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American Morning

Defense Department Talks About Aftermath of Possible War

Aired February 28, 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: Back to our top story. Iraq has said this morning it will begin destroying missiles tomorrow. This as the Defense Department talks about the aftermath of a possible war in Iraq.
Let's check in now with Suzanne Malveaux, who's standing by at the White House with more on these latest developments -- good morning, Suzanne.

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Paula.

Well, President Bush is going to be talking about the threat of terror both home and abroad. He's going to be addressing new employees of the Department of Homeland Security this morning. As you mentioned before, of course, a key benchmark when Iraq has to start destroying those forbidden missiles, the al-Samoud 2 missiles, the administration really not taking it very seriously, any word that Iraq would actually start cooperating. Today in "USA Today" the president, in an interview, saying, and I'm quoting here, "My attitude about Saddam Hussein is that if he had any intention of disarming, he would have disarmed." He goes on to say that "We will disarm him now."

Secretary of State Colin Powell also reiterating that point.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: Those missiles were prohibited in the first place. They should have been destroyed long ago. They were told to destroy them some days ago and they've been stringing it out until the very last minute. And we will see what this letter they are going to send in within 48 hours actually says they're going to do. It's not entirely clear yet.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: And the truth is it really doesn't matter that much to the administration. They are also looking at the possibility, less confident that they'll get the support from the U.N. Security Council on that second resolution, that they may even see vetoes from France and now from Russia. But the administration, the president even more resolved now that they may have to move without the U.N. Security Council -- Paula.

ZAHN: Suzanne, the White House has another problem on its hands, taking some fierce questions from members of Congress yesterday about what the cost of war and reconstruction will ultimately be. Paul Wolfowitz saying those published numbers about $60 billion to $95 billion being way off, that it's impossible to even make conjectures about that. But James P. Moran, a Democrat of Virginia, came back and said, "I think you're deliberately keeping us in the dark. We're not so naive as to think that you don't know more than you're revealing."

What is the White House strategy to confront these questions?

MALVEAUX: Well, it's a very sensitive topic for the administration because, as you know, they are dealing with a $300 billion plus budget deficit. They're looking at a large increase and the big question is how are you going to fund this war? The administration argues that that is why it's even more important for the economy to grow, that why they're pushing for these tax cuts. Obviously, the Democrats don't agree. Even some conservative Republicans asking some serious questions about how to pay for all of this. But the administration insisting they don't know ultimately what that number is. They don't have the sense of what the possible scenarios are at this time, so they're not addressing those figures.

But you can bet, Paula, that behind-the-scenes they are talking about the range, the wide range of figures, up to $100 billion.

ZAHN: When do you think the American public will find out?

MALVEAUX: Well, that's a very good question. The administration says that there will not be a supplement budget request that comes up to Congress, at least until after they start action, until the country at least starts this war. But until then, they're not really going to say.

ZAHN: Suzanne Malveaux reporting from the White House.

Stay warm.

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 28, 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: Back to our top story. Iraq has said this morning it will begin destroying missiles tomorrow. This as the Defense Department talks about the aftermath of a possible war in Iraq.
Let's check in now with Suzanne Malveaux, who's standing by at the White House with more on these latest developments -- good morning, Suzanne.

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Paula.

Well, President Bush is going to be talking about the threat of terror both home and abroad. He's going to be addressing new employees of the Department of Homeland Security this morning. As you mentioned before, of course, a key benchmark when Iraq has to start destroying those forbidden missiles, the al-Samoud 2 missiles, the administration really not taking it very seriously, any word that Iraq would actually start cooperating. Today in "USA Today" the president, in an interview, saying, and I'm quoting here, "My attitude about Saddam Hussein is that if he had any intention of disarming, he would have disarmed." He goes on to say that "We will disarm him now."

Secretary of State Colin Powell also reiterating that point.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: Those missiles were prohibited in the first place. They should have been destroyed long ago. They were told to destroy them some days ago and they've been stringing it out until the very last minute. And we will see what this letter they are going to send in within 48 hours actually says they're going to do. It's not entirely clear yet.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: And the truth is it really doesn't matter that much to the administration. They are also looking at the possibility, less confident that they'll get the support from the U.N. Security Council on that second resolution, that they may even see vetoes from France and now from Russia. But the administration, the president even more resolved now that they may have to move without the U.N. Security Council -- Paula.

ZAHN: Suzanne, the White House has another problem on its hands, taking some fierce questions from members of Congress yesterday about what the cost of war and reconstruction will ultimately be. Paul Wolfowitz saying those published numbers about $60 billion to $95 billion being way off, that it's impossible to even make conjectures about that. But James P. Moran, a Democrat of Virginia, came back and said, "I think you're deliberately keeping us in the dark. We're not so naive as to think that you don't know more than you're revealing."

What is the White House strategy to confront these questions?

MALVEAUX: Well, it's a very sensitive topic for the administration because, as you know, they are dealing with a $300 billion plus budget deficit. They're looking at a large increase and the big question is how are you going to fund this war? The administration argues that that is why it's even more important for the economy to grow, that why they're pushing for these tax cuts. Obviously, the Democrats don't agree. Even some conservative Republicans asking some serious questions about how to pay for all of this. But the administration insisting they don't know ultimately what that number is. They don't have the sense of what the possible scenarios are at this time, so they're not addressing those figures.

But you can bet, Paula, that behind-the-scenes they are talking about the range, the wide range of figures, up to $100 billion.

ZAHN: When do you think the American public will find out?

MALVEAUX: Well, that's a very good question. The administration says that there will not be a supplement budget request that comes up to Congress, at least until after they start action, until the country at least starts this war. But until then, they're not really going to say.

ZAHN: Suzanne Malveaux reporting from the White House.

Stay warm.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com