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CNN Live Today

No Support from Pakistan in Conflict Against Iraq

Aired September 02, 2002 - 10:58   ET

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

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: The United States apparently will not be able to count on Pakistan's support in a military campaign to oust Saddam Hussein.
CNN Senior White House Correspondent John King joins us now to explain what this might mean in the administration's bid to topple the Iraqi leader -- John.

JOHN KING, CNN SR. WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Carol, very little from a military standpoint. The United States government, if, and emphasis on "if," says if there is a military confrontation with Iraq, it would expect Pakistan to play no role. Certainly, the administration does not want more public criticism, as was aired in an interview by CNN with President Musharraf, who said there would be condemnation and outrage across the Muslim world. So, it complicates the diplomacy. No actual impact on any military planning, because Pakistan would not have a role.

The United States much more concerned about criticism coming from other quarters, and more of that today from around the world, including in Moscow. The Russian foreign minister, Igor Ivanov, meeting with his counterpart from Baghdad. The Russians saying, once again, they do not believe a military confrontation is the solution to the differences between the United States and the United Nations with Baghdad over weapons of mass destruction.

And in South Africa today, the former South African president, Nelson Mandela, also adding his voice to this debate. Mr. Mandela no longer in office, but certainly viewed around the world as a leading spokesman of morality in world affairs. Mr. Mandela saying no country, especially a superpower, has the right to invade another.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NELSON MANDELA, FORMER PRESIDENT OF SOUTH AFRICA: No country must be allowed to take the law into their own hands. Unless they are saying, we are superpowers, what we do you have no right to imitate. Either way, we condemn that, especially the United States of America because they are only superpower in the world today, and they must be exemplary in everything they do.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: All of this debate around the world comes as there appears to be a debate at the highest levels of the Bush administration. Vice President Cheney last week said he believed it was past the point where sending weapons inspectors back into Iraq could serve any meaningful purpose. But, in an interview with British Broadcasting Corporation released yesterday, Secretary of State Colin Powell says he believes inspectors should go back in as the first step. White House officials stressing they do not believe there is any significant disagreement on the main goals of removing Saddam Hussein from power, but certainly Secretary Powell making clear he believes before you can get to a decision as to whether to have a military confrontation, there should be at least one more chance given to sending in United Nations weapons inspectors -- Carol.

COSTELLO: John, does it seem the more Mr. Bush and his administration push at this case to attack Iraq, the more countries are really turning against the idea?

KING: Well, the White House would say the president has not made a decision to attack Iraq, and therefore is not pushing such a case, and that we in the media tend to be talking about it, but after they said that week, the vice president did come out and give a very muscular speech, if you will, saying that he believed that confrontation was inevitable down the road.

So, the White House certainly says that when the president decides how to proceed, and they insist he has not decided on the military option, that when he decides, he will reach out to key members of Congress, will reach out to key allies around the world. But certainly, until the president makes that decision, and it could be months away, there is a great deal of criticism, concern, and indeed, a great deal of skepticism coming in from key quarters around the world.

COSTELLO: All right. John King reporting live from the White House.

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