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Senior Administration Officials Say Iraq's Weapons Declaration Fails Test

Aired December 18, 2002 - 08:02   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: Senior administration officials say Iraq's weapons declaration fails the test. The president will likely be urged to declare Iraq in violation during a National Security Council meeting at the White House this morning.
Let's turn to our Senior White House Correspondent John King for more -- good morning, John.

JOHN KING, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Paula.

No surprises here in that the president will now declare officially that Iraq has flunked the test, if you will, in the view of the United States. Yet this is a significant day in the showdown with Saddam Hussein. The president will meet with the full National Security Council here at the White House today and we are told by senior officials he has decided that the administration's official position with the United Nations will be that Iraq has fallen far short of the test to fully disclose and accurately account for its chemical, biological and nuclear weapons programs.

At the same time, however, U.S. officials tell us the president has decided he will not push for immediate military action. Instead, the administration will put pressure on the United Nations to be much more aggressive in the inspections on the ground, especially, we are told, the United States wants to see use of the provision that allows Iraqi scientists and others involved in the weapons programs to be taken out of Iraq and questioned.

U.S. officials believe they will be much more honest if questioned outside of the country. U.S. officials say it could be several weeks or more before the administration is prepared to deal with the issue of "material breach," whether that would be the trigger for a possible military confrontation. But still significant, the administration will report to the Security Council this week that it believes Iraq is in violation, that Iraq has failed the test and has not done what the United Nations Security Council demand it do, give a full, complete and accurate accounting of its weapons programs -- Paula.

ZAHN: Can you help us better understand how the administration views Hans Blix at the moment? There was a "Wall Street Journal" story this morning suggesting that the administration wasn't certain how much intelligence to provide to him and there was an interesting phrase used in that piece about they were fearful of his ability to maintain "operational security." KING: Well, opinions about Hans Blix run hot and cold, if you will. At the beginning of the process, U.S. officials met with him, including the president. They were convinced he's quite serious. There is no one here who says Mr. Blix is not dedicated and thorough in his work.

There is a debate, though, if Iraq is moving its weapons of mass destruction, there's a debate within the United States of do you want to give the inspectors the most sensitive information that says where the United States believes these weapons are hidden, where these programs are headquartered, do you want to give that to the inspectors if they, then, will go and essentially tip Iraq off to what the United States knows before a possible military confrontation? Because if there is a military confrontation, many of these sites that are now critical to inspectors would become critical targets in a war.

There is a debate within the United States over how much information you want to share with the inspectors because it could undermine military planning down the road.

ZAHN: John King, thanks so much.

Appreciate that live update.

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




Declaration Fails Test>


Aired December 18, 2002 - 08:02   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Senior administration officials say Iraq's weapons declaration fails the test. The president will likely be urged to declare Iraq in violation during a National Security Council meeting at the White House this morning.
Let's turn to our Senior White House Correspondent John King for more -- good morning, John.

JOHN KING, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Paula.

No surprises here in that the president will now declare officially that Iraq has flunked the test, if you will, in the view of the United States. Yet this is a significant day in the showdown with Saddam Hussein. The president will meet with the full National Security Council here at the White House today and we are told by senior officials he has decided that the administration's official position with the United Nations will be that Iraq has fallen far short of the test to fully disclose and accurately account for its chemical, biological and nuclear weapons programs.

At the same time, however, U.S. officials tell us the president has decided he will not push for immediate military action. Instead, the administration will put pressure on the United Nations to be much more aggressive in the inspections on the ground, especially, we are told, the United States wants to see use of the provision that allows Iraqi scientists and others involved in the weapons programs to be taken out of Iraq and questioned.

U.S. officials believe they will be much more honest if questioned outside of the country. U.S. officials say it could be several weeks or more before the administration is prepared to deal with the issue of "material breach," whether that would be the trigger for a possible military confrontation. But still significant, the administration will report to the Security Council this week that it believes Iraq is in violation, that Iraq has failed the test and has not done what the United Nations Security Council demand it do, give a full, complete and accurate accounting of its weapons programs -- Paula.

ZAHN: Can you help us better understand how the administration views Hans Blix at the moment? There was a "Wall Street Journal" story this morning suggesting that the administration wasn't certain how much intelligence to provide to him and there was an interesting phrase used in that piece about they were fearful of his ability to maintain "operational security." KING: Well, opinions about Hans Blix run hot and cold, if you will. At the beginning of the process, U.S. officials met with him, including the president. They were convinced he's quite serious. There is no one here who says Mr. Blix is not dedicated and thorough in his work.

There is a debate, though, if Iraq is moving its weapons of mass destruction, there's a debate within the United States of do you want to give the inspectors the most sensitive information that says where the United States believes these weapons are hidden, where these programs are headquartered, do you want to give that to the inspectors if they, then, will go and essentially tip Iraq off to what the United States knows before a possible military confrontation? Because if there is a military confrontation, many of these sites that are now critical to inspectors would become critical targets in a war.

There is a debate within the United States over how much information you want to share with the inspectors because it could undermine military planning down the road.

ZAHN: John King, thanks so much.

Appreciate that live update.

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




Declaration Fails Test>