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CNN Live Today
Prime Minister Pledges Elections in January
Aired September 23, 2004 - 10:39 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.
WHITFIELD: Now some 18 months after the toppling of the Saddam Hussein government, interim Prime Minister of Iraq Iyad Allawi addressing members on Capitol Hill at this hour. He had three over- arching messages. He said No. 1, he says, "We are succeeding in Iraq, despite some setbacks, and some struggles." No. 2, "From the people" -- "from my people," rather, "to yours thank you America." And No. 3, he says, "Today we are better off, you are better off, and the world is better off without Saddam Hussein. Your decision to go to Iraq was not an easy one, but the right one." Some of the words coming from Iyad Allawi at this hour on Capitol Hill.
Let's begin our coverage right now from Capitol Hill with Joe Johns with some reaction based on some of your pre-Allawi speech interviews, Joe. Is it likely that congressional leaders are hearing what they wanted to hear from Iyad Allawi?
JOHNS: Well, frankly, there were a lot of platitudes in there. And it was, as some Democrats suggested, to some extent a photo opportunity for Mr. Allawi even for the administration, obviously. At the same time we have actually gotten just a bit of reaction to the speech right here at the end of it. Some Democrats suggesting that while they welcome the comments of Allawi, his challenge they say in governing and stabilizing Iraq is enormous.
And then they put it back on the administration. They say those challenges have been made far more difficult by what they call, "the continual mistakes and persistent miscalculations of the Bush administration." Democrats suggesting, at least some Democrats that the U.S. policies are failing. And that the United States needs to correct course to guarantee success and bring troops home.
So, Democrats putting all of this on the administration, saying that while you listen to the words of Allawi, listen also to those who suggest there are realities on the ground in Iraq that simply cannot be ignored -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: And one of the realities that Allawi underscored is that certainly the insurgency has picked up. However, he says that the scheduled elections for January will take place because it would be a great defeat to the Iraqi people if for any reason it were to be delayed, and a great victory for the insurgency.
JOHNS: Clearly this administration is putting all of its eggs in one hat with Allawi. And it is counting on him to continue to say that these elections will go forward in January, despite the problem with the insurgency. Allawi, of course, has made the case in the past that the insurgency is not getting stronger; it's getting more desperate. This administration and Allawi, obviously very much committed to having those elections go forward, even if they have to bring in more troops from somewhere, Fredricka, to ensure it.
WHITFIELD: All right. Joe Johns, thanks so much. We'll be returning to you momentarily from Capitol Hill.
Let's go now to the Pentagon, where Barbara Starr has been listening in on Iyad Allawi. Certainly he didn't make any offerings or any suggestions as to how militarily to better secure his country.
But Barbara, he did say, Allawi did say, that there is a great concern among the citizenry of Iraq that even they are trying to step in where the Iraqi police and military cannot. Is it likely that these words will in any way inspire the Pentagon to perhaps step up on U.S. military support there?
STARR: Well, Fredricka, Pentagon officials are fairly well committed to sticking with their current strategy. And it does reflect, as Joe Johns said, some very tough military realities on the ground in Iraq. Now I must tell you in the last several days, virtually every military official we speak to says that they believe the insurgency is growing, whether it's desperation or simply growing larger in size. It is becoming more violent, more lethal. A lot of U.S. military concern on how this picture is shaping up between now, and those scheduled January elections.
The strategy is to get enough Iraqi security forces in place, trained and equipped, to begin to exert greater local control, indeed, in Iraq. But general John Abizaid is raising some very serious questions. He says more troops may be needed by the election time frame. But he's very clear. He's not saying necessarily more U.S. troops. Though he doesn't rule that out. He is talking about more Iraqi security troops, and raising the concept of more international troops.
What does he mean there? Well, the U.S. is again trying to see if other nations will support more troops in Iraq, specifically to protect U.N. election monitors, U.N. -- United Nations election staff that are key to making that election happen in January inside Iraq. So far, very little indication any other countries are willing to step up and offer more troops, specifically for that U.N. mission.
