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CNN Sunday Morning

Powell Issues Warning to Iraq

Aired January 26, 2003 - 10:01   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.


FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: We begin this hour in Davos, with a hard-hitting speech by Secretary of State Colin Powell. His words were considered by some a dire warning to Iraq on this day before the U.N. gets a progress report on the weapons hunt. CNN's Charles Hodson comes to us from the Swiss Alps now.
Hi, Charles.

CHARLES HODSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Fredricka. Yes, this was, U.S. Secretary of state Colin Powell having to be at his most persuasive. It wasn't really so much the Iraqis that were, if you like, the intended recipients of this message. They've heard enough of the rhetoric. But that rhetoric has had to be dressed up in new clothes for this particular audience, a mixed audience, with many people from Europe, of course, but also from the developing world and from the Muslim world as well, Arab nations among them, very skeptical about the need for a U.S.-led military action on Iraq.

All the same, Powell's message was clear. Time is running out, we have to do something.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: The United States believes that time is running out. We will not shrink from war, if that is the only way to rid Iraq of its weapons of mass destruction. We continue to reserve our sovereign right to take military action against Iraq, alone or in a coalition of the willing. As the president has said, we cannot defend American -- our friends by hoping for the best. History will judge harshly those who saw the coming danger but failed to act.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HODSON: And that part of the message is aimed directly at Europe, at those who, for example, are not sure about the advisability of that war. Powell returned to one point again and again, the fact that the U.N. Security Council in passing Resolution 1441, which insists on the disarmament of Iraq, that 15 members, all 15 members of the U.N. Security Council, were behind that.

It was a far right-reaching speech, reaching deep into the principles behind U.S. policy and underlining the principles, which underline, also, all freedom-loving nations. This was Powell's, if you like, his last-ditch attempt to win continental European support for the next stage as we see it tomorrow, Monday, in the U.N. Security Council in New York City -- Fredricka. WHITFIELD: And, Charles, what kind of reaction is Powell's speech getting from other European nations? We know how France and Germany think on this issue.

HODSON: Yes, I think that the -- certainly Powell probably would wish that the U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld had not made his remarks about France and Germany being old Europe and, therefore, to be disregarded in all of this. That has not made the ground more fertile as far as Powell's own comments or concerns.

That said, I think that there is a high regard for Powell. He is regarded as the man, the person within the Bush administration who has at most time an understanding for the European position. But I doubt very much whether his speech will have made all that much difference. He has fought, however, the good fight.

Back to you, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right. All right, Charles Hodson, thank you very much this morning.

Well, President Bush is keeping track of the latest developments in Iraq from the White House where he is also putting the finishing touches on Tuesday's State of The Union Address. In addition to that, now open discussions about the U.S.' reported plans to use nuclear weapons preemptively against Iraq. CNN White House correspondent, Suzanne Malveaux, is in Washington.

And Suzanne, how is the White House responding to this latest report?

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, the White House is not denying it, but they are certainly saying they leave all of their options open. It's really part of ratcheting up the rhetoric to give Saddam Hussein a clear message that the United States is serious about disarming him.

President Bush really facing one of the most important weeks of his administration. President Bush and the First Lady attending a church service this morning. We are told the president later will be going for a run.

We are less than 48 hours away from what this administration is calling the final phase with Iraq. As we saw Secretary of State Colin Powell in Davos, Switzerland, really laying out the case, the administration's case. Here in Washington, the Chief of Staff Andy Card hitting the morning talk shows.

Earlier today on "Meet The Press," he actually responded to reports that the administration could use nuclear weapons against Saddam Hussein in the event of military action. Of course, the Bush administration saying this is all very premature, that the president hasn't even decided whether or not that's necessary. But all, making the case that they reserve the right to keep all of their options open.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANDREW CARD, WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF: Should Saddam Hussein have any thought that he would use a weapon of mass destruction, he should anticipate that the United States will use whatever means necessary to protect us and the world from a holocaust.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: So, Fredricka, it's important to note that the administration is not saying that they're committed to this, that they've even decided such action, but they really just want to give Saddam Hussein the very tough message that it's willing to do anything necessary to disarm Saddam Hussein. Of course, the Bush administration emphasizing that they still want to use peaceful means, that they hope that that can be achieved.

