4th Anniversary of the War On Iraq Time Capsule: March 18, 2003
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On March 18, 2003, it was clear that war was coming soon. Newspapers and broadcasts carried President Bush's televised address in which he gave Saddam Hussein 48 hours to leave the country, and suggested journalists do the same. Most people of means had already left, leaving the city with the poorest and the frailest. Saudis stockpiled oil. And in America, we mourned the political defeat of Collin Powell, who had long served as the voice of diplomacy amid a chorus of those eager for war.
Bush Issues Warning to Saddam: Leave Or Face U.S. Attack
In a stern ultimatum to the Iraqi government, President Bush went on TV to urge foreign journalists to vacate the country immediately and urge President Saddam Hussein and his sons into exile.
In a nationally televised TV address, Bush gave Saddam and his family 48 hours to leave or the United States will attack "at a time of our choosing." The ultimatum also served as a warning for journalists, inspectors, diplomats and others to get out, Bush said.
ABC and NBC pulled their reporters hours before Bush's address. NBC announced that veteran war correspondent Peter Arnett will file live reports from Baghdad for NBC and MSNBC.
The cable and broadcast networks agreed Monday to share video out of Baghdad during the first 24 hours of any war, much as they did in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 tragedy. ABC and Fox, however, don't have correspondents in the city, while Fox withdrew a month ago on orders from the Iraqi government.
How long will CBS stick around a city that could become pretty hostile in a very short time? "We had had extensive discussions with (the Baghdad crew) every single day. We continue to assess the situation," Genelius said.
Prelude to War Claims First U.S. Casualty: Colin Powell's Reputation
From the Boston Globe:
His was the voice of caution in the administration of President George W. Bush. He argued against efforts to force a connection between Iraqi President Saddam Hussein and the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. He argued for winning support from other nations for war, if necessary, in the effort to get Iraq to disarm.
Last fall Powell won worldwide praise as the force behind United Nations Resolution 1441. By a vote of 15-0, the UN Security Council gave Hussein one last chance to avert war. This winter Powell's testimony before the UN helped convince some liberals that Iraq's defiance of 1441 required immediate attention.
Today America stands at war's brink, with Britain and Spain as allies….
Monday's New York Times presented a long, detailed report on "A Long, Winding Road to a Diplomatic Dead End." In it, an unnamed critic blamed Powell for not engaging in shuttle diplomacy, saying, "He should get off the phone and get on a plane." How humiliating for a secretary of state to have to defend himself from charges that, as he summed them up yesterday, "he didn't travel, he hates to travel, he will never travel."
….
He gambled on the UN and lost, didn't he? Now, the right is gunning for him. And those on the left who were momentarily convinced by his presentation to the UN will be feeling more and more betrayed.
….
You cannot wage war and diplomacy. Powell remains secretary of state - without portfolio.
Prelude to War Claims a British Casualty: Tony Blair's Popularity
Robin Cook, a member of Tony Blair's cabinet, quit to protest his support for the use of force in Iraq.
For several weeks, Blair -- President's Bush's staunchest ally -- has been under pressure for his stance, which has alienated him from several European nations, many in his own party and a wide swath of the British public.
Cook is the first high-ranking political casualty.
He disclosed his decision in a letter made public shortly before Blair held an emergency cabinet meeting to plot strategy for re-gaining support from the British public.
His letter said:
"In principle, I believe it is wrong to embark on military action without broad international support. In practice, I believe it is against Britain's interest to create a precedent for unilateral military action."
He praised Blair for making "heroic efforts" to obtain United Nations approval of military action and added, "It is not your fault that those attempts have failed."
Baghdad Is Calm Before the Storm
The Atlanta Journal -Constitution reported from Baghdad that villas and townhouses along the Tigris River sat empty and quiet since most people of means had fled the city.
Appliance dealers cleared their shelves and moved their goods for safekeeping --- one sealed his valuables behind a new interior brick wall.
Gun prices have doubled, and one man confided to a foreigner that if Saddam Hussein's regime falls he plans to kill two people to settle a decades-old grudge.
As residents of the city brace for a U.S. invasion, cracks have widened in Iraqi bravado. People are showing fear and the strains of anticipation. They dread a massive air attack and the ruin and lawlessness that could follow.
Saudi Arabia Stockpiles Oil
Saudi Arabia has amassed a reserve of nearly 50 million barrels of oil that it plans to use to compensate for possible disruptions of Iraqi oil exports if war erupts, a Saudi official told the New York Times.
"We have about 50 million barrels, most of it in the country," said the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. "We can tap into it immediately once there is a shortfall."
The Saudi stockpile has been built up over the last three months as oil prices have climbed near their highest levels in years. Calls have increased from various political quarters for the Bush administration to release oil from the United States Strategic Petroleum Reserve, which holds 600 million barrels of oil. So far, the administration has said it will let the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries try to make up for any disruptions before tapping the strategic reserve.
