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CNN Live At Daybreak

Terror in Baghdad

Aired August 20, 2003 - 06:24   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.


(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I'd like to remind people that a free Iraq will no longer serve as a haven for terrorists or as a place for terrorists to get money or arms. A free Iraq will make the Middle East a more peaceful place and a peaceful Middle East is important to the security of the United States.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: President Bush reacting to the bombings in Baghdad and Jerusalem. Following those bombings, the president talked by phone with Ambassador Bremer in Baghdad. Actually, he's the civilian administrator. And he also talked to U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan in Stockholm. President Bush told reporters, "These killers will not determine the future of Iraq."

We want to get another point of view on the terror attack in Baghdad.

Marcie Patton, an associate professor at Fairfield University in Fairfield, Connecticut, joins us live by phone this morning.

She's a Fulbright scholar and she spent much of the past year in Turkey.

Good morning.

We just heard the president refer to the people behind the attacks in Baghdad as terrorists. Are they terrorists in the traditional sense?

DR. MARCIE PATTON, FAIRFIELD UNIVERSITY: Well, when I listened to his statement, the phrase that I picked up on was that Iraq will no longer serve as a haven for terrorists. And I think it's important to remember that we opened up this haven by creating a political vacuum in Iraq. There's no evidence prior to the American invasion of Iraq that the country was a haven or that there were al Qaeda forces active in the country.

COSTELLO: So are you saying there are new terrorists entering Iraq?

PATTON: It's very possible, since there is a security vacuum in the country, their borders are quite porous. It's very easy for people to come into the country as well as leave. Moreover, there is an incentive for members of al Qaeda to move into Iraq. COSTELLO: Do you think it's al Qaeda to blame? I mean who do you think is behind these attacks in Baghdad and in the rest of Iraq?

PATTON: Well, I think there are different kinds of attacks going on and until we have more information, it's hard to decide who's responsible. Certainly the attacks against the pipeline, the small sabotage incidents appear to be Iraqis and the scale of this bombing does seem to look like al Qaeda, but we don't have any further information. Nobody's claimed responsibility.

COSTELLO: Can the United States stop this? Is it doing the right things to stop it? What can it do? I know I asked you three questions in one, but what can it do to stop these kinds of attacks?

PATTON: Well, I think a better way to approach that is to think about what the sentiment of people is in the region towards the United States. And I think it's important for Americans to be aware, at least, that most people in the region perceive the United States as an occupying power and not a liberating power. Secondly, I think it's important to remember that most people in the region question American motives for being in the region.

COSTELLO: Well, the problem with that is you can't exactly leave right now. I mean if the United States left Iraq, it would be even more disastrous, wouldn't it?

PATTON: Well, I'm not sure what we're doing there in the first place, so it's hard for me to answer that question. That's President Bush's problem. He started the mess, so it's his problem to get us out.

COSTELLO: All right, one point of view.

Professor Marcie Patton from Fairfield University in Fairfield, Connecticut, thanks for waking up early with DAYBREAK.

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 August 20, 2003 - 06:24   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I'd like to remind people that a free Iraq will no longer serve as a haven for terrorists or as a place for terrorists to get money or arms. A free Iraq will make the Middle East a more peaceful place and a peaceful Middle East is important to the security of the United States.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: President Bush reacting to the bombings in Baghdad and Jerusalem. Following those bombings, the president talked by phone with Ambassador Bremer in Baghdad. Actually, he's the civilian administrator. And he also talked to U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan in Stockholm. President Bush told reporters, "These killers will not determine the future of Iraq."

We want to get another point of view on the terror attack in Baghdad.

Marcie Patton, an associate professor at Fairfield University in Fairfield, Connecticut, joins us live by phone this morning.

She's a Fulbright scholar and she spent much of the past year in Turkey.

Good morning.

We just heard the president refer to the people behind the attacks in Baghdad as terrorists. Are they terrorists in the traditional sense?

DR. MARCIE PATTON, FAIRFIELD UNIVERSITY: Well, when I listened to his statement, the phrase that I picked up on was that Iraq will no longer serve as a haven for terrorists. And I think it's important to remember that we opened up this haven by creating a political vacuum in Iraq. There's no evidence prior to the American invasion of Iraq that the country was a haven or that there were al Qaeda forces active in the country.

COSTELLO: So are you saying there are new terrorists entering Iraq?

PATTON: It's very possible, since there is a security vacuum in the country, their borders are quite porous. It's very easy for people to come into the country as well as leave. Moreover, there is an incentive for members of al Qaeda to move into Iraq. COSTELLO: Do you think it's al Qaeda to blame? I mean who do you think is behind these attacks in Baghdad and in the rest of Iraq?

PATTON: Well, I think there are different kinds of attacks going on and until we have more information, it's hard to decide who's responsible. Certainly the attacks against the pipeline, the small sabotage incidents appear to be Iraqis and the scale of this bombing does seem to look like al Qaeda, but we don't have any further information. Nobody's claimed responsibility.

COSTELLO: Can the United States stop this? Is it doing the right things to stop it? What can it do? I know I asked you three questions in one, but what can it do to stop these kinds of attacks?

PATTON: Well, I think a better way to approach that is to think about what the sentiment of people is in the region towards the United States. And I think it's important for Americans to be aware, at least, that most people in the region perceive the United States as an occupying power and not a liberating power. Secondly, I think it's important to remember that most people in the region question American motives for being in the region.

COSTELLO: Well, the problem with that is you can't exactly leave right now. I mean if the United States left Iraq, it would be even more disastrous, wouldn't it?

PATTON: Well, I'm not sure what we're doing there in the first place, so it's hard for me to answer that question. That's President Bush's problem. He started the mess, so it's his problem to get us out.

COSTELLO: All right, one point of view.

Professor Marcie Patton from Fairfield University in Fairfield, Connecticut, thanks for waking up early with DAYBREAK.

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