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U.S. Defends Involvement in Middle East Crisis

Aired March 29, 2002 - 14:11   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Let's check in with the man who's covering President Bush for us. Major Garrett is in Crawford, Texas. Major, there's a call around the world for more U.S. involvement. More visual and verbal U.S. involvement than we've seen so far.

MAJOR GARRETT, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, you know, Daryn, the Bush administration just categorically rejects the notion that has stood on the sidelines, that the Israeli and Palestinian conflict has gone on and become more and more violent. The Bush administration argues, look, we're the first White House ever, Republican or Democrat, to state specifically a vision that includes a Palestinian state.

The Bush administration also says it's the first ever in American history to put before the United Nation Security Council a resolution that in fact calls for a Palestinian state. The Bush administration says that previous administrations did a lot of talking, but we've actually put concrete proposals that incorporate a vision for a Palestinian state on the table, endorse them authoritatively. And for those who say we have been uninvolved or disinterested in this, they simply reject.

Now, the other point worth making is when Secretary of State Colin Powell appeared at the State Department today, he was doing at the behest of the president. It was a byproduct of a lengthy national security council meeting conducted by a secure video teleconference. The president here at his ranch in Crawford, all of his top advisers at the White House. They talked back and forth, could see one another.

And the president definitely wanted his secretary of state to strike a note about terrorism. That the progress had been made, small though it was, in pursuit of a cease-fire between the Israelis and the Palestinians, was derailed by one factor and one factor alone: terrorist attacks by Palestinian militants against Israeli civilians.

The Bush administration wants to maintain this moral clarity on the question of terrorism being used to achieve political aims. It doesn't believe that anywhere, in any set of circumstances, it can turn the other way when terrorism is used to achieve political aims. That's why the hard line was put there.

Nevertheless, Secretary of State Colin Powell also said he was deeply troubled, speaking for the administration, about the Israeli defense forces incursion in Ramallah. And he believed and underscored the central role Yasser Arafat can still play in the process. Here's what he had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: ... very serious situation in the Middle East since last night. Early this morning we began a national security council meeting, which included the president, via television remote, as well as the vice president, the secretary of defense, myself, of course, the director of Central Intelligence, Mr. Tenet. National security adviser Rice and chief of staff, Andy Card.

Last night also I was in conference call with the president and Dr. Rice to review the situation. And immediately after talking to the president I also had the opportunity...

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GARRETT: Daryn, what the secretary of state said regarding the Israeli defense forces, that the United States government understands Israel has the right to defend itself, but also wants to urge the Israeli government to do whatever it can to minimize civilian casualties among Palestinians. Mr. Powell also said that Yasser Arafat's role is more central than ever, to achieving a cease-fire.

Now, that's in direct opposition to the Israeli government's declaration of Mr. Arafat as an enemy of the state. So nevertheless, there are grievances that the administration is aware of from the Palestinian side. And yet, they would say, look, we are continuing to say that Mr. Arafat plays a vital role. We are urging the Israeli government not to inflict undue or even any civilian casualties among Palestinians.

But the administration does believe Israel has a right to defend itself. And on that score, it's basically going to take a hands off attitude -- Daryn.

KAGAN: And we also got a clue there from the secretary of state, logistically, how this was being handled. He's in Washington. The president remains at his ranch in Crawford, Texas. And that's how things are going to stay for now. Holiday weekend plans stay.

GARRETT: That's right. A very telling remark from the secretary of state, saying he would go back to the region if and when there was a purpose to be served. This administration is very emphatic. They do not believe in negotiations for the sake of negotiations. A peace process for the sake of a peace process.

They want concrete results. And until there are indications -- substantive, tangible indications from the Israelis and the Palestinians, that progress can and will be made and there's something worth declaring, for example, a cease-fire, then and only then would someone of the high rank of Secretary of State Powell return to the region, or Vice President Cheney, if in fact that were necessary.

But until then, Anthony Zinni is the president's personal representative there. They should go through him. And they report back to Secretary of State Powell, to the president. And that's going to be the logistics until things break in a different direction -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Major Garrett reporting from Crawford, Texas. Major, thank you so much.

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