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American Morning
Saddam Hussein Denies Missiles Violate U.N. Limits
Aired February 26, 2003 - 07:06 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.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: We want to get the view now quickly from Baghdad. In his interview with CBS, Saddam Hussein's defiance went beyond just the issue of missiles. He also says he would not go into exile, and said he is willing to die in Iraq.
In part, that interview says -- I'm quoting now: "Whoever decides to forsake his nation from whoever requests is not true to the principles. We will die here" -- end quote.
More on the developments today, and there are many, Rym Brahimi again live in the Iraqi capital.
Rym -- hello.
RYM BRAHIMI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello to you, Bill.
Well, we were shown pictures on Iraqi TV of President Saddam Hussein with his interior minister and the chiefs of police of various provinces here in Iraq. The president apparently telling them that in case of a war, the front doesn't rely only on the army, but the police have an important role to play internally in maintaining law and order. They also, of course, discussed preparations for war.
Of course, the main issue that everybody is looking at, with that said, is the question of the destruction of the Al Samoud 2 missiles that's been requested by U.N. weapons inspectors. In that interview with CBS, President Saddam Hussein only said, we do not have any missiles that go beyond the specifications of the United Nations. Hans Blix, the chief U.N. weapons inspector, said he's still waiting for an official response on that.
Meanwhile, the inspectors here on the ground are tagging those missiles that are still being produced -- Bill.
HEMMER: Rym, also there were some questions about whether or not the Iraqi leader, in the event of invasion or a war, would destroy his dams to flood the lower part of his country, might blow up some oil wells to distract a U.S.-led invasion. He addressed that in that interview. What did he say?
BRAHIMI: Well, the president actually has addressed a certain number of issues. They've addressed a lot of issues in terms of the preparations of war. But nobody really knows what is happening, what's being prepared, what the exact specific plans are, what the orders have been to the various commanders. That's something that, of course, nobody is really privy to. There are a lot of plans, of course. The main focus, many officials believe, will be Baghdad if there is a war, and a lot of plans really go around that.
And, of course, there are two towns that are going to be very important -- Basra in the south, Mosul in the north. And that's something that, of course, again the Iraqis are probably preparing to dispatch their forces and functions to the importance of these towns. But really, that's all we know for now in terms of real preparations, because again, this is something that's very secret that the president rarely lets in anyone on -- Bill.
HEMMER: Rym, thanks -- Rym Brahimi again 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 26, 2003 - 07:06 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: We want to get the view now quickly from Baghdad. In his interview with CBS, Saddam Hussein's defiance went beyond just the issue of missiles. He also says he would not go into exile, and said he is willing to die in Iraq.
In part, that interview says -- I'm quoting now: "Whoever decides to forsake his nation from whoever requests is not true to the principles. We will die here" -- end quote.
More on the developments today, and there are many, Rym Brahimi again live in the Iraqi capital.
Rym -- hello.
RYM BRAHIMI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello to you, Bill.
Well, we were shown pictures on Iraqi TV of President Saddam Hussein with his interior minister and the chiefs of police of various provinces here in Iraq. The president apparently telling them that in case of a war, the front doesn't rely only on the army, but the police have an important role to play internally in maintaining law and order. They also, of course, discussed preparations for war.
Of course, the main issue that everybody is looking at, with that said, is the question of the destruction of the Al Samoud 2 missiles that's been requested by U.N. weapons inspectors. In that interview with CBS, President Saddam Hussein only said, we do not have any missiles that go beyond the specifications of the United Nations. Hans Blix, the chief U.N. weapons inspector, said he's still waiting for an official response on that.
Meanwhile, the inspectors here on the ground are tagging those missiles that are still being produced -- Bill.
HEMMER: Rym, also there were some questions about whether or not the Iraqi leader, in the event of invasion or a war, would destroy his dams to flood the lower part of his country, might blow up some oil wells to distract a U.S.-led invasion. He addressed that in that interview. What did he say?
BRAHIMI: Well, the president actually has addressed a certain number of issues. They've addressed a lot of issues in terms of the preparations of war. But nobody really knows what is happening, what's being prepared, what the exact specific plans are, what the orders have been to the various commanders. That's something that, of course, nobody is really privy to. There are a lot of plans, of course. The main focus, many officials believe, will be Baghdad if there is a war, and a lot of plans really go around that.
And, of course, there are two towns that are going to be very important -- Basra in the south, Mosul in the north. And that's something that, of course, again the Iraqis are probably preparing to dispatch their forces and functions to the importance of these towns. But really, that's all we know for now in terms of real preparations, because again, this is something that's very secret that the president rarely lets in anyone on -- Bill.
HEMMER: Rym, thanks -- Rym Brahimi again 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.
