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Kurdish Opposition to Hussein Eager to Side with U.S.

Aired August 13, 2002 - 14:24   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: If and when the U.S. moves to dislodge Saddam Hussein, it will find eager allies among the Iraqi Kurds.
That is the word that CNN's Wolf Blitzer is hearing in Washington today, and he joins us now with more on that -- Wolf.

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Thanks, Carol. That word comes directly from Jalal Talabany, he is the leader of the Kurdish opposition forces in northern Iraq. They control extensive land there, including some air bases, airstrips in northern Iraq, as well as some ground bases, and he says in an interview with me that was conducted earlier today, that the Kurdish opposition forces in northern Iraq would welcome the United States coming in and using those airstrips and bases to go after Saddam Hussein.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JALAL TALABANY, SECRETARY GENERAL, PATRIOTIC UNION OF KURDISTAN: As I told once our friends, the American Army will be very warmly welcomed in Iraqi Kurdistan, contrary to the rumors about...

BLITZER: So just to be precise on this point, the United States -- U.S. military forces will be welcome to use areas in northern Iraq...

TALABANY: Very much welcome. It will be welcome, and believe me, the United States is very popular now in Iraqi Kurdistan.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Talabany says he fully understands the ramifications of this offer for the use of Kurdish bases in northern Iraq by U.S. troops. He understands that it could provoke the Iraqi regime of Saddam Hussein to respond militarily, including possibly the use of chemical weapons. He recalls that in 1998, the Iraqis did use poison gas against Kurdish villages in northern Iraq. That led to this exchange with Talabany.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TALABANY: We are asking protection for our people from chemical warfare, from biological warfare, which we are expecting. Because if the regime will be in danger to fall, I think they will try to use it, unless if they will not able to do it because this strike will be very strong, that they cannot reach their arms and use it against the people.

BLITZER: So, are you asking the United States for gear, for equipment to protect your people...

TALABANY: Yes.

BLITZER: ... for the potential use of chemical weapons?

TALABANY: Yes.

BLITZER: What did they say to you?

TALABANY: I think their response was positive.

BLITZER: They will help you?

TALABANY: I hope so, and they promise to help us and to protect us. Even Mr. Dick Cheney was clear when we asked him about the protection of the Kurdish people. He said, We will do it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Earlier today, the secretary of state, Colin Powell, said he was impressed by his meetings with the Iraqi opposition leaders who came to Washington. The Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, asked about my interview today with Talabany, said that responding at this point to any notion of the U.S. using military bases in northern Iraq would be premature.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD RUMSFELD, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: If I said, my goodness, that's a big help, it would suggest that we planned to go use them, and that is a decision the president has not made. But I don't know quite how to answer it, is it helpful. It certainly is -- I felt the meetings were constructive, I thought that the people were -- were appropriately interested, and willing to comment on their perspectives on things, and willing to hear our perspectives, and I thought it was a useful meeting.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: After the Persian Gulf War in 1991, the Kurdish forces in the north and the Shiite forces in the South did rise up against Saddam Hussein, but they were brutally crushed. Many of them felt betrayed by the U.S. that had -- the U.S. had originally promised support. Of course, that support did not come. Talabany says that was then, this is now. He says he trusts this Bush administration -- Carol.

LIN: All right. Thank you very much, Wolf.

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