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How Does the Coalition Know When the War is Won?
Aired April 04, 2003 - 15:33 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.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: The coalition military machine has been virtually unstoppable in its two-week march from Kuwait toward the gates of Baghdad. But today's tapes from Iraqi television raise some New questions about Saddam Hussein: whether he's alive and still in charge of his regime. And how does the coalition know when the war is won?
Our political analyst, Bill Schneider, has some thoughts on that.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, CNN SR. POLITICAL ANALYST (voice-over): Victory in this war means first and foremost Saddam Hussein out of power. Not necessarily dead, just ousted. That's regime change. But the U.S. has another goal in this war.
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Our mission is very clear: disarmament.
SCHNEIDER: And so the second requirement for victory: the U.S. has to find weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. That would prove to the world that the Bush administration was right all along. If Saddam Hussein actually uses such weapons, no further evidence is required.
Victory could bring larger benefits, like a fresh start to the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. That's exactly what happened after the '91 victory in the Persian Gulf -- Madrid, then Oslo, then the White House lawn. One promising sign so far, the selection of a New Palestinian leader.
But there are also serious risks, like terrorists reprisals against the U.S. homeland. And remember, after the war, Americans will remain in Iraq to administer the reconstruction of the country. They could be targets for terrorist attacks.
(on camera): President Bush desperately needs two TV pictures. One, a cache of chemical or biological weapons hidden by the Iraqis. And two, widespread jubilation among Iraqis over their liberation. Something that's not likely to happen until the Iraqis see evidence that Saddam Hussein and his henchmen are truly gone.
Bill Schneider, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
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 April 4, 2003 - 15:33 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: The coalition military machine has been virtually unstoppable in its two-week march from Kuwait toward the gates of Baghdad. But today's tapes from Iraqi television raise some New questions about Saddam Hussein: whether he's alive and still in charge of his regime. And how does the coalition know when the war is won?
Our political analyst, Bill Schneider, has some thoughts on that.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, CNN SR. POLITICAL ANALYST (voice-over): Victory in this war means first and foremost Saddam Hussein out of power. Not necessarily dead, just ousted. That's regime change. But the U.S. has another goal in this war.
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Our mission is very clear: disarmament.
SCHNEIDER: And so the second requirement for victory: the U.S. has to find weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. That would prove to the world that the Bush administration was right all along. If Saddam Hussein actually uses such weapons, no further evidence is required.
Victory could bring larger benefits, like a fresh start to the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. That's exactly what happened after the '91 victory in the Persian Gulf -- Madrid, then Oslo, then the White House lawn. One promising sign so far, the selection of a New Palestinian leader.
But there are also serious risks, like terrorists reprisals against the U.S. homeland. And remember, after the war, Americans will remain in Iraq to administer the reconstruction of the country. They could be targets for terrorist attacks.
(on camera): President Bush desperately needs two TV pictures. One, a cache of chemical or biological weapons hidden by the Iraqis. And two, widespread jubilation among Iraqis over their liberation. Something that's not likely to happen until the Iraqis see evidence that Saddam Hussein and his henchmen are truly gone.
Bill Schneider, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
