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Interview with Aaron Miller
Aired April 29, 2003 - 15:02 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.
JUDY WOODRUFF, CNN ANCHOR: Let's talk more about those stories and the planned withdrawal of most U.S. forces from Saudi Arabia. I'm joined by Aaron Miller, a former state department Middle East adviser.
Aaron Miller, should this move by U.S. forces moving the base of air operations from Saudi Arabia to Qatar, in any way be seen as a victory for al Qaeda?
AARON MILLER, PRES. SEEDS OF PEACE: I don't think so, Judy. I think it's an effort to kind of rationally come up with a military footprint in the region that makes sense. I mean, if, in fact, the Americans can operate from Qatar as effectively as they did in Saudi Arabia without the political sensitivities presumably to the Saudi of the American military presence, then so much the better for both sides. So I don't see this as a victory at all. I see this as a response to regional realities, and to be effective as possible with our military projections in the region.
WOODRUFF: But it is what Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda had wanted.
MILLER: If you were talking about a complete undermining of the U.S./Saudi relationship, an for what has been for almost 50 years a special relationship between the two countries, and an end to the American presence at large, yes, but I don't think that's the case. The CAOC, the Combined Air Operation Centers will continue to function, and be available in the event of certain contingencies. So I wouldn't read this as a victory for al Qaeda at all.
WOODRUFF: Let me turn now to the decision or the announcement in the last few days that the U.S. has worked out a deal, an arrangement with the Iranian group, the People's Mujahideen, the group based in Iraq that they may keep their weapons in exchange for which they are not to commit any hostile acts against U.S. forces.
What's the significance of this?
What does this is a that there's been this sort of deal cut with the group that's identified as a terrorist organization?
MILLER: You know, I think it's one of the inevitable consequences of having to operate in a neighborhood when pragmatism and contradiction very often outweigh principle and consistency. I mean, the fact is the Americans are looking for a way to reduce the exposure to American forces in Iraq. Presumably they are looking for a way to milk this organization for the intelligence value that it may have from its previous association with Iraqis, and they may even be looking for a way to counterbalance the Iranians. So, again, I think when you operate in this neighborhood, I think at some point you make a judgment. We have to be consistent, certainly with our values and as a people, as well as our values with respect to foreign policy, but you do meet certain consequences. I'm sorry, you do make certain compromises.
WOODRUFF: I was just going to say, so you don't think this sends any bad signals to other terrorist organizations?
MILLER: I think it's tough. I think in some respects it does blur to a certain extent the moral consistency and clarity, and it's been extremely strong with this administration, and rightly so with respect to anti-terror. At the same time, we have a certain reality that we have to deal with and those are regional realities.
WOODRUFF: Let me finally ask you to turn to Israel and the Palestinians. The Palestinians have formally voted their first Prime Minister Abu Mazen. The U.S. now saying they are going to move ahead with the road map.
Just how quickly should we realistically expect there to be significant, meaningful moves toward peace in the Middle East?
MILLER: Look, I worked on almost every Arab-Israeli plans for the last six secretary of state. Nobody made any money betting against the prospects of quick and easy moment in the Middle East. That said, the fact is for the first time in over in almost 2 1/2 years the forces, in fact, are aligning quite positively for some movement. You have a Palestinian prime minister that's pragmatic. You presumably have an Israeli government that is interested in taking advantage of that pragmatism, and you have an American administration committed to moving forward.
The question will be in the end, is whether or not the administration is prepared, and I hope they are, to create a sustained and pretty determined policy to stick with it. Our fire power in the Middle East has never been in doubt. The question now is, will our staying power, with respect to the Arab-Israeli peace process, can we rely on that? And I hoping so. I'm hoping the administration will rise to the challenge.
WOODRUFF: All those questions that we're going to be looking for answers in the days to come.
Aaron Miller, thank you for talking to us.
MILLER: Thank you, Judy.
