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Bush Administration Official: Iraq Trying to Get Drug Used to Counter Nerve Agents
Aired November 12, 2002 - 07:34 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: As the Iraq deadline nears, a Bush administration official is quoted as saying that Iraq is trying to get large quantities of a drug used to counter deadly nerve agents. That report was first published this morning in the "New York Times."
Let's check in with Barbara Starr, who joins us live from the Pentagon with reaction to that report -- good morning, Barbara.
BARBARA STARR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Paula.
Well, administration officials have now also told CNN that they believe Iraq has ordered as many as one million doses of a drug called atropine. That is a drug that is used sometimes to counter exposure to nerve agent. Now, the U.S. says that Iraq started ordering this drug earlier this year from suppliers in Turkey. But it's a bit of a mystery at the moment, because Turkish government and industry officials say there have been no such orders. But we do know that both sides, Turkish and U.S. officials, are talking, trying to determine if some orders were placed, if any of the drug was, in fact, shipped to Iraq.
Now, officials tell CNN that the orders have remained ongoing throughout the year and the question is why is Iraq possibly stockpiling this drug for the last several months. One possibility, of course, protection for their own military forces if there is some exposure to nerve agent, if there is some release of nerve agent or if the U.S. bombs what might be a WMD, weapons of mass destruction site, that has a nerve agent on it.
Sources have also told CNN that these orders have included other supplies, other antidotes, wash down showers and Geiger counters -- Paula.
ZAHN: So, let me ask you this, Barbara. If you are confirming the administration officials have told you that the administration's confirming the ordering of this million dosages of this agent to counteract nerve gas, are they confirming one way or the other whether any of this stuff was ever shipped?
STARR: That's what they don't know at the moment. Officials have told us this morning that's what they're trying to look into. They're trying to determine if any of the orders were shipped or if this is something that has all just been on paper. And so far the Turks have not shipped any. They just simply don't know.
ZAHN: And I know that in our own wire service it is being reported that the government and industry officials from Turkey deny any requests for the drug have been made by Iraq.
STARR: That is right, Paula. We should say that. Turkish government officials and industry officials say that they have no knowledge of any of this. But the State Department is said to be looking into it and, of course, what they're always interested in finding out is whether some industry dealings have taken place that the government may not be aware of.
ZAHN: But we should take what the administration is saying this morning for the truth, no? I mean if they're confirming this stuff was ordered, there's some sort of disconnect in the story at this point.
STARR: Well, let's put it this way, our sources, who are very knowledgeable about this issue, say they have information that leads them to believe absolutely, yes, the orders have been placed. Whether it's all been delivered to Baghdad is no question.
ZAHN: OK. Thank you for putting that all into perspective.
STARR: Sure.
ZAHN: Because the reporting is all over the map on that story this morning.
Appreciate it, Barbara.
STARR: Absolutely. It's a bit of a mystery.
ZAHN: It is.
Thanks.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
to Counter Nerve Agents>
Aired November 12, 2002 - 07:34 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: As the Iraq deadline nears, a Bush administration official is quoted as saying that Iraq is trying to get large quantities of a drug used to counter deadly nerve agents. That report was first published this morning in the "New York Times."
Let's check in with Barbara Starr, who joins us live from the Pentagon with reaction to that report -- good morning, Barbara.
BARBARA STARR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Paula.
Well, administration officials have now also told CNN that they believe Iraq has ordered as many as one million doses of a drug called atropine. That is a drug that is used sometimes to counter exposure to nerve agent. Now, the U.S. says that Iraq started ordering this drug earlier this year from suppliers in Turkey. But it's a bit of a mystery at the moment, because Turkish government and industry officials say there have been no such orders. But we do know that both sides, Turkish and U.S. officials, are talking, trying to determine if some orders were placed, if any of the drug was, in fact, shipped to Iraq.
Now, officials tell CNN that the orders have remained ongoing throughout the year and the question is why is Iraq possibly stockpiling this drug for the last several months. One possibility, of course, protection for their own military forces if there is some exposure to nerve agent, if there is some release of nerve agent or if the U.S. bombs what might be a WMD, weapons of mass destruction site, that has a nerve agent on it.
Sources have also told CNN that these orders have included other supplies, other antidotes, wash down showers and Geiger counters -- Paula.
ZAHN: So, let me ask you this, Barbara. If you are confirming the administration officials have told you that the administration's confirming the ordering of this million dosages of this agent to counteract nerve gas, are they confirming one way or the other whether any of this stuff was ever shipped?
STARR: That's what they don't know at the moment. Officials have told us this morning that's what they're trying to look into. They're trying to determine if any of the orders were shipped or if this is something that has all just been on paper. And so far the Turks have not shipped any. They just simply don't know.
ZAHN: And I know that in our own wire service it is being reported that the government and industry officials from Turkey deny any requests for the drug have been made by Iraq.
STARR: That is right, Paula. We should say that. Turkish government officials and industry officials say that they have no knowledge of any of this. But the State Department is said to be looking into it and, of course, what they're always interested in finding out is whether some industry dealings have taken place that the government may not be aware of.
ZAHN: But we should take what the administration is saying this morning for the truth, no? I mean if they're confirming this stuff was ordered, there's some sort of disconnect in the story at this point.
STARR: Well, let's put it this way, our sources, who are very knowledgeable about this issue, say they have information that leads them to believe absolutely, yes, the orders have been placed. Whether it's all been delivered to Baghdad is no question.
ZAHN: OK. Thank you for putting that all into perspective.
STARR: Sure.
ZAHN: Because the reporting is all over the map on that story this morning.
Appreciate it, Barbara.
STARR: Absolutely. It's a bit of a mystery.
ZAHN: It is.
Thanks.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
to Counter Nerve Agents>
