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CNN Live Sunday

Rumsfeld Adamant He Doesn't Need More Troops In Iraq

Aired August 24, 2003 - 15:06   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.


RENAY SAN MIGUEL, CNN ANCHOR: There is continued debate over whether there are enough troops in Iraq to stop attacks like last week's bombing of the U.N. headquarters in Baghdad. CNN White House correspondent, Suzanne Malveaux, joins us now from Crawford, Texas, with more on that. Suzanne?
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Renay, the Bush administration, of course, is trying to hold on to that support of the American people. It was just yesterday a small group of protesters just miles away from President Bush's Crawford ranch were protesting. They have family members who are in Iraq. They were saying that they want those family members to come home soon.

And of course, that is one of the debates that was being played out in the political talk shows this morning. U.S. civil administrator, Paul Bremer, saying that it was not a matter of more U.S. troops but rather rotating foreign troops to help relieve the U.S. military. There are other lawmakers and critics, however, who are saying that the administration needs to give up something. They need to give more political and economic power to the United Nations to make that happen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAMES RUBIN, FORMER ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE: It's just that the administration perhaps led by Secretary Rumsfeld and others are just so determined to not let anybody play any role in any way, shape, or form, that they have so alienated the rest of the world that it's very tough to get other countries to sign up.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PAUL BREMER, U.S. CIVILIAN ADMINISTRATOR: This is already a very international operation. Let me just give you three facts. First of all, we have the troops of 30 nations on the ground today side by side with our men and women here serving to bring security to Iraq. Secondly, we have -- 45 countries have now pledged to give economic assistance to the reconstruction of Iraq. Forty-five countries. And I have working with me here in the coalition authority the citizens of 25 countries. Twenty-four countries beyond the United States. So this is already a very international operation.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: Now, the administration is working on a possible second U.N. Security Council resolution that would offer a way, some language to help provide political cover for some countries who are reluctant in getting involved in Iraq. But administration officials, this morning, making it clear what their focus is, is really for the Iraqi people to take a more active role to reconfigure the military, the U.S. military inside of a country, to make it lighter and quicker forces, and also to improve the quality of the intelligence -- Renay.

SAN MIGUEL: Suzanne Malveaux reporting live from Crawford, Texas. Thank you, Suzanne. More on that topic now. Knowledge is power, and in their quest to get a better grip on Iraq, U.S. officials are reportedly recruiting former members of Saddam Hussein's intelligence agency. Let's find out more about this from CNN's Chris Plante, who is reporting live from the Pentagon.

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 24, 2003 - 15:06   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
RENAY SAN MIGUEL, CNN ANCHOR: There is continued debate over whether there are enough troops in Iraq to stop attacks like last week's bombing of the U.N. headquarters in Baghdad. CNN White House correspondent, Suzanne Malveaux, joins us now from Crawford, Texas, with more on that. Suzanne?
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Renay, the Bush administration, of course, is trying to hold on to that support of the American people. It was just yesterday a small group of protesters just miles away from President Bush's Crawford ranch were protesting. They have family members who are in Iraq. They were saying that they want those family members to come home soon.

And of course, that is one of the debates that was being played out in the political talk shows this morning. U.S. civil administrator, Paul Bremer, saying that it was not a matter of more U.S. troops but rather rotating foreign troops to help relieve the U.S. military. There are other lawmakers and critics, however, who are saying that the administration needs to give up something. They need to give more political and economic power to the United Nations to make that happen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAMES RUBIN, FORMER ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE: It's just that the administration perhaps led by Secretary Rumsfeld and others are just so determined to not let anybody play any role in any way, shape, or form, that they have so alienated the rest of the world that it's very tough to get other countries to sign up.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PAUL BREMER, U.S. CIVILIAN ADMINISTRATOR: This is already a very international operation. Let me just give you three facts. First of all, we have the troops of 30 nations on the ground today side by side with our men and women here serving to bring security to Iraq. Secondly, we have -- 45 countries have now pledged to give economic assistance to the reconstruction of Iraq. Forty-five countries. And I have working with me here in the coalition authority the citizens of 25 countries. Twenty-four countries beyond the United States. So this is already a very international operation.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: Now, the administration is working on a possible second U.N. Security Council resolution that would offer a way, some language to help provide political cover for some countries who are reluctant in getting involved in Iraq. But administration officials, this morning, making it clear what their focus is, is really for the Iraqi people to take a more active role to reconfigure the military, the U.S. military inside of a country, to make it lighter and quicker forces, and also to improve the quality of the intelligence -- Renay.

SAN MIGUEL: Suzanne Malveaux reporting live from Crawford, Texas. Thank you, Suzanne. More on that topic now. Knowledge is power, and in their quest to get a better grip on Iraq, U.S. officials are reportedly recruiting former members of Saddam Hussein's intelligence agency. Let's find out more about this from CNN's Chris Plante, who is reporting live from the Pentagon.

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