed war plan against Iraq, drawn up by General Tommy Franks and presented through the Pentagon, a plan that still needs refining, but on the president's desk.
No decision yet by Mr. Bush on whether it will be used, but the administration keeping a close eye on Saddam Hussein this weekend, and his latest act of defiance toward the United Nations' efforts to get Iraq to disarm.
Saddam meets with his top aides, and then releases a short but defiant statement. "Iraq will not cooperate with the new resolution, which is different from what has been agreed upon with the U.N. secretary-general." Under that agreement, weapons inspectors were barred from entering certain sites without special permission, had to announce their arrival at palaces, and be accompanied by diplomats as they went along.
The condition so frustrated U.N. inspectors' efforts, they eventually pulled out of Baghdad, cleared the way for U.S. and British forces to deliver punishing air strikes. Just days ago, it appeared Iraq was bowing to world pressure to accept weapons inspections unconditionally. But now an apparent about-face. A Saddam move President Bush and his top advisers say they expected all along.
DONALD RUMSFELD, DEFENSE SECRETARY: Anyone who has watched the past decade has seen the Iraqi government defy some 16 U.N. resolutions and change their position depending on what they thought was tactically advantageous to them, and kind of jerked the United Nations around. So it is no surprise at all.
MALVEAUX: General Tommy Franks, head of the U.S. Central Command, readies the U.S. troops for a possible military confrontation with Saddam. Sources say the administration's war plan is complete, but not finalized. No decision yet by Mr. Bush on whether it will be used. But White House aides say Saddam's defiance only bolsters the U.S. case to go in.
GEN. TOMMY FRANKS, HEAD OF U.S. CENTRAL COMMAND: We're prepared to undertake whatever -- whatever activities and whatever actions we may be directed to take by our nation. We're prepared -- we're prepared to do whatever we're asked to do.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MALVEAUX: Now, Miles, the information coming out now possibly to warn Saddam Hussein that the United States is serious about following through, but the administration is still giving diplomacy a chance. The administration pushing U.N. Security Council members for a tough resolution to hold Saddam Hussein accountable -- Miles, Catherine.
O'BRIEN: CNN's Suzanne Malveaux at the White House, thank you very 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
Hussein>
Aired September 22, 2002 - 08:37 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Sources are telling us that President Bush has now detailed plans on his desk on military action for deposing Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein. CNN White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux joining us with the latest on this story as it trickles out. Suzanne, why is this story leaking out at all?
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, that's a good question. Why is it leaking out at all? It really has been on the table for a while, but it really wasn't -- it didn't really gain momentum until the last couple of days. The Pentagon informing the president -- it was early in the month, rather -- that this military plan was presented to the president.
Now, while the administration is still focusing on diplomatic means to force Saddam Hussein to comply, to force him to disarm Iraq, the administration, military planners, administration officials are fine-tuning this plan. It's a strategy to possibly strike Iraq. Officials are telling us that it's going to be different than the Persian Gulf War. It is going to be quick, it is going to be narrowly focused on Saddam Hussein and the leadership. It's also going to rely heavily on American and British air power, as well as Special Forces.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice-over): CNN has learned from two administration officials that President Bush earlier this month received a highly detailed war plan against Iraq, drawn up by General Tommy Franks and presented through the Pentagon, a plan that still needs refining, but on the president's desk.
No decision yet by Mr. Bush on whether it will be used, but the administration keeping a close eye on Saddam Hussein this weekend, and his latest act of defiance toward the United Nations' efforts to get Iraq to disarm.
Saddam meets with his top aides, and then releases a short but defiant statement. "Iraq will not cooperate with the new resolution, which is different from what has been agreed upon with the U.N. secretary-general." Under that agreement, weapons inspectors were barred from entering certain sites without special permission, had to announce their arrival at palaces, and be accompanied by diplomats as they went along.
The condition so frustrated U.N. inspectors' efforts, they eventually pulled out of Baghdad, cleared the way for U.S. and British forces to deliver punishing air strikes. Just days ago, it appeared Iraq was bowing to world pressure to accept weapons inspections unconditionally. But now an apparent about-face. A Saddam move President Bush and his top advisers say they expected all along.
DONALD RUMSFELD, DEFENSE SECRETARY: Anyone who has watched the past decade has seen the Iraqi government defy some 16 U.N. resolutions and change their position depending on what they thought was tactically advantageous to them, and kind of jerked the United Nations around. So it is no surprise at all.
MALVEAUX: General Tommy Franks, head of the U.S. Central Command, readies the U.S. troops for a possible military confrontation with Saddam. Sources say the administration's war plan is complete, but not finalized. No decision yet by Mr. Bush on whether it will be used. But White House aides say Saddam's defiance only bolsters the U.S. case to go in.
GEN. TOMMY FRANKS, HEAD OF U.S. CENTRAL COMMAND: We're prepared to undertake whatever -- whatever activities and whatever actions we may be directed to take by our nation. We're prepared -- we're prepared to do whatever we're asked to do.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MALVEAUX: Now, Miles, the information coming out now possibly to warn Saddam Hussein that the United States is serious about following through, but the administration is still giving diplomacy a chance. The administration pushing U.N. Security Council members for a tough resolution to hold Saddam Hussein accountable -- Miles, Catherine.
O'BRIEN: CNN's Suzanne Malveaux at the White House, thank you very 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
Hussein>
