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CNN Live Saturday
Saudis Give U.S. Permission to Use Bases for War With Iraq
Aired December 28, 2002 - 18:05 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 LIN, CNN ANCHOR: The report in "The New York Times" says Saudi Arabia will give the U.S. permission to use its airspace and bases if there is a war with Iraq. CNN Military Analyst Retired General Wesley Clark is here with more on why working out Saudi territory could be important.
General, this is a big breakthrough. They were hedging there for a while.
GEN. WESLEY CLARK (RET.), FRMR NATO SUPREME COMMANDER: It is a very big breakthrough but we'd like to have it confirmed by the Saudis. And right now this is from background and it is from our impression of what the Saudis will do.
LIN: And what do you think they will do in the end, because they've hedged in the past.
CLARK: I think they will come around. I think this is an effort to sort of promote their coming around. I think when it is out in publicly like this it puts more pressure on the Saudis.
And when they do let us use these bases, as they have said in this story, it is about reconnaissance and cargo and air-to-air refueling planes. This still completely eliminates many of the concerns that we had about restricted airspace over the Persian Gulf and how to get everything done.
So, this is a huge opening for us. And it is very welcome news for the military planners.
LIN: But isn't it also contingent, General, on making sure that the U.N. Security Council does actually have the opportunity to vote on a second resolution if Baghdad is found in non-compliance ...
CLARK: Well, that's the question.
LIN: ...because the United States has reserved the right to act unilaterally.
CLARK: That's the question, Carol. And that's why they haven't come out officially, at least so far as I know, the Saudi government hasn't come out officially yet. They're waiting to put pressure on the United States to go back to the United Nations Security Council.
We've said, probably, that we will go back. We don't necessarily have to have a second resolution. And it is up to the Saudis to decide whether they'll support us, if there is not a second resolution.
LIN: And it is a tricky diplomatic situation, because Saudi Arabia needs that political cover of the international community in order to explain its cooperation to the rest of the Arab world, in helping the United States attack a fellow Arab country, right?
CLARK: That's exactly right.
LIN: All right, did you want to expand on that point a bit, because I think you know a lot more about in terms of how these negotiations actually take place behind the scenes and what they need.
CLARK: Well, there have been a lot of discussions over time and everything is in the mix on this. The fact that the United States established a different headquarters and showed the Saudis that we didn't actually have to have Prince Sultan Air base, put pressure on the Saudis. The fact that they're receiving some criticism in the United States and in the media, for their support of the war on terror, puts pressure on the Saudi royal family.
So, as you say, they need some cover but we've gone a long way toward giving them cover. We didn't attack unilaterally. We went to the United Nations; we worked the process. We went through and got a U.N. Security Council resolution. We we've come 75, 80 percent of the way right now.
And this leak, this story, will put more pressure on the Saudis to go ahead and make clear their position. So, I think this is the kind of discussion they've been having behind the scenes. So, I think our planners have been fairly confident they were going to get access to Saudi airspace and bases.
LIN: Let's hope we hear very soon. General Clark, it is always great to see you. Thanks so much for joining us at the last minute on this breaking story.
CLARK: Thank you, Carol.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Iraq>
Aired December 28, 2002 - 18:05 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: The report in "The New York Times" says Saudi Arabia will give the U.S. permission to use its airspace and bases if there is a war with Iraq. CNN Military Analyst Retired General Wesley Clark is here with more on why working out Saudi territory could be important.
General, this is a big breakthrough. They were hedging there for a while.
GEN. WESLEY CLARK (RET.), FRMR NATO SUPREME COMMANDER: It is a very big breakthrough but we'd like to have it confirmed by the Saudis. And right now this is from background and it is from our impression of what the Saudis will do.
LIN: And what do you think they will do in the end, because they've hedged in the past.
CLARK: I think they will come around. I think this is an effort to sort of promote their coming around. I think when it is out in publicly like this it puts more pressure on the Saudis.
And when they do let us use these bases, as they have said in this story, it is about reconnaissance and cargo and air-to-air refueling planes. This still completely eliminates many of the concerns that we had about restricted airspace over the Persian Gulf and how to get everything done.
So, this is a huge opening for us. And it is very welcome news for the military planners.
LIN: But isn't it also contingent, General, on making sure that the U.N. Security Council does actually have the opportunity to vote on a second resolution if Baghdad is found in non-compliance ...
CLARK: Well, that's the question.
LIN: ...because the United States has reserved the right to act unilaterally.
CLARK: That's the question, Carol. And that's why they haven't come out officially, at least so far as I know, the Saudi government hasn't come out officially yet. They're waiting to put pressure on the United States to go back to the United Nations Security Council.
We've said, probably, that we will go back. We don't necessarily have to have a second resolution. And it is up to the Saudis to decide whether they'll support us, if there is not a second resolution.
LIN: And it is a tricky diplomatic situation, because Saudi Arabia needs that political cover of the international community in order to explain its cooperation to the rest of the Arab world, in helping the United States attack a fellow Arab country, right?
CLARK: That's exactly right.
LIN: All right, did you want to expand on that point a bit, because I think you know a lot more about in terms of how these negotiations actually take place behind the scenes and what they need.
CLARK: Well, there have been a lot of discussions over time and everything is in the mix on this. The fact that the United States established a different headquarters and showed the Saudis that we didn't actually have to have Prince Sultan Air base, put pressure on the Saudis. The fact that they're receiving some criticism in the United States and in the media, for their support of the war on terror, puts pressure on the Saudi royal family.
So, as you say, they need some cover but we've gone a long way toward giving them cover. We didn't attack unilaterally. We went to the United Nations; we worked the process. We went through and got a U.N. Security Council resolution. We we've come 75, 80 percent of the way right now.
And this leak, this story, will put more pressure on the Saudis to go ahead and make clear their position. So, I think this is the kind of discussion they've been having behind the scenes. So, I think our planners have been fairly confident they were going to get access to Saudi airspace and bases.
LIN: Let's hope we hear very soon. General Clark, it is always great to see you. Thanks so much for joining us at the last minute on this breaking story.
CLARK: Thank you, Carol.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Iraq>
