Powell Says No U.S. Attack on North Korea Is Imminent
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Secretary of State Colin Powell says North Korea's nuclear brinkmanship is troubling, but that no U.S. attack is imminent. For the latest, we turn to CNN White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux, who's outside the president's Crawford ranch. Hi, Suzanne.</s>SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Fred. A lot of news this morning. The administration saying it has no intention on attacking North Korea. Secretary of State Colin Powell this morning talking to our Wolf Blitzer telling us that the administration will allow months for diplomacy to play out, that the administration will allow months for diplomacy to play out when it comes to North Korea, that the administration would like to talk to North Korea if it has something constructive to say to our friends and our allies, but again no rewards for bad behavior. No negotiations, but still no need for a strike.</s>COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: He has a military option. We're just not bringing it up to the front, because it's not necessary to do so. Everybody knows what our military capacity is. Second Rumsfeld made it clear earlier this week that we had the capacity to deal with any emergency or a situation that might arise, but keep in mind that we try to solve things peacefully. Notwithstanding the reputation we sometimes enjoy is always reaching for a gun.</s>MALVEAUX: The goal of the administration now is to put the maximum amount of financial and diplomatic pressure on Kim Jong Il, the leader of North Korea, to abandon his nuclear weapons programs by working through the International Atomic Energy Agency, perhaps even bringing the case before the United Nations Security Council. That body could declare that North Korea is in violation of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, or perhaps even slap on economic sanctions. The administration also trying to put as much pressure as possible on North Korea's neighbors to perhaps even limit or sever their economic ties with Pyongyang. Of course, senior administration officials telling us that all of this, the success of the plan, will depend on the cooperation of U.S. allies -- Fred.</s>WHITFIELD: All right, Suzanne from Crawford, thank you very much.