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American Morning

Interview With Richard Armitage

Aired April 07, 2003 - 09:05   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.


PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Turning now to what happens in Iraq after the war, most Americans believe that peace will be harder to achieve than the success of the war. A CNN "USA Today" Gallup Poll says 84 percent of Americans say rebuilding Iraq will be more difficult than defeating the Iraqi armed forces.
Joining us from Washington in an exclusive interview to talk about the plan for rebuilding Iraq, the Deputy Secretary of State, Richard Armitage. Thank you for joining us this morning.

RICHARD ARMITAGE, DEPUTY SECRETARY OF STATE: Good morning Ms. Zahn.

ZAHN: Once the fighting stops, how long do you think American forces will need to stay in place in Iraq?

ARMITAGE: I don't think anyone knows the answer to that. We have to stay long enough to exploit potential WMD sites and clearly to establish stability through the country but we want to stay not a day longer than that.

ZAHN: We had heard some suppositions from some folks in the Bush administration that at least six months before you can even get a transitional government under way. Does that sound like a fair assessment?

ARMITAGE: I think that was referring to the six months that were required to bring a level of democracy to the Kurdish areas and certainly that has lasted ten years but I think it's very difficult to get an exact timeframe but you can be assured that we want to be able to get out of Iraq as soon as possible.

ZAHN: Let's talk a bit about what the administration envisions. Senior officials told CNN immediately after the conflict ends, the White House wants a military force commanded by General Tommy Franks and civilian administration headed by retired Army Lieutenant General Jay Garner who will report to Donald Rumsfeld. Now there is a piece in the "L.A. Times" saying some members Congress are complaining that that actually gives Donald Rumsfeld too much control in this process. What do you think?

ARMITAGE: Well, I can't speak for members of Congress, but it certainly occurs to me that there is going to to have to be a close relationship between the Office of Reconstruction and Humanitarian Affairs and General Franks as he provides security under which those activities can be conducted. General Garner will report to General Franks and further to Secretary Rumsfeld. Trying to provide in the initial days a modicum of goods and services to the Iraqi people and he and his colleagues are very much in the business of working themselves out of a job.

ZAHN: What do you think of suggestions out there by those who feel that the U.S. is increasingly losing its battle to convince Iraqi citizens because of the destruction and the ongoing campaign that in fact they are liberators, not invaders?

ARMITAGE: I think your own broadcast this morning has put light to that. The fact that our forces are being welcomed with open arms. This is something we cherish and we'll do our utmost to continue to deserve. You see jubilance in many of the streets and I think it will continue. This is not something; however, that will last forever. We have to make sure our follow on actions are absolutely consistent with those things which will win the favor of the Iraqi people.

ZAHN: I want to talk a bit more about the creation of this transactional government. Senator Joseph Biden, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said that the issue of forming a transitional government is tenuous and cautioned the administration to tread lightly. Let's listen to what he had to say yesterday.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JOSEPH BIDEN (D), DELAWARE: The real key here is we get one real shot at starting off a transition government here and whatever that government is, that transition government, if it looks like it is imposed by us, looks like we sat down and hand picked the leaders and put them in place, it won't have legitimacy with the Iraqi people.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ZAHN: What he suggested is you might internationalize this process, particularly at the front end of the game.

ARMITAGE: Well, certainly, he's correct in if we put our thumb on the scale, or our British friends put their thumb on scale it won't be viewed as a legitimate government by all Iraqis. We have to have a government that is of, for, and by Iraqis. The question of how you form it, it seems to me that the administration is on the right track by trying to develop an interim Iraqi authority which will be developed by Iraqis themselves in close consultation with coalition members who have shed their blood and expend their treasure to bring about the resurrection of Iraq.

ZAHN: We know the president and Prime Minister of Great Britain holding important meetings in northern Ireland over the next few days and seems to be disconnect on the role the U.N. on what role the U.N. should ultimately play in the process. Prime Minister of Great Britain wanting a larger role for the U.N. in a post-war Iraq. What do you think? What's the right formula here?

ARMITAGE: Well, I suspect when our two leaders issue their final communiques from Hillsboro Castle in northern Ireland, Great Britain, you'll find there is less difference than perhaps you might have thought. Clearly there is a roll for the United Nations and many of the functional activities the United Nations engages in, W.H.O. and World Food Program and Unicef will have a great role in Iraq but finding the appropriate role for the United Nations after the coalition members have been the ones who did all of the heavy lifting is exactly what our leaders will be talking about.

ZAHN: Finally, another question about the balance of structures and how you work this all out, National Secretary Adviser Condoleezza Rice says the Pentagon should control reconstruction and humanitarian efforts in post-war Iraq, but there are members of Congress that say that job should fall to the State Department. Who should do it and why?

ARMITAGE: Well, clearly the president has decided that he would like the moneys that are available in the supplemental appropriation to be provided to the Office of Manpower and Budget and further disbursed to agencies doing the work on ground and agency's work developed through Jay Garner. He's the one on the ground with colleagues from the Department of State, Justice, Commerce, etcetera, so we're very much comfortable with the president's submission.

ZAHN: Deputy Secretary of State, Richard Armitage, always good to see you. Thank you for spending time with us this morning. Thank you. We appreciate your perspective. Back with Bill in Kuwait City.

