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American Morning

Interview With Tony Benn

Aired February 28, 2003 - 09:50   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: Earlier this hour, we talked with CBS anchorman Dan Rather about his interview with Saddam Hussein this week, and earlier this month, the Iraqi president met with another Westerner, former British Parliament member and anti-war activist, Tony Benn. Mr. Benn joins us live from London to talk about his conversation with Saddam Hussein.
Good morning, Mr. Benn. Thank you so much for joining us.

TONY BENN, FORMER PARLIAMENT MEMBER: Good morning.

ZAHN: What was the most interesting thing President Hussein had to tell you?

BENN: Well, I saw him in 1990 for three hours and persuaded him to release all of the British hostages, that was before the Gulf War. And when President Bush made it clear in his speech to the United Nations that he intended to invade Iraq, he said that in the autumn, I wrote and said could I do an interview that might be televised.

I went and asked five questions. One was about weapons of mass destruction, another was about any links with al Qaeda. The third was about the inspectors. The fourth one about Iraqi oil, and the final one was about the United Nations.

And I went to hear what he had to say, and it was broadcast uncut in Britain. You may have seen it in the United States and now, I believe Dan Rather has done it himself. So I'm pleased there is an opportunity for people to hear what he has to say before the war begins, which President Bush decided on months and months ago.

ZAHN: Upon reflection -- what percentage of what he told you was the truth? How much do you think he lied to you?

BENN: Well, I don't believe what lots of people say at the moment. I didn't believe him on weapons of mass destruction. What I do know, there no links whatever with al Qaeda. As you know, the United States funded and sent Osama bin Laden into Afghanistan as a terrorist to get rid of the Soviet troops, and recently bin Laden issued a statement denouncing Saddam. So there is a sort of Bush-bin Laden coalition against Saddam.

On the inspectors, progress has been made, according to Blix. On the question of the oil, of course, before the Kuwait war, the invasion of Kuwait, Iraq did have a huge third world development program, and on the U.N., he indicated his view. But I didn't go to do a journalistic interview with him. I went to find out what he had to say, and from that point of view, it was very well worthwhile.

ZAHN: And when you said you didn't believe what he told you about weapons of mass destruction, he did tell you point blank he had no weapons of mass destruction. Were you able to follow up with him and say what about Hans Blix's report, what about the anthrax, what about the VX nerve agent?

BENN: No, I didn't -- I didn't go there to do a journalistic interview. I mean, if diplomacy was conducted by journalists, there would be a nuclear war every week. I went there to hear what he had to say. And of course, as you know, the peace movement in the world is very powerful. The pope, Jimmy Carter, Senator Byrd, Congressman Barbara Lee, the archbishop of Canterbury, Chirac, Schroeder. There is an overwhelming majority in the world that wants to avert a war because the U.N. itself has estimated half a million casualties, 3 million starving, and 900,000 refugees. So, if you look at the world at the moment, the campaign for a peaceful settlement is now a dominant one, and I had thought the meeting with him might be useful in giving people an opportunity of hearing what he had to say. That was the only reason I went.

ZAHN: Well, Tony Benn, thank you for sharing that part of your experience with us this morning. We really appreciate you joining us from our London bureau.

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 - 09:50   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Earlier this hour, we talked with CBS anchorman Dan Rather about his interview with Saddam Hussein this week, and earlier this month, the Iraqi president met with another Westerner, former British Parliament member and anti-war activist, Tony Benn. Mr. Benn joins us live from London to talk about his conversation with Saddam Hussein.
Good morning, Mr. Benn. Thank you so much for joining us.

TONY BENN, FORMER PARLIAMENT MEMBER: Good morning.

ZAHN: What was the most interesting thing President Hussein had to tell you?

BENN: Well, I saw him in 1990 for three hours and persuaded him to release all of the British hostages, that was before the Gulf War. And when President Bush made it clear in his speech to the United Nations that he intended to invade Iraq, he said that in the autumn, I wrote and said could I do an interview that might be televised.

I went and asked five questions. One was about weapons of mass destruction, another was about any links with al Qaeda. The third was about the inspectors. The fourth one about Iraqi oil, and the final one was about the United Nations.

And I went to hear what he had to say, and it was broadcast uncut in Britain. You may have seen it in the United States and now, I believe Dan Rather has done it himself. So I'm pleased there is an opportunity for people to hear what he has to say before the war begins, which President Bush decided on months and months ago.

ZAHN: Upon reflection -- what percentage of what he told you was the truth? How much do you think he lied to you?

BENN: Well, I don't believe what lots of people say at the moment. I didn't believe him on weapons of mass destruction. What I do know, there no links whatever with al Qaeda. As you know, the United States funded and sent Osama bin Laden into Afghanistan as a terrorist to get rid of the Soviet troops, and recently bin Laden issued a statement denouncing Saddam. So there is a sort of Bush-bin Laden coalition against Saddam.

On the inspectors, progress has been made, according to Blix. On the question of the oil, of course, before the Kuwait war, the invasion of Kuwait, Iraq did have a huge third world development program, and on the U.N., he indicated his view. But I didn't go to do a journalistic interview with him. I went to find out what he had to say, and from that point of view, it was very well worthwhile.

ZAHN: And when you said you didn't believe what he told you about weapons of mass destruction, he did tell you point blank he had no weapons of mass destruction. Were you able to follow up with him and say what about Hans Blix's report, what about the anthrax, what about the VX nerve agent?

BENN: No, I didn't -- I didn't go there to do a journalistic interview. I mean, if diplomacy was conducted by journalists, there would be a nuclear war every week. I went there to hear what he had to say. And of course, as you know, the peace movement in the world is very powerful. The pope, Jimmy Carter, Senator Byrd, Congressman Barbara Lee, the archbishop of Canterbury, Chirac, Schroeder. There is an overwhelming majority in the world that wants to avert a war because the U.N. itself has estimated half a million casualties, 3 million starving, and 900,000 refugees. So, if you look at the world at the moment, the campaign for a peaceful settlement is now a dominant one, and I had thought the meeting with him might be useful in giving people an opportunity of hearing what he had to say. That was the only reason I went.

ZAHN: Well, Tony Benn, thank you for sharing that part of your experience with us this morning. We really appreciate you joining us from our London bureau.

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