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U.S. Gearing Up For Possible War with Iraq
Aired January 27, 2003 - 13:02 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: It's hardly a secret, the U.S. military is gearing up for a possible war with Iraq. But before it comes to that, the diplomats will have their say, and that's what happens happening today at the U.N. in New York.
CNN's Richard Roth is there to tell us about the long-awaited weapons report -- Richard.
RICHARD ROTH, CNN SR. U.N. CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Kyra Hans Blix, the chief U.N. weapons inspector, says it's not enough to just open doors in Iraq for weapons inspectors. Baghdad has to supply more evidence, more documentation about anything from anthrax and VX to interviews with scientists in private. Blix ran down a long list of where Iraq is still not cooperating, and he still has not been able to impress upon authorities there that this may not be able to go on for too long.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HANS BLIX, CHIEF U.N. WEAPONS INSPECTOR: Inspection is not a game of catch us catch can, rather as I noted, it is a process of verification for the purpose of creating confidence. It is not built upon the premise of trust, rather it is designed to lead to trust. If there is both openness to inspectors and action to present them with items to destroy or credible evidence about the absence of any such items.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROTH: Iraq's U.N. ambassador says his country does not possess weapons of mass destruction, but is willing, once again, to discuss with Dr. Blix and the IAEA's Mohamed Elbaradei any open questions, but the world has heard that before, and the recent visit to Baghdad by the two men did not seem to settle some of the major -- quote -- "gaps" in what Iraq filed, 12,000 pages worth, in early December. Iraq's U.N. ambassador did rip the United States and United Kingdom intelligence filings on any weapons of mass destruction program Iraq might have.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MOHAMMED AL DOURI, IRAQI AMB. TO U.N.: All the signs that the United States and the Britain alleged in their two recent reports that we're producing weapons of mass destruction were repeatedly inspected, X-rayed and environmental samples were taken to make sure that nothing happened there. The result proves that Iraq is clear of weapons of mass destruction. The inspectors also proved that all the intelligence information provided later by the United States and the Britain and satellite pictures were business (ph).
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROTH: Iraq's U.N. ambassador says no country has done as much as it has in the way of disarmament, in the years Iraq was complying with the weapons inspectors after the Gulf War. The ambassador said he offered new information. Hans Blix said it was just one new document.
The U.S. ambassador to the U.N. had enough of the Iraqi ambassador comments, and John Negroponte ripped Baghdad for not coming clean with inspectors.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN NEGROPONTE, U.S. AMB. TO U.N.: They are not cooperating unconditionally. Iraq is failing both of these tests and in the days ahead, we believe the council and its member governments must face its responsibilities and consider what message council irresolution sends to Iraq and other proliferators. It benefits no one to let Saddam think he can wear us down into business as usual as he has practiced it over the past 12 years.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROTH: The U.S. ambassador also challenged other council members not to conduct business as usual regarding Iraq. However, ambassadors from China and Russia said the ambassadors should be given more time -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Richard Roth, thank you.
Polls show Americans would support a war with Iraq if the United Nations went along.
Suzanne Malveaux standing by with the latest reaction from the White House -- Suzanne.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: This report works both for and against the White House. The white house clearly encouraged that this bolsters their case that Iraq is not complying. They all say it's a frightening prospect Saddam Hussein, some of these weapons that they have discovered, the chemical warheads.
But at the same time, what complicates the situation for the white house is Elbaradei's call for more time, for months, to allow those inspectors to do their job. While White House spokesman Ari Fleischer would not talk about specifically a timetable, not talking about whether or not they would grant months, as opposed to weeks, sources have consistently been telling us the administration would tolerate weeks, but certainly not months for this process to continue.
Ari Fleischer expressing some of the frustration behind that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ARI FLEISCHER, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECY.: At the pace that Iraq is cooperating with the inspectors, it will take the inspectors another almost 300 years to find the remaining weapons that United Nations says Saddam Hussein possesses. And this is why the inspectors are doing their best job. But the more time they get, the more they're getting the run-around from Saddam Hussein.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: Now, Kyra, really, the bottom line is the strategy of the White House really has to get U.S. allies and those naysayers, Germany, France, China, as well as inspectors, and even the American people, to think differently about inspections. While some people say inspections are working, they need more time, they are discovering things, they can contain Saddam Hussein, the Bush administration believes this is evidence that Saddam Hussein Is not complying, that he refuses to disarm. The White house position is, they say really the question here is whether Saddam Hussein is going to disarm, whether or not there are any signs he would do so. It is not about inspections. They believe inspections can not and will not work if you're dealing with a regime that refuses to disarm.
What the White House intends to do is that the president and Colin Powell will be talking with their counterparts and they're going to put pressure on members of the Security Council to, at the very least, acknowledge Iraqi's defiance, at the very most, commit military action, if the president decides that is necessary. But what they're going to do is really call to put the very credibility of these countries on the line much like the president did on September 12th when it went before the United Nations calling for that initial resolution.