So all of this really coming together at the end of the January, the time frame for those elections. The tough military realities on the ground are going to be addressed -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: All right. Barbara, I'm going to let you go right now. But later on, I do want to ask you about NATO and its commitment to send some officers to help set up military camp in Iraq, and if in any way that might help quell some of the insurgency problem, particularly around election time come January. So we'll have that discussion in a moment. Thanks a lot, Barbara.
WHITFIELD: Well, Iraq's interim prime minister delivers a message to a joint meeting of Congress. We'll take a closer look at the potential impact of his speech. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: Hello again, I'm Fredricka Whitfield. Here's a quick look at the stories now in the news.
Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi has finished his address to a joint meeting of Congress and is due to appear later with President Bush in a joint news conference at the White House. More on his speech in a moment.
Kenneth Bigley's family members and religious leaders in his hometown of Liverpool, England are asking his captors for mercy. Militants in Iraq are threatening to kill Bigley, after already beheading his two American colleagues. Bigley appeared in a video on an Islamic web site yesterday pleading with British Prime Minister Tony Blair to help him.
The death toll in Haiti from Tropical Storm Jeanne has now topped 1,000. And officials say that number could double. Trucks dumped scores of body into a mass grave in the city of Gonaive at sunset yesterday. Water is still knee deep in parts of the city five days after the storms blew through.
The singer once known as Cat Stevens says he was shocked and slightly amused at being denied entry into the U.S. Yusef Islam returned to London today. He was taken off his D.C.-bound plane, diverted to Bangor, Maine after U.S. officials found his name on a terrorist watch list. Islam says he hopes there will be an explanation.
Well, now the view from the heart of the debate, Iraq. CNN's Brent Sadler joins us from Baghdad.
And Brent, were the Iraqi people able to watch Allawi's speech live on television? Or listen to it on the radio there?
BRENT SADLER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, certainly those who've got electricity and access to television. Yes, of course, people will be watching what Iyad Allawi had to say there. This was really a very positive report card, as far as the Iraqi interim prime minister was concerned. He was talking about that the elections would definitely go ahead in four months, by the end of January. That Iraq's armed presence, 50,000 men under arms he said of today, increasing to three times that figure by January to 145, 150,000, to 250,000 by the end of next year.
He did say, of course, that there were daily setbacks and outrages in terms of violence, daily violence that we see, particularly in the central part of Iraq.
But this was the prime minister really appealing in front of a very strong supportive Congress. And just about every time he mentioned Iraqi cooperation, shared struggle between Iraq and American aims in this part of the world, then Congress members stood up to give him a loud applause. In terms of other developments, he said that it's important that the coalition should stand firm in the face of terrorist adversity. And it was very important, crucially important, he said, for the United States forces to help the Iraqi emergent, the nascent forces here help to identify, isolate. And eradicate the terrorist enemy that is now creating so much violence in Iraq. Made up not just of insurgents, he said, but also Islamic terrorist groups and former die- hards from the old regime -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: And Brent, I wonder if some Iraqis are expressing the same skepticism as some members of Congress who were saying they believe Allawi's visit was less about Iraq, and more about the American election scheduled in November.
SADLER: Yes, I think you look at Mr. Allawi's background; he had very strong contacts with the CIA during his years of exile in London. In fact, he's an ex-Baathist forced into exile by Saddam Hussein, who tried to kill him in his own place in London. During those years of exile, Allawi seen by Iraqis as close, perhaps too close to the American administration. It was quite clear from the prime minister's speech, he said that thank you, America, for coming to help Iraq. Thank you for launching the war, which he said, was a difficult decision. He recognized that.
And three bullet points at the beginning of his speech. He said, quote, "We are succeeding in Iraq." Tremendous applause for that. "Thank you America," as I say. And he said Iraq is much better off, better off for Iraqis. Better off for the United States and better off for the world at large without Saddam Hussein -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: And Allawi even said that there are citizens in various towns there in Iraq who have threatened themselves. and you know, taken the bull by the horns, so to speak, in terms of insurgency, pushed insurgents out of their communities. How much truth to that is there?
SADLER: Well, this is difficult for us to obviously find out on the ground. He was referring to an insurgent stronghold of Samarra there, where he said that political activity between the interim government and local leaders there had enabled the insurgent terrorist elements to be shoved out of that town. But if you look at the realities here, you know, just coming from the airport as I did just a few hours ago, you know you're playing a game really of Russian -- a deadly game of Russian roulette. You never know what's going to happen to you on the streets in Baghdad.
