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Weapons Inspectors Making Plans to Return to Iraq
Aired November 14, 2002 - 10:59 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.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Weapons inspectors are making plans to return to Iraq after Baghdad's bitterly worded acceptance of a new U.N. resolution, but the Bush administration says that Iraq's response is just the first step.
Our Frank Buckley joining us live from the White House with the latest.
Frank, good morning.
FRANK BUCKLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Daryn.
A great deal of skepticism here at the White House about anything that Saddam Hussein does. White House officials saying that it's time now for action, not words. White House spokesman Scott McClellan saying -- quote -- "This is a test of this regime." Still no direct reaction from President Bush yet on the Iraqi letter that arrived yesterday, but the president did yesterday reiterate the zero- tolerance policy on violations.
Today, we did see the president very briefly as he walked from the White House over to the executive office building to address a women in business group. Yesterday, the president, as you know, met briefly with U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan about the Iraqi response.
Mr. Annan also saying the real test will be on the ground, with inspectors. Now the first team of inspectors, at least the preliminary folks, are heading over there Monday. They should be on the ground Monday in Iraq.
By December 8th, Iraq is required to provide a full accounting and inventory of all weapons of mass destruction. The U.S. position that if anything is omitted from that group, that the U.S. believes should be there, that would be considered a material breach, that would go back to the Security Council for discussion. The U.S. at that point would still retain the right to act unilaterally or with friends, as the president has put it, if the U.S. feels that military action is required -- Daryn.
KAGAN: Frank Buckley at the White House.
Frank, thanks -- Leon.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Well, as Frank mentioned, the advance team that's due to arrive in Baghdad on Monday is going to get there and is going to set up a new inspection program to hunt for weapons of mass destruction.
Joining us from Washington now to talk about what the team might expect is former weapons inspector David Albright.
Thank you for coming in. Good to see you this morning. How are you?
DAVID ALBRIGHT, FMR. WEAPONS INSPECTOR: Pretty good.
HARRIS: Let's start with what we might expect to see and how many different sites this first team of inspectors is going to have to get out there and try to get around and look at.
First of all, starting off with a look at some of the biological weapons sites. First of all, we have a graphic that gives an idea of how many there might be there to take a look at it where they may happen to be.
Now, here, it looks like according to what we've got here, most of them are going to go around Baghdad. Is that what you believe?
ALBRIGHT: Well, it's hard to know. I mean, you should understand that if the site's been identified in public, Iraq is very unlikely to keep anything there, if it does choose to hide things. And so most of the initial inspections would be more routine in nature and more toward the idea of a re-establishing a baseline. The inspectors will have to wait for the declaration. I mean, that's really the most important event that's going to take place in order...
HARRIS: The declaration on December 8th, correct?
ALBRIGHT: That's right, to determine whether they're going to comply or not. So many of the activities before then are going to be more routine. I mean, in the nuclear area, for example, there is some nuclear material, natural uranium, well enriched uranium, that people have been nervous, as Iraq diverted that material. I assume the inspectors will go there right away to try to determine that that material is in place and issue a statement, and that statement will be important.
HARRIS: Won't it be important, don't you think, for the inspectors to make a statement of their own by, first of all, the first site that they go to, the first site they had their intense investigation of, would be a presidential site, and not necessarily some lab somewhere or some obscure building outside of town? Wouldn't it make a clear statement to go to one of the presidential sites first?
ALBRIGHT: I think they'll have to go to a presidential site. They'll want to test Iraqi willingness to comply. And so new part of the resolution is that inspectors can now go back into those sites with no notice, then I think they need to assert that right.
I think, though, that if they're going to an inspection process, they have to have a declaration from Iraq, because Finally, what Iraq is trying to do right now is figure out what the West knows about its programs. And if they're not going to comply, what you would expect to see at a declaration is their estimation of what we know about them; in essence, give us what we know about them, and be very forthright about it, but hide the rest. And so it's very important, actually, that there not be leaks of information to the media that will tip off the Iraqis if more is known about them than they may understand.
HARRIS: Let's take a look again at a couple of sites in Baghdad, specifically. We've got here another graphic prepared. We zoom in here from satellite's perspective, going into Baghdad. There are a number of these president sites that are in that particular area. How confident are you that something could be discovered at this late date? When I say late, Iraq has had years to burrow deeper underground or construct other structures that may throw out the scent, if you will. Wouldn't it be almost impossible to find something there, considering they've had five years to dig deeper, to cover something up?
ALBRIGHT: Well, it can be very difficult. But remember, the job of the inspectors is to find one major violation. And so Iraq has to hide lots of things, thousands of things. I mean, the inspectors only have to find one of those things.
So it's a very dangerous game Iraq plays if it chooses not to comply. And the techniques, the methods, are very powerful that can be deployed by inspectors, particularly when backed up with information from intelligence agencies.
So I think it's a bad idea for Iraq to think it can get away with it.
HARRIS: Let me ask you this quickly, if I can. Yesterday, Hans Blix was saying he expressed concern about the prospect of taking citizens out of Iraq to another country so they could freely talk to inspectors. Do you have any concerns about that whole process and whether or not that can be done?
ALBRIGHT: I think there's practical difficulties to do it, but I would have some concerns if Hans Blix was not willing to do it. It's not his job to make the decision. It's a very important new tool in this resolution and I'd expect the inspectors to use that tool. They do need to develop a protocol or procedure to do it, but the United States is willing to help them. Many groups, including our own, are willing to help them.
And in discussions I've had with inspectors, including Blix, we're more than happy to help develop a protocol. So I don't think it's his job to say whether it should be done or not. It's his job to implement that.
HARRIS: David Albright, former weapons inspector, we thank you much for the insight. Thank you very much. We'll talk to you sometime down the road. Take care.
