Bush: Monday Is 'Moment of Truth for the World'

Fox News ^ | Sunday, March 16, 2003

[Republican_Strategist]

LAJES, Azores Islands

[Ramius]

Yeah, but it's a full moon, and moonrise is early in the evening. In a week, moonrise is after 2am local Bagdad time, and sunset will be about 9pm. Four hours of total black. Since we get to choose the "when" part... that looks like a good choice.

[Admin Moderator]

N/P

[Jumper]

He will turn it over to the UN, but with a 25% share of funding on the line, the administration will be accountable to those who pay the most:) And then the legimaticy of the UN makes the US look even more correct in going in to begin with:) Once the UN is tied down in Iraq, the US will continue to pursue other rouge dictators until the first dozen are through - again all under UN management. If the UN then fails to maintain these liberated states as free and independent, it will be the real signal of the body's demise. US economic might, according to Newsweek, is expected to expand to a larger protion of the world's capacity over the next two decades; given that expectation, the UN and world knows where economics will flow from.

[Malsua]

Stealths like the New Moon. Special forces like the sliver moon. Tomahaks don't care.

Like is operative here. The above can function under all circumstances. I agree that a new moon would be useful, but it's not a requirement. Surface the subs now and light the fuse _NOW_. The sooner it starts, the sooner it's over.

-Mal

[LayoutGuru2]

Will the war start before March 17th? Take my poll.

Will the war with Iraq begin before the end of the day (Washington D.C. time) March 17th, 2003?

Take My Poll

[Ramius]

Point taken. We can do it whenever we want, and after listening to them in the Azores, it could be tomorrow night. We might. I'd like to see this business behind us too.

But, I wouldn't take any last minute adjustment of the timing to be anything other than doing whatever is in the best interest of the battle plan. If the commanders say they want an hour of blackness at the start, or two hours, or three or whatever... then I would give them what they want.

[Malsua]

>>But, I wouldn't take any last minute adjustment of the timing to be anything other than doing whatever is in the best interest of the battle plan<<

Agreed again. We need to do this in the best interests of the forces. Tommy Franks needs the go and at that point he'll do the right thing in the best interests of the folks under him.

-Mal

[Lion's Cub]

I understand what you are saying, but such logic ignores the danger to the US of strengtheing the UN. We are systematically transferring all our wealth to other nations who hate us. To think that the EU, Russia, and China (and all the others who are jealous) will suddenly become real allies is ludicrous. It's time we stopped funding those who only want to destroy us.

[rwfromkansas]

I am somewhat intrigued at what you saw, but it sounds serious enough I am glad the post was axed.

[xhrist]

Devils advocate: Don't we hate them also, in the same senses?

IMO it's the friends close, enemies closer thing.

[Mustang]

"If you want peace, prepare for war"....is, in Latin:

"Si vis pacem, para bellum"

Mustang sends w/Best FReegards. btw, my Best Friend is a Navy wife...My wife of 34 years! Stay safe and give the hubby a FReeper hug when he gets back!

[Lion's Cub]

Actually, I don't hate them--though I hate what they do.

You are probably right about the old "enemies closer" theory predominating. I'm just not convinced it is a good policy.

At any rate, my computer fan died a couple of weeks ago, so I'm here on my son's computer today. He needs it back, so I'll have to give up the argument for now. They'll be plenty of time to debate this later when we see what actually happens after the war :)

[SevenofNine]

HEYY Steve thanks for Rummy date

Soo I give tommorow afternoon bank closing time to Saddam comply


Then get ready for 1,000 degree temps in Bagdad

[lodwick]

I like your day dream, and would add that Powell should also give them their 30 notice to vacate this country.

Perfect!

Cheers.

[Cap Huff]

I think it goes further than that. I think that saying that france has already played its card implicity says that Bush has yet to play his card. Perhaps he was saying to ChIraq, 'we know exactly why you are behaving this way, and when the time comes, we're going to play that card.'

[MeekOneGOP]

Bush: Monday 'moment of truth' for world

03/17/2003

Associated Press

LAJES, Azores Islands - Poised for war, President Bush and three allied leaders set a one-day deadline Sunday for the United Nations to demand immediate disarmament of Iraq.

"Tomorrow is a moment of truth for the world," Bush said after a hurriedly called Atlantic island summit to discuss efforts at disarming a government long believed to maintain weapons of mass destruction.

"Now we make a final appeal to make a strong, unified message on behalf of the international community," added British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who joined Bush and the leaders of Spain and Portugal for a few short hours of summitry.

They gathered at a time when more than 250,000 troops, a naval armada and an estimated 1,000 combat aircraft are positioned in the Persian Gulf area, an American-led force ready to strike if and when the president gives the word.

One administration official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Bush plans to address the nation shortly after the diplomatic window closes Monday - possibly as early as Monday night.

Bush urged other nations to support "the immediate and unconditional disarmament" of Iraq. France, Germany and Russia have opposed an additional United Nations resolution to set an ultimatum for the Iraqi leader to disarm - and the French have threatened to veto it. Efforts to win the votes of uncommitted nations at the U.N. Security Council have faltered in recent days.