With almost daily car bombings, many of those attacks directed against the recruitment drive to try and get more men under arms as quickly as possible. And particularly before the elections, get them trained up and recruited to build this military force, the security force of Iraq. Which were, after all, Iraqis remember very bitterly, disbanded by the U.S. liberators at the end of the war to depose Saddam Hussein when Iraq's security forces, its intelligence structure was all destroyed, as a result of the disbanding of all Iraq security forces at that time -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: Brent Sadler in Baghdad. Thanks so much.
Well, let's get a little bit more reaction now to Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi's speech to Congress. Joining us from Washington is Samer Shehata, a professor from The Center of Contemporary Arab Studies in Georgetown University.
Good to see you, Samer.
SAMER SHEHATA, PROFESSOR, THE CENTER OF CONTEMPORARY ARAB STUDIES: Good morning.
WHITFIELD: All right. Prime minister Allawi said the elections will take place as scheduled in January. Because the Iraqi people want it. But still a very persistent problem is security. And likely seen in Afghanistan leading up to their war, there have been so many threats and tactics of intimidation, even killing people as they're signing up to get registered. What do you see possibly standing in the way in Iraq from those January elections from taking place as scheduled?
SHEHATA: Well, that's exactly it. Security or the absence of security, the car bombings, the political assassinations, the kidnappings, the chaos that is a large extent of Iraq is what the primary obstacle is towards having free and fair elections. Because having free and fair elections, of course, doesn't mean that there aren't any car bombings on Election Day and things go smoothly.
It means that the period before the elections, as well, is one that allows candidates and political parties to mobilize and sell their positions to the public. And also, for the counting to take place freely and accurately afterwards. So it's more than just security on Election Day.
And I think many of us are skeptical with the current situation and the level of violence, and the National Intelligence Estimate that was released, or that was leaked last week, which has indicated that really the level of violence has increased. And things are worsening in Iraq, not improving, that elections free and fair elections can take place in January.
WHITFIELD: Well, let's listen to Prime Minister Allawi and how he assessed things on the issue of elections in January just moments ago on the Hill.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ALLAWI: We already know that terrorists and former regime elements will do all they can to disrupt these elections. There would be no greater success for the terrorists if we delay. And no greater blow when the elections take place, as they will on schedule.
(APPLAUSE)
ALLAWI: The Iraqi elections may not be perfect. They may not be the best elections that Iraq will ever hold. They will no doubt be an excuse for violence from those that despise liberty, as were the first elections in Sierra Leone or South Africa or Indonesia. But they will take place, and they will be free and fair.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: And Professor Shehata, now this monkey wrench thrown into things. Shiite cleric Ali al Sistani is now saying very openly that he doesn't believe the election should be taking place in January, particularly because there isn't enough Shiite representation. Who is more influential? Ali al Sistani or perhaps Iyad Allawi?
SHEHATA: I think there's no question that Grand Ayatollah Sistani is much more influential and resonates with much of Iraq than Mr. Allawi. So I would put more credence into Mr. Sistani's remarks.
The point that Mr. Allawi made in the speech is a good point. That of course, the insurgents do not want the elections to take place. However, the elections taking place in January successfully would not mean an end to the insurgency. Because that's not their primary goal. Their primary goal, of course, is to get coalition forces outside of Iraq and to reconstitute Iraq in their own liking, as it were. So having elections in January, even if they are marred by a little bit of violence, is not the end of the insurgency.
And then just one last point. It's true that first-time elections all over the world oftentimes are difficult, sometimes marred by violence. But the crucial point is...
WHITFIELD: OK.
SHEHATA: ... is that there's -- if there's too much violence, if there are too unfair, then you're going to have Iraqis say we reject the outcomes, this isn't legitimate. And they're going to exit from the political game.
WHITFIELD: All right. Good point. Professor Samer Shehata of Georgetown University, thanks so much for joining us.
SHEHATA: You're very welcome.
