Quit Baghdad or war this week, Bush tells Saddam

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

[MadIvan]

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

Saddam will be given "days" to flee into exile before a US-led military invasion begins, according to senior officials in Washington and London.

The details of the final warning will be discussed by George W Bush and Tony Blair at a summit with Jose Maria Aznar, the Spanish prime minister, in the Azores today.

While telephone diplomacy will continue in a last effort to get the support of a majority of the United Nations Security Council, the two leaders have agreed there is virtually no chance of winning a vote on a resolution to authorise the use of force. They have therefore determined to enforce "regime change" in Baghdad without a second resolution.

"Saddam will be given a short period of time to get out of Baghdad. If he fails to do that, military action will follow," one official said.

Blair met ministers at No 10 yesterday and an emergency cabinet meeting will be held tomorrow. The government will announce that Lord Goldsmith, the attorney-general, has advised that war without a second UN resolution would be legal. Labour whips expect a Commons debate on Iraq and vote on Tuesday.

The prospect of war without UN backing is expected to lead to the resignation of Robin Cook, the leader of the Commons, from the cabinet. Sources close to Cook said he would go if there was no second resolution. "He doesn't feel he can support military action without the clear, unambiguous support of the UN," said one.

Blair is now considering offering him a job as a European commissioner to replace Neil Kinnock or Chris Patten, who are due to leave Brussels next year.

Clare Short, the international development secretary, was still considering whether to resign after Blair urged her to remain in her post and support the rebuilding of Iraq. An aide said she had been encouraged by America's new Middle East peace plan, which the prime minister helped to initiate. Her "bottom line", however, remained a second resolution.

Blair's personal efforts last week appear to have eased some of the tensions in his party. There was speculation that Michael Meacher, the environment minister, might resign, but several ministerial aides who had warned they would go indicated yesterday they were reconsidering.

A cabinet source said that while "deep divisions" remained, the past week had seen a "mood swing". Rebel leaders predict they will attract 40 to 60 votes in the Commons in addition to the 122 who previously opposed the government. The number is smaller than was forecast a week ago.

Fewer than five parliamentary private secretaries are now expected to rebel. One aide who was considering resigning a week ago, Peter Bradley, said: "I think the landscape has changed . . . I and others have realised that the French posturing for peace has made diplomacy impossible and war almost inevitable."

Planners will give weapons inspectors and other "vulnerable" foreigners time to leave Iraq. "We are not going to start bombing out of the blue," an official said. Other officials indicated that Washington has decided not to accept any further token gestures by Baghdad to comply with weapons inspectors.

On Friday, Iraq handed the UN a 20-page document supposedly detailing its destruction of 3.9 tons of VX nerve agent.

"It is time to come to a conclusion," warned Condoleezza Rice, the president's national security adviser. "The moment of truth is coming here." Bush's approval for war follows the near collapse of a British-led compromise effort to obtain the nine security council votes necessary to pass a second resolution.

Bush and Blair will decide today whether to force the issue to a vote despite the apparent certainty of failure, or to withdraw it and claim that legal authority for an attack is provided by earlier resolutions. The Americans believe that only Saddam's removal from power will guarantee full Iraqi disarmament.

Bush warned in a radio address yesterday that he saw little hope of disarmament without force. "Crucial days lie ahead," he said. "Governments are now showing whether their stated commitments to liberty and security are words alone — or convictions they're prepared to act on."

While Saddam has always derided attempts to persuade him to step down voluntarily, American and British officials believe he might have second thoughts once it is clear that war is imminent.

"What would you do?" one official asked. "There are 250,000 troops and God knows how many precision missiles floating around the Gulf with lots of US colonels aching to use them. Exile must be an option."

Several states are believed to have offered Saddam possible refuge, including Belarus, Libya and Syria. Donald Rumsfeld, the US defence secretary, has indicated that Washington would be ready to allow Saddam to leave if it meant a genuine change of regime. However, a plan for a last-minute appeal by Arab leaders to Saddam to go into exile and avert a war has been shelved because he has given no indication he would agree.

American officials suggested last week that revolt was growing in Iraqi military ranks. Bush has been advised by the CIA that the likelihood of a military coup against Saddam has increased.

"Our intelligence contains lots of information about disaffection and preparations to surrender or flee, which is all encouraging," one official said. Both the CIA and the Defence Intelligence Agency, the Pentagon's intelligence arm, have concluded that the Iraqi leadership is "brittle".

In an effort to curb international suspicion that the war is aimed at securing oil riches, Bush and Blair are expected to agree that the Iraqi oil industry's profits should go into a fund for the country's people.

The imminence of military action has been emphasised by the rare use of heavy B1 bombers in a mission over the Iraqi no-fly zone. The bombers hit two radar sites in western Iraq.

As war preparations gathered pace, Iraq sought fresh disarmament talks, inviting the top UN weapons inspectors to Baghdad as soon as possible. Hans Blix said he would discuss the invitiation with his colleague Mohammed El Baradei. The two were expected to consult the security council tomorrow when Blix is due to deliver his latest progress report.

Meanwhile, France called for a foreign ministers' meeting of the security council on Tuesday to discuss a "realistic timetable" for Saddam to disarm. In a statement issued jointly with Russia and Germany, France declared that there was no justification for a war. "We reaffirm that nothing justifies in the present circumstances putting a stop to the inspection process and resorting to the use of force," said the declaration.

