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CNN Live Today
White House Happy About Al Qaeda Arrest
Aired March 03, 2003 - 10:12 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 administration officials there have just ended their daily so-called gaggle, when they get together and talk with our reporters there, and our own White House correspondent Dana Bash was there.
Let's check in with here and see what the word was this morning.
Hello, Dana. Got to think that they got to be talking about the big arrest over the weekend.
DANA BASH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely. That was the good news for the White House over the weekend. And White House spokesman Ari Fleischer talked to reporters this morning, saying that they are very happy about the arrest, no doubt, said it was a big blow to Al Qaeda, and Fleischer read a statement from the president. And I'll read it to you now. He said, "The president expresses his deep appreciation and gratitude to President Musharraf of Pakistan, and the government of Pakistan for their efforts in this past weekend that led to the capture of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the mastermind of the September 11th plot. This a very serious development, a blow to Al Qaeda. The president is very appreciative to Pakistan for the fine efforts they have been carrying out in the war against terror and their fine work in the most recent success."
So they're very, very pleased with that arrest. They are not saying -- Fleischer was asked a number of times where Khalid Sheikh Mohammed is being questioned at this time. But like other officials, he refused to comment on that, just saying he is being questioned, and that they hope this will lead to other success.
Now that, of course, Leon, was the good news over the weekend. The bad news here at the White House was the decision, the vote in the Turkish parliament not to allow the U.S. to stage its military operations in Turkey. That's, of course, Iraq's northern neighbor. Ari Fleischer admitting that the U.S. was really surprised by that vote. He said, just like the Turkish leaders were, they were surprised by. He said, clearly, they are not pleased by it, but they are remaining very, very cautious in their public comments here at the White House, because they've clearly have not ruled out hope that perhaps there might be another vote, and they might actually get that permission in the long run, or in the end.
But Ari Fleischer saying, that even if they don't get permission by Turkey, he said that if the president does authorize the use of force, that he believes there is no doubt there will be a successful military campaign, no matter what happens with Turkey.
HARRIS: No question about that. Thanks, Dana. Dana Bash at the White House.
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 March 3, 2003 - 10:12 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: The administration officials there have just ended their daily so-called gaggle, when they get together and talk with our reporters there, and our own White House correspondent Dana Bash was there.
Let's check in with here and see what the word was this morning.
Hello, Dana. Got to think that they got to be talking about the big arrest over the weekend.
DANA BASH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely. That was the good news for the White House over the weekend. And White House spokesman Ari Fleischer talked to reporters this morning, saying that they are very happy about the arrest, no doubt, said it was a big blow to Al Qaeda, and Fleischer read a statement from the president. And I'll read it to you now. He said, "The president expresses his deep appreciation and gratitude to President Musharraf of Pakistan, and the government of Pakistan for their efforts in this past weekend that led to the capture of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the mastermind of the September 11th plot. This a very serious development, a blow to Al Qaeda. The president is very appreciative to Pakistan for the fine efforts they have been carrying out in the war against terror and their fine work in the most recent success."
So they're very, very pleased with that arrest. They are not saying -- Fleischer was asked a number of times where Khalid Sheikh Mohammed is being questioned at this time. But like other officials, he refused to comment on that, just saying he is being questioned, and that they hope this will lead to other success.
Now that, of course, Leon, was the good news over the weekend. The bad news here at the White House was the decision, the vote in the Turkish parliament not to allow the U.S. to stage its military operations in Turkey. That's, of course, Iraq's northern neighbor. Ari Fleischer admitting that the U.S. was really surprised by that vote. He said, just like the Turkish leaders were, they were surprised by. He said, clearly, they are not pleased by it, but they are remaining very, very cautious in their public comments here at the White House, because they've clearly have not ruled out hope that perhaps there might be another vote, and they might actually get that permission in the long run, or in the end.
But Ari Fleischer saying, that even if they don't get permission by Turkey, he said that if the president does authorize the use of force, that he believes there is no doubt there will be a successful military campaign, no matter what happens with Turkey.
HARRIS: No question about that. Thanks, Dana. Dana Bash at the White House.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