WHITFIELD: An of course, we'll be evaluating some more the Prime Minister Iyad Allawi's speech on Capitol Hill. And his planned visit with President Bush in the next hour when we come right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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 September 23, 2004 - 10:39 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
WHITFIELD: Now some 18 months after the toppling of the Saddam Hussein government, interim Prime Minister of Iraq Iyad Allawi addressing members on Capitol Hill at this hour. He had three over- arching messages. He said No. 1, he says, "We are succeeding in Iraq, despite some setbacks, and some struggles." No. 2, "From the people" -- "from my people," rather, "to yours thank you America." And No. 3, he says, "Today we are better off, you are better off, and the world is better off without Saddam Hussein. Your decision to go to Iraq was not an easy one, but the right one." Some of the words coming from Iyad Allawi at this hour on Capitol Hill.
Let's begin our coverage right now from Capitol Hill with Joe Johns with some reaction based on some of your pre-Allawi speech interviews, Joe. Is it likely that congressional leaders are hearing what they wanted to hear from Iyad Allawi?
JOHNS: Well, frankly, there were a lot of platitudes in there. And it was, as some Democrats suggested, to some extent a photo opportunity for Mr. Allawi even for the administration, obviously. At the same time we have actually gotten just a bit of reaction to the speech right here at the end of it. Some Democrats suggesting that while they welcome the comments of Allawi, his challenge they say in governing and stabilizing Iraq is enormous.
And then they put it back on the administration. They say those challenges have been made far more difficult by what they call, "the continual mistakes and persistent miscalculations of the Bush administration." Democrats suggesting, at least some Democrats that the U.S. policies are failing. And that the United States needs to correct course to guarantee success and bring troops home.
So, Democrats putting all of this on the administration, saying that while you listen to the words of Allawi, listen also to those who suggest there are realities on the ground in Iraq that simply cannot be ignored -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: And one of the realities that Allawi underscored is that certainly the insurgency has picked up. However, he says that the scheduled elections for January will take place because it would be a great defeat to the Iraqi people if for any reason it were to be delayed, and a great victory for the insurgency.
JOHNS: Clearly this administration is putting all of its eggs in one hat with Allawi. And it is counting on him to continue to say that these elections will go forward in January, despite the problem with the insurgency. Allawi, of course, has made the case in the past that the insurgency is not getting stronger; it's getting more desperate. This administration and Allawi, obviously very much committed to having those elections go forward, even if they have to bring in more troops from somewhere, Fredricka, to ensure it.
WHITFIELD: All right. Joe Johns, thanks so much. We'll be returning to you momentarily from Capitol Hill.
Let's go now to the Pentagon, where Barbara Starr has been listening in on Iyad Allawi. Certainly he didn't make any offerings or any suggestions as to how militarily to better secure his country.
But Barbara, he did say, Allawi did say, that there is a great concern among the citizenry of Iraq that even they are trying to step in where the Iraqi police and military cannot. Is it likely that these words will in any way inspire the Pentagon to perhaps step up on U.S. military support there?
STARR: Well, Fredricka, Pentagon officials are fairly well committed to sticking with their current strategy. And it does reflect, as Joe Johns said, some very tough military realities on the ground in Iraq. Now I must tell you in the last several days, virtually every military official we speak to says that they believe the insurgency is growing, whether it's desperation or simply growing larger in size. It is becoming more violent, more lethal. A lot of U.S. military concern on how this picture is shaping up between now, and those scheduled January elections.
The strategy is to get enough Iraqi security forces in place, trained and equipped, to begin to exert greater local control, indeed, in Iraq. But general John Abizaid is raising some very serious questions. He says more troops may be needed by the election time frame. But he's very clear. He's not saying necessarily more U.S. troops. Though he doesn't rule that out. He is talking about more Iraqi security troops, and raising the concept of more international troops.
What does he mean there? Well, the U.S. is again trying to see if other nations will support more troops in Iraq, specifically to protect U.N. election monitors, U.N. -- United Nations election staff that are key to making that election happen in January inside Iraq. So far, very little indication any other countries are willing to step up and offer more troops, specifically for that U.N. mission.
So all of this really coming together at the end of the January, the time frame for those elections. The tough military realities on the ground are going to be addressed -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: All right. Barbara, I'm going to let you go right now. But later on, I do want to ask you about NATO and its commitment to send some officers to help set up military camp in Iraq, and if in any way that might help quell some of the insurgency problem, particularly around election time come January. So we'll have that discussion in a moment. Thanks a lot, Barbara.
