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Showdown With Iraq: White House Weighing in on Dozen Empty Chemical Warheads

Aired January 17, 2003 - 11:02   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: The White House is weighing in this morning on the dozen empty chemical warheads found south of Baghdad yesterday. The Bush team is choosing its words rather carefully this morning, but clearly the White House feels its case against Iraq is growing stronger.
Let's start now with our senior White House correspondent John King. Good morning, John.

JOHN KING, CNN SR. WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Leon.

Troubling and serious is the headline from the White House this morning. The White House saying the president finds it troubling and serious that U.N. weapons inspectors were able to find these 11 warheads designed to carry chemical weapons during a search yesterday inside Iraq.

This discovery is crystallizing the debate about the weapons inspections regime. It is proof to the White House that Saddam Hussein has lied to the United Nations when he said he had no more weapons of mass destruction, and it is proof to the White House that Saddam Hussein is not meeting the burden under the resolution which requires Iraq to fully, completely, and accurately disclose and dismantle all of its weapons.

There are others like Dr. Hans Blix, the chief weapons inspector, who say this in some ways is proof the inspection regime is working and deserves more time. That will be the debate in the weeks ahead as the White House decides how to proceed. Some say the inspectors should be given weeks and months. The White House says that's the wrong way to look at it, that the burden is on Saddam Hussein to lay out all the evidence now and that this is further proof that Iraq misled the United Nations when it said it had no weapons of mass destruction.

Ari Fleischer saying this morning, quote, "the fact that Iraq is in possession of undeclared chemical warheads which the United Nations says are in excellent condition is troubling and serious. Under the U.N. resolution, Saddam has an obligation to disarm. It is increasingly clear that he is not doing so."

So the White House taking a very cautious wait-and-see approach as to whether these warheads were being used for any active chemical weapons program, whether there were any weapons ever loaded in them. But it says it is clear now, at least to this White House, that Saddam Hussein is once again obstructing and interfering with U.N. weapons inspections -- Leon.

HARRIS: Good deal. Thanks, John. We'll have to watch out how the diplomatic game here plays out from here on today.

Thanks, John. John King at the White House -- Fred.

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Now, diplomatic chess at Chequers (ph). Weapons inspection boss Hans Blix is meeting with Tony Blair at the prime minister's country estate outside London, and that's called the Chequers Compound. We may hear live remarks from both this hour about the search for Iraq's weapons. The huddle comes against the backdrop of a scrappy speech by Saddam Hussein and the discovery of those empty chemical warheads.

Let's bring in senior U.N. correspondent Richard Roth just outside London -- Richard.

RICHARD ROTH, CNN SR. U.N. CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Fredricka, the meeting is believed to be still underway, started a short time ago, it's not expected to be a very long meeting. The British government solidly behind the inspectors and also solidly behind the United States in its effort to keep the pressure on President Saddam Hussein and his government on Iraq over the issue of weapons of mass destruction.

Blix began his day in Paris meeting with French president Jacques Chirac. Blix was there is along with Mohammed Elbaradei, the director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency. Both men praised by the French president, who said the inspectors should be given more time. The inspectors would like a more proactive relationship with the Iraqi government. Elbaradei saying that they need more substance, they have to move beyond a process with the Iraqi government, that it's time for more documents and more doors to be opened.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MOHAMMED ELBARADEI, IAEA: We would like to see that Iraq, you know, come with physical evidence. They say, we destroyed chemical agents, biological weapons -- we need to see some physical evidence. So that is what we mean when we say it is not enough just to provide passive cooperation. We need a proactive approach and I hope they will understand that this is in their own interests to come with the evidence which would enable us to provide credible assurances to the Security Council.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROTH: Blix was the one -- was the man who came here, Elbaradei went back to his headquarters in Vienna -- he had been just in Moscow as the various inspectors talk with the key members of the Security Council, the permanent members, those with veto power.

Blix on the plane ride from Paris here to Britain said that he needs more information about those 12 empty chemical warheads before fully commenting on them. There is still a possible discrepancy whether the Iraqi government did or did not declare them in the 12,000 page document dumped on the United Nations in December -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: And, Richard, how long is this meeting expected to take between Blair and Blix?

(AUDIO GAP)

All right. Richard, if you can hear me now? No? All right, looks like we lost that communication there. All right, Leon.

HARRIS: That's what happens on live TV.

WHITFIELD: Yes, anything goes.

HARRIS: All right.

Moving on now, a blustery speech from Saddam Hussein today marking a dozen years since the Gulf War.

