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Angry Words Out of Baghdad

Aired March 18, 2003 - 14:09   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.


MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: All right. Forget it. That is basically what Saddam Hussein and one of his sons said about the White House demand that the Husseins leave Iraq.
CNN Senior International Correspondent Nic Robertson remains in Baghdad, a city that is bracing for war. Nic, what's the situation there?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Miles, we've just had a very, very bitter briefing by the foreign minister here, Naji Sabri, using some of his most acerbic, cutting, harsh language ever against President George Bush, saying that he was an idiot because he didn't know the difference in Spain -- whether Spain was a republic or a kingdom.

Foreign Minister Sabri also said that he had met with President Saddam Hussein earlier in the day, saying that the president was relaxed. He was in a good mood. That he was confident of breaking the evil aggression, that he had good faith in the people of Iraq to defend their country. Now, when asked about whether or not there was any diplomatic opportunities, any diplomatic windows left open at this time for Iraq to avoid the war, he said the diplomatic window was still open, but put the emphasis on Britain and the United States to make the diplomacy work.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NAJI SABRI, IRAQI FOREIGN MINISTER: Now, for this crisis, I think the door is always open for diplomacy. It is closed only for those despots, for warmongers, for war traders, for evil mongers in Washington, because they trade with war. They benefit from war. They can vent their hatred against humanity through war. They can justify their -- their presence in such offices, in such posts (ph) through war. Otherwise, in normal circumstances, how can an ignorant idiot- man become the president of the United States?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERTSON: Foreign Minister Sabri at that news briefing also spoke a lot in Arabic, addressing the many Arab news organizations there saying that Iraq was on its own land, it wasn't attacking people, that President Saddam Hussein had been right since the Gulf War, that this attack on Iraq was an attack against the Arab people, an attack against the region. Indeed, seeming to take some satisfaction in the fact that Britain and the United States do not have the backing of the U.N. Security Council or the U.N., or the international community for this war. That's the way Naji Sabri, the foreign minister, was putting it. That's Iraq's view at this time -- Miles.

O'BRIEN: Nic, tell us about this statement which came out from Uday Hussein, Saddam Hussein's eldest son, who has his hands on some of the media properties there in Baghdad. Give us a sense of that statement, some of it read, very predictably. Nevertheless, give us a flavor of it.

ROBERTSON: Well, indeed, and some of that was reflected by Foreign Minister Sabri. But what Uday Saddam Hussein was saying is that this ultimatum is an ultimatum that should be sent back to Washington, an ultimatum, he said, that should call for President Bush and his family to step down.

And he also warned that anyone who attacks Iraq, any aggressor against Iraq, in his words, "would lament the day that they attacked this country." Very strong words. This is a day where diplomatic windows may be talked about as being open, but this is a day when the language and rhetoric from Iraq has been the strongest I think we've seen it -- Miles.

O'BRIEN: And just a quick word, Nic, on the situation in the streets, reports of a demonstration, pro-Baath demonstrators in one part of the city, and then also reports many people are going to shops, trying to stock up on food and so forth. Yesterday, you didn't describe it as panic. You said there was some resignation and some tension. Is it pretty much the same today?

ROBERTSON: You know, it is a sort of tale of two cities today. There were the government-organized demonstrations late in the day, soldiers waving their weapons. Some women there, many people, supporters of the ruling Baath party here. Some of the women in the crowd had pistols, revolvers. They all said that they were there to support President Saddam Hussein, that they wanted peace. But the other part of the city is the part where the stores are locked, the shutters are down, people are off the streets. People not coming into the city center very much, staying at home. A city in fear. But this is not just fear, Miles. We have to say from here that the people are very angry about the fact they're going to be invaded. They're very fearful about what's going to happen, but there is a very great level of anger there -- Miles.

O'BRIEN: Nic, and I've got to ask you one final thought. You mentioned fear. The concern about Western journalists in particular, yourself included, any other expatriates there. What's the feeling today about the safety of your ilk there right now?

ROBERTSON: Well, I think the feeling of safety is, perhaps, the same as it was yesterday. Foreign Minister Sabri, when he finished his news conference and was leaving, was talked to by CNN's correspondent, Rym Brahimi, and he asked her how CNN was doing and if everything was OK. The officials here, the rhetoric may be strong, but the officials here still seem to care that the news organizations are here, and while some may leave -- I think journalists here still take and make the daily and hourly assessments, how safe it is, what they can report. But today, I think, is a day like yesterday -- Miles. O'BRIEN: Interesting. Nic Robertson. Interesting to see what happens on camera and off camera. We appreciate your insights, as always.

