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CNN Live At Daybreak
White House Reaction to Deaths of Saddam's Sons
Aired July 23, 2003 - 06:36 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: Later this morning, President Bush is expected to speak about the deaths of Saddam Hussein's sons in that gun battle.
Our Dana Bash joins us live now from Washington with details.
He's expected to speak at 10:00 Eastern this morning, right -- Dana?
DANA BASH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Carol. And this news could not have been more welcomed at a White House that has really been under fire over the past few weeks, not only because of a flap over pre-war intelligence, but also because of the almost daily news of American soldiers dying in Iraq and the situation on the ground there.
And the president, we are told, did not specifically sign off on this operation, but he was kept up-to-speed on it all day yesterday. He was told in the morning by Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld that the operation had happened and that it was likely that they had killed Saddam Hussein's two sons. And by the late afternoon, the president was informed by his chief of staff that they had positively identified the bodies.
And the White House did put out a statement yesterday, and I'll read it. It said -- quote: "We were pleased to learn from the Department of Defense of today's action against Uday and Qusay Hussein. Over the period of many years, these individuals were responsible for countless atrocities committed against the Iraqi people, and they can no longer cast a shadow of hate on Iraq. U.S. military forces and our intelligence community, working with an Iraqi citizen, deserve credit for today's successful action. While there is still much work to do in Iraq, the Iraqi people can see progress each day toward a better and more prosperous future for their country."
And, Carol, that is likely going to be what we are going to hear from President Bush when he is in the Rose Garden, as you mentioned, in just a few hours with L. Paul Bremer. He is the U.S. administrator in Iraq. He is in town for a series of meetings, and he will join the president in the Rose Garden. They are going to talk, we are told, about the deaths of both of these men, but they are also going to talk about what they consider the successes over the past few weeks and months in Iraq as they work to get that country back up and running with democracy -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Dana Bash live from the White House. And in case you missed it, President Bush is expected to comment about the deaths of Saddam Hussein's sons in the Rose Garden. That will happen later this morning at 10:00 a.m. Eastern, and, of course, CNN will carry those remarks live.
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 July 23, 2003 - 06:36 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Later this morning, President Bush is expected to speak about the deaths of Saddam Hussein's sons in that gun battle.
Our Dana Bash joins us live now from Washington with details.
He's expected to speak at 10:00 Eastern this morning, right -- Dana?
DANA BASH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Carol. And this news could not have been more welcomed at a White House that has really been under fire over the past few weeks, not only because of a flap over pre-war intelligence, but also because of the almost daily news of American soldiers dying in Iraq and the situation on the ground there.
And the president, we are told, did not specifically sign off on this operation, but he was kept up-to-speed on it all day yesterday. He was told in the morning by Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld that the operation had happened and that it was likely that they had killed Saddam Hussein's two sons. And by the late afternoon, the president was informed by his chief of staff that they had positively identified the bodies.
And the White House did put out a statement yesterday, and I'll read it. It said -- quote: "We were pleased to learn from the Department of Defense of today's action against Uday and Qusay Hussein. Over the period of many years, these individuals were responsible for countless atrocities committed against the Iraqi people, and they can no longer cast a shadow of hate on Iraq. U.S. military forces and our intelligence community, working with an Iraqi citizen, deserve credit for today's successful action. While there is still much work to do in Iraq, the Iraqi people can see progress each day toward a better and more prosperous future for their country."
And, Carol, that is likely going to be what we are going to hear from President Bush when he is in the Rose Garden, as you mentioned, in just a few hours with L. Paul Bremer. He is the U.S. administrator in Iraq. He is in town for a series of meetings, and he will join the president in the Rose Garden. They are going to talk, we are told, about the deaths of both of these men, but they are also going to talk about what they consider the successes over the past few weeks and months in Iraq as they work to get that country back up and running with democracy -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Dana Bash live from the White House. And in case you missed it, President Bush is expected to comment about the deaths of Saddam Hussein's sons in the Rose Garden. That will happen later this morning at 10:00 a.m. Eastern, and, of course, CNN will carry those remarks live.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
