To the Point

President Bush Draws Line in the Sand on Iraq

Chief Weapons Inspector Hans Blix told the UN again today that despite some progress, disarmament in Iraq will take more time. The US, Britain and Spain responded by calling for the Security Council to set a deadline of March 17 for Saddam Hussein-s -complete cooperation- with weapons inspectors. Last night, in what he called the -final phase- of diplomacy, President Bush announced that he would seek a final Council resolution on Iraq-s failure to disarm, even if the US doesn-t have the necessary votes to guarantee its passage. Is March 17 the day that war will begin? We look at America-s renewed pressure to force the UN-s hand, and the latest shifts in international political alliances with journalists, specialists in international law, a former advisor to British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and the head of the Russian Academy of Sciences Institute of the USA and Canada. Making News: Blix Makes His Third Report to UN Security Council At the UN today, Chief Weapons Inspector Hans Blix and Mohamed ElBaradei of the International Atomic Energy Agency reported that there has been more progress, but that disarmament of Iraq will still take more time. Britain-s Foreign Minister Jack Straw then offered a proposal. Steven Weisman, chief diplomatic correspondent for the New York Times, is following today-s events from the United Nations. Reporter's Notebook: Cultural Mood of US in Times of Impending War News has been happening very fast in the past few hours. Last night, President Bush came as close as he ever has to saying it-s time for war against Saddam Hussein, and today, the Security Council began what could be its final debate on the issue. The New York Times- Frank Rich, one of America-s leading analysts of culture and public affairs, reflects on how the President, the press and the public are approaching impending war.