Quit Baghdad or war this week, Bush tells Saddam

The Sunday Times ^ | March 16, 2003 | Tony Allen-Mills and Jonathan Carr-Brown

[UncleSamUSA]

Thanks for posting this Ivan. I hope the Sunday Times' sources are, as they say, spot-on, and that what they are reporting is accurate.

Because that means the countdown to the liberation of Iraq is on, and it is just about showtime.

[Maeve]

By all means, send Cook to Brussells!

[VRWC_minion]

Does anyone here actually believe he will accept exile?

Very possible. Bullies are cowards. It all depends on how much denial he is in about the conviction of the US and Bush.

[DannyTN]

"I and others have realised that the French posturing for peace has made diplomacy impossible and war almost inevitable.

Ha, I love it. The war is France's fault. But there is some truth to that. However, war was always the solution. Disarmament was always going to be impossible to prove and would never solve Iraq's support for terrorism.

"Bush has been advised by the CIA that the likelihood of a military coup against Saddam has increased."

A coup is a strong possibility once the US gives the deadline. I don't see Saddam fleeing, he is too arrogant. There is a possibility that instead of a coup the current military leadership will ask Saddam to consider exile, whereupon they will be shot and Saddam will have to replace them.

More worrisome would be a staged coup, where Saddam retains power behind the new power and then returns to power after the US troops have left. I really expect something along these lines will unfold.

[Maeve]

May we call Brussel sprouts "English sprouts" now?

[oceanperch]

MOAB Bump

[Dog Gone]

More than ever, I'm sticking with my prediction for the onset of military action. If the ultimatum gives a longer deadline, obviously that grants a reprieve for that period.

[Maeve]

Bump.

[Reagan Man]

>>>BRITAIN and America are to issue a stark ultimatum to Saddam Hussein — get out of Iraq or face war later this week.

It's time Saddam either slithered away in the night, or was removed from power by the US-British coalition of willing nations.

[GraniteStateConservative]

There will be remarks tomorrow afternoon, but Blair's scheduled to talk to the House of Commons on Tuesday morning. Bush, as a courtesy, will let Blair give his "speech" first. The soonest that Bush could give his would be that night. Neither would be "the bombs are falling" speeches, it would probably be a call for Hussein to be overthrown or voluntarily leave. My money is that the 3-days notice to aid workers, human shields, and inspectors might be a part of tomorrow's remarks.

[maquiladora]

The Sunday Times is one of the most respected and intelligent broadsheet newspaper's in the world.

[Don'tMessWithTexas]

MadIvan, I've been playing that Rule Britannia MP3 off and on throughout the day. Thumping good!

[Experiment 6-2-6]

Things are afoot. Us folks in the international side are seeing things develop before they hit the domestic papers.

[rwfromkansas]

interesting.

[TSgt]

My only concern is that Saddam launches a nasty WMD salvo once the deadline is delivered. I'm growing more and more concerned for my brothers and sisters over there and often lay awake at night thinking about the bunker diving I did when I was in Kuwait. It is scary stuff folks when those alarms go off and you don't know if it is the real thing or not.

God be with them.

[GraniteStateConservative]

We know where he is-- Baghdad. We knew where OBL was-- Afghanistan. There's a difference.

I bet every satellite we can use is watching that city. Any movement out is probably monitored closely and no one is going to hop a plane or helicopter. If Hussein wants to escape, he can travel like Bugs Bunny-- burrowing underground.

[maquiladora]

Thats what I was thinking. The meeting in the Azores doesn't make much sence. The 3 leaders already agree on what needs to be done, so there's no diplomatic wrangling there, and the meeting is only going to be 60 minutes long! Why couldn't they have a conference call?

I figure they will present a deadline, outside the UN, a deadline from the coalition of the willing, a joint deadline that will give Saddam 72 hours to give up. This will give the press and inspectors time to leave too.

[GraniteStateConservative]

Is it a cool remix or just the regular version.

[Carry_Okie]

I'll believe it when I see it.

[libertylover]

Meanwhile, France called for a foreign ministers' meeting of the security council on Tuesday to discuss a "realistic timetable" for Saddam to disarm.

As if October to March wasn't long enough.