Newsflash: Bush Announces Nothing

Friday, 7 March 2003, 2:23 pm
Article: Alastair Thompson

U.S. President George W. Bush has just finished his opening remarks in a prime time (8pm EST) press conference in the White House announced with some fanfare this morning and broadcast live over the Internet and most U.S. TV networks.

During the day there has been considerable speculation that the President was about to announce a 72 hour deadline for Iraq to either disarm, or be disarmed by force, i.e. that he was about to signal the endgame to the leadup to war.

However ,speaking in an extremely calm tone, the President appeared to have nothing new to say on the crisis.

Mr Bush repeated the oft-repeated mantra that Iraq had been given its last chance to disarm, but had failed to do so.

He was asked immediately after his statement whether he was planning to set a 72 hour deadline as speculated about earlier by several news organisations.

He replied that the diplomatic process was continuing. He said the diplomatic process was in its final stages. He added that he was continuing to discuss these matters with his fellow leaders, he said.

The President's failure to say anything new seems likely to lead to speculation in coming hours that The President has had a last minute change of heart about going to war next week.

ENDS

© Scoop Media

Alastair Thompson

Scoop Publisher

Alastair Thompson is the co-founder of Scoop. He is of Scottish and Irish extraction and from Wellington, New Zealand. Alastair has 24 years experience in the media, at the Dominion, National Business Review, North & South magazine, Straight Furrow newspaper and online since 1997. He is the winner of several journalism awards for business and investigative work.

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