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CNN Live Today
Interview With Former U.N. Weapons Inspector
Aired December 06, 2002 - 10:20 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.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Let's get some more perspective now on this showdown and some unique insight as well into the inspections process. We're joined by former U.N. weapons inspector Garth Whitty.
Thank you very much for coming back and talking with us again this morning, Mr. Whitty.
GARTH WHITTY, FMR. WEAPONS INSPECTOR: You're welcome.
HARRIS: Let me ask what you would do with this 4,000-page document. Is there any one particular part of it you think is going to be the one that should get the most immediate attention right off the bat?
Well, one hopes that there will be some form of executive summary, but that may be a forlorn hope. I suspect the whole document is going to have to be carefully translated, interpreted and gone over with a fine-toothed comb.
HARRIS: Would you expect it to be basically a lot of gobbledygook to throw people off the trail here, and without maybe necessarily any specific recommendation -- not recommendation, but revelations?
WHITTY: I would be very surprised if there's going to be any new information there. I think what we will see is duplication of information that's been provided in the past. Any new information is likely to focus on dual-use materials and capability. But insofar as declarations regarding weapons of mass destruction, I don't believe there will be anything new there.
HARRIS: As you know, the Bush administration has been putting a lot of pressure on the U.N. to get the inspectors to also go and take another step further and take specialists in Iraq, scientists, anyone who may have any information on any weapons program, and take them out of the country, and in some cases perhaps even against their will, to take them out of the country to have them interviewed outside of the country. What do you make of that? Is that something you see as a viable option for the weapons inspectors?
WHITTY: I think it's an idea. And of course, in the past, one of the problems has been that people involved in the program haven't been able to speak in confidence. There have always been members of the secret police or other officials present. But whether it's actually viable, logistically, it strikes me as incredibly complicated. Of course, to ensure safety and security, you would require not only to take the individuals, but their families and potentially an extended family.
HARRIS: Garth Whitty, that's all the time we have, and I appreciate you taking time to talk with us this morning -- Garth Whitty, former weapons inspector joining us this morning from London.
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 December 6, 2002 - 10:20 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Let's get some more perspective now on this showdown and some unique insight as well into the inspections process. We're joined by former U.N. weapons inspector Garth Whitty.
Thank you very much for coming back and talking with us again this morning, Mr. Whitty.
GARTH WHITTY, FMR. WEAPONS INSPECTOR: You're welcome.
HARRIS: Let me ask what you would do with this 4,000-page document. Is there any one particular part of it you think is going to be the one that should get the most immediate attention right off the bat?
Well, one hopes that there will be some form of executive summary, but that may be a forlorn hope. I suspect the whole document is going to have to be carefully translated, interpreted and gone over with a fine-toothed comb.
HARRIS: Would you expect it to be basically a lot of gobbledygook to throw people off the trail here, and without maybe necessarily any specific recommendation -- not recommendation, but revelations?
WHITTY: I would be very surprised if there's going to be any new information there. I think what we will see is duplication of information that's been provided in the past. Any new information is likely to focus on dual-use materials and capability. But insofar as declarations regarding weapons of mass destruction, I don't believe there will be anything new there.
HARRIS: As you know, the Bush administration has been putting a lot of pressure on the U.N. to get the inspectors to also go and take another step further and take specialists in Iraq, scientists, anyone who may have any information on any weapons program, and take them out of the country, and in some cases perhaps even against their will, to take them out of the country to have them interviewed outside of the country. What do you make of that? Is that something you see as a viable option for the weapons inspectors?
WHITTY: I think it's an idea. And of course, in the past, one of the problems has been that people involved in the program haven't been able to speak in confidence. There have always been members of the secret police or other officials present. But whether it's actually viable, logistically, it strikes me as incredibly complicated. Of course, to ensure safety and security, you would require not only to take the individuals, but their families and potentially an extended family.
HARRIS: Garth Whitty, that's all the time we have, and I appreciate you taking time to talk with us this morning -- Garth Whitty, former weapons inspector joining us this morning from London.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
