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CNN Live At Daybreak

President Bush Wraps Mideast Visit

Aired June 05, 2003 - 06:02   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.


CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Presidential cheerleading. Mr. Bush on his way back to the United States now, but just a couple of hours ago the president was in Qatar cheering on the troops. He also talked "WMDs," pledging the United States will reveal the truth.
Live to Qatar now and senior White House correspondent, John King.

Good morning -- John.

JOHN KING, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Carol.

As you noted, the president is heading home. He's optimistic, quite confident in fact, that he has the Israeli-Palestinian peace process back on track. And the president also voicing confidence here in Qatar that he will win an emerging political debate over whether the war in Iraq was justified to begin with.

Mr. Bush stopped to say thank you today to U.S. military personnel stationed here in Qatar. It is a major installation. It was the command post for the war in Iraq. General Tommy Franks was on hand to say thanks to the troops as well and to introduce the president.

Now, some Democrats back in Washington and even more critics of the British prime minister, Tony Blair, are questioning whether Mr. Bush and Mr. Blair exaggerated the intelligence about Iraq's weapons programs, exaggerated the extent to which Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction. Mr. Bush did not discuss -- did not refer directly to the political controversy, but in his remarks to the troops he voiced confidence that in time the evidence would show that he is right.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: This is a man who spent decades hiding tools of mass murder. He knew the inspectors were looking for them. You know better than me he's got a big country in which to hide them. We're going to look. We'll reveal the truth. But one thing is certain: No terrorist network will gain weapons of mass destruction from the Iraqi regime, because the Iraqi regime is no more.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: In addition to thanking the troops, the president also stopped by to thank the emir of Qatar, Emir Hamad bin Khalifa al- Thani. This emir is one of the few leaders in the Persian Gulf region who is quite open about discussing the welcome -- the welcoming presence of U.S. troops in this country. In contrast, U.S. troops are leaving Saudi Arabia. The former Central Command post has been moved from Saudi Arabia to here in Qatar.

So, Mr. Bush stopping on the final stop of his week-long overseas trip to say thank you to the leader of a country that played a critical role in the war effort.

And, Carol, the president now on Air Force One heading home.

COSTELLO: All right, John King reporting live from Doha, Qatar, this morning.

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 June 5, 2003 - 06:02   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Presidential cheerleading. Mr. Bush on his way back to the United States now, but just a couple of hours ago the president was in Qatar cheering on the troops. He also talked "WMDs," pledging the United States will reveal the truth.
Live to Qatar now and senior White House correspondent, John King.

Good morning -- John.

JOHN KING, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Carol.

As you noted, the president is heading home. He's optimistic, quite confident in fact, that he has the Israeli-Palestinian peace process back on track. And the president also voicing confidence here in Qatar that he will win an emerging political debate over whether the war in Iraq was justified to begin with.

Mr. Bush stopped to say thank you today to U.S. military personnel stationed here in Qatar. It is a major installation. It was the command post for the war in Iraq. General Tommy Franks was on hand to say thanks to the troops as well and to introduce the president.

Now, some Democrats back in Washington and even more critics of the British prime minister, Tony Blair, are questioning whether Mr. Bush and Mr. Blair exaggerated the intelligence about Iraq's weapons programs, exaggerated the extent to which Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction. Mr. Bush did not discuss -- did not refer directly to the political controversy, but in his remarks to the troops he voiced confidence that in time the evidence would show that he is right.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: This is a man who spent decades hiding tools of mass murder. He knew the inspectors were looking for them. You know better than me he's got a big country in which to hide them. We're going to look. We'll reveal the truth. But one thing is certain: No terrorist network will gain weapons of mass destruction from the Iraqi regime, because the Iraqi regime is no more.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: In addition to thanking the troops, the president also stopped by to thank the emir of Qatar, Emir Hamad bin Khalifa al- Thani. This emir is one of the few leaders in the Persian Gulf region who is quite open about discussing the welcome -- the welcoming presence of U.S. troops in this country. In contrast, U.S. troops are leaving Saudi Arabia. The former Central Command post has been moved from Saudi Arabia to here in Qatar.

So, Mr. Bush stopping on the final stop of his week-long overseas trip to say thank you to the leader of a country that played a critical role in the war effort.

And, Carol, the president now on Air Force One heading home.

COSTELLO: All right, John King reporting live from Doha, Qatar, this morning.

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