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CNN Live Today

Administration Feels International Debate Premature

Aired September 02, 2002 - 13:03   ET

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

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Two other comments of note today. Nelson Mandela said he is appalled at U.S. policy toward Iraq. He also said that he spoke on the phone with former President Bush, and asked him to raise the matter with his son. Apparent words of support today from Israeli foreign minister, Shimon Peres also.
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SHIMON PERES, ISRAELI FOREIGN MINISTER: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) a loyal soldier in the camp that fights terror. We are not the commanders. We are not the decision makers, but we think terror is a menace for every person at every place, and an end should be brought to this menace for the sake of humanity.

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PHILLIPS: That, again, was Israeli foreign minister, Shimon Peres.

And for the latest word from the White House, concerning Iraq, we turn now to our senior White House correspondent, John King -- John, we are hearing all these responses from leaders around the world. At one point does the Bush administration say, OK, a war against Iraq is going to cost us a number of international relationships, we have got to back down. Is that even a concern?

JOHN KING, CNN SR. WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kyra, what they would say here at the White House is that much of this is putting the cart before the horse, if you will, that the president has not decided, senior aides insist, has not decided that he will indeed choose the military option. When it comes to his publicly stated position that Saddam Hussein should be removed as the leader of Iraq, so the White House says this debate is premature. They certainly do understand the sensitivity of it. When you have a key ally in the war against terrorism, Pakistan saying it would not participate.

Now, the United States would not ask for any military help, but certainly to the point that condemnation across the Muslim world, that is a problem as the administration tries to deal with the Israeli- Palestinian issue, as the administration would if the president decided to have a military confrontation with Iraq, prosecute two wars at once, the war against terrorism, and a potential war against Iraq. So, complications. But what they say here at the White House is that everyone is getting out ahead of themselves, that president has not made that threshold decision that he will choose the military option.

If he does, he says he will consult key allies and key members of Congress that. But here at the White House, they say that could be weeks if not months away, and that largely, we are asking these questions in the news media. Others who have, perhaps, an axe to grind against the United States are airing their opinions. A debate, though, complicated as much also by the public statements of senior Bush administration officials that sometimes seem contradictory themselves -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: So John, when it comes down to it, what is more important to the Bush administration, if, indeed, you have heard or you can comment about this, are they concerned about allies more than the people of the United States that say do whatever you have to do to protect our freedom? We are worried about Iraq, we are worried about weapons of mass destruction? Does President Bush worry more about the Americans or international support down the road?

KING: Well, there do appear to be significant disagreements among the president's top advisers on those points. Mr. Bush says once he makes a decision, he will sell it to the American people, sell it to Congress, sell it to key allies, and that he is confident, once he does that, that a majority will come along with him. But you do see Secretary Powell, on the one hand, saying inspectors should go back into Iraq first, that he should focus on diplomacy and building an international coalition, if and when the president decides on the military option.

Then you see the defense secretary, Donald Rumsfeld, who says, yes, sure, it would be great to have allies, it would be great to have a coalition, but the United States must be prepared to go alone if necessary. So at least in their public statements, there does appear to be some disagreements on the nuance, if you will, among the president's top advisers. In the end, Mr. Bush says this is his decision, and he says when he makes it, he is confident he will make the case, whether it is here at home or around the world, we will see when we get there.

PHILLIPS: Our John King live at the White House.

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