Eyes On Iraq Shift To The U.S.
With more U.S. ground troops headed to the Persian Gulf region, President Clinton and his foreign policy advisers are trying to persuade Americans to support an air attack on Iraq if Saddam Hussein doesn't bow to U.S. demands on weapons inspections.
After spending a long weekend at the Camp David presidential retreat, Mr. Clinton is outlining his case against Iraq in a speech to Pentagon brass. On Wednesday, his foreign policy team is to conduct a town hall meeting in Columbus, Ohio.
View our live simulcast of the president's speech at the Pentagon at about noon Eastern time today.
"We will be increasing the pace of the dialogue both with the American people and the international community, so they will understand our determination to see that Iraq complies with United Nations Security Council resolutions," White House spokesman P.J. Crowley said.
The president was not expected to break new ground in Tuesday's address, but aides said it offered him the best opportunity yet to fully explain the objectives and risks of military action in the standoff with Iraq over U.N. weapons inspections.
Mr. Clinton has said air strikes would "diminish and reduce" Iraq's suspected production of biological, chemical, and nuclear weapons. He would prefer a diplomatic solution that puts U.N. weapons inspectors back on the job, but Saddam has refused to promise unfettered access to potential arms sites.
Military leaders have said in recent days that U.S. casualties should be expected. Mr. Clinton was expected to echo the words of his national security adviser, Sandy Berger: "There is no cost-free, risk-free option."
Defense Secretary William Cohen said Monday he had signed orders that would send 5,000 to 6,000 more troops from armor and helicopter units to the Kuwait region.
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