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American Morning
CIA Letter Causes a Stir
Aired October 09, 2002 - 08:43 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.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Let's get to the White House, and Kelly Wallace to see what they are talking about there this morning -- Kelly, hello.
KELLY WALLACE, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Bill. Well, I can tell you no formal White House reaction just yet to that letter by CIA director George Tenet, but you are likely to engage in some damage control, because as you said, the CIA director is indicating that the agency believes Saddam Hussein is unlikely to initiate a chemical or biological weapon attack against the United States unless he is provoked or facing an imminent U.S. military invasion.
So the question will be what impact will these words have on the debate currently underway in the House and in the Senate, on a resolution to give the president the authority to use military force, if necessary, against Iraq.
White House officials believe the president will really get strong, overwhelming victories in both houses, but you have heard some opponents in (ph) unilateral military action pointing to the CIA director's words saying, number one, this shows there is no eminent threat and, number two, they believe this shows that an attack by the U.S. could lead Saddam Hussein to do the exact thing President Bush is hoping to avoid.
Now, on another front, the administration is continuing to pursue efforts to get a new, tough U.N. resolution. U.S. officials feel they are making pretty good progress, and we are expecting President Bush to work the phones a bit today. He is expected to have a phone conversation at some point with French President Jacques Chirac.
Now, the French have not signed on to the U.S. approach, which would be one resolution spelling out what Saddam Hussein must do, and then the consequences he would face if he does not comply. The French would prefer to see two resolutions. One spelling out demands for Saddam Hussein and then another resolution down the road if he does not comply, possibly using military force to enforce those demands.
So, the lobbying continuing up at the U.N., and the key question is how will George Tenet's words affect debate in the Congress -- Bill, back to you.
HEMMER: Kelly, back to the CIA letter. Was this offered as a theory, or was this offered as evidence that was found by the intelligence community? WALLACE: Well, in part, the Senate Intelligence Committee chair, Senator Bob Graham, had really called on the CIA to release more information and to get the Senate more information as lawmakers are trying to debate this resolution on whether to, again, go ahead and support military force, if necessary, against Iraq. So it is really the thinking of the intelligence agency.
And CIA Director Tenet, in a statement last night, tried to do some damage control of his own, saying that there is no difference here, really, between the CIA and President Bush, saying the CIA believes that as time goes on, the likelihood of Saddam Hussein using weapons of mass destruction to blackmail or deter the U.S. could increase. So, he's trying to say there is no difference here, but others disagree.
HEMMER: Thank you, Kelly. Kelly Wallace, Front Lawn, D.C., at the White House.
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 October 9, 2002 - 08:43 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Let's get to the White House, and Kelly Wallace to see what they are talking about there this morning -- Kelly, hello.
KELLY WALLACE, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Bill. Well, I can tell you no formal White House reaction just yet to that letter by CIA director George Tenet, but you are likely to engage in some damage control, because as you said, the CIA director is indicating that the agency believes Saddam Hussein is unlikely to initiate a chemical or biological weapon attack against the United States unless he is provoked or facing an imminent U.S. military invasion.
So the question will be what impact will these words have on the debate currently underway in the House and in the Senate, on a resolution to give the president the authority to use military force, if necessary, against Iraq.
White House officials believe the president will really get strong, overwhelming victories in both houses, but you have heard some opponents in (ph) unilateral military action pointing to the CIA director's words saying, number one, this shows there is no eminent threat and, number two, they believe this shows that an attack by the U.S. could lead Saddam Hussein to do the exact thing President Bush is hoping to avoid.
Now, on another front, the administration is continuing to pursue efforts to get a new, tough U.N. resolution. U.S. officials feel they are making pretty good progress, and we are expecting President Bush to work the phones a bit today. He is expected to have a phone conversation at some point with French President Jacques Chirac.
Now, the French have not signed on to the U.S. approach, which would be one resolution spelling out what Saddam Hussein must do, and then the consequences he would face if he does not comply. The French would prefer to see two resolutions. One spelling out demands for Saddam Hussein and then another resolution down the road if he does not comply, possibly using military force to enforce those demands.
So, the lobbying continuing up at the U.N., and the key question is how will George Tenet's words affect debate in the Congress -- Bill, back to you.
HEMMER: Kelly, back to the CIA letter. Was this offered as a theory, or was this offered as evidence that was found by the intelligence community? WALLACE: Well, in part, the Senate Intelligence Committee chair, Senator Bob Graham, had really called on the CIA to release more information and to get the Senate more information as lawmakers are trying to debate this resolution on whether to, again, go ahead and support military force, if necessary, against Iraq. So it is really the thinking of the intelligence agency.
And CIA Director Tenet, in a statement last night, tried to do some damage control of his own, saying that there is no difference here, really, between the CIA and President Bush, saying the CIA believes that as time goes on, the likelihood of Saddam Hussein using weapons of mass destruction to blackmail or deter the U.S. could increase. So, he's trying to say there is no difference here, but others disagree.
HEMMER: Thank you, Kelly. Kelly Wallace, Front Lawn, D.C., at the White House.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
