NewsMine — war-on-terror — iraq — pre-invasion — inspections — Viewing Item

Bush not encouraging Original Source Link: (May no longer be active)    http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20021202/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_iraq_11 http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20021202/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_iraq_11 White House - AP Bush: Iraq Inspections 'Not Encouraging' 56 minutes ago Add White House - AP to My Yahoo! By SANDRA SOBIERAJ, Associated Press Writer WASHINGTON (AP) - President Bush (news - web sites) warned Iraq's Saddam Hussein (news - web sites) that he has until a Sunday deadline to prove he is serious about averting war. After the first week of United Nations (news - web sites) weapons inspections, Bush said: "So far, the signs are not encouraging." "The inspectors are not in Iraq to play hide-and-seek with Mr. Saddam Hussein," the president said Monday in a get-tough speech at the Pentagon (news - web sites), his first extensive comment on the United Nations weapons inspections since they got underway last week. "In the inspections process, the United States will be making one judgment: Has Saddam Hussein changed his behavior of the last 11 years? Has he decided to cooperate willingly and comply completely, or has he not? So far the signs are not encouraging," Bush said. As evidence, he noted that Saddam's regime has recently fired upon American and British pilots patrolling no-fly zones over Iraq and has responded to United Nations disarmament demands with "protests and falsehoods." "On or before the eighth of December, Iraq must provide a full and accurate declaration of its weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs," Bush said, referring to a deadline established by the U.N. Security Council resolution unanimously approved last month. "That declaration must be credible and complete — or the Iraqi dictator will have demonstrated to the world once again that he has chosen not to change his behavior," Bush said. Making clear that the consequence would be war, the president added: "The temporary peace of denial and looking away from danger would only be a prelude to broader war and greater horror. America will confront gathering dangers early before our options become limited and desperate." Bush spoke at a Pentagon ceremony where he also signed legislation authorizing the $355.5 billion that he requested — and received earlier this year — for the military. Across the country, Vice President Dick Cheney (news - web sites) rounded out the White House's one-two punch at Saddam with a similar speech to 1,500 Air National Guard leaders meeting in Denver. Cheney aimed to link the popular post-Sept. 11, 2001 war on terrorism and Osama bin Laden (news - web sites)'s al-Qaida terror network to today's campaign against Iraq. Cheney said that, given the chance, al-Qaida would join outlaw regimes like Iraq to get weapons of mass destruction. "That's why confronting the threat imposed by Iraq is not a distraction from the war on terror, it is absolutely crucial to winning the war on terror. The war on terror will not be won until Iraq is completely and verifiably deprived of weapons of mass destruction," Cheney said. Cheney told the military leaders that the campaign could take years. "This campaign may not be finished on our watch, but it must and it will be waged on our watch," Cheney said. White House press secretary Ari Fleischer (news - web sites) said Bush will not himself review the Iraqi disclosure due on Sunday. The timing of any subsequent action — diplomatic, military or otherwise — "will be determined by the president," said Fleischer. "... Saddam Hussein will have to figure out how long the United States intends to go along until we find out what Saddam Hussein is really doing." The coordinated speeches by Bush and Cheney comes one week into the United Nations weapons inspections underway in Iraq. A senior White House official said Iraq has not been as cooperative with inspectors as early reports suggest. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, did not elaborate. White House officials said they do not expect Bush to take immediate action against Saddam after the deadline, even if Iraq claims not to have weapons of mass destruction. Instead, the administration is prepared to share its intelligence on Iraq's weapons programs with inspectors to help verify and challenge whatever disclosures Saddam makes Dec. 8, officials said. Fleischer said Bush is not yet making any judgments on whether those inspections will be successful in disarming Saddam peacefully. Should the inspections route fail, Bush has vowed that the United States will lead allies into war to rid Iraq of any weapons of mass destruction. "The president is skeptical that Saddam Hussein will comply and it's too soon to say. One week is not adequate time," Fleischer said.

Accuses spying { January 6 2003 } Blix accuses undermined inspectors { April 22 2003 } Blix attacks us war intelligence { April 22 2003 } Blix global warming bigger threat Blix iraq new cooperation { February 25 2003 } Blix no smoking gun { January 9 2003 } Blix report upbeat { March 8 2003 } Blix smeared by pentagon { June 11 2003 } Block inspections { September 20 2002 } Bush claims inspectors werent let in Bush not encouraging Bush refuses inspections { September 16 2002 } Capt.1038410395.mideast_iraq_un_lon109 [jpg] Cia sabotaged says democrats Dispute aluminum tubes { January 29 2003 } Doubts aluminum tubes { February 6 2003 } First inspections good Five minutes to midnight Inspect factory plant { December 4 2002 } Inspections get b Inspectors attack bush { December 6 2002 } Inspectors criticize cia data { March 8 2003 } Inspectors ordered out { March 17 2003 } Inspectors want 10 months { January 14 2003 } Iraq destroys missiles { March 1 2003 } Iraq dossier denies weapons { December 7 2002 } Iraq rejects plan { September 29 2002 } No nuclear threat { January 7 2003 } Perle doubts inspectors { November 13 2002 } Report undercuts us argument { January 28 2003 } Saddam supports inspectors Terrorist on un team { December 5 2002 } Un challenges bush progress { December 4 2002 } Un confirms missile destruction Us advises inspectors to leave { March 17 2003 } Us britian accuses blix { March 10 2003 } Us cite iraq breach Will fire spies Files Listed: 38

Correction/submissions

CIA FOIA Archive

National Security Archives

This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information, go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purpose of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.