In New York yesterday, the price of crude oil for April delivery settled at $34.93 a barrel, down 45 cents. During the day, oil traded from $34 to $36.95 a barrel.
Bush Issues Warning to Saddam: Leave Or Face U.S. Attack
In a stern ultimatum to the Iraqi government, President Bush went on TV to urge foreign journalists to vacate the country immediately and urge President Saddam Hussein and his sons into exile.
In a nationally televised TV address, Bush gave Saddam and his family 48 hours to leave or the United States will attack "at a time of our choosing." The ultimatum also served as a warning for journalists, inspectors, diplomats and others to get out, Bush said.
ABC and NBC pulled their reporters hours before Bush's address. NBC announced that veteran war correspondent Peter Arnett will file live reports from Baghdad for NBC and MSNBC.
The cable and broadcast networks agreed Monday to share video out of Baghdad during the first 24 hours of any war, much as they did in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 tragedy. ABC and Fox, however, don't have correspondents in the city, while Fox withdrew a month ago on orders from the Iraqi government.
How long will CBS stick around a city that could become pretty hostile in a very short time? "We had had extensive discussions with (the Baghdad crew) every single day. We continue to assess the situation," Genelius said.
Prelude to War Claims First U.S. Casualty: Colin Powell's Reputation
From the Boston Globe:
His was the voice of caution in the administration of President George W. Bush. He argued against efforts to force a connection between Iraqi President Saddam Hussein and the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. He argued for winning support from other nations for war, if necessary, in the effort to get Iraq to disarm.
Last fall Powell won worldwide praise as the force behind United Nations Resolution 1441. By a vote of 15-0, the UN Security Council gave Hussein one last chance to avert war. This winter Powell's testimony before the UN helped convince some liberals that Iraq's defiance of 1441 required immediate attention.
Today America stands at war's brink, with Britain and Spain as allies….
Monday's New York Times presented a long, detailed report on "A Long, Winding Road to a Diplomatic Dead End." In it, an unnamed critic blamed Powell for not engaging in shuttle diplomacy, saying, "He should get off the phone and get on a plane." How humiliating for a secretary of state to have to defend himself from charges that, as he summed them up yesterday, "he didn't travel, he hates to travel, he will never travel."
….
He gambled on the UN and lost, didn't he? Now, the right is gunning for him. And those on the left who were momentarily convinced by his presentation to the UN will be feeling more and more betrayed.
….
You cannot wage war and diplomacy. Powell remains secretary of state - without portfolio.
Prelude to War Claims a British Casualty: Tony Blair's Popularity
Robin Cook, a member of Tony Blair's cabinet, quit to protest his support for the use of force in Iraq.
For several weeks, Blair -- President's Bush's staunchest ally -- has been under pressure for his stance, which has alienated him from several European nations, many in his own party and a wide swath of the British public.
Cook is the first high-ranking political casualty.
He disclosed his decision in a letter made public shortly before Blair held an emergency cabinet meeting to plot strategy for re-gaining support from the British public.
His letter said:
"In principle, I believe it is wrong to embark on military action without broad international support. In practice, I believe it is against Britain's interest to create a precedent for unilateral military action."
He praised Blair for making "heroic efforts" to obtain United Nations approval of military action and added, "It is not your fault that those attempts have failed."
Baghdad Is Calm Before the Storm
The Atlanta Journal -Constitution reported from Baghdad that villas and townhouses along the Tigris River sat empty and quiet since most people of means had fled the city.
Appliance dealers cleared their shelves and moved their goods for safekeeping --- one sealed his valuables behind a new interior brick wall.
Gun prices have doubled, and one man confided to a foreigner that if Saddam Hussein's regime falls he plans to kill two people to settle a decades-old grudge.
As residents of the city brace for a U.S. invasion, cracks have widened in Iraqi bravado. People are showing fear and the strains of anticipation. They dread a massive air attack and the ruin and lawlessness that could follow.
Saudi Arabia Stockpiles Oil
Saudi Arabia has amassed a reserve of nearly 50 million barrels of oil that it plans to use to compensate for possible disruptions of Iraqi oil exports if war erupts, a Saudi official told the New York Times.
"We have about 50 million barrels, most of it in the country," said the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. "We can tap into it immediately once there is a shortfall."
The Saudi stockpile has been built up over the last three months as oil prices have climbed near their highest levels in years. Calls have increased from various political quarters for the Bush administration to release oil from the United States Strategic Petroleum Reserve, which holds 600 million barrels of oil. So far, the administration has said it will let the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries try to make up for any disruptions before tapping the strategic reserve.
In New York yesterday, the price of crude oil for April delivery settled at $34.93 a barrel, down 45 cents. During the day, oil traded from $34 to $36.95 a barrel.
