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American Morning
Talk With Former Weapons Inspector Garth Whitty
Aired January 20, 2003 - 08:32 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: One of the concessions Iraq agreed today is to talk about that 12,000-page declaration that the U.N. says is incomplete. Just yesterday, Iraq itself offered up four more chemical warheads that the chiefs arms inspectors say should have been declared and destroyed. Let's talk more about it. Garth Whitty, a former weapons inspector, is our guest now live in London, a man who knows this issue all too well.
What are we to make, first of all, the developments in Iraq today, regarding inspections and interviews for scientists that Iraq is now saying go ahead and talk, do it freely, and then scour the country and let us know if there are more materials, more warheads that we need to notify the U.N.? To you, as a former inspector, what does that now suggest about the current situation in Iraq?
GARTH WHITTY, FMR. U.N. INSPECTOR: Well, I think the Iraqis are certainly feeling the pressure, and that's very evident from the buildup of troops in the area. They are both past (ph) masters of making concessions and then drawing back when people think that things are going that much better.
HEMMER: I take it the discovery of these half dozen, the 16 new warheads is no surprise to you?
WHITTY: It's no surprise. And while it is significant, particularly significant to the inspectors themselves, to achieve the success, it doesn't demonstrate a military capability. But, yes, it is significant. I would be very surprised if there weren't lots of other finds to be made in the future. But whether they indicate...
HEMMER: I'm sorry, I apologize for the interruption here. There is a satellite delay. Define violation then, violation that leads us to war. At what point does it go there?
WHITTY: Well, of course, that is not my call. But the reality is, they are violating the terms of the original U.N. mandate, because they should have given up all of the components of their WMD program.
Having said that, from my own experience, the munition management system isn't that good, and it's no surprise to me that through oversights or perhaps design, there would still be weapons around.
HEMMER: Many of us are watching the clock. I'm sure you are as well. Listen to what Condoleezza Rice said yesterday about the clock and her schedule right now as she looks at this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) CONDOLEEZZA RICE, NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: The question is not, can they find something? The question is, is Iraq prepared to disarm, and all of the evidence to date of false declaration, documents hidden, interfering with reconnaissance flights, trying to put restrictions on reconnaissance flights. All of the evidence is the Iraqis are not complying. Time is running out.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HEMMER: She says, and so do many others, that time is running out. You suggested it as well. Do you believe as an inspector that the program, the way it's set up, could ever work at all, given the results of what we are finding out right now in Iraq?
WHITTY: I don't think through inspections alone, there is a high probability of everything ever being found.
HEMMER: Given that answer, knowing that intelligence sharing is happening right now to some degree between the inspectors and the U.S. and British government, is this an indication right now, given the inspection that was taken place at the scientist's home last week that intelligence sharing is having an effect right now?
WHITTY: Certainly there is that indication. you know, although there may be construed as relatively minor successes, they are, nevertheless, successes, and up until this point, to the best of my knowledge, the weapons inspectors haven't actually found anything. I think we will see more finds over the next couple of weeks, and then decisions will be taken as to where to go from there.
HEMMER: That's what we all wait and watch for. Garth Whitty, former inspector in London, thank you, sir. Appreciate your time today.
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 January 20, 2003 - 08:32 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: One of the concessions Iraq agreed today is to talk about that 12,000-page declaration that the U.N. says is incomplete. Just yesterday, Iraq itself offered up four more chemical warheads that the chiefs arms inspectors say should have been declared and destroyed. Let's talk more about it. Garth Whitty, a former weapons inspector, is our guest now live in London, a man who knows this issue all too well.
What are we to make, first of all, the developments in Iraq today, regarding inspections and interviews for scientists that Iraq is now saying go ahead and talk, do it freely, and then scour the country and let us know if there are more materials, more warheads that we need to notify the U.N.? To you, as a former inspector, what does that now suggest about the current situation in Iraq?
GARTH WHITTY, FMR. U.N. INSPECTOR: Well, I think the Iraqis are certainly feeling the pressure, and that's very evident from the buildup of troops in the area. They are both past (ph) masters of making concessions and then drawing back when people think that things are going that much better.
HEMMER: I take it the discovery of these half dozen, the 16 new warheads is no surprise to you?
WHITTY: It's no surprise. And while it is significant, particularly significant to the inspectors themselves, to achieve the success, it doesn't demonstrate a military capability. But, yes, it is significant. I would be very surprised if there weren't lots of other finds to be made in the future. But whether they indicate...
HEMMER: I'm sorry, I apologize for the interruption here. There is a satellite delay. Define violation then, violation that leads us to war. At what point does it go there?
WHITTY: Well, of course, that is not my call. But the reality is, they are violating the terms of the original U.N. mandate, because they should have given up all of the components of their WMD program.
Having said that, from my own experience, the munition management system isn't that good, and it's no surprise to me that through oversights or perhaps design, there would still be weapons around.
HEMMER: Many of us are watching the clock. I'm sure you are as well. Listen to what Condoleezza Rice said yesterday about the clock and her schedule right now as she looks at this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) CONDOLEEZZA RICE, NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: The question is not, can they find something? The question is, is Iraq prepared to disarm, and all of the evidence to date of false declaration, documents hidden, interfering with reconnaissance flights, trying to put restrictions on reconnaissance flights. All of the evidence is the Iraqis are not complying. Time is running out.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HEMMER: She says, and so do many others, that time is running out. You suggested it as well. Do you believe as an inspector that the program, the way it's set up, could ever work at all, given the results of what we are finding out right now in Iraq?
WHITTY: I don't think through inspections alone, there is a high probability of everything ever being found.
HEMMER: Given that answer, knowing that intelligence sharing is happening right now to some degree between the inspectors and the U.S. and British government, is this an indication right now, given the inspection that was taken place at the scientist's home last week that intelligence sharing is having an effect right now?
WHITTY: Certainly there is that indication. you know, although there may be construed as relatively minor successes, they are, nevertheless, successes, and up until this point, to the best of my knowledge, the weapons inspectors haven't actually found anything. I think we will see more finds over the next couple of weeks, and then decisions will be taken as to where to go from there.
HEMMER: That's what we all wait and watch for. Garth Whitty, former inspector in London, thank you, sir. Appreciate your time today.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