WOODRUFF: We appreciate it.
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 29, 2003 - 15:02 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JUDY WOODRUFF, CNN ANCHOR: Let's talk more about those stories and the planned withdrawal of most U.S. forces from Saudi Arabia. I'm joined by Aaron Miller, a former state department Middle East adviser.
Aaron Miller, should this move by U.S. forces moving the base of air operations from Saudi Arabia to Qatar, in any way be seen as a victory for al Qaeda?
AARON MILLER, PRES. SEEDS OF PEACE: I don't think so, Judy. I think it's an effort to kind of rationally come up with a military footprint in the region that makes sense. I mean, if, in fact, the Americans can operate from Qatar as effectively as they did in Saudi Arabia without the political sensitivities presumably to the Saudi of the American military presence, then so much the better for both sides. So I don't see this as a victory at all. I see this as a response to regional realities, and to be effective as possible with our military projections in the region.
WOODRUFF: But it is what Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda had wanted.
MILLER: If you were talking about a complete undermining of the U.S./Saudi relationship, an for what has been for almost 50 years a special relationship between the two countries, and an end to the American presence at large, yes, but I don't think that's the case. The CAOC, the Combined Air Operation Centers will continue to function, and be available in the event of certain contingencies. So I wouldn't read this as a victory for al Qaeda at all.
WOODRUFF: Let me turn now to the decision or the announcement in the last few days that the U.S. has worked out a deal, an arrangement with the Iranian group, the People's Mujahideen, the group based in Iraq that they may keep their weapons in exchange for which they are not to commit any hostile acts against U.S. forces.
What's the significance of this?
What does this is a that there's been this sort of deal cut with the group that's identified as a terrorist organization?
MILLER: You know, I think it's one of the inevitable consequences of having to operate in a neighborhood when pragmatism and contradiction very often outweigh principle and consistency. I mean, the fact is the Americans are looking for a way to reduce the exposure to American forces in Iraq. Presumably they are looking for a way to milk this organization for the intelligence value that it may have from its previous association with Iraqis, and they may even be looking for a way to counterbalance the Iranians. So, again, I think when you operate in this neighborhood, I think at some point you make a judgment. We have to be consistent, certainly with our values and as a people, as well as our values with respect to foreign policy, but you do meet certain consequences. I'm sorry, you do make certain compromises.
WOODRUFF: I was just going to say, so you don't think this sends any bad signals to other terrorist organizations?
MILLER: I think it's tough. I think in some respects it does blur to a certain extent the moral consistency and clarity, and it's been extremely strong with this administration, and rightly so with respect to anti-terror. At the same time, we have a certain reality that we have to deal with and those are regional realities.
WOODRUFF: Let me finally ask you to turn to Israel and the Palestinians. The Palestinians have formally voted their first Prime Minister Abu Mazen. The U.S. now saying they are going to move ahead with the road map.
Just how quickly should we realistically expect there to be significant, meaningful moves toward peace in the Middle East?
MILLER: Look, I worked on almost every Arab-Israeli plans for the last six secretary of state. Nobody made any money betting against the prospects of quick and easy moment in the Middle East. That said, the fact is for the first time in over in almost 2 1/2 years the forces, in fact, are aligning quite positively for some movement. You have a Palestinian prime minister that's pragmatic. You presumably have an Israeli government that is interested in taking advantage of that pragmatism, and you have an American administration committed to moving forward.
The question will be in the end, is whether or not the administration is prepared, and I hope they are, to create a sustained and pretty determined policy to stick with it. Our fire power in the Middle East has never been in doubt. The question now is, will our staying power, with respect to the Arab-Israeli peace process, can we rely on that? And I hoping so. I'm hoping the administration will rise to the challenge.
WOODRUFF: All those questions that we're going to be looking for answers in the days to come.
Aaron Miller, thank you for talking to us.
MILLER: Thank you, Judy.
WOODRUFF: We appreciate it.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
