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American Morning

Bush Hosting Saudi Arabia's Ambassador to U.S. Today

Aired August 27, 2002 - 08:31   ET

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

BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: President Bush hosting the Saudi Arabia's ambassador to the U.S. a bit later today. Along with the tour of the ranch, lunch, there should be some straight talk as well. And for one thing, the Saudis are against an attack on Baghdad. But in Nashville yesterday, the vice president, Dick Cheney, made it clear that the Bush administration thinks a strike against Saddam Hussein is urgent.
Suzanne Malveaux at the White House front lawn this morning, and James Martone is reporting live in Baghdad, Iraq for the latest on the situation there. We start at the White House and Suzanne.

Good morning.

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Bill.

Well, while some Republican lawmakers and most U.S. allies are cautioning President Bush against a military strike in Iraq, Vice President Dick Cheney making his strongest case ever to use armed forces to oust the Iraqi leader. It was just yesterday before a group of veterans that he said the international community must act before Saddam obtains nuclear weapons, that Iraq is a threat now, requiring the U.S. to take preemptive action.

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DICK CHENEY, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: These are not weapons for the purpose of defending Iraq. These are offensive weapons for the purpose of inflicting death on a massive scale, developed so that Saddam could hold the threat over the head of anyone he chooses in his own region or beyond.

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MALVEAUX: Today, President Bush and the Saudi ambassador to the United States, Prince Bandar, will have lunch together at Bush's Crawford Ranch. The White House tells us they will focus on Iraq, as well as the war on terror. Also, sources close to the talks say that Bandar will emphasize making clear that Saudi leadership is not involved or sponsors terrorism. Second, that Saudi officials are concerned with the American press, what they consider to be anti-Saudi sentiment in the United States and that third Saudi Arabia cannot and will not support a war against Iraq.

We're also told by sources close to the talks, there may be some delicate issues that come up. They may respond to an allegation that certain Saudi officials paid $200 million to Al Qaeda to protect Saudi interests from terrorists saying that is absolutely ridiculous and I'm quoting. They're also calling a lawsuit by September 11th victims against Saudi interests as undignified, and that most likely will not be addressed in their talks, but if it does come up, they will defend themselves -- Bill.

MALVEAUX: That is the view from the White House.

Suzanne, thanks. From Baghdad now, good afternoon to James Martone.

What are you hearing, James? Good afternoon.

JAMES MARTONE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Bill, we're hearing finally from the Iraqi president himself. Iraqi Television just showed pictures of the president a half an hour ago. President Saddam Hussein meeting with Qatar's foreign minister here in Baghdad. The Iraqi television quoted the president of Iraq as saying that the American threats target not only Iraq but the whole Arab nation. Iraqi TV said that President Saddam Hussein stressed that Iraq had met all its obligations which were imposed on it under Security Council resolutions, but that the security council, according to Saddam Hussein on Iraqi Television, for its part he says have not complied, the Security Council has not complied with its commitments.

Now, also interesting, the president of Iraq on Iraqi television saying as well that the only -- if there is a real desire to come to a solution to avoid a crisis, that it should be done so under international law, is what he said.

Also interesting that he was meeting the Qatari foreign minister. That minister flew in yesterday, left just a while ago, but not before saying hit country was opposed to any strike on Iraq, that foreign minister of Qatar saying that any -- likewise, as the president of Iraq said any strike on Iraq would be a strike at the Arab nation. The Qatar is also interesting, because it has U.S. military bases and it was very much of a concern here that those bases could be used to strike Iraq if the United States chooses to do that.

Iraq also on a military -- on a diplomatic, sorry, campaign. The president has sent off his foreign minister, Nazi Subri (ph), to China. China a permanent member of the Security Council, possibly could veto any U.N. support for a U.S. strike. The Iraqi foreign minister also will go later on to Russia, we're told, also trying to garner support -- Bill.

HEMMER: James, thank you. James Martone on the streets of Baghdad, and again, from the White House earlier Suzanne Malveaux.

Thanks to both of you.

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