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American Morning
Secretary of State Colin Powell's Pledge
Aired February 03, 2003 - 07:16 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: Let's get back to Baghdad. In "The Wall Street Journal" today, the secretary of state, Colin Powell, writes that the evidence he will show the U.N. Wednesday will prove that Iraq is concealing weapons. In that commentary, Powell reinforces the president's position, saying in part, "A peaceful solution is possible, but we will not shrink from war if that is the only way to rid Iraq of weapons of mass destruction." Reaction on the other side of the world now in Baghdad, our Nic Robertson who is gathering it for us there.
Nic -- hello.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, reaction to Colin Powell's words or the potential for what he's going to say, which has been reported here, or at least picked up by Iraqi officials that they say it's a fabrication. They believe the satellite images that he'll use will be a fabrication. So, it's being put down to a political agenda. That's what is being said here in the papers and by Iraqi officials.
Today, however, some different type of news we're hearing today, not usual to get this type of information. Iraq's news agency quoting the National Monitoring Directorate. These are the officials who go with the U.N. weapons inspectors. At a site north of Baghdad today, al-Muda (ph) saying that weapons inspectors there found a leftover ceramic mold from a small missile system, something that has an 8-inch diameter.
Now, they gave -- Iraqi officials gave the weapons inspectors an explanation for the reason for this particular mold being there. Apparently, the inspectors accepted that.
Also, the inspectors discovered at that site today a modified warhead from a lunar (ph) missile. The Iraqi officials said this was a leftover and damaged warhead. The lunar (ph) missile system capable of going 45 miles. Now, that is within the 90-mile limit that Iraq's missiles are limited to by U.N. Resolution 1441. Iraqi officials told the U.N. inspectors that this particular type of modification to this warhead had been listed in documents given to the U.N. in 1996, and again listed in Iraq's documentation in 2002, December late last year -- Bill.
HEMMER: Nic, one other thing I want to pick up here quickly. The "L.A. Times" reporting again that some sort of deal has been worked out between Tony Blair and President Bush, which essentially sets a six-week deadline, which would put the possibility for conflict hitting somewhere around the 10th of March. Have you heard anything from your perspective there in Baghdad regarding that?
ROBERTSON: Bill, we get to talk to a lot of people who are coming into Baghdad here, a lot of political figures, a lot of humanitarian figures coming to Baghdad and meeting with Iraqi officials. What they are telling us is that Iraqi officials, almost 100 percent focusing their efforts, time, energies and resources on preparing for the possibility of war. Certainly the pictures we see on television support that, very patriotic music playing under pictures of soldiers in training and such like. So, what we are hearing from behind the scenes, a lot of time by officials being spent getting ready for the possibility -- Bill.
HEMMER: All right, Nic, thanks -- Nic Robertson in Baghdad.
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 February 3, 2003 - 07:16 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Let's get back to Baghdad. In "The Wall Street Journal" today, the secretary of state, Colin Powell, writes that the evidence he will show the U.N. Wednesday will prove that Iraq is concealing weapons. In that commentary, Powell reinforces the president's position, saying in part, "A peaceful solution is possible, but we will not shrink from war if that is the only way to rid Iraq of weapons of mass destruction." Reaction on the other side of the world now in Baghdad, our Nic Robertson who is gathering it for us there.
Nic -- hello.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, reaction to Colin Powell's words or the potential for what he's going to say, which has been reported here, or at least picked up by Iraqi officials that they say it's a fabrication. They believe the satellite images that he'll use will be a fabrication. So, it's being put down to a political agenda. That's what is being said here in the papers and by Iraqi officials.
Today, however, some different type of news we're hearing today, not usual to get this type of information. Iraq's news agency quoting the National Monitoring Directorate. These are the officials who go with the U.N. weapons inspectors. At a site north of Baghdad today, al-Muda (ph) saying that weapons inspectors there found a leftover ceramic mold from a small missile system, something that has an 8-inch diameter.
Now, they gave -- Iraqi officials gave the weapons inspectors an explanation for the reason for this particular mold being there. Apparently, the inspectors accepted that.
Also, the inspectors discovered at that site today a modified warhead from a lunar (ph) missile. The Iraqi officials said this was a leftover and damaged warhead. The lunar (ph) missile system capable of going 45 miles. Now, that is within the 90-mile limit that Iraq's missiles are limited to by U.N. Resolution 1441. Iraqi officials told the U.N. inspectors that this particular type of modification to this warhead had been listed in documents given to the U.N. in 1996, and again listed in Iraq's documentation in 2002, December late last year -- Bill.
HEMMER: Nic, one other thing I want to pick up here quickly. The "L.A. Times" reporting again that some sort of deal has been worked out between Tony Blair and President Bush, which essentially sets a six-week deadline, which would put the possibility for conflict hitting somewhere around the 10th of March. Have you heard anything from your perspective there in Baghdad regarding that?
ROBERTSON: Bill, we get to talk to a lot of people who are coming into Baghdad here, a lot of political figures, a lot of humanitarian figures coming to Baghdad and meeting with Iraqi officials. What they are telling us is that Iraqi officials, almost 100 percent focusing their efforts, time, energies and resources on preparing for the possibility of war. Certainly the pictures we see on television support that, very patriotic music playing under pictures of soldiers in training and such like. So, what we are hearing from behind the scenes, a lot of time by officials being spent getting ready for the possibility -- Bill.
HEMMER: All right, Nic, thanks -- Nic Robertson in Baghdad.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