PHILLIPS: Live from the White House, Suzanne Malveaux, 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 January 27, 2003 - 13:02 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: It's hardly a secret, the U.S. military is gearing up for a possible war with Iraq. But before it comes to that, the diplomats will have their say, and that's what happens happening today at the U.N. in New York.
CNN's Richard Roth is there to tell us about the long-awaited weapons report -- Richard.
RICHARD ROTH, CNN SR. U.N. CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Kyra Hans Blix, the chief U.N. weapons inspector, says it's not enough to just open doors in Iraq for weapons inspectors. Baghdad has to supply more evidence, more documentation about anything from anthrax and VX to interviews with scientists in private. Blix ran down a long list of where Iraq is still not cooperating, and he still has not been able to impress upon authorities there that this may not be able to go on for too long.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HANS BLIX, CHIEF U.N. WEAPONS INSPECTOR: Inspection is not a game of catch us catch can, rather as I noted, it is a process of verification for the purpose of creating confidence. It is not built upon the premise of trust, rather it is designed to lead to trust. If there is both openness to inspectors and action to present them with items to destroy or credible evidence about the absence of any such items.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROTH: Iraq's U.N. ambassador says his country does not possess weapons of mass destruction, but is willing, once again, to discuss with Dr. Blix and the IAEA's Mohamed Elbaradei any open questions, but the world has heard that before, and the recent visit to Baghdad by the two men did not seem to settle some of the major -- quote -- "gaps" in what Iraq filed, 12,000 pages worth, in early December. Iraq's U.N. ambassador did rip the United States and United Kingdom intelligence filings on any weapons of mass destruction program Iraq might have.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MOHAMMED AL DOURI, IRAQI AMB. TO U.N.: All the signs that the United States and the Britain alleged in their two recent reports that we're producing weapons of mass destruction were repeatedly inspected, X-rayed and environmental samples were taken to make sure that nothing happened there. The result proves that Iraq is clear of weapons of mass destruction. The inspectors also proved that all the intelligence information provided later by the United States and the Britain and satellite pictures were business (ph).
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROTH: Iraq's U.N. ambassador says no country has done as much as it has in the way of disarmament, in the years Iraq was complying with the weapons inspectors after the Gulf War. The ambassador said he offered new information. Hans Blix said it was just one new document.
The U.S. ambassador to the U.N. had enough of the Iraqi ambassador comments, and John Negroponte ripped Baghdad for not coming clean with inspectors.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN NEGROPONTE, U.S. AMB. TO U.N.: They are not cooperating unconditionally. Iraq is failing both of these tests and in the days ahead, we believe the council and its member governments must face its responsibilities and consider what message council irresolution sends to Iraq and other proliferators. It benefits no one to let Saddam think he can wear us down into business as usual as he has practiced it over the past 12 years.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROTH: The U.S. ambassador also challenged other council members not to conduct business as usual regarding Iraq. However, ambassadors from China and Russia said the ambassadors should be given more time -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Richard Roth, thank you.
Polls show Americans would support a war with Iraq if the United Nations went along.
Suzanne Malveaux standing by with the latest reaction from the White House -- Suzanne.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: This report works both for and against the White House. The white house clearly encouraged that this bolsters their case that Iraq is not complying. They all say it's a frightening prospect Saddam Hussein, some of these weapons that they have discovered, the chemical warheads.
But at the same time, what complicates the situation for the white house is Elbaradei's call for more time, for months, to allow those inspectors to do their job. While White House spokesman Ari Fleischer would not talk about specifically a timetable, not talking about whether or not they would grant months, as opposed to weeks, sources have consistently been telling us the administration would tolerate weeks, but certainly not months for this process to continue.
Ari Fleischer expressing some of the frustration behind that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ARI FLEISCHER, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECY.: At the pace that Iraq is cooperating with the inspectors, it will take the inspectors another almost 300 years to find the remaining weapons that United Nations says Saddam Hussein possesses. And this is why the inspectors are doing their best job. But the more time they get, the more they're getting the run-around from Saddam Hussein.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: Now, Kyra, really, the bottom line is the strategy of the White House really has to get U.S. allies and those naysayers, Germany, France, China, as well as inspectors, and even the American people, to think differently about inspections. While some people say inspections are working, they need more time, they are discovering things, they can contain Saddam Hussein, the Bush administration believes this is evidence that Saddam Hussein Is not complying, that he refuses to disarm. The White house position is, they say really the question here is whether Saddam Hussein is going to disarm, whether or not there are any signs he would do so. It is not about inspections. They believe inspections can not and will not work if you're dealing with a regime that refuses to disarm.
What the White House intends to do is that the president and Colin Powell will be talking with their counterparts and they're going to put pressure on members of the Security Council to, at the very least, acknowledge Iraqi's defiance, at the very most, commit military action, if the president decides that is necessary. But what they're going to do is really call to put the very credibility of these countries on the line much like the president did on September 12th when it went before the United Nations calling for that initial resolution.
PHILLIPS: Live from the White House, Suzanne Malveaux, 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
