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CNN Live At Daybreak
White House Taking More Control of Iraq
Aired October 07, 2003 - 05:34 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.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: The White House is taking more control of Iraq. President Bush has now put National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice in charge of the newly created Iraq Stabilization Group.
Our Senior White House Correspondent John King has details.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOHN KING, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The president calls it common sense, not a shakeup designed to reduce the Pentagon's authority over post-war Iraq.
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: You know, it is common for the National Security Council to coordinate efforts, inter- agency efforts. And Condi Rice, the national security adviser, is doing just that.
KING: But other senior officials say Mr. Bush wants a stronger day to day White House role in Afghanistan, and especially Iraq, at a time security problems and the slow pace of reconstruction and political transition are causing him political headaches.
MICHAEL O'HANLON, BROOKINGS INSTITUTION: This is a big deal. You don't change things in midstream of this scale unless you really think you need a major overhaul.
KING: The State Department was the lead in Afghanistan, where the Taliban is trying to reassert itself and one recurring complaint is delays getting a new Kabul to Kandahar highway built. The Pentagon has been running both security and reconstruction in Iraq, where critics accuse Mr. Bush of underestimating both the risks to U.S. troops and rebuilding costs. Now, national security adviser Rice will take the lead role coordinating efforts in both countries and is creating a new Iraq Stabilization Group with four divisions -- security and counter-terrorism, economic development, political transition and media relations.
BUSH: Listen, we're making good progress in Iraq.
KING: Ambassador Paul Bremer became Iraq's administrator back in May, replacing retired General Jay Garner in an earlier shakeup ordered by the president. Now, Bremer will continue to report to Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, but both Bremer and the Pentagon also must assign key deputies to the new structure headed by Rice.
(on camera): The changes put more authority over the $87 billion in new war spending the president wants in the hands of one of his most trusted aides, but also leave the White House little room to escape direct blame if the American people aren't convinced that money is well spent.
John King, CNN, the White House.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
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 October 7, 2003 - 05:34 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: The White House is taking more control of Iraq. President Bush has now put National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice in charge of the newly created Iraq Stabilization Group.
Our Senior White House Correspondent John King has details.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOHN KING, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The president calls it common sense, not a shakeup designed to reduce the Pentagon's authority over post-war Iraq.
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: You know, it is common for the National Security Council to coordinate efforts, inter- agency efforts. And Condi Rice, the national security adviser, is doing just that.
KING: But other senior officials say Mr. Bush wants a stronger day to day White House role in Afghanistan, and especially Iraq, at a time security problems and the slow pace of reconstruction and political transition are causing him political headaches.
MICHAEL O'HANLON, BROOKINGS INSTITUTION: This is a big deal. You don't change things in midstream of this scale unless you really think you need a major overhaul.
KING: The State Department was the lead in Afghanistan, where the Taliban is trying to reassert itself and one recurring complaint is delays getting a new Kabul to Kandahar highway built. The Pentagon has been running both security and reconstruction in Iraq, where critics accuse Mr. Bush of underestimating both the risks to U.S. troops and rebuilding costs. Now, national security adviser Rice will take the lead role coordinating efforts in both countries and is creating a new Iraq Stabilization Group with four divisions -- security and counter-terrorism, economic development, political transition and media relations.
BUSH: Listen, we're making good progress in Iraq.
KING: Ambassador Paul Bremer became Iraq's administrator back in May, replacing retired General Jay Garner in an earlier shakeup ordered by the president. Now, Bremer will continue to report to Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, but both Bremer and the Pentagon also must assign key deputies to the new structure headed by Rice.
(on camera): The changes put more authority over the $87 billion in new war spending the president wants in the hands of one of his most trusted aides, but also leave the White House little room to escape direct blame if the American people aren't convinced that money is well spent.
John King, CNN, the White House.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
