Bush's Speech
I had to work late last night and missed Bush's speech. However, Lady Quixote watched it and filled me in. I also read the transcript. My wife said Bush looked tired (as one might expect), but clearly made his points. From her comments and reading the transcript, I believe that this conference was mostly aimed overseas. Here is a sample of the speech.
QUESTION: Thank you, Mr. President. As you said, the Security Council faces a vote next week on a resolution implicitly authorizing an attack on Iraq. Will you call for a vote on that resolution, even if you aren't sure you have the votes?BUSH: Well, first, I don't think -- it basically says that he is in defiance of 1441. That's what the resolution says. And it's hard to believe anybody saying he isn't in defiance of 1441 because 1441 said he must disarm. And yes, we'll call for a vote.
QUESTION: No matter what?
BUSH: No matter what the whip count is, we're calling for the vote. We want to see people stand up and say what their opinion is about Saddam Hussein and the utility of the United Nations Security Council. And so, you bet. It's time for people to show their cards, let the world know where they stand when it comes to Saddam.
QUESTION: Mr. President, are you worried that the United States might be viewed as defiant of the United Nations if you went ahead with military action without specific and explicit authorization from the U.N.?
BUSH: No, I'm not worried about that. As a matter of fact, it's hard to say the United States is defiant about the United Nations when I was the person who took the issue to the United Nations September the 12th, 2002. We've been working with the United Nations. We've been working through the United Nations.
Secondly, I'm confident the American people understand that when it comes to our security, if we need to act, we will act. And we really don't need United Nations approval to do so. I want to work -- I want the United Nations to be effective. It's important for it to be a robust, capable body. It's important for its words to mean what they say. And as we head into the 21st century, Mark, when it comes to our security, we really don't need anybody's permission.
President Bush was being very clear that he supports the international community, but he expects people to do what they said they would do. When Resolution 1441 passed, every member of the security council voted for it and paid lip service to 60 days to disarm or severe consequences. 60 days passed and everyone agrees that Saddam has not disarmed. Yet some people want to give Saddam even more time to disarm despite his ignoring UN resolutions for over 12 years now. Many people are treating this as a game where the US and the UK are on trial at the UN. This is no game and Saddam will be disarmed by many nations including the US if he doesn't disarm very quickly now.
It is clear that President Bush is going to force a vote at the UN. From an American perspective, the UN is on trial. Will they live up to Resolution 1441? Or will the security council remain a divided paper tiger? If the latter, I wonder how long it will be before the UN joins the League of Nations?