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CNN Live At Daybreak

Saddam: U.S. Policy 'Evil'

Aired October 18, 2002 - 06:30   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.


CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: The Bush administration is softening. It has now agreed to back off a little on a proposed U.N. resolution on Iraq. The U.S. is actually backing away from explicitly authorizing military force if Iraq does not disarm.
Instead, diplomats say the U.S. has offered a compromise resolution that makes clear Baghdad will face consequences if it obstructs inspections.

Secretary of State Colin Powell addressed the need for a U.N. resolution at a New York fund-raiser.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: We need a tough, new resolution that will send the inspectors back in with the authority to do their job and disarm Iraq. And it is not for Iraq to dictate the conditions to the United Nations, but for the United Nations to dictate the conditions to Iraq.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Saddam also spoke out. President Hussein called the United States "evil." He's urging his people to stand behind him as he begins a new seven-year term as president.

Joining us now with more details on Hussein's public address in Iraq is Baghdad bureau chief, Jane Arraf.

Jane -- did he say anything surprising?

JANE ARRAF, CNN BAGHDAD BUREAU CHIEF: Well, Carol, by Iraqi terms, it was actually quite a moderate speech. In fact, a lot of Iraqis were expecting something a lot more fiery, and quite relieved when that didn't happen.

Now, it was quite an emotional ceremony (UNINTELLIGIBLE) extravaganza that the government says saw 11 million voters come out and vote 100 percent for the Iraqi president. But he took the oath of office and swore on the Koran. At times, he seemed quite emotional.

He then delivered quite a long speech, declaring that God was on the Iraqi side, and that the United States would be punished if it did try to engage in military action. That was the backdrop of what he was saying.

As in most speeches by the Iraqi leader, a lot of it was quite indirect, but when he said, "those who shed blood will have their blood shed themselves," it was pretty clear that he was referring to the United States.

There was, though, a small olive leaf offered. He said that -- an olive branch, rather. He said not all Americans were bad. And he also praised, in some sense, the Europeans. But mostly, this was a reaffirmation that he is here to stay and intends to stay.

Just one more thing, Carol. This morning, we saw five trucks going out, carrying two tons of archival documents. Now, that doesn't sound very exciting, but what it is, is documents left over from the Gulf War that Iraq had taken from Kuwait.

Now, this is one of the outstanding issues since the Gulf War. Iraq is supposed to return all property that it took from Kuwait after invading it in 1990.

Just recently this year, it finalized agreements to return those documents, and they include, as I said, two tons of documents that left in five trucks. Documents from Security Services, from the Defense Ministry, correspondence of the Kuwaiti emir -- they're all heading back to Kuwait in this exchange of Kuwaiti property -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Interesting. Jane Arraf, thanks for the update. We appreciate it.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.






Aired October 18, 2002 - 06:30   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: The Bush administration is softening. It has now agreed to back off a little on a proposed U.N. resolution on Iraq. The U.S. is actually backing away from explicitly authorizing military force if Iraq does not disarm.
Instead, diplomats say the U.S. has offered a compromise resolution that makes clear Baghdad will face consequences if it obstructs inspections.

Secretary of State Colin Powell addressed the need for a U.N. resolution at a New York fund-raiser.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: We need a tough, new resolution that will send the inspectors back in with the authority to do their job and disarm Iraq. And it is not for Iraq to dictate the conditions to the United Nations, but for the United Nations to dictate the conditions to Iraq.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Saddam also spoke out. President Hussein called the United States "evil." He's urging his people to stand behind him as he begins a new seven-year term as president.

Joining us now with more details on Hussein's public address in Iraq is Baghdad bureau chief, Jane Arraf.

Jane -- did he say anything surprising?

JANE ARRAF, CNN BAGHDAD BUREAU CHIEF: Well, Carol, by Iraqi terms, it was actually quite a moderate speech. In fact, a lot of Iraqis were expecting something a lot more fiery, and quite relieved when that didn't happen.

Now, it was quite an emotional ceremony (UNINTELLIGIBLE) extravaganza that the government says saw 11 million voters come out and vote 100 percent for the Iraqi president. But he took the oath of office and swore on the Koran. At times, he seemed quite emotional.

He then delivered quite a long speech, declaring that God was on the Iraqi side, and that the United States would be punished if it did try to engage in military action. That was the backdrop of what he was saying.

As in most speeches by the Iraqi leader, a lot of it was quite indirect, but when he said, "those who shed blood will have their blood shed themselves," it was pretty clear that he was referring to the United States.

There was, though, a small olive leaf offered. He said that -- an olive branch, rather. He said not all Americans were bad. And he also praised, in some sense, the Europeans. But mostly, this was a reaffirmation that he is here to stay and intends to stay.

Just one more thing, Carol. This morning, we saw five trucks going out, carrying two tons of archival documents. Now, that doesn't sound very exciting, but what it is, is documents left over from the Gulf War that Iraq had taken from Kuwait.

Now, this is one of the outstanding issues since the Gulf War. Iraq is supposed to return all property that it took from Kuwait after invading it in 1990.

Just recently this year, it finalized agreements to return those documents, and they include, as I said, two tons of documents that left in five trucks. Documents from Security Services, from the Defense Ministry, correspondence of the Kuwaiti emir -- they're all heading back to Kuwait in this exchange of Kuwaiti property -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Interesting. Jane Arraf, thanks for the update. We appreciate it.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.