President Tells Hussein to Leave Iraq Within 48 Hours or Face Invasion

Earlier in the day, British and U.S. diplomats, facing certain defeat on the Security Council, withdrew a resolution that would have cleared the way for war. Though Bush on Sunday vowed another day of "working the phones," it quickly became clear that as many of 11 of 15 council members remained opposed.

Faux News and the administration continued on the "blame France" crusade and unnamed administration sources say they had as many as ten votes. The Security Council has meetings scheduled for this week which may expose this lie.

The withdrawal of the resolution without a vote was a double climb-down for Bush. On Feb. 22, he had predicted victory at the United Nations, and on March 6 he said he wanted a vote regardless of the outcome.

The White House has refused to offer official estimates of the cost of the war, and Bush provided none last night. Sources said he plans to ask Congress in coming days for about $80 billion for the combat phase and the initial reconstruction of Iraq.

This is a partial accounting with more supplemental requests for allied aid and more reconstruction funds expected later.
U.S. troops in Kuwait shared that sentiment. About two hours after the president spoke, Lt. Col. Stephen Twitty told his battalion of the 3rd Infantry Division, "Guys, you're going to war."

The troops, standing in formation on a dusty patch of desert, roared back, "Hooah!"

Twitty reminded the soldiers of the 3rd Battalion, 15th Regiment, that they would be encountering many civilians.

"We're not going up there to fight the Iraqi people. The Iraqi people are good people. They've just been put in a bad situation."

He told the troops to treat Iraqi soldiers that surrendered with "dignity and respect."

A smart move by the Marines as reports indicate they will have a large responsibility of keeping the peace. This was a good story by Dana Milbank and Mike Allen and William Branigin.