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CNN Live Sunday
Will Congress Give Bush Green Light to Attack Iraq?
Aired September 22, 2002 - 17:05 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.
KRIS OSBORN, CNN ANCHOR: Congress appears willing to give President Bush some kind of green light to use force against Iraq. But a lot of caution here: Will he get the precise resolution he's asking for? Let's ask CNN White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux. A busy day on this front. Hello, Suzanne.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Very busy, as a matter of fact.
President Bush is now back from Camp David. But he's now facing some fresh criticism from some lawmakers who are really skeptical about giving the president the green light to use force against Saddam Hussein. There is a draft resolution now that is before Congress. Some lawmakers saying that the language is too broad. Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee Carl Levin insisting that military action against Saddam must be backed by the United Nations.
He said this morning, and I am quoting, "I want him to look down the barrel of a gun with the world behind it so that it's not just the United States versus Saddam, it's the world versus Saddam," he says.
But the majority of lawmakers, both Republicans and Democrats, say they will support this resolution, they will vote for it, but they want to make sure that the language is clear, that it is not authorizing military action beyond Iraq in the Middle East region, just dealing with Iraq. This is a valid point, the White House says.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), ARIZONA: I think the basic outlines of the resolution are fine. And maybe some word changes to go on, but basically, it's -- I think -- the resolution will probably pass.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: The administration having a much more difficult time selling its "get tough on Saddam" message to the international community, to the United Nations. The United Nations wants those weapons inspectors back into Iraq as early as October 15. The United States, the administration, however, wants really those inspectors to be armed with a tough, new U.N. resolution, calling for Saddam Hussein to comply, and also giving it the ability to enforce it.
OSBORN: Suzanne Malveaux, thank you very much for the breakdown and the debrief on numerous efforts currently under way, of course, on the Iraq front. 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 September 22, 2002 - 17:05 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KRIS OSBORN, CNN ANCHOR: Congress appears willing to give President Bush some kind of green light to use force against Iraq. But a lot of caution here: Will he get the precise resolution he's asking for? Let's ask CNN White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux. A busy day on this front. Hello, Suzanne.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Very busy, as a matter of fact.
President Bush is now back from Camp David. But he's now facing some fresh criticism from some lawmakers who are really skeptical about giving the president the green light to use force against Saddam Hussein. There is a draft resolution now that is before Congress. Some lawmakers saying that the language is too broad. Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee Carl Levin insisting that military action against Saddam must be backed by the United Nations.
He said this morning, and I am quoting, "I want him to look down the barrel of a gun with the world behind it so that it's not just the United States versus Saddam, it's the world versus Saddam," he says.
But the majority of lawmakers, both Republicans and Democrats, say they will support this resolution, they will vote for it, but they want to make sure that the language is clear, that it is not authorizing military action beyond Iraq in the Middle East region, just dealing with Iraq. This is a valid point, the White House says.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), ARIZONA: I think the basic outlines of the resolution are fine. And maybe some word changes to go on, but basically, it's -- I think -- the resolution will probably pass.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: The administration having a much more difficult time selling its "get tough on Saddam" message to the international community, to the United Nations. The United Nations wants those weapons inspectors back into Iraq as early as October 15. The United States, the administration, however, wants really those inspectors to be armed with a tough, new U.N. resolution, calling for Saddam Hussein to comply, and also giving it the ability to enforce it.
OSBORN: Suzanne Malveaux, thank you very much for the breakdown and the debrief on numerous efforts currently under way, of course, on the Iraq front. TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
