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CNN Saturday Morning News

Inerview with Richard Armitage

Aired November 08, 2003 - 09:09   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.


HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage is in Iraq this weekend. He's also been conferring with officials in Saudi Arabia and Egypt on a number of issues. Mr. Armitage is joining us now live from Baghdad, where he just finished up a news conference there.
Mr. Armitage, thanks so much for being with us. We appreciate your time today.

RICHARD ARMITAGE, DEPUTY SECRETARY OF STATE: Good morning, Ms. Collins.

COLLINS: I wanted to ask you, we have been watching this situation in Iraq, obviously, quite closely, had another incident overnight west of Fallujah, where some more American lives were lost.

There has been quite a bit of talk about the increasing sophistication of the different devices that the people who are fighting the U.S. troops -- of course, we are not quite sure who they are. Some people calling them the resistance -- has really improved. What is the word there now about that situation?

ARMITAGE: I was actually heartened. There's a great deal of confidence here, both in the Iraqi Governing Council well as in the minds of both Ambassador Bremer and our commander of Joint Task Force Seven, Lieutenant General Sanchez.

The resistance may be going to school on us a bit, but from what I learned here today, we're going to school on them, and they're paying a price as well.

COLLINS: You say going to school. What about intelligence as far as the resistance is concerned? Is that better too?

ARMITAGE: Well, I think it does get better over time. We have to depend on Iraqis to provide a good bit of it. As I've heard today, that Iraqi citizens are providing tips, and over time, I think it will pay benefits.

COLLINS: We've also been speaking a little bit today about the Red Cross and its decision to at least temporarily pull out of the Baghdad area. What does it say about the situation there when an international organization like the Red Cross, who has been emphatic about being apolitical, if you will, and not allowing, for example, soldiers to come in and guard their facilities or provide them any sort of special protection, when an organization like that is bombed, and people who work there die, what does it say?

ARMITAGE: I think in the first instance, it says that those who would commit acts of violence against such an apolitical organization are just as our terrorist (ph) said, nothing but killers. Secondarily, if they're not going to accept security from somebody, then it is difficult to work in a -- in an environment which is a bit unstable.

I'm sorry that they found it necessary to pull out. They'll be in the neighboring region, and I hope they'll rapidly return.

COLLINS: I want to also ask you about troop rotation. We have heard quite a bit about this. The ultimate result will be fewer troops, but that is because, at least we've heard you say, because the hope is, of course, to increase Iraqi police.

I want to know if you can update us a little bit on how that training is going.

ARMITAGE: Well, if I may, I don't mean to correct you, but it's more than just upgrading Iraqi police. It's also a plan for a gendarmerie as well, of course, of a new Iraqi army.

But the police training in November will begin in large measure in Jordan. It will also begin a little after that here in Iraq. So we'll be training in two place, putting trained and competent officers on the street to join the over 40,000 officers who are out there now.

COLLINS: Last question for you, sir. I wanted to ask about troops from other countries. A lot of question about how much help the coalition may be able to get from other countries, given the decision by Turkey to not cooperate with that. I heard you say that you wouldn't expect any other countries to sign on for this effort until next year. Why?

ARMITAGE: Well, it's not a matter of -- they can sign on for the effort now, but they wouldn't be participating here until probably the spring. It takes a certain amount of time to identify the units from what -- from foreign countries who would participate, train them, acclimate them, et cetera.

So the time frame has always been early to mid-spring.

COLLINS: Mr. Deputy Secretary of State, Richard Armitage, we appreciate your time this morning so much, live from Baghdad today. Thanks again.

ARMITAGE: Thank you, Ms. Collins.

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 November 8, 2003 - 09:09   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage is in Iraq this weekend. He's also been conferring with officials in Saudi Arabia and Egypt on a number of issues. Mr. Armitage is joining us now live from Baghdad, where he just finished up a news conference there.
Mr. Armitage, thanks so much for being with us. We appreciate your time today.

RICHARD ARMITAGE, DEPUTY SECRETARY OF STATE: Good morning, Ms. Collins.

COLLINS: I wanted to ask you, we have been watching this situation in Iraq, obviously, quite closely, had another incident overnight west of Fallujah, where some more American lives were lost.

There has been quite a bit of talk about the increasing sophistication of the different devices that the people who are fighting the U.S. troops -- of course, we are not quite sure who they are. Some people calling them the resistance -- has really improved. What is the word there now about that situation?

ARMITAGE: I was actually heartened. There's a great deal of confidence here, both in the Iraqi Governing Council well as in the minds of both Ambassador Bremer and our commander of Joint Task Force Seven, Lieutenant General Sanchez.

The resistance may be going to school on us a bit, but from what I learned here today, we're going to school on them, and they're paying a price as well.

COLLINS: You say going to school. What about intelligence as far as the resistance is concerned? Is that better too?

ARMITAGE: Well, I think it does get better over time. We have to depend on Iraqis to provide a good bit of it. As I've heard today, that Iraqi citizens are providing tips, and over time, I think it will pay benefits.

COLLINS: We've also been speaking a little bit today about the Red Cross and its decision to at least temporarily pull out of the Baghdad area. What does it say about the situation there when an international organization like the Red Cross, who has been emphatic about being apolitical, if you will, and not allowing, for example, soldiers to come in and guard their facilities or provide them any sort of special protection, when an organization like that is bombed, and people who work there die, what does it say?

ARMITAGE: I think in the first instance, it says that those who would commit acts of violence against such an apolitical organization are just as our terrorist (ph) said, nothing but killers. Secondarily, if they're not going to accept security from somebody, then it is difficult to work in a -- in an environment which is a bit unstable.

I'm sorry that they found it necessary to pull out. They'll be in the neighboring region, and I hope they'll rapidly return.

COLLINS: I want to also ask you about troop rotation. We have heard quite a bit about this. The ultimate result will be fewer troops, but that is because, at least we've heard you say, because the hope is, of course, to increase Iraqi police.

I want to know if you can update us a little bit on how that training is going.

ARMITAGE: Well, if I may, I don't mean to correct you, but it's more than just upgrading Iraqi police. It's also a plan for a gendarmerie as well, of course, of a new Iraqi army.

But the police training in November will begin in large measure in Jordan. It will also begin a little after that here in Iraq. So we'll be training in two place, putting trained and competent officers on the street to join the over 40,000 officers who are out there now.

COLLINS: Last question for you, sir. I wanted to ask about troops from other countries. A lot of question about how much help the coalition may be able to get from other countries, given the decision by Turkey to not cooperate with that. I heard you say that you wouldn't expect any other countries to sign on for this effort until next year. Why?

ARMITAGE: Well, it's not a matter of -- they can sign on for the effort now, but they wouldn't be participating here until probably the spring. It takes a certain amount of time to identify the units from what -- from foreign countries who would participate, train them, acclimate them, et cetera.

So the time frame has always been early to mid-spring.

COLLINS: Mr. Deputy Secretary of State, Richard Armitage, we appreciate your time this morning so much, live from Baghdad today. Thanks again.

ARMITAGE: Thank you, Ms. Collins.

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