To Baghdad now and CNN's Nic Robertson. Hello, Nic.

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Leon.

Well, that speech casting for the Iraqi people during its 37 minutes the fact that they did win the Gulf War. The speech was called "The Mother of All Battles" speech, that is what Iraq knows the Gulf War as. President Saddam Hussein reminding the people of Iraq that they won that war, that they defeated, in his words, the evil troops from more than 30 states.

Now, in that speech he also called on the people of Iraq to raise their swords, raise their rifles. He reminded them of a defeat in the 13th century where Baghdad was sacked, much of it was destroyed -- he said that wouldn't happen this time, the government had plans, that people were prepared and that they would defend Baghdad. He said that anyone should they come and try and invade now would find that they would reach the walls of Baghdad and then that they would commit suicide in trying to defeat the Iraqis.

So very much a rallying speech for the people of Iraq, calling on them to stay behind the government and support their plans to defend whatever -- defend Iraq, defend it against whatever may happen. Now, in reference to those missile warheads, the empty chemical warheads that the U.N. inspectors found just yesterday, Ali Hassan al-Magid, a cousin of President Saddam Hussein, and the ruling leadership here in Iraq just about to depart to Syria -- to neighboring Syria on an mission -- on an envoy mission for President Saddam Hussein, said that he considered this discovery was just being used by the United States in an effort to foment war, foment trouble.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ALI HASSAN AL MAJEED, IRAQI PARLIAMENT (through translator): These projectiles are registered and pictured and listed at the same commission, and some of these experts know this very well, but they are looking for a pretext. Shame on them.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERTSON: Now, Ali Hassan Al Majeed going to Syria. Leon, we're told he will visit other countries. We don't know the details of his mission at this time -- Leon.

HARRIS: Well, Nic, I've got to ask you this, after hearing these -- this blustery speech coming from Saddam Hussein and I know it's got to be difficult to gauge what, you know, the average Iraqi might be thinking about his words, but is there any way to tell how his speech was received by the public, with him coming out and saying that -- reminding them that they actually won a war that they truly lost in the eyes of everybody else in the world?

ROBERTSON: Well, that's a judgment over the last 12 years that many people in Iraq have had time to reflect on, and when we talk to people in private here, there's a sense that they're aware of how the battle and the results of that battle impacted on them and they can make their own judgment based on that. Certainly for most of them, that they feel their lives are much worse off than they were before the Gulf War, and that's probably the way most people here reflect on it.

But what President Saddam Hussein has set out to do here is say to the people of Iraq, as well as the world that they're prepared to defend in particular Baghdad. That's very interesting, but also calling on the people and showing them the government is willing to stand up to the current situation, and that the people should rally behind the government. So although people have had time to reflect it, the government still casts the mother of all battles as their victory -- Leon.

HARRIS: Interesting. Nic Robertson reporting live for us this morning here, evening, or afternoon there in Baghdad.

WHITFIELD: The U.S. buildup in advance of a war with Iraq is now in high gear. Thousands of U.S. Troops are already on the ground in Kuwait.

CNN's Marty Savidge joins us live from Kuwait City with the very latest from there -- Martin.

MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Fredricka, for any military buildup, you need not only U.S. troops, you also need equipment, and that's what's been arriving today in Kuwait with the arrival of what's called a prepositioning ship. The equipment onboard this will vessel is all earmarked for the U.S. Marines, either those that are here in the country already, or those on the way.

A prepositioning ship is one of a number of military vessels that have been preplaced all around the world, the Mediterranean, the Western Pacific, and the Indian Ocean, already loaded in advance with military hardware. It is now offloading. We're not told exactly where it is offloading, but here in Kuwait, somewhere onboard, humvees, tanks, medical equipment, food, all the necessary supplies that a fighting force would need. We aren't allowed to take pictures of that offloading. In fact, the U.S. military is doing that, and say they will supply those pictures shortly.

Also, equally not in view is the buildup of military muscle, and now we're talking about the troops. They're said to be about 16,000 currently that are currently in Kuwait at this time.

When they do arrive, they're quickly dispatched to a number of bases already preplaced in the northwest part of Kuwait. That's desert territory up near the Iraqi border.

Now a third of Iraq, that area, has been blocked off, as far as access to the civilian population. It's designated now as a military training area, and that's, of course, where the U.S. forces are being outfitted and they're rehearsing for the prospect of a possible invasion, if it comes to that -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right, Martin Savidge, from Kuwait City, thank you very much.

