detonate.net - 48 Hours Until War.

WASHINGTON, March 17 — In one of the gravest hours of his presidency, President Bush told Saddam Hussein and his sons tonight that they had 48 hours to surrender power and to leave Iraq, or face a sure, swift and ruinous war. If the Iraqi dictator refuses to go into exile with his sons within that time, the result will be a military campaign "commenced at a time of our choosing," Mr. Bush vowed in a somber address from the White House.

The president sought in his quarter-hour address to brace the American people for war, and to assure the people of Iraq that "the tyrant will soon be gone." Mr. Bush said the United States and its allies would strike with their full might against the Baghdad regime, if necessary, now that the United Nations has demonstrated its unwillingness to do so. As for the notion that a super power like the United States should not wage war unless it is attacked first, Mr. Bush said that would be folly in the age of deadly weapons and ruthless terrorists. "It is not self-defense," Mr. Bush said. "It is suicide." Mr. Bush said America and its allies have no choice but to move on Iraq, unless Mr. Hussein steps aside. Mr. Hussein and his cronies have been reckless in the Middle East, are in league with terrorists and are driven by "a deep hatred for America," Mr. Bush said. At one point, the president vowed, "Instead of drifting along toward tragedy, we will set a course for safety." Mr. Bush rebuked the United Nations, which he said had failed to live up to its responsibilities. "So we will rise to ours," he said. And he scolded France and other countries who oppose war. "These governments share our assessment of the danger, but not the resolve to meet it," he said. The President had a message for Iraqi foot soldiers and their leaders: "Do not fight for a dying regime that is not worth your life." And he warned Iraqi commanders not to set oil wells afire or commit other acts of sabotage upon their own country. War criminals will be hunted down when the fighting is over, Mr. Bush said, and "it will be no defense to say, `I was just following orders."' The president sought to prepare Americans for a time of danger and hardship. He said his administration is taking further steps against terrorists who are Mr. Hussein's partners in evil-planning, if not in deed. "We will not be intimidated by thugs and killers," he said. (The Department of Homeland Security raised the terror alert one level to orange, or high, tonight and called for an increase in security measures nationwide. The department deployed extra Border Patrol officers, stepped up patrols at seaports, airports and nuclear power plants and safeguards over food supplies, officials said.) Mr. Bush seemed to be bracing Americans for a long, difficult rebuilding process in Iraq, even if the war there is won quickly. Peace and democracy will not come to that country overnight "but in time," he said. Mr. Bush spent hours rehearsing his speech, after it became clear this morning that a resolution declaring Iraq in violation of United Nations weapons mandates had no chance of passage in the Security Council. So the United States and the other sponsors, Britain and Spain, withdrew it. Apparently convinced that war was coming to his country, Mr. Hussein told a state news agency in Iraq today that "not even 10 Americas will be able to separate the people of Iraq away from their land, rights, freedom, independence and sovereignty." Hours after the Iraqi leader's defiant remarks, there was some encouragement for the United States out of Turkey, which now seems likely to reconsider more quickly than expected the issue of support for American military efforts in a war against Iraq. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan had not been expected to bring up the issue in Parliament until after his newly formed government won a vote of confidence, probably late this week. But there were signals from Ankara today that the new government may go to Parliament very soon to try to get approval at least for allowing American planes to fly over Turkey in the event of war. This evening, Prime Minister John Howard of Australia said troops from his country would fight alongside the quarter-million American and British soldiers ready to move against Iraq.