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CNN Live Today

Interview with Ahmad Chalabi

Aired April 11, 2003 - 10:46   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: We now have on the phone Ahmad Chalabi, the leader of the Iraqi National Congress. He has been mentioned as someone who could potentially take the helm of an interim Iraqi government. He joins us by phone from Nasiriyah. Thanks for your patience, sir.
I'm going to pick off with the first question I asked you before, because we couldn't hear your answer. Do you see a role for yourself in any either an interim government, or an ultimate government in Iraq?

AHMAD CHALABI, IRAQI NATIONAL CONGRESS LEADER: I -- I'm home now. I want to focus on building civil society in Iraq, and I'm not a candidate for any government position.

ZAHN: So not even in a transitional government, you see no role for yourself whatsoever.

CHALABI: I want to focus on building civil society in Iraq. That's the most important thing that one can do now. There is complete devastation. There is a total need for de-Baath-ification program, of (UNINTELLIGIBLE) the Baath Party from all Iraqi life. It's like a cancer.

ZAHN: Let me ask you this, according to "The L.A. Times," there is a CIA report that is analyzing Iraqi attitudes, not only towards you, but other members of the Iraqi National Congress, and this report suggests that Iraqis were suspicious and skeptical of you and the INC. What role do you think the INC should play, and why do you think people feel that way?

CHALABI: Whoever wrote this report don't know what they're talking about. We were received here with great acclaim. The people know all about the INC, know about the Iraq Liberation Act (ph), know about our role in struggling for the liberation of Iraq.

We held the first political rally in post-Saddam Iraq, and on two hours' notice, over 10,000 people showed up. They were full of hope. They were talking about democracy. They focused heavily on the rule of law, and they should -- they also were very, very happy when I mentioned ENSOR: -Baath-ification and the need to oppose the Baath Party. And I hope -- I wished the CIA was there to report this back. I don't think any of this is relevant now. It is no longer a question of opposition politics or games played by bureaucrats. This is now work in Iraq. This is Iraqi politics. It's what the Iraqi people want, and we've have had a great reception. We are part of the society. No one feels we are alien, or parachuting from outside. We are completely accepted. We are asked by the people from all walks of life to intervene immediately in all the communities, to get the public services going and to set up security services, and we're having discussions with people from various communities to do police work. There are -- in great need of public safety, and they are looking to us to do this.

Today our INC -- the Arab Free Iraqi Forces went to the town of Shatarah (ph), near Nasiriyah. They were received very well. They did great work. They de-conflicted many things in the town. Everyone feels better, and the mission was entirely successful, and I think you had the CNN correspondents with them.

ZAHN: Mr. Chalabi, are you in favor of Iraqis accepting a transitional government that is appointed by the U.S.?

CHALABI: No, I think the U.S. does not want to appoint the transitional government. I think President Bush has signed off on an interim Iraqi authority, and that interim Iraqi authority will be chosen by Iraqis and composed of Iraqis, and this authority will shortly, after an initial period where General Garner will do his work, will take over and around the country except for specific tasks, which will be the providence of the U.S. forces.

General Garner has responded to my call very well. He sends me an emissary and a message yesterday that he is prepared to deal with any committee that is appointed by the communities in the various provinces of Iraq, and we are happy about the Iraqis response, and we expect that he will do very good work very soon here.

ZAHN: So what you're say, sir, is you don't expect even in this transitional government for the U.S. to pick some Iraqis that might favor over others?

CHALABI: I don't think the U.S. is in the business of picking or choosing Iraqis. The U.S. is not going to crown any person, nor they should. The U.S. will be an impartial observer in this process, and I think Iraqis should pick who they want for the transitional authority. There is a way to do it, and there is a very important role for the U.S., in the sense that they can guarantee the fairness and the impartiality of the process.

ZAHN: Ahmad Chalabi, thank you again for letting us try to interview you twice there, the leader of the Iraqi National Congress.

