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Iraq
No UN Vote - Bush to Address Nation
2003-03-17
Bush to Address Nation at 8 p.m. ET Tonight
U.S. announces it will not seek U.N. vote on Iraq war.

Evening followup:
President Bush on Monday gave Saddam Hussein a 48-hour deadline to flee Iraq or face a U.S.-led invasion, saying American forces will wage war "at a time of our choosing."

The president, commander in chief of 250,000 U.S. troops poised at the borders of Iraq, addressed the nation at 8 p.m. EST.

In the White House speech, Bush said the U.S. tried to resolve the crisis peacefully, but "we are not dealing with peaceful men."

An intense White House debate over whether to establish a timetable was settled hours before the president's speech.

"It boils down to the president is giving Saddam Hussein 48 hours to get out of town," Rep. Ike Skelton, D-Mo., said after he and other lawmakers met with the president and his advisers at the White House earlier. Skelton said of the likelihood of Saddam leaving, "I don't think he will. I don't think anyone thinks he will."

"The diplomatic window has now been closed," White House spokesman Ari Fleischer declared Monday morning, just 12 hours after Bush's return from an Atlantic island summit with his allies from Britain and Spain.
And now two more days of marking time?
Posted by:Steve

#12  Schlep, Blair doesn't 'need' the vote to go to war. The parliamentary vote's just a gesture.
Posted by: Bulldog   2003-03-17 17:01:10  

#11  Becky:

3-23-03
Posted by: Anonon   2003-03-17 16:59:48  

#10  Blair still has to get a vote: "Mr Blair will lead a Commons debate on Tuesday ahead of a new vote on his Iraq stance." (bbc)
Posted by: Schleprock   2003-03-17 13:34:21  

#9  Exactly, mark. These announcements usually say "has begun" and not "will begin". Unless Bush plans to address the nation twice.
Posted by: RW   2003-03-17 11:39:16  

#8  No problem if it's to announce that action has already begun.
Posted by: mark   2003-03-17 11:10:13  

#7  Rumor is that W is going to give Sammy a short time (24-72 hrs) to get out of Dodge. Seems like that'd be asking for Sammy to launch a preemptive attack on our massed troops, no?
Posted by: jrosevear   2003-03-17 13:02:44  

#6  It can't be today; 8 PM EST is roughly 4 AM. There's not enough time in the bombing window.
Posted by: Brian   2003-03-17 10:41:06  

#5  If I recall, the British troops said today would be the day. But I'm guessing it's already dark over there and nothing seems to have happened yet. OK..I admit I was secretly hoping Bush would come out at 8:00pm and say...we're going to war.. and...oh look..it's already over. Hey, I'm entitled to my own little optimistic fantasies..so sue me.

As for praying for the troops - everyone get busy!
Posted by: becky   2003-03-17 10:34:39  

#4  Amen, JAB. Right there with you.
Posted by: Dar Steckelberg   2003-03-17 10:14:25  

#3  It's about time for those of us who've advocated this action from the comfort of the Internet to pray for those who will now have to fight it in the desert.
Posted by: JAB   2003-03-17 09:59:48  

#2  Its about FREAKIN' time!

Posted by: Frank Martin   2003-03-17 09:54:56  

#1  Schlep, Blair doesn't 'need' the vote to go to war. The parliamentary vote's just a gesture.
Posted by: Bulldog   3/17/2003 5:01:10 PM  

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