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 April 7, 2003 - 09:05   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Turning now to what happens in Iraq after the war, most Americans believe that peace will be harder to achieve than the success of the war. A CNN "USA Today" Gallup Poll says 84 percent of Americans say rebuilding Iraq will be more difficult than defeating the Iraqi armed forces.
Joining us from Washington in an exclusive interview to talk about the plan for rebuilding Iraq, the Deputy Secretary of State, Richard Armitage. Thank you for joining us this morning.

RICHARD ARMITAGE, DEPUTY SECRETARY OF STATE: Good morning Ms. Zahn.

ZAHN: Once the fighting stops, how long do you think American forces will need to stay in place in Iraq?

ARMITAGE: I don't think anyone knows the answer to that. We have to stay long enough to exploit potential WMD sites and clearly to establish stability through the country but we want to stay not a day longer than that.

ZAHN: We had heard some suppositions from some folks in the Bush administration that at least six months before you can even get a transitional government under way. Does that sound like a fair assessment?

ARMITAGE: I think that was referring to the six months that were required to bring a level of democracy to the Kurdish areas and certainly that has lasted ten years but I think it's very difficult to get an exact timeframe but you can be assured that we want to be able to get out of Iraq as soon as possible.

ZAHN: Let's talk a bit about what the administration envisions. Senior officials told CNN immediately after the conflict ends, the White House wants a military force commanded by General Tommy Franks and civilian administration headed by retired Army Lieutenant General Jay Garner who will report to Donald Rumsfeld. Now there is a piece in the "L.A. Times" saying some members Congress are complaining that that actually gives Donald Rumsfeld too much control in this process. What do you think?

ARMITAGE: Well, I can't speak for members of Congress, but it certainly occurs to me that there is going to to have to be a close relationship between the Office of Reconstruction and Humanitarian Affairs and General Franks as he provides security under which those activities can be conducted. General Garner will report to General Franks and further to Secretary Rumsfeld. Trying to provide in the initial days a modicum of goods and services to the Iraqi people and he and his colleagues are very much in the business of working themselves out of a job.

ZAHN: What do you think of suggestions out there by those who feel that the U.S. is increasingly losing its battle to convince Iraqi citizens because of the destruction and the ongoing campaign that in fact they are liberators, not invaders?

ARMITAGE: I think your own broadcast this morning has put light to that. The fact that our forces are being welcomed with open arms. This is something we cherish and we'll do our utmost to continue to deserve. You see jubilance in many of the streets and I think it will continue. This is not something; however, that will last forever. We have to make sure our follow on actions are absolutely consistent with those things which will win the favor of the Iraqi people.

ZAHN: I want to talk a bit more about the creation of this transactional government. Senator Joseph Biden, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said that the issue of forming a transitional government is tenuous and cautioned the administration to tread lightly. Let's listen to what he had to say yesterday.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JOSEPH BIDEN (D), DELAWARE: The real key here is we get one real shot at starting off a transition government here and whatever that government is, that transition government, if it looks like it is imposed by us, looks like we sat down and hand picked the leaders and put them in place, it won't have legitimacy with the Iraqi people.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ZAHN: What he suggested is you might internationalize this process, particularly at the front end of the game.

ARMITAGE: Well, certainly, he's correct in if we put our thumb on the scale, or our British friends put their thumb on scale it won't be viewed as a legitimate government by all Iraqis. We have to have a government that is of, for, and by Iraqis. The question of how you form it, it seems to me that the administration is on the right track by trying to develop an interim Iraqi authority which will be developed by Iraqis themselves in close consultation with coalition members who have shed their blood and expend their treasure to bring about the resurrection of Iraq.

ZAHN: We know the president and Prime Minister of Great Britain holding important meetings in northern Ireland over the next few days and seems to be disconnect on the role the U.N. on what role the U.N. should ultimately play in the process. Prime Minister of Great Britain wanting a larger role for the U.N. in a post-war Iraq. What do you think? What's the right formula here?

ARMITAGE: Well, I suspect when our two leaders issue their final communiques from Hillsboro Castle in northern Ireland, Great Britain, you'll find there is less difference than perhaps you might have thought. Clearly there is a roll for the United Nations and many of the functional activities the United Nations engages in, W.H.O. and World Food Program and Unicef will have a great role in Iraq but finding the appropriate role for the United Nations after the coalition members have been the ones who did all of the heavy lifting is exactly what our leaders will be talking about.

ZAHN: Finally, another question about the balance of structures and how you work this all out, National Secretary Adviser Condoleezza Rice says the Pentagon should control reconstruction and humanitarian efforts in post-war Iraq, but there are members of Congress that say that job should fall to the State Department. Who should do it and why?

ARMITAGE: Well, clearly the president has decided that he would like the moneys that are available in the supplemental appropriation to be provided to the Office of Manpower and Budget and further disbursed to agencies doing the work on ground and agency's work developed through Jay Garner. He's the one on the ground with colleagues from the Department of State, Justice, Commerce, etcetera, so we're very much comfortable with the president's submission.

ZAHN: Deputy Secretary of State, Richard Armitage, always good to see you. Thank you for spending time with us this morning. Thank you. We appreciate your perspective. Back with Bill in Kuwait City.

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