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American Morning
Interview with Retired General Jay Garner
Aired April 30, 2003 - 07:41 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.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: An important phone call. On the line right now, we have with us retired Lieutenant General Jay Garner on the line from just outside of Baghdad. This is the man, of course, that is trying to put in place the next step for the Iraqi government, or what will be the Iraqi government, on behalf of the U.S. military.
General Garner, thanks for being with us. Thanks for calling in.
GEN. JAY GARNER (RET.), U.S. CIVIL ADMIN. FOR IRAQ: I didn't call in. Barbara Starr called in, and I was standing beside her.
KAGAN: General, can you hear us?
GARNER: Yes, you can call me Jay. You can knock off the general stuff.
KAGAN: All right, I don't know if I'm comfortable going with Jay, but how about just sir? Thanks for calling in.
I want to ask you, first of all, you're traveling with Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld today.
GARNER: Yes, he's down here talking to the soldiers to tell them what a great job they did. They did do a great job.
KAGAN: That indeed they did, sir. But what about perhaps the impression that there could be around Iraq that this could look like a victory lap before, in fact, the war has declared over? Any concern about that?
GARNER: You've got to say that again. I'm having a hard time hearing you.
KAGAN: Any concern that by the secretary of defense going through Iraq and visiting with the soldiers that while this is to be a pat on the back, congratulations to the soldiers, that this could be perceived as a victory lap?
GARNER: Well, I think we have had a victory. I'd be amazed if anybody would think any differently. I think you kind of need to recalibrate things back there. This probably isn't the interview you wanted, but I'm going to recalibrate you a little bit.
KAGAN: Go ahead.
GARNER: You know, Tommy Franks and David Carren (ph) are probably fought the most brilliant campaign that's ever been fought. And you know, I'm the guy that planned for the reconstruction for Iraq after the war is over, and I planned for the oil well fields being on fire, because I was sure that would happen. I planned for there being a huge humanitarian crisis with a lot of displaced persons or refugees. I planned on us having an incredible reconstruction effort because of damaged infrastructure.
There are no oil well fires. There is no humanitarian crisis, the fact that that Doctors Without Borders would even go home. And the infrastructure damage is minimal. Not only was it a brilliant campaign, it was fought in the most merciful...
KAGAN: Well, it was an attempt, an attempt to get a phone call. That's General Jay Garner traveling with Donald Rumsfeld today, the defense secretary making his way around Iraq. Of course, they'll cross the entire Middle East.
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 April 30, 2003 - 07:41 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: An important phone call. On the line right now, we have with us retired Lieutenant General Jay Garner on the line from just outside of Baghdad. This is the man, of course, that is trying to put in place the next step for the Iraqi government, or what will be the Iraqi government, on behalf of the U.S. military.
General Garner, thanks for being with us. Thanks for calling in.
GEN. JAY GARNER (RET.), U.S. CIVIL ADMIN. FOR IRAQ: I didn't call in. Barbara Starr called in, and I was standing beside her.
KAGAN: General, can you hear us?
GARNER: Yes, you can call me Jay. You can knock off the general stuff.
KAGAN: All right, I don't know if I'm comfortable going with Jay, but how about just sir? Thanks for calling in.
I want to ask you, first of all, you're traveling with Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld today.
GARNER: Yes, he's down here talking to the soldiers to tell them what a great job they did. They did do a great job.
KAGAN: That indeed they did, sir. But what about perhaps the impression that there could be around Iraq that this could look like a victory lap before, in fact, the war has declared over? Any concern about that?
GARNER: You've got to say that again. I'm having a hard time hearing you.
KAGAN: Any concern that by the secretary of defense going through Iraq and visiting with the soldiers that while this is to be a pat on the back, congratulations to the soldiers, that this could be perceived as a victory lap?
GARNER: Well, I think we have had a victory. I'd be amazed if anybody would think any differently. I think you kind of need to recalibrate things back there. This probably isn't the interview you wanted, but I'm going to recalibrate you a little bit.
KAGAN: Go ahead.
GARNER: You know, Tommy Franks and David Carren (ph) are probably fought the most brilliant campaign that's ever been fought. And you know, I'm the guy that planned for the reconstruction for Iraq after the war is over, and I planned for the oil well fields being on fire, because I was sure that would happen. I planned for there being a huge humanitarian crisis with a lot of displaced persons or refugees. I planned on us having an incredible reconstruction effort because of damaged infrastructure.
There are no oil well fires. There is no humanitarian crisis, the fact that that Doctors Without Borders would even go home. And the infrastructure damage is minimal. Not only was it a brilliant campaign, it was fought in the most merciful...
KAGAN: Well, it was an attempt, an attempt to get a phone call. That's General Jay Garner traveling with Donald Rumsfeld today, the defense secretary making his way around Iraq. Of course, they'll cross the entire Middle East.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
