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CNN Live Saturday
U.S. Shares Intelligence With Weapons Inspectors
Aired December 21, 2002 - 18:03 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 LIN, CNN ANCHOR: The U.S. is trying to help U.N. weapons inspectors find where Iraq may be stockpiling weapons of mass destruction. Officials are sharing American intelligence information with inspectors. White House Correspondent Suzanne Malveaux joins us with more on what's being shared and why -- Suzanne.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, that's right, they're going to be sharing intelligence, throughout the weekend it is going to intensify. The real test is to see whether or not the inspectors will be able to hold onto that information, whether or not they will tip off the Iraqis.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MALVEAUX (voice over): President Bush and the first lady are off to Camp David to begin the holiday, but the prospect of war looms just weeks away.
Before leaving the White House Mr. Bush got his smallpox vaccination, a requirement now for some military on the front lines to protect against a possible biological attack. The president is reported to have no side effects from the vaccine.
This weekend the White House is now pushing for even more aggressive inspections to find Iraq's alleged weapons programs. U.S. officials confirm the Bush administration is now providing intelligence to international inspectors. Spy satellite photos or sites where the U.S. suspects Saddam is stockpiling chemical and biological agents.
Chief U.N. Weapons Inspector Hans Blix had been calling for the U.S. to back up the claim that no matter what the inspectors came up with that the U.S. had evidence Saddam was still developing weapons of mass destruction.
MAMOUN FANDY, MIDDLE EAST SCHOLAR: I think the world will view this information sharing as an attempt by the United States to move away from what's being perceived as the unilateralist action. That the United States is sharing with world the evidence. That it is persuading world opinion that indeed the United States has a case and it is a case on the merits.
MALVEAUX: But the administration is now reluctant on how much to share and how soon. U.S. officials say the concern is once the information is released to the inspectors it could get into the wrong hands. Perhaps even tip off the Iraqis where inspectors will be headed next. That's why the intelligence is being released piecemeal.
U.S. officials say they will wait until inspections teams are in place and secure phone lines are established to handle the classified data before any sensitive information is turned over to the international monitors.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MALVEAUX (on camera): Now, on administration official is saying that the true test to see whether or not inspectors can act immediately on that information without tipping off the Iraqis to hide or relocate their stockpiles.
Carol?
LIN: In the meantime, Suzanne, what is the assessment at the White House, in terms of how likely war is going to be. Over the past week it seemed that President Bush was pretty determined to state that already the Iraqis are in violation of the U.N. resolution.
MALVEAUX: Carol, that is very good question. Really, people don't know what the answer to that question is. We know that the president has not yet made up his mind, but we do have a sense of a timetable.
Administration sources telling us that they will gather all of the information. They are going to analyze it and then the president is going to make a decision whether or not the United States is going to use military action; whether or not the United States is going to go to war. That's going to happen sometime late January, early February, when he will make that fateful decision -- Carol.
LIN: Is it likely, Suzanne, though, at least for diplomatic, if not for political reasons that the Bush administration would wait until Hans Blix presents his report to the United Nations, I think, it is January 27?
MALVEAUX: Well, absolutely. January 27 is a key date. That's when, you had mentioned before, Hans Blix is going to go before the U.N. Security Council. He's going to lay it all out on the table, the analysis of not only the Iraqis declaration but also the inspections process.
We also expect to get an analysis from the White House as well, how it sees this whole process being played out. We expect that, really, there is going to be a lot of work, diplomatic channels, political channels, as well as we see the military buildup, of course. That they're going to be working all angles of this.
And really, the bottom line is the administration wants to show the allies, wants to convince the world community that it is not eager to go to war, but at the same time, that it is ready to go to war if necessary.
LIN: But in theory, if Hans Blix presents a report and not much has really changed, in other words, there is no overt smoking gun, despite perhaps some of the intelligence that the Bush administration may provide now and then. Is President Bush still reserving the option to act unilaterally against Saddam Hussein?
MALVEAUX: Well, the president has said for sometime that he does not want to act unilaterally. And the United States is not necessarily going to act unilaterally, but rather with a coalition. Now the big question is who is that coalition? Who are going to be those allies that the United States is going to bring on board to confront Saddam Hussein. It many not necessarily be the members of the U.N. Security Council. They may not agree to a second resolution. They may not agree to a military solution.
But the administration has been reaching out to countries around the world, at least 50, asking for resources, asking for the type of commitment that they need. What can they supply in the event that that does happen. The president, the administration, insisting that they do have support in the world community. That they do not have to go it alone if he decides to use military action.