For his part, Iraqi President Saddam Hussein made clear he would resist. "When the enemy starts a large-scale battle, he must realize that the battle between us will be open wherever there is sky, land and water in the entire world," the Iraqi leader told his military commanders in remarks carried by the official Iraqi news agency.

And Hans Blix, the chief United Nations weapons inspector, said inspections would continue on Monday, as planned, "unless we call them back."

Bush and the leaders of the three allied nations met at an American air base in the Azores, Portuguese territory in the Atlantic Ocean.

Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar said the agreement among the leaders marked "a last chance, one last attempt to reach the greatest possible consensus among ourselves."

"Any military presence, should it be necessary, will be temporary. ... Our commitment to support the people of Iraq will be for the long term," the four leaders said in a formal statement.

Bush sounded as if he didn't expect reluctant countries to change their minds.

Asked whether Monday was the day that would determine whether diplomacy could work, he replied, "That's what I'm saying."

"We hope tomorrow the U.N. will do its job," Bush said. Alternatively, he said, "Saddam Hussein can leave the country if he's interested in peace."

One administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the diplomatic process would end on Monday, regardless of whether a U.N. resolution passed, failed or was withdrawn.

The president was scornful of France's role in the diplomatic tug of war that has unfolded in recent months.

Noting that he said 10 days ago he wanted the nations of the Security Council to show their cards, he said, "France showed their cards. After I said what I said, they said they were going to veto anything that held Saddam to account."

One senior U.S. official said that in his remarks, Bush did not intend to rule out accepting a compromise on Monday that would briefly extend a March 17 deadline written into the resolution that has stalled at the U.N. This official added, though, that any new resolution must be backed by a threat of force, something France has opposed.

In his remarks, Bush seemed at times to be looking beyond war, saying that "Iraq's liberation would be the beginning, not the end, of our commitment to its people."

He pledged humanitarian relief, an end to international sanctions and an effort to rejuvenate the nation's economy. "We'll make sure that Iraq's natural resources are used for the benefit of their owners, the Iraqi people," he said.

Bush planned to call fellow leaders on the flight back to Washington aboard Air Force One.

American frustration with the French was on display during the day, both in Bush's remarks and in comments by Vice President Dick Cheney.

French President Jacques Chirac said Sunday he was willing to accept a 30-day deadline for Iraq to disarm, provided the move was endorsed by U.N. weapons inspectors.

Two thousand miles away, Cheney brushed that suggestion aside in an appearance on NBC's "Meet the Press," recounting a long list of French actions in recent years that he said had let Saddam avoid disarmament.

Blair noted that some nations oppose any ultimatum to Saddam.

The result, he said, is that the Iraqi leader is playing a game that "he has played over the last 12 years. Disarmament never happens but instead the international community is drawn into some perpetual negotiation," he said.

"Now we have reached the point of decision," he said.

Portugal Prime Minister Jose Durao Barroso called the Azores summit "the last chance of a political solution. It may be a small chance but if there is only one chance in a million it's worth trying this opportunity."

In Washington, Secretary of State Colin Powell said, "Is it time to bring the curtain down on this or is there some hope?" Cheney appeared to answer the question, saying, "There's no question but what we're close to the end, if you will, of the diplomatic efforts."

Powell suggested that the Iraqi president could avert a war in his country by fleeing to another nation along with his top lieutenants. He said he thought there were countries that "would be willing to do that as their contribution to avoiding a war."

At the same time, he said he would advise weapons inspectors, humanitarian aid workers and journalists now in Baghdad "to take a hard look at the situation they are in, and it would be probably better for them to start leaving or making plans to leave."

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Online at: http://www.dallasnews.com/latestnews/stories/031703dnnatazoressummit.50660.html

[MattMa]

You go out to do some support our troop sign waving, and you miss all the fun. It just not fair.

[Flyer]

You go out to do some support our troop sign waving, and you miss all the fun

Actually I found it a pleasant change of pace from checking the lastest posts every 3.4 seconds. Kind of took the edge off.

[bonesmccoy]

Some U.S., British arms inspectors leave Iraq
BAGHDAD, March 16 Kyodo - Part of the U.S. and British contingents in the U.N. arms inspection team have left Iraq amid fears of an imminent U.S. invasion of Iraq, U.N. sources in Baghdad said Sunday.
Five of eight U.N.-leased helicopters used by weapons inspectors in Iraq were flown out to Syria on Saturday after their insurance coverage was halted amid war fears, a source at Iraq's National Monitoring Directorate said.

U.N. sources said the departure of U.S. and British arms inspectors, on grounds of holidays and other reasons, has reduced the combined size of the U.S. and British arms inspection contingents in Iraq to about 10.


source: Kyodo News

Gosh, I'd hate to be the last American "UN inspector" left standing in Baghdad.

[let freedom sing]

Be there... or be square.