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CNN Live At Daybreak

Allies Concerned America May Move Alone Against Iraq

Aired February 18, 2002 - 05:31   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: Top U.S. officials are downplaying any attack on Iraq, at least for now. But despite those assurances, U.S. allies are concerned Mr. Bush is ready to move alone against Saddam Hussein.

CNN's Bob Constantini has that.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BOB CONSTANTINI, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Though President Bush is traveling in Asia with a major focus on North Korea, talk of another part of what Mr. Bush called the "axis of evil," Iraq, has administration officials emphasizing no military action is imminent.

CONDOLEEZZA RICE, NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: The president has been saying that we are going to have a broad-gauged policy against Iraq, and I can assure you, he has taken no decision about the use of force against Iraq.

CONSTANTINI: A broad-gauged policy would include continued sanctions, a return of weapons inspectors and possibly military action, as well as consulting with European and Arab allies about the options. While Vice President Cheney will visit countries neighboring Iraq next month, European Union Foreign Affairs Commissioner Chris Patton wrote last week that the U.S. considers allies -- quote -- "an optional extra." His feelings were echoed by Germany's foreign minister, Joschka Fischer, concerned Mr. Bush is ready to act unilaterally.

COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: What unilateral action have we taken that's causing them to get so upset. The president made a statement in his speech, a clear statement, identifying nations that deserve to be labeled as evil, because of the nature of their regimes.

CONSTANTINI: However, others suggest the U.S. needs to consider future instability in Iraq.

SEN. JOE BIDEN (D), DELAWARE: Part of the problem here is the president has yet not laid out for our allies his vision for what an Iraq would look like without Saddam.

CONSTANTINI: Still, the deputy defense secretary made clear the administration considered Iraq's weapons program the most pressing concern.

PAUL WOLFOWITZ, DEPUTY DEFENSE SECRETARY: To say that the answer is stop talking about it, don't call an evil an evil, we'll just keep sweeping it under the rug.

CONSTANTINI (on camera): However, other administration officials have been stressing tough rhetoric and patience, comparing the president's comments to Ronald Reagan's once calling the Soviet Union an "evil empire," as their way of suggesting that as that empire eventually fell under the weight of firm U.S. pressure, so too might the "axis of evil."

Bob Constantini for CNN, the Pentagon.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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