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




Chemical Warheads>


Aired January 17, 2003 - 11:02   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: The White House is weighing in this morning on the dozen empty chemical warheads found south of Baghdad yesterday. The Bush team is choosing its words rather carefully this morning, but clearly the White House feels its case against Iraq is growing stronger.
Let's start now with our senior White House correspondent John King. Good morning, John.

JOHN KING, CNN SR. WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Leon.

Troubling and serious is the headline from the White House this morning. The White House saying the president finds it troubling and serious that U.N. weapons inspectors were able to find these 11 warheads designed to carry chemical weapons during a search yesterday inside Iraq.

This discovery is crystallizing the debate about the weapons inspections regime. It is proof to the White House that Saddam Hussein has lied to the United Nations when he said he had no more weapons of mass destruction, and it is proof to the White House that Saddam Hussein is not meeting the burden under the resolution which requires Iraq to fully, completely, and accurately disclose and dismantle all of its weapons.

There are others like Dr. Hans Blix, the chief weapons inspector, who say this in some ways is proof the inspection regime is working and deserves more time. That will be the debate in the weeks ahead as the White House decides how to proceed. Some say the inspectors should be given weeks and months. The White House says that's the wrong way to look at it, that the burden is on Saddam Hussein to lay out all the evidence now and that this is further proof that Iraq misled the United Nations when it said it had no weapons of mass destruction.

Ari Fleischer saying this morning, quote, "the fact that Iraq is in possession of undeclared chemical warheads which the United Nations says are in excellent condition is troubling and serious. Under the U.N. resolution, Saddam has an obligation to disarm. It is increasingly clear that he is not doing so."

So the White House taking a very cautious wait-and-see approach as to whether these warheads were being used for any active chemical weapons program, whether there were any weapons ever loaded in them. But it says it is clear now, at least to this White House, that Saddam Hussein is once again obstructing and interfering with U.N. weapons inspections -- Leon.

HARRIS: Good deal. Thanks, John. We'll have to watch out how the diplomatic game here plays out from here on today.

Thanks, John. John King at the White House -- Fred.

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Now, diplomatic chess at Chequers (ph). Weapons inspection boss Hans Blix is meeting with Tony Blair at the prime minister's country estate outside London, and that's called the Chequers Compound. We may hear live remarks from both this hour about the search for Iraq's weapons. The huddle comes against the backdrop of a scrappy speech by Saddam Hussein and the discovery of those empty chemical warheads.

Let's bring in senior U.N. correspondent Richard Roth just outside London -- Richard.

RICHARD ROTH, CNN SR. U.N. CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Fredricka, the meeting is believed to be still underway, started a short time ago, it's not expected to be a very long meeting. The British government solidly behind the inspectors and also solidly behind the United States in its effort to keep the pressure on President Saddam Hussein and his government on Iraq over the issue of weapons of mass destruction.

Blix began his day in Paris meeting with French president Jacques Chirac. Blix was there is along with Mohammed Elbaradei, the director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency. Both men praised by the French president, who said the inspectors should be given more time. The inspectors would like a more proactive relationship with the Iraqi government. Elbaradei saying that they need more substance, they have to move beyond a process with the Iraqi government, that it's time for more documents and more doors to be opened.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MOHAMMED ELBARADEI, IAEA: We would like to see that Iraq, you know, come with physical evidence. They say, we destroyed chemical agents, biological weapons -- we need to see some physical evidence. So that is what we mean when we say it is not enough just to provide passive cooperation. We need a proactive approach and I hope they will understand that this is in their own interests to come with the evidence which would enable us to provide credible assurances to the Security Council.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROTH: Blix was the one -- was the man who came here, Elbaradei went back to his headquarters in Vienna -- he had been just in Moscow as the various inspectors talk with the key members of the Security Council, the permanent members, those with veto power.

Blix on the plane ride from Paris here to Britain said that he needs more information about those 12 empty chemical warheads before fully commenting on them. There is still a possible discrepancy whether the Iraqi government did or did not declare them in the 12,000 page document dumped on the United Nations in December -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: And, Richard, how long is this meeting expected to take between Blair and Blix?

(AUDIO GAP)

All right. Richard, if you can hear me now? No? All right, looks like we lost that communication there. All right, Leon.

HARRIS: That's what happens on live TV.

WHITFIELD: Yes, anything goes.

HARRIS: All right.

Moving on now, a blustery speech from Saddam Hussein today marking a dozen years since the Gulf War.

