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American Morning
Overnight Advisory to Pull Inspectors Out of Iraq
Aired March 17, 2003 - 08:34 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: And now on to our top story this morning, and that is the overnight advisory to pull U.N. weapons inspectors out of Iraq.
Joining us now to tell us what the inspectors might be thinking as they get ready to leave Iraq, former weapons inspector Garth Whitty, who joins us from London.
Thank you so much for being with us.
We know that the U.N. weapons inspection are waiting. Security Council guidance. But having served on one of these teams before, help us understand the sense of anxiety they might be feeling right now.
GARTH WHITTY, FMR. U.N. WEAPONS INSPECTOR: Well, I think they'll be feeling a number of things. They'll certainly be feeling some degree of disappointment, and so far as they must feel that they're finally been doing a worthwhile job, insofar as supervising the Al Samoud missiles destruction. And some sense of frustration, because they will feel that they were actually progressing. They were beginning to realize the objective. And, now, the probability of conflict has come along and prevented that going any further. And obviously, anxiety for their own welfare. And concerns for their families. All those normal emotions that are associated with these sorts of situations.
ZAHN: When you talk about them feeling a little disappointed they were beginning to realize their objective, is that a reflection of how you feel as well?
WHITTY: No, I don't. I probably would of, had I been out there, but I think it's taken a long time to get to the point that they have. Through no fault of theirs, but really because they haven't had the cooperation that they really needed from the Iraqis for their mission to be a success.
ZAHN: What would have made their inspections more effective?
WHITTY: I think if very early on, the Iraqis had cooperated, had been more open than they obviously were, had really explained what happened to the 8.5 thousand liters of anthrax and, indeed, the significant amount of chemical weapons and their precursors in the order of 3,000 tons, so that people could be reassured either they had been got rid of, or they were available to be destroyed.
ZAHN: So as a former inspector yourself, when you would hear Hans Blix's report, was there a part of you that said, you know, we know this, we were just never given the opportunity to find it?
WHITTY: I think it was always a suspicion that somewhere out there, there was still some unaccounted for chemicals and biological agents. I think the probability of the covert nuclear program was a lot less likely because the infrastructure necessary to support that sort of program is significant. Similarly with a new chemical program, I think that requires huge infrastructure.
But most people suspected that somewhere in Iraq, there was still some of the residue from the earlier programs.
ZAHN: Before we let you go, Mr. Witty, I just want to remind our viewers that the head of the IAEA told us a little bit earlier this morning that they are well rehearsed for pulling the inspectors out of the country. This is something they knew was going to be a possibility.
Thank you for joining us with your perspective this morning.
WHITTY: No problem.
ZAHN: Appreciate your time.
WHITTY: Thank you.
ZAHN: British Prime Minister Tony Blair has called an emergency cabinet meeting for Iraq a little bit later this morning. If the British cabinet decides to abandon diplomacy, Blair may commit to military action without a second Security Council resolution.
CNN European political (UNINTELLIGIBLE) Robin Oakley joins us from London on what is called a fast-moving situation, or as the president calls it, "a moment of truth" -- Robin.
ROBIN OAKLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Fast-moving and fluid. Tony Blair's spokesman was calling it this morning, Paula, and certainly, there are lots of developments here.
As we speak, Tony Blair and George Bush were due to be on the telephone together. Tony Blair has met his senior ministers already this morning, and in an hour's time from now, the attorney general, Lord Goldsmith, a senior legal figure in the government, will be delivering his legal opinion that they have sufficient authority to go to war under U.N. Security Council resolution 1441.
Then, of course, we've got that cabinet meeting you were talking about, very important meeting for Tony Blair, because if they decide at that point that the diplomatic route has been exhausted, and that it is going to be military action, two members of Tony Blair's cabinet have indicated that they will resign if he doesn't have U.N. Security Council authority for military action, Robin Cook, former foreign secretary, now leader of the Commons, and Claire Short, the international development secretary. We'll have to wait and see how that develops. There is also talk of an emergency statement to the Commons, the House of Commons tonight by Jack Straw, the U.K. foreign secretary. So things moving very fast here, Paula.