WHITFIELD: Well, Iraq's interim prime minister delivers a message to a joint meeting of Congress. We'll take a closer look at the potential impact of his speech. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: Hello again, I'm Fredricka Whitfield. Here's a quick look at the stories now in the news.
Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi has finished his address to a joint meeting of Congress and is due to appear later with President Bush in a joint news conference at the White House. More on his speech in a moment.
Kenneth Bigley's family members and religious leaders in his hometown of Liverpool, England are asking his captors for mercy. Militants in Iraq are threatening to kill Bigley, after already beheading his two American colleagues. Bigley appeared in a video on an Islamic web site yesterday pleading with British Prime Minister Tony Blair to help him.
The death toll in Haiti from Tropical Storm Jeanne has now topped 1,000. And officials say that number could double. Trucks dumped scores of body into a mass grave in the city of Gonaive at sunset yesterday. Water is still knee deep in parts of the city five days after the storms blew through.
The singer once known as Cat Stevens says he was shocked and slightly amused at being denied entry into the U.S. Yusef Islam returned to London today. He was taken off his D.C.-bound plane, diverted to Bangor, Maine after U.S. officials found his name on a terrorist watch list. Islam says he hopes there will be an explanation.
Well, now the view from the heart of the debate, Iraq. CNN's Brent Sadler joins us from Baghdad.
And Brent, were the Iraqi people able to watch Allawi's speech live on television? Or listen to it on the radio there?
BRENT SADLER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, certainly those who've got electricity and access to television. Yes, of course, people will be watching what Iyad Allawi had to say there. This was really a very positive report card, as far as the Iraqi interim prime minister was concerned. He was talking about that the elections would definitely go ahead in four months, by the end of January. That Iraq's armed presence, 50,000 men under arms he said of today, increasing to three times that figure by January to 145, 150,000, to 250,000 by the end of next year.
He did say, of course, that there were daily setbacks and outrages in terms of violence, daily violence that we see, particularly in the central part of Iraq.
But this was the prime minister really appealing in front of a very strong supportive Congress. And just about every time he mentioned Iraqi cooperation, shared struggle between Iraq and American aims in this part of the world, then Congress members stood up to give him a loud applause. In terms of other developments, he said that it's important that the coalition should stand firm in the face of terrorist adversity. And it was very important, crucially important, he said, for the United States forces to help the Iraqi emergent, the nascent forces here help to identify, isolate. And eradicate the terrorist enemy that is now creating so much violence in Iraq. Made up not just of insurgents, he said, but also Islamic terrorist groups and former die- hards from the old regime -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: And Brent, I wonder if some Iraqis are expressing the same skepticism as some members of Congress who were saying they believe Allawi's visit was less about Iraq, and more about the American election scheduled in November.
SADLER: Yes, I think you look at Mr. Allawi's background; he had very strong contacts with the CIA during his years of exile in London. In fact, he's an ex-Baathist forced into exile by Saddam Hussein, who tried to kill him in his own place in London. During those years of exile, Allawi seen by Iraqis as close, perhaps too close to the American administration. It was quite clear from the prime minister's speech, he said that thank you, America, for coming to help Iraq. Thank you for launching the war, which he said, was a difficult decision. He recognized that.
And three bullet points at the beginning of his speech. He said, quote, "We are succeeding in Iraq." Tremendous applause for that. "Thank you America," as I say. And he said Iraq is much better off, better off for Iraqis. Better off for the United States and better off for the world at large without Saddam Hussein -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: And Allawi even said that there are citizens in various towns there in Iraq who have threatened themselves. and you know, taken the bull by the horns, so to speak, in terms of insurgency, pushed insurgents out of their communities. How much truth to that is there?
SADLER: Well, this is difficult for us to obviously find out on the ground. He was referring to an insurgent stronghold of Samarra there, where he said that political activity between the interim government and local leaders there had enabled the insurgent terrorist elements to be shoved out of that town. But if you look at the realities here, you know, just coming from the airport as I did just a few hours ago, you know you're playing a game really of Russian -- a deadly game of Russian roulette. You never know what's going to happen to you on the streets in Baghdad.