The president is going to lay out his case in his State of The Union Address on Tuesday. He's been working on that, as you mentioned before, many, many different drafts. Even practicing on the teleprompter with his team of advisers, as well as speechwriters. We are told from White House officials that he is not going to declare war on Iraq, but rather lay out a very broad and detailed case against Saddam Hussein, but that he is going to make the point that this is really the last diplomatic phase with Iraq and also, that the prospect for war is very real -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right, Suzanne Malveaux from the White House, thank you very much.

Well while the world watches and waits for the inspectors' report the search for weapons goes on in Iraq. In a last-minute push, inspectors are keying in on at least nine sites around Baghdad and other areas. CNN's Nic Robertson is with us now from the Iraqi capital of Baghdad -- Nic.

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fredricka, a busy day. Only five teams going out, but they went to a number of different sites, about nine sites so far that have been confirmed by Iraqi officials. One of those sites has been Haifa, the site the inspectors have been to before, a site U.N. officials are very familiar with. It's a place where Iraq has said previously they have had a biological weapons program there. They say that it's closed down now.

The U.N. has said up until now, yes, it agrees with them, that they have had a program there. But outstanding from that plant, many issues of documentation that the U.N. says have not been complete. Very interesting today -- this a biological -- essentially a biological site. But the U.N. sent a missile inspection team there. Now, the U.N. inspectors do do this occasionally. Send inspectors from other disciplines to sites to try and essentially, put the Iraqis off guard, to try and throw them off the scent about where teams may be going. And that's the kind of way that the inspectors are trying to get around being second-guessed on where they might go and what they might do. But certainly the indications that the teams -- the five teams out today working hard, going to a number of different sites -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right, Nic Robertson. Thank you very much, from Baghdad.

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 January 26, 2003 - 10:01   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: We begin this hour in Davos, with a hard-hitting speech by Secretary of State Colin Powell. His words were considered by some a dire warning to Iraq on this day before the U.N. gets a progress report on the weapons hunt. CNN's Charles Hodson comes to us from the Swiss Alps now.
Hi, Charles.

CHARLES HODSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Fredricka. Yes, this was, U.S. Secretary of state Colin Powell having to be at his most persuasive. It wasn't really so much the Iraqis that were, if you like, the intended recipients of this message. They've heard enough of the rhetoric. But that rhetoric has had to be dressed up in new clothes for this particular audience, a mixed audience, with many people from Europe, of course, but also from the developing world and from the Muslim world as well, Arab nations among them, very skeptical about the need for a U.S.-led military action on Iraq.

All the same, Powell's message was clear. Time is running out, we have to do something.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: The United States believes that time is running out. We will not shrink from war, if that is the only way to rid Iraq of its weapons of mass destruction. We continue to reserve our sovereign right to take military action against Iraq, alone or in a coalition of the willing. As the president has said, we cannot defend American -- our friends by hoping for the best. History will judge harshly those who saw the coming danger but failed to act.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HODSON: And that part of the message is aimed directly at Europe, at those who, for example, are not sure about the advisability of that war. Powell returned to one point again and again, the fact that the U.N. Security Council in passing Resolution 1441, which insists on the disarmament of Iraq, that 15 members, all 15 members of the U.N. Security Council, were behind that.

It was a far right-reaching speech, reaching deep into the principles behind U.S. policy and underlining the principles, which underline, also, all freedom-loving nations. This was Powell's, if you like, his last-ditch attempt to win continental European support for the next stage as we see it tomorrow, Monday, in the U.N. Security Council in New York City -- Fredricka. WHITFIELD: And, Charles, what kind of reaction is Powell's speech getting from other European nations? We know how France and Germany think on this issue.