To Baghdad now and CNN's Nic Robertson. Hello, Nic.

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Leon.

Well, that speech casting for the Iraqi people during its 37 minutes the fact that they did win the Gulf War. The speech was called "The Mother of All Battles" speech, that is what Iraq knows the Gulf War as. President Saddam Hussein reminding the people of Iraq that they won that war, that they defeated, in his words, the evil troops from more than 30 states.

Now, in that speech he also called on the people of Iraq to raise their swords, raise their rifles. He reminded them of a defeat in the 13th century where Baghdad was sacked, much of it was destroyed -- he said that wouldn't happen this time, the government had plans, that people were prepared and that they would defend Baghdad. He said that anyone should they come and try and invade now would find that they would reach the walls of Baghdad and then that they would commit suicide in trying to defeat the Iraqis.

So very much a rallying speech for the people of Iraq, calling on them to stay behind the government and support their plans to defend whatever -- defend Iraq, defend it against whatever may happen. Now, in reference to those missile warheads, the empty chemical warheads that the U.N. inspectors found just yesterday, Ali Hassan al-Magid, a cousin of President Saddam Hussein, and the ruling leadership here in Iraq just about to depart to Syria -- to neighboring Syria on an mission -- on an envoy mission for President Saddam Hussein, said that he considered this discovery was just being used by the United States in an effort to foment war, foment trouble.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ALI HASSAN AL MAJEED, IRAQI PARLIAMENT (through translator): These projectiles are registered and pictured and listed at the same commission, and some of these experts know this very well, but they are looking for a pretext. Shame on them.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERTSON: Now, Ali Hassan Al Majeed going to Syria. Leon, we're told he will visit other countries. We don't know the details of his mission at this time -- Leon.

HARRIS: Well, Nic, I've got to ask you this, after hearing these -- this blustery speech coming from Saddam Hussein and I know it's got to be difficult to gauge what, you know, the average Iraqi might be thinking about his words, but is there any way to tell how his speech was received by the public, with him coming out and saying that -- reminding them that they actually won a war that they truly lost in the eyes of everybody else in the world?

ROBERTSON: Well, that's a judgment over the last 12 years that many people in Iraq have had time to reflect on, and when we talk to people in private here, there's a sense that they're aware of how the battle and the results of that battle impacted on them and they can make their own judgment based on that. Certainly for most of them, that they feel their lives are much worse off than they were before the Gulf War, and that's probably the way most people here reflect on it.

But what President Saddam Hussein has set out to do here is say to the people of Iraq, as well as the world that they're prepared to defend in particular Baghdad. That's very interesting, but also calling on the people and showing them the government is willing to stand up to the current situation, and that the people should rally behind the government. So although people have had time to reflect it, the government still casts the mother of all battles as their victory -- Leon.

HARRIS: Interesting. Nic Robertson reporting live for us this morning here, evening, or afternoon there in Baghdad.

WHITFIELD: The U.S. buildup in advance of a war with Iraq is now in high gear. Thousands of U.S. Troops are already on the ground in Kuwait.

CNN's Marty Savidge joins us live from Kuwait City with the very latest from there -- Martin.

MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Fredricka, for any military buildup, you need not only U.S. troops, you also need equipment, and that's what's been arriving today in Kuwait with the arrival of what's called a prepositioning ship. The equipment onboard this will vessel is all earmarked for the U.S. Marines, either those that are here in the country already, or those on the way.

A prepositioning ship is one of a number of military vessels that have been preplaced all around the world, the Mediterranean, the Western Pacific, and the Indian Ocean, already loaded in advance with military hardware. It is now offloading. We're not told exactly where it is offloading, but here in Kuwait, somewhere onboard, humvees, tanks, medical equipment, food, all the necessary supplies that a fighting force would need. We aren't allowed to take pictures of that offloading. In fact, the U.S. military is doing that, and say they will supply those pictures shortly.

Also, equally not in view is the buildup of military muscle, and now we're talking about the troops. They're said to be about 16,000 currently that are currently in Kuwait at this time.

When they do arrive, they're quickly dispatched to a number of bases already preplaced in the northwest part of Kuwait. That's desert territory up near the Iraqi border.

Now a third of Iraq, that area, has been blocked off, as far as access to the civilian population. It's designated now as a military training area, and that's, of course, where the U.S. forces are being outfitted and they're rehearsing for the prospect of a possible invasion, if it comes to that -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right, Martin Savidge, from Kuwait City, thank you very much.

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




Chemical Warheads>