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American Morning
Nervous Neighbors
Aired November 14, 2002 - 07:18 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.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: As we examine this Iraqi issue from every angle, one of the key components in all of this is how the Arab world reacts.
We want to get to Cairo right now, the Egyptian capital city, and Ben Wedeman, our bureau chief there in Cairo, for what he is hearing right now about leaders around that region, whether or not they're optimistic or pessimistic, given the news of yesterday.
Ben -- we say good afternoon to you.
BEN WEDEMAN, CNN CAIRO BUREAU CHIEF: Yes, hello, Bill.
Well, it does appear that there is a certain amount of relief among Arab officials and ordinary Arabs, in fact, that Iraq has agreed to accept the U.N. Security Council Resolution 1441.
However, at the same time, there is a feeling among many people, including officials I have spoken to, that despite this acceptance that really the United States has long ago decided what it's going to do, decided upon its course of action. It's made it clear time and time again that it wants regime change in Iraq.
And whether Iraq is willing to cooperate with the U.N. weapons inspectors or not is in a sense to many people here immaterial. They believe that Baghdad has bought some time with its acceptance of this Security Council resolution, but it has not put off the inevitable, and the inevitable to many people here is war -- Bill.
HEMMER: Ben, why is that though? Because there is such a discernable difference of opinion when it comes to the Arab countries and countries like the U.S. and Great Britain and when it comes to the test on the ground. We heard Kofi Annan say yesterday that's the true indication going forward as to what will be the ultimate fate in this conflict.
Their reaction about testing on the ground, whether or not inspectors will be given that unfettered access then is what, Ben?
WEDEMAN: Well, people -- its' hard to tell exactly what Iraq is going to do obviously. We don't know whether they will cooperate or not. We know that up until now, they have accepted U.N. Security Council resolutions. They have somewhat hesitantly gone along with them. But really, the real test is when the U.N. inspectors are on the ground in Baghdad and attempt to operate.
The feeling, though, is that regardless of what Iraq does, whether it cooperates or not, the United States has made it clear that it has no faith in Baghdad's intentions ultimately. And therefore, to many Arabs and Arab officials I have spoken with this morning that they feel that Washington will find a pretext one way or the other to attack Baghdad, whether it cooperates or not -- Bill.
HEMMER: Thank you, Ben -- Ben Wedeman again in Cairo.
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 - 07:18 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: As we examine this Iraqi issue from every angle, one of the key components in all of this is how the Arab world reacts.
We want to get to Cairo right now, the Egyptian capital city, and Ben Wedeman, our bureau chief there in Cairo, for what he is hearing right now about leaders around that region, whether or not they're optimistic or pessimistic, given the news of yesterday.
Ben -- we say good afternoon to you.
BEN WEDEMAN, CNN CAIRO BUREAU CHIEF: Yes, hello, Bill.
Well, it does appear that there is a certain amount of relief among Arab officials and ordinary Arabs, in fact, that Iraq has agreed to accept the U.N. Security Council Resolution 1441.
However, at the same time, there is a feeling among many people, including officials I have spoken to, that despite this acceptance that really the United States has long ago decided what it's going to do, decided upon its course of action. It's made it clear time and time again that it wants regime change in Iraq.
And whether Iraq is willing to cooperate with the U.N. weapons inspectors or not is in a sense to many people here immaterial. They believe that Baghdad has bought some time with its acceptance of this Security Council resolution, but it has not put off the inevitable, and the inevitable to many people here is war -- Bill.
HEMMER: Ben, why is that though? Because there is such a discernable difference of opinion when it comes to the Arab countries and countries like the U.S. and Great Britain and when it comes to the test on the ground. We heard Kofi Annan say yesterday that's the true indication going forward as to what will be the ultimate fate in this conflict.
Their reaction about testing on the ground, whether or not inspectors will be given that unfettered access then is what, Ben?
WEDEMAN: Well, people -- its' hard to tell exactly what Iraq is going to do obviously. We don't know whether they will cooperate or not. We know that up until now, they have accepted U.N. Security Council resolutions. They have somewhat hesitantly gone along with them. But really, the real test is when the U.N. inspectors are on the ground in Baghdad and attempt to operate.
The feeling, though, is that regardless of what Iraq does, whether it cooperates or not, the United States has made it clear that it has no faith in Baghdad's intentions ultimately. And therefore, to many Arabs and Arab officials I have spoken with this morning that they feel that Washington will find a pretext one way or the other to attack Baghdad, whether it cooperates or not -- Bill.
HEMMER: Thank you, Ben -- Ben Wedeman again in Cairo.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