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 11, 2003 - 10:46   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: We now have on the phone Ahmad Chalabi, the leader of the Iraqi National Congress. He has been mentioned as someone who could potentially take the helm of an interim Iraqi government. He joins us by phone from Nasiriyah. Thanks for your patience, sir.
I'm going to pick off with the first question I asked you before, because we couldn't hear your answer. Do you see a role for yourself in any either an interim government, or an ultimate government in Iraq?

AHMAD CHALABI, IRAQI NATIONAL CONGRESS LEADER: I -- I'm home now. I want to focus on building civil society in Iraq, and I'm not a candidate for any government position.

ZAHN: So not even in a transitional government, you see no role for yourself whatsoever.

CHALABI: I want to focus on building civil society in Iraq. That's the most important thing that one can do now. There is complete devastation. There is a total need for de-Baath-ification program, of (UNINTELLIGIBLE) the Baath Party from all Iraqi life. It's like a cancer.

ZAHN: Let me ask you this, according to "The L.A. Times," there is a CIA report that is analyzing Iraqi attitudes, not only towards you, but other members of the Iraqi National Congress, and this report suggests that Iraqis were suspicious and skeptical of you and the INC. What role do you think the INC should play, and why do you think people feel that way?

CHALABI: Whoever wrote this report don't know what they're talking about. We were received here with great acclaim. The people know all about the INC, know about the Iraq Liberation Act (ph), know about our role in struggling for the liberation of Iraq.

We held the first political rally in post-Saddam Iraq, and on two hours' notice, over 10,000 people showed up. They were full of hope. They were talking about democracy. They focused heavily on the rule of law, and they should -- they also were very, very happy when I mentioned ENSOR: -Baath-ification and the need to oppose the Baath Party. And I hope -- I wished the CIA was there to report this back. I don't think any of this is relevant now. It is no longer a question of opposition politics or games played by bureaucrats. This is now work in Iraq. This is Iraqi politics. It's what the Iraqi people want, and we've have had a great reception. We are part of the society. No one feels we are alien, or parachuting from outside. We are completely accepted. We are asked by the people from all walks of life to intervene immediately in all the communities, to get the public services going and to set up security services, and we're having discussions with people from various communities to do police work. There are -- in great need of public safety, and they are looking to us to do this.

Today our INC -- the Arab Free Iraqi Forces went to the town of Shatarah (ph), near Nasiriyah. They were received very well. They did great work. They de-conflicted many things in the town. Everyone feels better, and the mission was entirely successful, and I think you had the CNN correspondents with them.

ZAHN: Mr. Chalabi, are you in favor of Iraqis accepting a transitional government that is appointed by the U.S.?

CHALABI: No, I think the U.S. does not want to appoint the transitional government. I think President Bush has signed off on an interim Iraqi authority, and that interim Iraqi authority will be chosen by Iraqis and composed of Iraqis, and this authority will shortly, after an initial period where General Garner will do his work, will take over and around the country except for specific tasks, which will be the providence of the U.S. forces.

General Garner has responded to my call very well. He sends me an emissary and a message yesterday that he is prepared to deal with any committee that is appointed by the communities in the various provinces of Iraq, and we are happy about the Iraqis response, and we expect that he will do very good work very soon here.

ZAHN: So what you're say, sir, is you don't expect even in this transitional government for the U.S. to pick some Iraqis that might favor over others?

CHALABI: I don't think the U.S. is in the business of picking or choosing Iraqis. The U.S. is not going to crown any person, nor they should. The U.S. will be an impartial observer in this process, and I think Iraqis should pick who they want for the transitional authority. There is a way to do it, and there is a very important role for the U.S., in the sense that they can guarantee the fairness and the impartiality of the process.

ZAHN: Ahmad Chalabi, thank you again for letting us try to interview you twice there, the leader of the Iraqi National Congress.

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