LIN: A big if, still. Thank you very much, Suzanne Malveaux, live at the White House tonight.
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 21, 2002 - 18:03 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: The U.S. is trying to help U.N. weapons inspectors find where Iraq may be stockpiling weapons of mass destruction. Officials are sharing American intelligence information with inspectors. White House Correspondent Suzanne Malveaux joins us with more on what's being shared and why -- Suzanne.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, that's right, they're going to be sharing intelligence, throughout the weekend it is going to intensify. The real test is to see whether or not the inspectors will be able to hold onto that information, whether or not they will tip off the Iraqis.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MALVEAUX (voice over): President Bush and the first lady are off to Camp David to begin the holiday, but the prospect of war looms just weeks away.
Before leaving the White House Mr. Bush got his smallpox vaccination, a requirement now for some military on the front lines to protect against a possible biological attack. The president is reported to have no side effects from the vaccine.
This weekend the White House is now pushing for even more aggressive inspections to find Iraq's alleged weapons programs. U.S. officials confirm the Bush administration is now providing intelligence to international inspectors. Spy satellite photos or sites where the U.S. suspects Saddam is stockpiling chemical and biological agents.
Chief U.N. Weapons Inspector Hans Blix had been calling for the U.S. to back up the claim that no matter what the inspectors came up with that the U.S. had evidence Saddam was still developing weapons of mass destruction.
MAMOUN FANDY, MIDDLE EAST SCHOLAR: I think the world will view this information sharing as an attempt by the United States to move away from what's being perceived as the unilateralist action. That the United States is sharing with world the evidence. That it is persuading world opinion that indeed the United States has a case and it is a case on the merits.
MALVEAUX: But the administration is now reluctant on how much to share and how soon. U.S. officials say the concern is once the information is released to the inspectors it could get into the wrong hands. Perhaps even tip off the Iraqis where inspectors will be headed next. That's why the intelligence is being released piecemeal.
U.S. officials say they will wait until inspections teams are in place and secure phone lines are established to handle the classified data before any sensitive information is turned over to the international monitors.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MALVEAUX (on camera): Now, on administration official is saying that the true test to see whether or not inspectors can act immediately on that information without tipping off the Iraqis to hide or relocate their stockpiles.
Carol?
LIN: In the meantime, Suzanne, what is the assessment at the White House, in terms of how likely war is going to be. Over the past week it seemed that President Bush was pretty determined to state that already the Iraqis are in violation of the U.N. resolution.
MALVEAUX: Carol, that is very good question. Really, people don't know what the answer to that question is. We know that the president has not yet made up his mind, but we do have a sense of a timetable.
Administration sources telling us that they will gather all of the information. They are going to analyze it and then the president is going to make a decision whether or not the United States is going to use military action; whether or not the United States is going to go to war. That's going to happen sometime late January, early February, when he will make that fateful decision -- Carol.
LIN: Is it likely, Suzanne, though, at least for diplomatic, if not for political reasons that the Bush administration would wait until Hans Blix presents his report to the United Nations, I think, it is January 27?
MALVEAUX: Well, absolutely. January 27 is a key date. That's when, you had mentioned before, Hans Blix is going to go before the U.N. Security Council. He's going to lay it all out on the table, the analysis of not only the Iraqis declaration but also the inspections process.
We also expect to get an analysis from the White House as well, how it sees this whole process being played out. We expect that, really, there is going to be a lot of work, diplomatic channels, political channels, as well as we see the military buildup, of course. That they're going to be working all angles of this.
And really, the bottom line is the administration wants to show the allies, wants to convince the world community that it is not eager to go to war, but at the same time, that it is ready to go to war if necessary.
LIN: But in theory, if Hans Blix presents a report and not much has really changed, in other words, there is no overt smoking gun, despite perhaps some of the intelligence that the Bush administration may provide now and then. Is President Bush still reserving the option to act unilaterally against Saddam Hussein?
MALVEAUX: Well, the president has said for sometime that he does not want to act unilaterally. And the United States is not necessarily going to act unilaterally, but rather with a coalition. Now the big question is who is that coalition? Who are going to be those allies that the United States is going to bring on board to confront Saddam Hussein. It many not necessarily be the members of the U.N. Security Council. They may not agree to a second resolution. They may not agree to a military solution.
But the administration has been reaching out to countries around the world, at least 50, asking for resources, asking for the type of commitment that they need. What can they supply in the event that that does happen. The president, the administration, insisting that they do have support in the world community. That they do not have to go it alone if he decides to use military action.
LIN: A big if, still. Thank you very much, Suzanne Malveaux, live at the White House tonight.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
