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CNN Live Today

Former Asst. Secy. of State Jamie Rubin Discusses the Current Mideast Crisis

Aired April 03, 2002 - 13:26   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.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: All right, once again live in Jerusalem, a bit before 9:30 in the evening. If you followed the events throughout the day, there have been many. Let's talk more about it with Jamie Rubin again, former assistant secretary of state under the Clinton administration and Madeleine Albright.

Good evening once again to you.

Thanks for being patient, understanding, too.

End game, where is it? What's the strategy? What does Ariel Sharon do?

JAMES RUBIN, FMR. ASST. SECY. OF STATE: This really is the big problem with this military operation. I think everyone agrees that when the Palestinian Authority was willing to crackdown on attacks on Israel they could do so. If the Israeli forces go in as they are and root out terrorist infrastructure, including the infrastructure of the Palestinian Authority, how do they leave? Once they leave, there's a complete vacuum, and there's nobody to even conceivably do what the Israelis will hope to happen. So the Israelis don't seem to have exit strategy. Yes, they can get at a certain degree -- or a certain percentage of terrorist infrastructure, but once they leave, it starts all over again.

HEMMER: The other thing that has taken on a lot of attention in the past 24 hours, the situation on the Lebanese boarder. How much concern is there within the diplomatic circles that this indeed could be a widening conflict?

RUBIN: I think there should be a lot of concern. Right now, you have a rather unique circumstance, where not only are there demonstrations in Lebanon, which are fairly rare, in Egypt, Egypt taking this minor diplomatic step, but still significant, and you have the possibility that Hezbollah will see that the world is now on -- against Ariel Sharon and supporting Arafat, and make incursions into the north. The Israelis will retaliate, and you have a real potential for the first time in many, many months, for a Syrian-Israeli military conflict.

HEMMER: Go it. I'm almost out of time. Would you send Colin Powell to the region? Yes, no, maybe? RUBIN: I think what's more important is what the Israelis are hearing from the administration privately, explaining very clearly that when American weapons are used in these operations, American interests are suffering, and secondly, that we don't think the operation is achieving its objective. It's only making Arafat more popular, and it's not going to root out terrorism.

HEMMER: Jamie Rubin, thanks. I'm out of time. Wish we could talk more.

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