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Bush Appears on Iraqi Television
Aired April 10, 2003 - 15:13 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.
JUDY WOODRUFF, CNN ANCHOR: Well, Iraqis who were expecting to see government television today instead saw President Bush in a taped message to Iraqis featuring Arabic subtitles.
For more on this and other developments at the White House, let's turn to CNN's Chris Burns. Chris, in terms of fighting this war, it has become a communications efforts, hasn't it?
CHRIS BURNS, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely, Judy. A communications effort because of this potential, potentially dangerous image problem that the White House faces.
Take a look at the picture of one of the pictures that we saw yesterday, was the American soldier draping the American flag across the face of the statute of Saddam Hussein. That being played on "The New York Post" front page today as "Liberty."
On the other hand, looking at the Arabic press around the Arab world, many of the media looking at it as occupation, as conquest and that is something that the Bush administration is dealing with. Perfect timing in any case for this video. President Bush teaming up with Tony Blair, the British prime minister, his chief ally in this war effort. The both making statements to the effect that they come, they send their troops to Iraq to liberate the people, telling the people that they -- there will be a democratic government, there will be humanitarian aid. President Bush, saying in his message, that the brutal regime will lead to freedom.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The nightmare that Saddam Hussein has brought to your nation will soon be over. You are a good and gifted people, the heirs of a great civilization that contributes to all humanity. You deserve better than tyranny and corruption and torture chambers. You deserve to live as free people. And I assure every citizen of Iraq, your nation will soon be free.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNS: Now, another potentially dangerous problem is this power vacuum across Iraq. It would seem, with the assassination of that Shiite cleric Imam in the south, as well as what we're seeing in Kirkuk about this lack of U.S. control. Well, Ari Fleischer the White House press spokesman saying today that -- that the White House and the U.S. administration is in contact with the Turkish government understanding, telling that the Turks -- that they understand their fears and that the U.S. will be in control of Kirkuk eventually. Back to you.
WOODRUFF: All right. Chris Burns reporting from the White House. Thank you, Chris.
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 10, 2003 - 15:13 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JUDY WOODRUFF, CNN ANCHOR: Well, Iraqis who were expecting to see government television today instead saw President Bush in a taped message to Iraqis featuring Arabic subtitles.
For more on this and other developments at the White House, let's turn to CNN's Chris Burns. Chris, in terms of fighting this war, it has become a communications efforts, hasn't it?
CHRIS BURNS, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely, Judy. A communications effort because of this potential, potentially dangerous image problem that the White House faces.
Take a look at the picture of one of the pictures that we saw yesterday, was the American soldier draping the American flag across the face of the statute of Saddam Hussein. That being played on "The New York Post" front page today as "Liberty."
On the other hand, looking at the Arabic press around the Arab world, many of the media looking at it as occupation, as conquest and that is something that the Bush administration is dealing with. Perfect timing in any case for this video. President Bush teaming up with Tony Blair, the British prime minister, his chief ally in this war effort. The both making statements to the effect that they come, they send their troops to Iraq to liberate the people, telling the people that they -- there will be a democratic government, there will be humanitarian aid. President Bush, saying in his message, that the brutal regime will lead to freedom.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The nightmare that Saddam Hussein has brought to your nation will soon be over. You are a good and gifted people, the heirs of a great civilization that contributes to all humanity. You deserve better than tyranny and corruption and torture chambers. You deserve to live as free people. And I assure every citizen of Iraq, your nation will soon be free.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNS: Now, another potentially dangerous problem is this power vacuum across Iraq. It would seem, with the assassination of that Shiite cleric Imam in the south, as well as what we're seeing in Kirkuk about this lack of U.S. control. Well, Ari Fleischer the White House press spokesman saying today that -- that the White House and the U.S. administration is in contact with the Turkish government understanding, telling that the Turks -- that they understand their fears and that the U.S. will be in control of Kirkuk eventually. Back to you.
WOODRUFF: All right. Chris Burns reporting from the White House. Thank you, Chris.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