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 March 18, 2003 - 14:09   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: All right. Forget it. That is basically what Saddam Hussein and one of his sons said about the White House demand that the Husseins leave Iraq.
CNN Senior International Correspondent Nic Robertson remains in Baghdad, a city that is bracing for war. Nic, what's the situation there?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Miles, we've just had a very, very bitter briefing by the foreign minister here, Naji Sabri, using some of his most acerbic, cutting, harsh language ever against President George Bush, saying that he was an idiot because he didn't know the difference in Spain -- whether Spain was a republic or a kingdom.

Foreign Minister Sabri also said that he had met with President Saddam Hussein earlier in the day, saying that the president was relaxed. He was in a good mood. That he was confident of breaking the evil aggression, that he had good faith in the people of Iraq to defend their country. Now, when asked about whether or not there was any diplomatic opportunities, any diplomatic windows left open at this time for Iraq to avoid the war, he said the diplomatic window was still open, but put the emphasis on Britain and the United States to make the diplomacy work.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NAJI SABRI, IRAQI FOREIGN MINISTER: Now, for this crisis, I think the door is always open for diplomacy. It is closed only for those despots, for warmongers, for war traders, for evil mongers in Washington, because they trade with war. They benefit from war. They can vent their hatred against humanity through war. They can justify their -- their presence in such offices, in such posts (ph) through war. Otherwise, in normal circumstances, how can an ignorant idiot- man become the president of the United States?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERTSON: Foreign Minister Sabri at that news briefing also spoke a lot in Arabic, addressing the many Arab news organizations there saying that Iraq was on its own land, it wasn't attacking people, that President Saddam Hussein had been right since the Gulf War, that this attack on Iraq was an attack against the Arab people, an attack against the region. Indeed, seeming to take some satisfaction in the fact that Britain and the United States do not have the backing of the U.N. Security Council or the U.N., or the international community for this war. That's the way Naji Sabri, the foreign minister, was putting it. That's Iraq's view at this time -- Miles.

O'BRIEN: Nic, tell us about this statement which came out from Uday Hussein, Saddam Hussein's eldest son, who has his hands on some of the media properties there in Baghdad. Give us a sense of that statement, some of it read, very predictably. Nevertheless, give us a flavor of it.

ROBERTSON: Well, indeed, and some of that was reflected by Foreign Minister Sabri. But what Uday Saddam Hussein was saying is that this ultimatum is an ultimatum that should be sent back to Washington, an ultimatum, he said, that should call for President Bush and his family to step down.

And he also warned that anyone who attacks Iraq, any aggressor against Iraq, in his words, "would lament the day that they attacked this country." Very strong words. This is a day where diplomatic windows may be talked about as being open, but this is a day when the language and rhetoric from Iraq has been the strongest I think we've seen it -- Miles.

O'BRIEN: And just a quick word, Nic, on the situation in the streets, reports of a demonstration, pro-Baath demonstrators in one part of the city, and then also reports many people are going to shops, trying to stock up on food and so forth. Yesterday, you didn't describe it as panic. You said there was some resignation and some tension. Is it pretty much the same today?

ROBERTSON: You know, it is a sort of tale of two cities today. There were the government-organized demonstrations late in the day, soldiers waving their weapons. Some women there, many people, supporters of the ruling Baath party here. Some of the women in the crowd had pistols, revolvers. They all said that they were there to support President Saddam Hussein, that they wanted peace. But the other part of the city is the part where the stores are locked, the shutters are down, people are off the streets. People not coming into the city center very much, staying at home. A city in fear. But this is not just fear, Miles. We have to say from here that the people are very angry about the fact they're going to be invaded. They're very fearful about what's going to happen, but there is a very great level of anger there -- Miles.

O'BRIEN: Nic, and I've got to ask you one final thought. You mentioned fear. The concern about Western journalists in particular, yourself included, any other expatriates there. What's the feeling today about the safety of your ilk there right now?

ROBERTSON: Well, I think the feeling of safety is, perhaps, the same as it was yesterday. Foreign Minister Sabri, when he finished his news conference and was leaving, was talked to by CNN's correspondent, Rym Brahimi, and he asked her how CNN was doing and if everything was OK. The officials here, the rhetoric may be strong, but the officials here still seem to care that the news organizations are here, and while some may leave -- I think journalists here still take and make the daily and hourly assessments, how safe it is, what they can report. But today, I think, is a day like yesterday -- Miles. O'BRIEN: Interesting. Nic Robertson. Interesting to see what happens on camera and off camera. We appreciate your insights, as always.

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