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CNN Live Today
Shift in Military Intelligence Gathering in Iraq
Aired April 16, 2003 - 11:34 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: With the collapse of Saddam Hussein's regime comes a shift in military intelligence gathering in Iraq.
Joining us to talk about that is retired Lieutenant General Claudia Kennedy. She's the former deputy chief of staff for Army intelligence, and has been analyzing things for us for the last couple of weeks.
Glad to have you in with us this morning. Let's talk about this. What kind of shift in mission are we seeing now in the intelligence gathering?
LT. GEN. CLAUDIA KENNEDY, (RET.) CNN MILITARY ANALYST: At this point, there's two or three major things that need to be done. One, of course, is the search for weapons of mass destruction and the search for people who know about that or who know other things we need to know.
(INTERRUPTED BY LIVE EVENT)
HARRIS: In the meantime, we want to continue our discussion with Lieutenant General Claudia Kennedy, talking about the change in mission right now with intelligence gathering under way in Iraq overall. You were just describing this change in the mission, if there is one right now?
KENNEDY: That's right. The mission now is to restore order, to find weapons of mass destruction, and to find people who need to be prosecuted for war crimes or have information who can help us.
HARRIS: Since you mentioned that, how about this arrest of Abu Abbas? Does that help in any of the categories you just mentioned?
KENNEDY: It possibly could. But people tell me who, are still working this problem, that Abu Abbas has been in Iraq for two years. He's a fugitive. He's been on the run. And so it's unlikely that any of his information will be current, at least in the last couple of years.
HARRIS: But won't anything that he says -- for instance, we do know he's been hopping around the region, going from country to country. Wouldn't knowing where he's been and how he's been able to get in and out of these places, wouldn't that help? And also, now that they actually have him, that news has got to be spreading throughout, if there is one, terrorist community now.
KENNEDY: That's right. You're exactly right. I mean, I would want to ask him, who's been giving you money that allowed you to live this life? Which organizations have been taking care of you? Who else is in the same position you're in, who's also getting this kind of help? Where does this all come from? What are the countries that have been stamping his passport as he's moved around, or has he done it in some covert way? And I do think that this sends a very clear message that if you can get him 18 years after the fact, everybody in between is vulnerable.
HARRIS: So that means anybody out there who may also be part of any terror network right now has got to be feeling pretty nervous right now.
KENNEDY: There is no time limit.
HARRIS: Let me ask you about something else. There's a report this morning in "The New York Times" that there is no digging going on right now at that restaurant, where it's believed that Saddam Hussein may have been, and there was bombed subsequently by the coalition. There's no digging going on there. I'm not going to ask you whether or not you think Saddam Hussein is alive or dead, but what does it tell you if there is no sifting through that right now to find any pieces or parts or whatever?
KENNEDY: Well, originally, I would have told you maybe they don't have access to it, but I think they do have access, so the question is, are they not interested enough? Perhaps there's something that's known that would tell you there's no reason...
HARRIS: Like what?
KENNEDY: Well, there may be other information since then that gives you new information that tells you it's probably unlikely that he's there. Or maybe we know something now.
HARRIS: All right, very interesting. Lt. Gen. Claudia Kennedy, thank you very much for your time. Sorry about the interruption, but you know how news goes. All right, we'll see you soon.
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 16, 2003 - 11:34 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: With the collapse of Saddam Hussein's regime comes a shift in military intelligence gathering in Iraq.
Joining us to talk about that is retired Lieutenant General Claudia Kennedy. She's the former deputy chief of staff for Army intelligence, and has been analyzing things for us for the last couple of weeks.
Glad to have you in with us this morning. Let's talk about this. What kind of shift in mission are we seeing now in the intelligence gathering?
LT. GEN. CLAUDIA KENNEDY, (RET.) CNN MILITARY ANALYST: At this point, there's two or three major things that need to be done. One, of course, is the search for weapons of mass destruction and the search for people who know about that or who know other things we need to know.
(INTERRUPTED BY LIVE EVENT)
HARRIS: In the meantime, we want to continue our discussion with Lieutenant General Claudia Kennedy, talking about the change in mission right now with intelligence gathering under way in Iraq overall. You were just describing this change in the mission, if there is one right now?
KENNEDY: That's right. The mission now is to restore order, to find weapons of mass destruction, and to find people who need to be prosecuted for war crimes or have information who can help us.
HARRIS: Since you mentioned that, how about this arrest of Abu Abbas? Does that help in any of the categories you just mentioned?
KENNEDY: It possibly could. But people tell me who, are still working this problem, that Abu Abbas has been in Iraq for two years. He's a fugitive. He's been on the run. And so it's unlikely that any of his information will be current, at least in the last couple of years.
HARRIS: But won't anything that he says -- for instance, we do know he's been hopping around the region, going from country to country. Wouldn't knowing where he's been and how he's been able to get in and out of these places, wouldn't that help? And also, now that they actually have him, that news has got to be spreading throughout, if there is one, terrorist community now.
KENNEDY: That's right. You're exactly right. I mean, I would want to ask him, who's been giving you money that allowed you to live this life? Which organizations have been taking care of you? Who else is in the same position you're in, who's also getting this kind of help? Where does this all come from? What are the countries that have been stamping his passport as he's moved around, or has he done it in some covert way? And I do think that this sends a very clear message that if you can get him 18 years after the fact, everybody in between is vulnerable.
HARRIS: So that means anybody out there who may also be part of any terror network right now has got to be feeling pretty nervous right now.
KENNEDY: There is no time limit.
HARRIS: Let me ask you about something else. There's a report this morning in "The New York Times" that there is no digging going on right now at that restaurant, where it's believed that Saddam Hussein may have been, and there was bombed subsequently by the coalition. There's no digging going on there. I'm not going to ask you whether or not you think Saddam Hussein is alive or dead, but what does it tell you if there is no sifting through that right now to find any pieces or parts or whatever?
KENNEDY: Well, originally, I would have told you maybe they don't have access to it, but I think they do have access, so the question is, are they not interested enough? Perhaps there's something that's known that would tell you there's no reason...
HARRIS: Like what?
KENNEDY: Well, there may be other information since then that gives you new information that tells you it's probably unlikely that he's there. Or maybe we know something now.
HARRIS: All right, very interesting. Lt. Gen. Claudia Kennedy, thank you very much for your time. Sorry about the interruption, but you know how news goes. All right, we'll see you soon.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com