Return to Transcripts main page
American Morning
White House Reaction to Pentagon Intelligence Report Summary
Aired June 06, 2003 - 09:51 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: Want to get to the White House straight away. Barbara Starr breaking the news about two hours about this Pentagon report in the fall of 2002 regarding Iraq and weapons of mass destruction. That's one topic. Also reaction from Hamas saying it will not agree right now to any sort of cease fire.
Suzanne Malveaux, reaction on both now. What do you have?
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Bill, I spoke with White House officials who say they don't know whether or not that document actually reached the president or the White House for that matter. They're looking into it, but a senior administration official I just spoke with said that the president, the administration, of course, is confident that the president made the right decision for the right reasons, invading Iraq, that they had the right information at the end of the day.
The administration, confident that they will prove that the president's case has been made, and that it was based on credible evidence. Also, the officials saying that while credibility is important when it comes to finding these weapons of mass destruction -- excuse me -- you have to remember that it was the international community. It was the U.N. Security Council and it was also Congress that all said -- all agreed, that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction.
So that has never been the issue on that count. It is simply a matter of what to do about it. While the United States responded by going to war, and they say it's simply a matter of time before they recognize and find those weapons of mass destruction. When it comes to Hamas, the administration, again, as you know, the president returning from his historic Middle East trip saying that yes, of course, peace plans, he wants the road map to go forward. The National Security Council spokesman Mike Anton (ph) saying this morning, responding to Hamas' cutting off those discussions with Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas, he says there is now a real prospect for peace. All parties agree that terrorism needs to stop and that all parties must fight terror. Those who pursue terror have made clear that they are enemies of peace.
But clearly, Bill, the first test with this administration in terms of moving that forward -- Bill.
HEMMER: Suzanne Malveaux on top of both stories at the White House today. Thanks.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Summary>
Aired June 6, 2003 - 09:51 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Want to get to the White House straight away. Barbara Starr breaking the news about two hours about this Pentagon report in the fall of 2002 regarding Iraq and weapons of mass destruction. That's one topic. Also reaction from Hamas saying it will not agree right now to any sort of cease fire.
Suzanne Malveaux, reaction on both now. What do you have?
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Bill, I spoke with White House officials who say they don't know whether or not that document actually reached the president or the White House for that matter. They're looking into it, but a senior administration official I just spoke with said that the president, the administration, of course, is confident that the president made the right decision for the right reasons, invading Iraq, that they had the right information at the end of the day.
The administration, confident that they will prove that the president's case has been made, and that it was based on credible evidence. Also, the officials saying that while credibility is important when it comes to finding these weapons of mass destruction -- excuse me -- you have to remember that it was the international community. It was the U.N. Security Council and it was also Congress that all said -- all agreed, that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction.
So that has never been the issue on that count. It is simply a matter of what to do about it. While the United States responded by going to war, and they say it's simply a matter of time before they recognize and find those weapons of mass destruction. When it comes to Hamas, the administration, again, as you know, the president returning from his historic Middle East trip saying that yes, of course, peace plans, he wants the road map to go forward. The National Security Council spokesman Mike Anton (ph) saying this morning, responding to Hamas' cutting off those discussions with Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas, he says there is now a real prospect for peace. All parties agree that terrorism needs to stop and that all parties must fight terror. Those who pursue terror have made clear that they are enemies of peace.
But clearly, Bill, the first test with this administration in terms of moving that forward -- Bill.
HEMMER: Suzanne Malveaux on top of both stories at the White House today. Thanks.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Summary>