ALBRIGHT: Thank you.
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 November 14, 2002 - 10:59 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Weapons inspectors are making plans to return to Iraq after Baghdad's bitterly worded acceptance of a new U.N. resolution, but the Bush administration says that Iraq's response is just the first step.
Our Frank Buckley joining us live from the White House with the latest.
Frank, good morning.
FRANK BUCKLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Daryn.
A great deal of skepticism here at the White House about anything that Saddam Hussein does. White House officials saying that it's time now for action, not words. White House spokesman Scott McClellan saying -- quote -- "This is a test of this regime." Still no direct reaction from President Bush yet on the Iraqi letter that arrived yesterday, but the president did yesterday reiterate the zero- tolerance policy on violations.
Today, we did see the president very briefly as he walked from the White House over to the executive office building to address a women in business group. Yesterday, the president, as you know, met briefly with U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan about the Iraqi response.
Mr. Annan also saying the real test will be on the ground, with inspectors. Now the first team of inspectors, at least the preliminary folks, are heading over there Monday. They should be on the ground Monday in Iraq.
By December 8th, Iraq is required to provide a full accounting and inventory of all weapons of mass destruction. The U.S. position that if anything is omitted from that group, that the U.S. believes should be there, that would be considered a material breach, that would go back to the Security Council for discussion. The U.S. at that point would still retain the right to act unilaterally or with friends, as the president has put it, if the U.S. feels that military action is required -- Daryn.
KAGAN: Frank Buckley at the White House.
Frank, thanks -- Leon.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Well, as Frank mentioned, the advance team that's due to arrive in Baghdad on Monday is going to get there and is going to set up a new inspection program to hunt for weapons of mass destruction.
Joining us from Washington now to talk about what the team might expect is former weapons inspector David Albright.
Thank you for coming in. Good to see you this morning. How are you?
DAVID ALBRIGHT, FMR. WEAPONS INSPECTOR: Pretty good.
HARRIS: Let's start with what we might expect to see and how many different sites this first team of inspectors is going to have to get out there and try to get around and look at.
First of all, starting off with a look at some of the biological weapons sites. First of all, we have a graphic that gives an idea of how many there might be there to take a look at it where they may happen to be.
Now, here, it looks like according to what we've got here, most of them are going to go around Baghdad. Is that what you believe?
ALBRIGHT: Well, it's hard to know. I mean, you should understand that if the site's been identified in public, Iraq is very unlikely to keep anything there, if it does choose to hide things. And so most of the initial inspections would be more routine in nature and more toward the idea of a re-establishing a baseline. The inspectors will have to wait for the declaration. I mean, that's really the most important event that's going to take place in order...
HARRIS: The declaration on December 8th, correct?
ALBRIGHT: That's right, to determine whether they're going to comply or not. So many of the activities before then are going to be more routine. I mean, in the nuclear area, for example, there is some nuclear material, natural uranium, well enriched uranium, that people have been nervous, as Iraq diverted that material. I assume the inspectors will go there right away to try to determine that that material is in place and issue a statement, and that statement will be important.
HARRIS: Won't it be important, don't you think, for the inspectors to make a statement of their own by, first of all, the first site that they go to, the first site they had their intense investigation of, would be a presidential site, and not necessarily some lab somewhere or some obscure building outside of town? Wouldn't it make a clear statement to go to one of the presidential sites first?
ALBRIGHT: I think they'll have to go to a presidential site. They'll want to test Iraqi willingness to comply. And so new part of the resolution is that inspectors can now go back into those sites with no notice, then I think they need to assert that right.
I think, though, that if they're going to an inspection process, they have to have a declaration from Iraq, because Finally, what Iraq is trying to do right now is figure out what the West knows about its programs. And if they're not going to comply, what you would expect to see at a declaration is their estimation of what we know about them; in essence, give us what we know about them, and be very forthright about it, but hide the rest. And so it's very important, actually, that there not be leaks of information to the media that will tip off the Iraqis if more is known about them than they may understand.
HARRIS: Let's take a look again at a couple of sites in Baghdad, specifically. We've got here another graphic prepared. We zoom in here from satellite's perspective, going into Baghdad. There are a number of these president sites that are in that particular area. How confident are you that something could be discovered at this late date? When I say late, Iraq has had years to burrow deeper underground or construct other structures that may throw out the scent, if you will. Wouldn't it be almost impossible to find something there, considering they've had five years to dig deeper, to cover something up?
ALBRIGHT: Well, it can be very difficult. But remember, the job of the inspectors is to find one major violation. And so Iraq has to hide lots of things, thousands of things. I mean, the inspectors only have to find one of those things.
So it's a very dangerous game Iraq plays if it chooses not to comply. And the techniques, the methods, are very powerful that can be deployed by inspectors, particularly when backed up with information from intelligence agencies.
So I think it's a bad idea for Iraq to think it can get away with it.
HARRIS: Let me ask you this quickly, if I can. Yesterday, Hans Blix was saying he expressed concern about the prospect of taking citizens out of Iraq to another country so they could freely talk to inspectors. Do you have any concerns about that whole process and whether or not that can be done?
ALBRIGHT: I think there's practical difficulties to do it, but I would have some concerns if Hans Blix was not willing to do it. It's not his job to make the decision. It's a very important new tool in this resolution and I'd expect the inspectors to use that tool. They do need to develop a protocol or procedure to do it, but the United States is willing to help them. Many groups, including our own, are willing to help them.
And in discussions I've had with inspectors, including Blix, we're more than happy to help develop a protocol. So I don't think it's his job to say whether it should be done or not. It's his job to implement that.
HARRIS: David Albright, former weapons inspector, we thank you much for the insight. Thank you very much. We'll talk to you sometime down the road. Take care.
ALBRIGHT: Thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
