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American Morning
Bush Says It Is Time For Iraq to Let Inspectors In
Aired November 27, 2001 - 09:05 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.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: A decade after the Gulf War, Iraq is back in the news today. President Bush says it's time for Iraq to permit weapons inspectors back into the country. The last inspectors were kicked out in December of 1998. President Bush also seemed to make a threat -- if Iraq fails to comply.
CNN's Major Garrett is at the White House with more on this new wrinkle in the war on terrorism. I know we spoke about this a little bit earlier on this morning. I think it's quite clear what the president said. What's being debated this morning is exactly what it meant.
What's the consensus there this morning?
MAJOR GARRETT, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well Paula, the president said Saddam Hussein would be held accountable if he did not allow weapons inspectors back into Iraq, but when asked exactly what the consequences would be if Saddam Hussein refused this new U.S.demand, all the president would say is "he'll find out."
Now, senior administration officials adamantly deny that Iraq is a part of the phase two of planning in the campaign against terror, but they readily concede the question about what to do about Iraq is actively and intensely being debated here at the White House, the Pentagon, and at the State Department.
And on Monday, the president appeared to expand the definition of legitimate target in the campaign again terror, adding nations that develop weapons of mass destruction.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: If anybody harbors a terrorist, they're a terrorist. If they fund a terrorist, they're a terrorist. If they house terrorists they're terrorists. I mean, I can't make it any more clearly to other nations around the world. If they develop weapons of mass destruction, that will be used to terrorize nations, they will be held accountable. And, as for Mr. Saddam Hussein, he needs to let inspectors back in his country to show us that he is not developing weapons of mass destruction.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GARRETT: Now, the president did not mention nations that develop weapons of mass destruction in September speech to Congress outlining the goals and potential targets of the campaign against terrorism. But Richard Butler, who was the former United Nations head of weapons inspections within Iraq said the president said much less than met the eye, arguing Iraq's pursuit of weapons of mass destruction is hardly a secret and continues to this day.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RICHARD BUTLER, FORMER U.N. CHIEF WEAPONS INSPECTOR: If we discover Iraq is in possession of weapons of mass destruction... I want to be very plain with you. That's nonsense. We know very well that Iraq is in position of weapons of mass destruction. That was the case when they threw inspectors out three years ago, the security council verified that subsequently, and in the three years without inspection, there are countless reports that Saddam is back in business making more biological and chemical weapons.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GARRETT: Now Paula, any move against Iraq would likely pose immediate problems for the White House. First, it would probably split the international coalition. Second, Congress would probably want to be actively involved in the debate, and would probably seek power to authorize any action against Iraq, in part because of the president's powers to wage the war against terrorism were specifically limited to those nations directly implicated in the September 11th attacks. Paula.
ZAHN: Major, when you started your report, I just handled -- handed an "urgent" from Reuters, and here's the reaction of top Iraqi officials, and I'm going to read this, this quote -- quote -- "anyone who thinks Iraq can accept an arrogant unilateral will of this party or that, is mistaken. Iraq is able to defend itself and rights and will and will not bow to threats but only to justice and right."
I guess one can only imagine what the reaction of the U.S. administration will be to that response.
GARRETT: Well, I can say it clearly --
ZAHN: Not unexpected, right?
GARRETT: Not unexpected. What we're seeing is a ratcheting up, at least of the rhetoric here, between of the two countries. Now, the White House took pains yesterday, through Ari Fleischer, the White House spokesman to say the president really did not plow any new policy ground. That he had said much the same things during the campaign and his early days of the administration.
But clearly, Paula, the context has changed dramatically since September 11th. And the president, when he brought up weapons of mass destruction, was answering a question specifically about what he intended to do about Iraq. So, the president led with adding this definition of weapons to mass destruction as a potentially legitimate new target in the war on terrorism, getting the whole ball rolling.
ZAHN: Thanks so much, Major.
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