ZAHN: Fluid they are. Robin Oakley, thanks for the update.
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 March 17, 2003 - 08:34 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: And now on to our top story this morning, and that is the overnight advisory to pull U.N. weapons inspectors out of Iraq.
Joining us now to tell us what the inspectors might be thinking as they get ready to leave Iraq, former weapons inspector Garth Whitty, who joins us from London.
Thank you so much for being with us.
We know that the U.N. weapons inspection are waiting. Security Council guidance. But having served on one of these teams before, help us understand the sense of anxiety they might be feeling right now.
GARTH WHITTY, FMR. U.N. WEAPONS INSPECTOR: Well, I think they'll be feeling a number of things. They'll certainly be feeling some degree of disappointment, and so far as they must feel that they're finally been doing a worthwhile job, insofar as supervising the Al Samoud missiles destruction. And some sense of frustration, because they will feel that they were actually progressing. They were beginning to realize the objective. And, now, the probability of conflict has come along and prevented that going any further. And obviously, anxiety for their own welfare. And concerns for their families. All those normal emotions that are associated with these sorts of situations.
ZAHN: When you talk about them feeling a little disappointed they were beginning to realize their objective, is that a reflection of how you feel as well?
WHITTY: No, I don't. I probably would of, had I been out there, but I think it's taken a long time to get to the point that they have. Through no fault of theirs, but really because they haven't had the cooperation that they really needed from the Iraqis for their mission to be a success.
ZAHN: What would have made their inspections more effective?
WHITTY: I think if very early on, the Iraqis had cooperated, had been more open than they obviously were, had really explained what happened to the 8.5 thousand liters of anthrax and, indeed, the significant amount of chemical weapons and their precursors in the order of 3,000 tons, so that people could be reassured either they had been got rid of, or they were available to be destroyed.
ZAHN: So as a former inspector yourself, when you would hear Hans Blix's report, was there a part of you that said, you know, we know this, we were just never given the opportunity to find it?
WHITTY: I think it was always a suspicion that somewhere out there, there was still some unaccounted for chemicals and biological agents. I think the probability of the covert nuclear program was a lot less likely because the infrastructure necessary to support that sort of program is significant. Similarly with a new chemical program, I think that requires huge infrastructure.
But most people suspected that somewhere in Iraq, there was still some of the residue from the earlier programs.
ZAHN: Before we let you go, Mr. Witty, I just want to remind our viewers that the head of the IAEA told us a little bit earlier this morning that they are well rehearsed for pulling the inspectors out of the country. This is something they knew was going to be a possibility.
Thank you for joining us with your perspective this morning.
WHITTY: No problem.
ZAHN: Appreciate your time.
WHITTY: Thank you.
ZAHN: British Prime Minister Tony Blair has called an emergency cabinet meeting for Iraq a little bit later this morning. If the British cabinet decides to abandon diplomacy, Blair may commit to military action without a second Security Council resolution.
CNN European political (UNINTELLIGIBLE) Robin Oakley joins us from London on what is called a fast-moving situation, or as the president calls it, "a moment of truth" -- Robin.
ROBIN OAKLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Fast-moving and fluid. Tony Blair's spokesman was calling it this morning, Paula, and certainly, there are lots of developments here.
As we speak, Tony Blair and George Bush were due to be on the telephone together. Tony Blair has met his senior ministers already this morning, and in an hour's time from now, the attorney general, Lord Goldsmith, a senior legal figure in the government, will be delivering his legal opinion that they have sufficient authority to go to war under U.N. Security Council resolution 1441.
Then, of course, we've got that cabinet meeting you were talking about, very important meeting for Tony Blair, because if they decide at that point that the diplomatic route has been exhausted, and that it is going to be military action, two members of Tony Blair's cabinet have indicated that they will resign if he doesn't have U.N. Security Council authority for military action, Robin Cook, former foreign secretary, now leader of the Commons, and Claire Short, the international development secretary. We'll have to wait and see how that develops. There is also talk of an emergency statement to the Commons, the House of Commons tonight by Jack Straw, the U.K. foreign secretary. So things moving very fast here, Paula.
ZAHN: Fluid they are. Robin Oakley, thanks for the update.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
