Return to Transcripts main page
American Morning
Bush Administration Responding Cautiously to Chemical Weapons Find
Aired January 17, 2003 - 09:30 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: The Bush administration is responding cautiously to the chemical weapons find in Baghdad.
For more on that and for reaction to the defiant speech by Saddam Hussein, let's turn to John King, who is standing by at the White House.
Good morning, John.
JOHN KING, CNN SR. WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Paula.
Indeed, quite a defiant speech from the Iraqi president.
But I have They don't spend much time around here debating or discussing the substance of what Saddam Hussein says, especially when he is threatening a fierce battle against U.S. troops. White House officials say they, obviously, have to prepare for the worst if there is a military confrontation, but more than confident here that the U.S. military is more than a match for any troops Saddam Hussein would send into ballots.
Perhaps much more concern to the White House is other comments from around the world about the Iraq debate. Chief weapons inspector Hans Blix is making his way toward Baghdad, consultations in France today with the French President Jacques Chirac.
Mr. Blix did say something the White House likes to hear. He went public in saying that Iraq is not fully cooperating, that Iraq has not forthcoming in sharing his evidence of weapons of mass destruction, and Mr. Blix says Iraq must choose right now to be much more cooperative with the inspectors or face a possible military conflict.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HANS BLIX, CHIEF U.N. WEAPONS INSPECTOR: There is not yet confidence, there is not yet certainty that all of the chemical, biological weapons and missiles are gone, and that all of the equipment is gone. There not yet that certainty, and it is above all for Iraq to demonstrate that everything has been done away with.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: Now, White House officials say Iraq must do that soon, or else the president will start to make the turn toward building a coalition for military action. But while Blix was in France, more evidence underscoring the diplomatic challenge facing the president. The inspectors, Mr. Blix and Dr. Mohammed El-Baradei of the International Energy Agency, say they need more time, perhaps months more. The White House doesn't like to hear talk like that, but the French President Jacques Chirac says if the inspectors want more time, they should get it.
JACQUES CHIRAC, FRENCH PRESIDENT (through translator): They have asked for extra time, and that was concern by Mr. El-Baradei and Mr. Blix, and therefore, wisdom would obligate us to respond to their request and give them the necessary time in order to be able to draw some serious conclusions and in order for them to be able to convince the international community.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: The White House says the discovery by inspectors on the ground of those chemical weapons shells yesterday, 11 shells capable of carrying chemical weapons. The White House says that is proof that Saddam Hussein does still have an active program to develop weapons of mass destruct destruction, but they say they can not determine the significance of the finding until they get more information from the inspectors -- Paula.
ZAHN: Thanks so much, John.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Weapons Find>
Aired January 17, 2003 - 09:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: The Bush administration is responding cautiously to the chemical weapons find in Baghdad.
For more on that and for reaction to the defiant speech by Saddam Hussein, let's turn to John King, who is standing by at the White House.
Good morning, John.
JOHN KING, CNN SR. WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Paula.
Indeed, quite a defiant speech from the Iraqi president.
But I have They don't spend much time around here debating or discussing the substance of what Saddam Hussein says, especially when he is threatening a fierce battle against U.S. troops. White House officials say they, obviously, have to prepare for the worst if there is a military confrontation, but more than confident here that the U.S. military is more than a match for any troops Saddam Hussein would send into ballots.
Perhaps much more concern to the White House is other comments from around the world about the Iraq debate. Chief weapons inspector Hans Blix is making his way toward Baghdad, consultations in France today with the French President Jacques Chirac.
Mr. Blix did say something the White House likes to hear. He went public in saying that Iraq is not fully cooperating, that Iraq has not forthcoming in sharing his evidence of weapons of mass destruction, and Mr. Blix says Iraq must choose right now to be much more cooperative with the inspectors or face a possible military conflict.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HANS BLIX, CHIEF U.N. WEAPONS INSPECTOR: There is not yet confidence, there is not yet certainty that all of the chemical, biological weapons and missiles are gone, and that all of the equipment is gone. There not yet that certainty, and it is above all for Iraq to demonstrate that everything has been done away with.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: Now, White House officials say Iraq must do that soon, or else the president will start to make the turn toward building a coalition for military action. But while Blix was in France, more evidence underscoring the diplomatic challenge facing the president. The inspectors, Mr. Blix and Dr. Mohammed El-Baradei of the International Energy Agency, say they need more time, perhaps months more. The White House doesn't like to hear talk like that, but the French President Jacques Chirac says if the inspectors want more time, they should get it.
JACQUES CHIRAC, FRENCH PRESIDENT (through translator): They have asked for extra time, and that was concern by Mr. El-Baradei and Mr. Blix, and therefore, wisdom would obligate us to respond to their request and give them the necessary time in order to be able to draw some serious conclusions and in order for them to be able to convince the international community.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: The White House says the discovery by inspectors on the ground of those chemical weapons shells yesterday, 11 shells capable of carrying chemical weapons. The White House says that is proof that Saddam Hussein does still have an active program to develop weapons of mass destruct destruction, but they say they can not determine the significance of the finding until they get more information from the inspectors -- Paula.
ZAHN: Thanks so much, John.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Weapons Find>
