White House Skeptical About Iraq's Latest Offer
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Iraq's offer to let U.N. weapons inspectors return is drawing skepticism from the White House. For more on the president's case against Iraq, we head to Washington and White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux. Good morning, Suzanne.</s>SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol. Well, President Bush enters this week really emboldened by that congressional resolution that authorizes him to use military force against Saddam Hussein if necessary. The next step now is to win a single, tough U.N. resolution that requires Iraq to disarm or face the consequences. This week we're going to see the U.N. Security Council debating that very issue. The White House strategy now is to use that congressional resolution as leverage for the U.N. Security Council permanent members to really sign on to a tough U.N. resolution, one that has teeth. President Bush using his weekly radio address to make the case.</s>GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: This week both the House and Senate passed strong bipartisan measures authorizing the use of force in Iraq, if it becomes necessary. Our country and our Congress are now united in purpose. America is speaking with one voice. Iraq must disarm and comply with all existing U.N. resolutions, or it will be forced to comply.</s>MALVEAUX: Now, here's the sticking point, whether it will be one or two resolutions. France is calling for two, one which would actually require Iraq to disarm, the second which would give the green light to use military force against Saddam Hussein if he does not comply. There is one possible compromise that is being considered that might be good for both sides -- that might be acceptable for both sides, which is a resolution that calls for Saddam Hussein to comply to the disarmament of the country, and if not, to face the consequences, but not necessary outline particularly using military force -- Carol.</s>LIN: Suzanne, I'm just wondering, it is early in the day, but I'm wondering if there is any reaction to this car bomb blast in -- on the island of Bali. So many foreigners, 182, most of them foreigners, were killed in that car bomb blast, and I'm wondering if you think that this will make more of a case for President Bush's argument for a resolution than an attack on Iraq, or it might work against it?</s>MALVEAUX: Well, as you mentioned before that bomb blast, actually yesterday, there were State Department officials that did speak about that and said it was quite a tragedy. As you know, U.S. officials are keeping a close eye on that. They're monitoring the situation. It is too soon for at least the U.S. to say with confidence that it was an act of terrorism, but clearly this just emboldens the administration's case that they are making, that yes, there's terrorism around the world, not only dealing with al Qaeda inside of Afghanistan, around the world, but also in Iraq as well, and that this may be just another example of that.</s>LIN: All right, thank you very much -- Suzanne Malveaux, very early on this Sunday morning.