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American Morning
How Real a Threat Does North Korea Pose to U.S.?
Aired February 13, 2003 - 07:33 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: How real a threat does North Korea pose to the U.S.? well, CIA Director George Tenet told a Senate committee yesterday that North Korea may be able to attack America.
Let's turn to Barbara Starr, who joins us from the Pentagon with more on that -- good morning, Barbara.
BARBARA STARR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Paula.
Well, at the Senate Armed Services Committee yesterday, there was a very interesting interchange. Let's start off by taking a look at what the CIA director had to say when he was asked the question.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They fired missiles over Japan. What is the likelihood that they currently have a missile capable of hitting the West Coast of the United States?
GEORGE TENET, CIA DIRECTOR: I think the declassified answer is yes, they can do that.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So in all likelihood they have nuclear warheads and the ability to deliver them to the West Coast of the United States? Obviously, very, very troubling.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
STARR: It was an interesting look, Paula, at the CIA director consulting his top aides right behind him, making sure that what he was about to say was declassified. And, in fact, it was. It's quite interesting, the CIA first reported back in 2001 in a public report that's now on their Internet Web site that North Korea was working on such a missile, that was capable of doing this. It's called the Taebodong (ph). The question is whether or not they could launch it and hit the West Coast of the United States. You see one of these missile tests here.
Now, the issue is whether or not it's really a reliable missile. There's been very limited testing of it as far as U.S. intelligence can figure out, not really a full fledged flight test program. And that's really what's underneath some of what the North Koreans appear to be up to. In so many of their weapons programs now, U.S. intelligence officials say they're not going through the formal type of flight test program that you normally see countries go through when they develop new weapons. So the U.S. has to assume if they have a program in research and development in the very initial stages like this missile program, that they might be able to use it.
It's a fundamental change in how you look at what a country is doing. No longer are weapons just in an experimental phase. Once they're off the drawing boards, the U.S. has to assume they can be used -- Paula.
ZAHN: In spite of what you're saying, though, once again the administration is saying it's not going to press for any kind of sanctions or any other kind of punishment right now.
STARR: No, the real strategy with North Korea appears to be in all of the things we're hearing about, their missiles, their nuclear program, diplomacy.
ZAHN: Very good.
Barbara Starr, thanks so much.
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 13, 2003 - 07:33 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: How real a threat does North Korea pose to the U.S.? well, CIA Director George Tenet told a Senate committee yesterday that North Korea may be able to attack America.
Let's turn to Barbara Starr, who joins us from the Pentagon with more on that -- good morning, Barbara.
BARBARA STARR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Paula.
Well, at the Senate Armed Services Committee yesterday, there was a very interesting interchange. Let's start off by taking a look at what the CIA director had to say when he was asked the question.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They fired missiles over Japan. What is the likelihood that they currently have a missile capable of hitting the West Coast of the United States?
GEORGE TENET, CIA DIRECTOR: I think the declassified answer is yes, they can do that.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So in all likelihood they have nuclear warheads and the ability to deliver them to the West Coast of the United States? Obviously, very, very troubling.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
STARR: It was an interesting look, Paula, at the CIA director consulting his top aides right behind him, making sure that what he was about to say was declassified. And, in fact, it was. It's quite interesting, the CIA first reported back in 2001 in a public report that's now on their Internet Web site that North Korea was working on such a missile, that was capable of doing this. It's called the Taebodong (ph). The question is whether or not they could launch it and hit the West Coast of the United States. You see one of these missile tests here.
Now, the issue is whether or not it's really a reliable missile. There's been very limited testing of it as far as U.S. intelligence can figure out, not really a full fledged flight test program. And that's really what's underneath some of what the North Koreans appear to be up to. In so many of their weapons programs now, U.S. intelligence officials say they're not going through the formal type of flight test program that you normally see countries go through when they develop new weapons. So the U.S. has to assume if they have a program in research and development in the very initial stages like this missile program, that they might be able to use it.
It's a fundamental change in how you look at what a country is doing. No longer are weapons just in an experimental phase. Once they're off the drawing boards, the U.S. has to assume they can be used -- Paula.
ZAHN: In spite of what you're saying, though, once again the administration is saying it's not going to press for any kind of sanctions or any other kind of punishment right now.
STARR: No, the real strategy with North Korea appears to be in all of the things we're hearing about, their missiles, their nuclear program, diplomacy.
ZAHN: Very good.
Barbara Starr, thanks so much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