With almost daily car bombings, many of those attacks directed against the recruitment drive to try and get more men under arms as quickly as possible. And particularly before the elections, get them trained up and recruited to build this military force, the security force of Iraq. Which were, after all, Iraqis remember very bitterly, disbanded by the U.S. liberators at the end of the war to depose Saddam Hussein when Iraq's security forces, its intelligence structure was all destroyed, as a result of the disbanding of all Iraq security forces at that time -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: Brent Sadler in Baghdad. Thanks so much.
Well, let's get a little bit more reaction now to Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi's speech to Congress. Joining us from Washington is Samer Shehata, a professor from The Center of Contemporary Arab Studies in Georgetown University.
Good to see you, Samer.
SAMER SHEHATA, PROFESSOR, THE CENTER OF CONTEMPORARY ARAB STUDIES: Good morning.
WHITFIELD: All right. Prime minister Allawi said the elections will take place as scheduled in January. Because the Iraqi people want it. But still a very persistent problem is security. And likely seen in Afghanistan leading up to their war, there have been so many threats and tactics of intimidation, even killing people as they're signing up to get registered. What do you see possibly standing in the way in Iraq from those January elections from taking place as scheduled?
SHEHATA: Well, that's exactly it. Security or the absence of security, the car bombings, the political assassinations, the kidnappings, the chaos that is a large extent of Iraq is what the primary obstacle is towards having free and fair elections. Because having free and fair elections, of course, doesn't mean that there aren't any car bombings on Election Day and things go smoothly.
It means that the period before the elections, as well, is one that allows candidates and political parties to mobilize and sell their positions to the public. And also, for the counting to take place freely and accurately afterwards. So it's more than just security on Election Day.
And I think many of us are skeptical with the current situation and the level of violence, and the National Intelligence Estimate that was released, or that was leaked last week, which has indicated that really the level of violence has increased. And things are worsening in Iraq, not improving, that elections free and fair elections can take place in January.
WHITFIELD: Well, let's listen to Prime Minister Allawi and how he assessed things on the issue of elections in January just moments ago on the Hill.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ALLAWI: We already know that terrorists and former regime elements will do all they can to disrupt these elections. There would be no greater success for the terrorists if we delay. And no greater blow when the elections take place, as they will on schedule.
(APPLAUSE)
ALLAWI: The Iraqi elections may not be perfect. They may not be the best elections that Iraq will ever hold. They will no doubt be an excuse for violence from those that despise liberty, as were the first elections in Sierra Leone or South Africa or Indonesia. But they will take place, and they will be free and fair.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: And Professor Shehata, now this monkey wrench thrown into things. Shiite cleric Ali al Sistani is now saying very openly that he doesn't believe the election should be taking place in January, particularly because there isn't enough Shiite representation. Who is more influential? Ali al Sistani or perhaps Iyad Allawi?
SHEHATA: I think there's no question that Grand Ayatollah Sistani is much more influential and resonates with much of Iraq than Mr. Allawi. So I would put more credence into Mr. Sistani's remarks.
The point that Mr. Allawi made in the speech is a good point. That of course, the insurgents do not want the elections to take place. However, the elections taking place in January successfully would not mean an end to the insurgency. Because that's not their primary goal. Their primary goal, of course, is to get coalition forces outside of Iraq and to reconstitute Iraq in their own liking, as it were. So having elections in January, even if they are marred by a little bit of violence, is not the end of the insurgency.
And then just one last point. It's true that first-time elections all over the world oftentimes are difficult, sometimes marred by violence. But the crucial point is...
WHITFIELD: OK.
SHEHATA: ... is that there's -- if there's too much violence, if there are too unfair, then you're going to have Iraqis say we reject the outcomes, this isn't legitimate. And they're going to exit from the political game.
WHITFIELD: All right. Good point. Professor Samer Shehata of Georgetown University, thanks so much for joining us.
SHEHATA: You're very welcome.
WHITFIELD: An of course, we'll be evaluating some more the Prime Minister Iyad Allawi's speech on Capitol Hill. And his planned visit with President Bush in the next hour when we come right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
