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American Morning
Iraq Accuses U.S. of Double Standard in Handling of North Korea
Aired January 01, 2003 - 09:06 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.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Now we turn to Iraq at six minutes after the hour. U.N. weapons inspectors began the new year there at work as their hunt for weapons of mass destruction continues. President Bush says that he believes that there is a big difference between the problems posed by Saddam Hussein and North Korea.
Rym Brahimi is standing by in Baghdad and she's got the view from there -- hello, Rym.
Do the Iraqis feel that the U.S. is using a double standard here?
RYM BRAHIMI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely, Leon.
This is one of the things they resent a lot and they've been saying it. It's been out in the official state run media in the past few days since this North Korean crisis erupted. Most of the editorials denouncing the double standard, saying North Korea has weapons, is declaring it, and the U.S. is dealing diplomatically with it whereas we have no weapons of mass destruction, say the Iraqis, but the U.S. still wants to bomb us. They say it's proof that the U.S. is not genuinely interested in disarming Iraq, but only on putting its hands on Iraq's oil resources.
Now, today another interesting editorial in a newspaper run by the president's son, taking that argument a step further and saying well, why don't the Arab countries now take inspiration from North Korea in order to earn respect from the United States and also prevent what it calls "a Zionist-American crusade against Iraq."
Now, let me just show you something else that's come out in the state run media here, Leon, a newspaper here that's run by the ruling Baath Party. You can see President Bush here dressed as Father Christmas and he's carrying a bag full of missiles and ammunition. And the world here is cowering behind a locked door. So this probably gives you a better idea of how things are seen from this end -- Leon.
HARRIS: Understood very well.
Rym Brahimi reporting live for us from Baghdad.
Happy new year, Rym.
Take care.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Korea>
Aired January 1, 2003 - 09:06 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Now we turn to Iraq at six minutes after the hour. U.N. weapons inspectors began the new year there at work as their hunt for weapons of mass destruction continues. President Bush says that he believes that there is a big difference between the problems posed by Saddam Hussein and North Korea.
Rym Brahimi is standing by in Baghdad and she's got the view from there -- hello, Rym.
Do the Iraqis feel that the U.S. is using a double standard here?
RYM BRAHIMI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely, Leon.
This is one of the things they resent a lot and they've been saying it. It's been out in the official state run media in the past few days since this North Korean crisis erupted. Most of the editorials denouncing the double standard, saying North Korea has weapons, is declaring it, and the U.S. is dealing diplomatically with it whereas we have no weapons of mass destruction, say the Iraqis, but the U.S. still wants to bomb us. They say it's proof that the U.S. is not genuinely interested in disarming Iraq, but only on putting its hands on Iraq's oil resources.
Now, today another interesting editorial in a newspaper run by the president's son, taking that argument a step further and saying well, why don't the Arab countries now take inspiration from North Korea in order to earn respect from the United States and also prevent what it calls "a Zionist-American crusade against Iraq."
Now, let me just show you something else that's come out in the state run media here, Leon, a newspaper here that's run by the ruling Baath Party. You can see President Bush here dressed as Father Christmas and he's carrying a bag full of missiles and ammunition. And the world here is cowering behind a locked door. So this probably gives you a better idea of how things are seen from this end -- Leon.
HARRIS: Understood very well.
Rym Brahimi reporting live for us from Baghdad.
Happy new year, Rym.
Take care.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Korea>