Mahmoud Abbas, expected to be confirmed as Palestinian prime minister, could be invited to Washington as part of Bush's attempts to convince the doubting Arab world that he is serious about relaunching the Middle East peace process. The proposal came after the president promised to publish a "road map" that would culminate in a Palestinian state in 2005.

[rs79bm]

I'm glad things are coming to a head.....however, why give saddam advance notice of military action. Just start and let's go already! He's had 8 months to leave Baghdad.

[demkicker]

Sounds like Blair needs to switch parties!

[GraniteStateConservative]

The point of this meeting is to make Blair look like an equal partner in this. It makes it look like Blair is a world leader to be able to make the Leader of the Free World show up on his side of the Atlantic to finalize something as important as this. Blair deserves whatever bones we can throw his way. They've called him Bush's poodle in the rags in the UK. This kind of looks like Blair is throwing a bone to Bush and Bush is returning it to Blair. It's a very small price to pay.

[rwfromkansas]

Freep this poll (on the right side of the page): Do you think the United Nations can adequately deal with Iraq?

http://www.kake.com/

You will not see the results; they are only shown on the nightly news partly probably to try to keep people from skewing polls when they don't go a certain way. But, I want to see us overwhelm this poll.

[madrastex]

Drop kicking the UN WOULD be abetter idea.

[prairiebreeze]

without the clear, unambiguous support of the UN,"

FOFL!!

Prairie

[GraniteStateConservative]

We have to let the dummies have a chance to exit.

[DannyTN]

No, but if Mexico wouldn't support us, then I think we ought to ship all their illegals home. Besides, it's not like we are going to need a lot of Mexican oil after we take Iraq.

[MeekOneGOP]

Thank you for the heads up ! . . .

[GraniteStateConservative]

He'd be less comfortable in the GOP than a hawk Democrat like Lieberman would be.

[Enduring Freedom]

NOTE TO PRESIDENT BUSH!

At every turn, at every opportunity, spin this NOW on France.

"France vowed to veto the resolution no matter how many votes we got. France stated there would NEVER be a vote for war from the U.N. Security Council.

"I will not stand idly by while danger gathers. For the American people, their families, and our future, a coalition of our friends and allies will disarm Iraq, rid that country of weapons of mass destruction, and liberate the people from this tyrant."

[MeekOneGOP]

Quit Baghdad or war this week, Bush tells Saddam

Excerpt:

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

Saddam will be given "days" to flee into exile before a US-led military invasion begins, according to senior officials in Washington and London.

The details of the final warning will be discussed by George W Bush and Tony Blair at a summit with Jose Maria Aznar, the Spanish prime minister, in the Azores today.

While telephone diplomacy will continue in a last effort to get the support of a majority of the United Nations Security Council, the two leaders have agreed there is virtually no chance of winning a vote on a resolution to authorise the use of force. They have therefore determined to enforce "regime change" in Baghdad without a second resolution.

"Saddam will be given a short period of time to get out of Baghdad. If he fails to do that, military action will follow," one official said.

Please let me know if you want ON or OFF my General Interest ping list!. . .don't be shy.

[doug from upland]

Go to this page and thank England and Spain. They are our friends. LIST OF EMBASSIES.

Will someone please provide a complete list of all those who are supporting us, either with troops or allowing us to use their country or flyover space? Thanks. They all need to hear from us. If we are going on a vacation away from the United States, let's go visit our friends, not the stinking French or Germans. Not even stinking Mexico or Canada.

[prairiebreeze]

He'll run just in time to pull another Osama........

Maybe. Except Hussein is used to his palaces and conveniences. Wonder how long he would last going cave to cave.

Prairie

[EGPWS]

......but I have this feeling we are going back into that snake pit one more time..

Now what would make you feel THAT way?/sarcasm.

I, myself, am getting to feel like fighting the U.N. and..Peppy Le Pew...Is more of a battle than what we are facing with Saddam.

[AGreatPer]

Tuesday or Wednesday at the latest.

Next week we will hear and read, "The President has requested time on National Television".

Times Up.

[MeekOneGOP]

In case you didn't see this . . .

The Lowdown on the Showdown
Pre-Iraq War Summit in the Azores
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/865109/posts

[Destro]

"My opinion then is that the present time, above all others, is inopportune for flight, even though it bring safety. . . . For one who has been an emperor it is unendurable to be a fugitive. May I never be separated from this purple, and may I not live that day on which those who meet me shall not address me as mistress. If, now, it is your wish to save yourself, O Emperor, there is no difficulty. For we have much money, and there is the sea, here the boats. However consider whether it will not come about after you have been saved that you would gladly exchange that safety for death. For as for myself, I approve a certain ancient saying that royalty is a good burial-shroud." Empress Theodora to Emperor Justinian during the Nika revolt of 532 A.D.

Let us hope Saddam has no classical education.

[Dog Gone]

We will still need Mexican oil no matter what happens in Iraq.

[Enduring Freedom]

Another stagecrafted event.

President Bush, say that you are informed that the American people are understandably angry at the French for betraying us while our national security is threatened, and some people threaten a boycott of French goods.

In Reagan style, pause, and draw a long, cool drink from a bottle of American water, and smile.