Return to Transcripts main page

American Morning

Powell Indicated U.S. Might Have to Go After Saddam Alone

Aired February 07, 2002 - 07:32   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: Secretary of State Colin Powell told Congress yesterday that the Bush administration wants to see a regime change in Iraq. In other words, it wants to get rid of Saddam Hussein. But how? And Powell indicated the U.S. might have to go it alone after all.

Well, for his view on this and a whole host of issues, we are joined by Richard Butler, our ambassador-in-residence -- good morning.

RICHARD BUTLER, FORMER UNITED NATIONS CHIEF WEAPONS INSPECTOR: Good morning, Paula.

ZAHN: So this is two days in a row...

BUTLER: That's right.

ZAHN: ... that Secretary Powell has tried to clarify some of the axis of evil comments that had come from the administration. What was he telling us yesterday? What are the options on the table that he is considering?

BUTLER: Well...

ZAHN: You've got military and political, right?

BUTLER: Absolutely. He has been at it for two days in the Congress now, but yesterday we got more clarity on the Iraq part of the axis of evil. He said, Paula, the president of the United States is considering the full range of options to get rid of Saddam Hussein. Those are very strong words. They are military, political, diplomatic, economic and of course, to develop an alternative government. Getting rid of Saddam is one thing, but everyone recognizes that it is smart to know what would follow him.

ZAHN: Well, let's talk about the most obvious choices the secretary has right now. When you have increasing opposition coming from U.S. allies about any military attack on Iraq right now, what's the most obvious thing that the administration has to consider? Increased funding for the Iraqi opposition?

BUTLER: Yes. I think that's a very important first step. There has been $100 million appropriated by Congress under the Iraqi Liberation Act for some time now to support the Iraqi National Congress, the opposition group. Now, that money has been used in really only rather small quantities. I expect we will see that increase.

That opposition group has links to the Kurds in the north of Iraq that are quite strong, and not quite like the Northern Alliance in Afghanistan, but a bit like that. They could move down towards Baghdad from the north. Their links in the south are weaker, but in the south, there is a history of very serious uprising against Baghdad, against Saddam, from amongst the Iraqi people in the south. They have paid dearly for that. Saddam has slaughtered tens of thousands of them.

So there is the basis for change, and there is a deep belief that the Iraqi people as a whole, the minute they see the dictator on the way out, they will turn and want something else.

(CROSSTALK)

ZAHN: Are you convinced that would happen?

BUTLER: Yes, I am.

ZAHN: You are.

BUTLER: I am now convinced of that. Yes, I am. I think it is deeply true that the Iraqi people live in terror under this man, and when they have an opportunity to see him off the scene, they will seize it. How to manufacture that opportunity? It is going to take some military means, as well as supporting these opposition groups. And as you rightly pointed out, Paula, we've got problems with some of our friends, including the Russians, who are making it very clear -- in particular for some reason, the Germans and the Russians...

(CROSSTALK)

ZAHN: Yes, the Russians are owed a lot of money, right?

BUTLER: That's right.

ZAHN: Boy!

BUTLER: And they are making it very clear that they don't want the United States to take what Colin Powell in his speech yesterday called going it alone. If necessary, we will do it alone.

ZAHN: The secretary of state also made it clear that inspections must resume. You were the man that presided over those inspections for many years. He indicated yesterday that they know that Saddam Hussein continues to manufacture pesticides, and with -- what -- a simple flip of the switch, you can turn some of those same materials into something far more dangerous.

BUTLER: Exactly. Not quite with a flip of the switch...

ZAHN: Biological...

BUTLER: ... but just by changing the formula slightly, you can turn, you know, benign production of, say, a pesticide or a herbicide, you know, to spray on crops into a chemical weapon -- very similar formulas. You can use the same factory, the same input of materials to make pesticide in the morning, after lunch turn it around a little bit and make chemical weapons.

Now, I do want to emphasize the point that you have called attention to. The key to this in what Powell is saying is the return of arms control inspectors, and he has made very clear that he will have no patience for extended talks at the U.N. about whether or not those inspectors should go in. He says they must be there, and they must have a serious job to do. No phony inspections.

ZAHN: We need a quick final thought on what is expected to happen between Prime Minister Ariel Sharon of Israel today and President Bush. President Bush hasn't talked with Yasser Arafat lately. According to one report, that's exactly what Ariel Sharon is going to tell the president, give up on him. Let's move on to the next Palestinian leader.

BUTLER: I think that's right. Sharon, I think, will do two things. He will say our policy is working. It's a tough policy. It's a policy of hitting the Palestinian terrorists and others hard, and the Palestinian organization -- hitting them hard militarily. It's unpopular in many parts of the world. But he will say, "It is working, and as you know very well, Mr. President, that's what you have to do to terrorists."

But secondly, Paula, I think he will say, "If you want us to get back on the track with peace talks, we're going to need a new Palestinian leader to deal with. Arafat is finished. Help us find another one." I believe they are the two things he will be saying.

ZAHN: Yet another thing we'll be tracking here today. Thank you so much, Richard Butler.

BUTLER: Thank you.

ZAHN: See you same time, same place tomorrow.

BUTLER: Good to see you.

ZAHN: Appreciate your time.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.