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Aziz: Iraq is Prepared at All Times for Attack

Aired October 11, 2002 - 14:11   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.


KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Well, an Iraq government official says that they are always ready for any confrontation with the United States. Iraqi prime minister Tariq Aziz says Iraq is not frightened by threats from the U.S.
We have the latest now from Iraq with CNN bureau chief Jane Arraf from Baghdad -- Jane.

JANE ARRAF, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Kyra.

Well, we just had the first official word from Baghdad on the Congressional moves early this morning. They say that this proves, actually, that the United States doesn't care at all about the United Nations and further, the statement on state-run Iraqi TV predicts this is the beginning of the end of the "American empire of evil," as they put it.

Now, as you mentioned, Tariq Aziz is doing a swing through the region. He's in Damascus, where he said -- I'm sorry, he went from Damascus to Beirut, where he said he wasn't surprised by this move and, in fact, Iraq was ready for anything.

Now, it's something that you hear a lot here, a sense of inevitability that the U.S. really is going to attack. But the Iraqi leadership really wants to get the word out that it believes that it believes that its people will actually fight for the regime if they have to --Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Jane Arraf from Baghdad, thank you.

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 11, 2002 - 14:11   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Well, an Iraq government official says that they are always ready for any confrontation with the United States. Iraqi prime minister Tariq Aziz says Iraq is not frightened by threats from the U.S.
We have the latest now from Iraq with CNN bureau chief Jane Arraf from Baghdad -- Jane.

JANE ARRAF, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Kyra.

Well, we just had the first official word from Baghdad on the Congressional moves early this morning. They say that this proves, actually, that the United States doesn't care at all about the United Nations and further, the statement on state-run Iraqi TV predicts this is the beginning of the end of the "American empire of evil," as they put it.

Now, as you mentioned, Tariq Aziz is doing a swing through the region. He's in Damascus, where he said -- I'm sorry, he went from Damascus to Beirut, where he said he wasn't surprised by this move and, in fact, Iraq was ready for anything.

Now, it's something that you hear a lot here, a sense of inevitability that the U.S. really is going to attack. But the Iraqi leadership really wants to get the word out that it believes that it believes that its people will actually fight for the regime if they have to --Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Jane Arraf from Baghdad, thank you.

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