HODSON: Yes, I think that the -- certainly Powell probably would wish that the U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld had not made his remarks about France and Germany being old Europe and, therefore, to be disregarded in all of this. That has not made the ground more fertile as far as Powell's own comments or concerns.

That said, I think that there is a high regard for Powell. He is regarded as the man, the person within the Bush administration who has at most time an understanding for the European position. But I doubt very much whether his speech will have made all that much difference. He has fought, however, the good fight.

Back to you, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right. All right, Charles Hodson, thank you very much this morning.

Well, President Bush is keeping track of the latest developments in Iraq from the White House where he is also putting the finishing touches on Tuesday's State of The Union Address. In addition to that, now open discussions about the U.S.' reported plans to use nuclear weapons preemptively against Iraq. CNN White House correspondent, Suzanne Malveaux, is in Washington.

And Suzanne, how is the White House responding to this latest report?

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, the White House is not denying it, but they are certainly saying they leave all of their options open. It's really part of ratcheting up the rhetoric to give Saddam Hussein a clear message that the United States is serious about disarming him.

President Bush really facing one of the most important weeks of his administration. President Bush and the First Lady attending a church service this morning. We are told the president later will be going for a run.

We are less than 48 hours away from what this administration is calling the final phase with Iraq. As we saw Secretary of State Colin Powell in Davos, Switzerland, really laying out the case, the administration's case. Here in Washington, the Chief of Staff Andy Card hitting the morning talk shows.

Earlier today on "Meet The Press," he actually responded to reports that the administration could use nuclear weapons against Saddam Hussein in the event of military action. Of course, the Bush administration saying this is all very premature, that the president hasn't even decided whether or not that's necessary. But all, making the case that they reserve the right to keep all of their options open.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANDREW CARD, WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF: Should Saddam Hussein have any thought that he would use a weapon of mass destruction, he should anticipate that the United States will use whatever means necessary to protect us and the world from a holocaust.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: So, Fredricka, it's important to note that the administration is not saying that they're committed to this, that they've even decided such action, but they really just want to give Saddam Hussein the very tough message that it's willing to do anything necessary to disarm Saddam Hussein. Of course, the Bush administration emphasizing that they still want to use peaceful means, that they hope that that can be achieved.

The president is going to lay out his case in his State of The Union Address on Tuesday. He's been working on that, as you mentioned before, many, many different drafts. Even practicing on the teleprompter with his team of advisers, as well as speechwriters. We are told from White House officials that he is not going to declare war on Iraq, but rather lay out a very broad and detailed case against Saddam Hussein, but that he is going to make the point that this is really the last diplomatic phase with Iraq and also, that the prospect for war is very real -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right, Suzanne Malveaux from the White House, thank you very much.

Well while the world watches and waits for the inspectors' report the search for weapons goes on in Iraq. In a last-minute push, inspectors are keying in on at least nine sites around Baghdad and other areas. CNN's Nic Robertson is with us now from the Iraqi capital of Baghdad -- Nic.

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fredricka, a busy day. Only five teams going out, but they went to a number of different sites, about nine sites so far that have been confirmed by Iraqi officials. One of those sites has been Haifa, the site the inspectors have been to before, a site U.N. officials are very familiar with. It's a place where Iraq has said previously they have had a biological weapons program there. They say that it's closed down now.

The U.N. has said up until now, yes, it agrees with them, that they have had a program there. But outstanding from that plant, many issues of documentation that the U.N. says have not been complete. Very interesting today -- this a biological -- essentially a biological site. But the U.N. sent a missile inspection team there. Now, the U.N. inspectors do do this occasionally. Send inspectors from other disciplines to sites to try and essentially, put the Iraqis off guard, to try and throw them off the scent about where teams may be going. And that's the kind of way that the inspectors are trying to get around being second-guessed on where they might go and what they might do. But certainly the indications that the teams -- the five teams out today working hard, going to a number of different sites -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right, Nic Robertson. Thank you very much, from Baghdad.

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