Return to Transcripts main page
American Morning
Changing Approach of White House
Aired November 13, 2003 - 07:02 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: I want to get back to Iraq right now. That's where we begin now, that changing approach to U.S. policy in that country. The Pentagon has started a get-tough military operation called Iron Hammer taking place in central Baghdad yesterday.
It's one reaction to the increasing size and the frequency of attacks against coalition forces, such as the bombing of Italian police headquarters yesterday. All that sending a chill through third-party countries like Japan, today announcing a change of heart, it's decided not to send its troops to Iraq.
A second reaction comes from the White House, which dispatched civilian administrator, Paul Bremer, back to Iraq with the mission of moving up the timetable for Iraqi self-government.
With all of that as a backdrop now, Dana Bash picks up the story from there.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DANA BASH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): After two days of White House talks, President Bush is sending his Iraq administrator back to Baghdad with a proposed shift in U.S. strategy -- to turn governing power over to Iraqis more quickly.
PAUL BREMER, IRAQ CIVIL ADMINISTRATOR: The stakes are very high for moving towards a sovereign Iraqi government.
BASH: According to senior U.S. official, the president authorized a few major options for the U. S.-picked Iraqi Governing Council to consider, including an interim Iraqi constitution and interim Iraqi leadership. Another possibility: a provisional leader, like Afghanistan's Hamid Karzai. But U.S. officials caution Iraqis may not accept that model as legitimate, because of the country's diverse ethnic and religious makeup, and also say there is no specific timetable for the plan.
During the fall U.N. debate, the White House strongly opposed any return of control to Iraqis without free elections.
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The constitution must be written, and there will be free elections. And then sovereignty will occur.
BASH: Now a White House concession.
SCOTT MCCLELLAN, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: You need to be willing to adjust and adapt to circumstances on the ground in terms of reconstruction and in terms of the political front.
BASH: This adjustment is fueled by increasing attacks against coalition targets and a new grim CIA assessment more Iraqis, disillusioned with the U. S.-led occupation, are joining the insurgency.
BREMER: The terrorists are trying to encourage the Iraqi people to believe that the United States is not going to stay the course.
BASH: Officials admit the urgent White House push is also aimed at the slow-moving Iraqi Governing Council to meet a December 15 deadline for a permanent transition plan.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
Bush officials say they were intentionally vague about the details of the plan until the Governing Council is briefed, hoping Iraqis see their own leaders deciding the future of their government and not the White House -- Bill.
HEMMER: Dana, you used the word "vague" there, but is there a target date, other than that mid-December date we've talked about for months?
BASH: Well, certainly they are trying to get the elections up and running and actually get a government up and running as soon as possible. There is no question about that. When exactly that will happen, that is unclear. In large part that depends on what the Governing Council decides and what kind of new government, transitional government they decide to appoint, what kind of leaders they decide to appoint. But certainly this White House has their eye on the political calendar here. They hope to get this all worked out and hope to get the government up and running by early to mid-next year -- Bill.
HEMMER: Dana Bash at the White House.
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 November 13, 2003 - 07:02 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: I want to get back to Iraq right now. That's where we begin now, that changing approach to U.S. policy in that country. The Pentagon has started a get-tough military operation called Iron Hammer taking place in central Baghdad yesterday.
It's one reaction to the increasing size and the frequency of attacks against coalition forces, such as the bombing of Italian police headquarters yesterday. All that sending a chill through third-party countries like Japan, today announcing a change of heart, it's decided not to send its troops to Iraq.
A second reaction comes from the White House, which dispatched civilian administrator, Paul Bremer, back to Iraq with the mission of moving up the timetable for Iraqi self-government.
With all of that as a backdrop now, Dana Bash picks up the story from there.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DANA BASH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): After two days of White House talks, President Bush is sending his Iraq administrator back to Baghdad with a proposed shift in U.S. strategy -- to turn governing power over to Iraqis more quickly.
PAUL BREMER, IRAQ CIVIL ADMINISTRATOR: The stakes are very high for moving towards a sovereign Iraqi government.
BASH: According to senior U.S. official, the president authorized a few major options for the U. S.-picked Iraqi Governing Council to consider, including an interim Iraqi constitution and interim Iraqi leadership. Another possibility: a provisional leader, like Afghanistan's Hamid Karzai. But U.S. officials caution Iraqis may not accept that model as legitimate, because of the country's diverse ethnic and religious makeup, and also say there is no specific timetable for the plan.
During the fall U.N. debate, the White House strongly opposed any return of control to Iraqis without free elections.
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The constitution must be written, and there will be free elections. And then sovereignty will occur.
BASH: Now a White House concession.
SCOTT MCCLELLAN, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: You need to be willing to adjust and adapt to circumstances on the ground in terms of reconstruction and in terms of the political front.
BASH: This adjustment is fueled by increasing attacks against coalition targets and a new grim CIA assessment more Iraqis, disillusioned with the U. S.-led occupation, are joining the insurgency.
BREMER: The terrorists are trying to encourage the Iraqi people to believe that the United States is not going to stay the course.
BASH: Officials admit the urgent White House push is also aimed at the slow-moving Iraqi Governing Council to meet a December 15 deadline for a permanent transition plan.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
Bush officials say they were intentionally vague about the details of the plan until the Governing Council is briefed, hoping Iraqis see their own leaders deciding the future of their government and not the White House -- Bill.
HEMMER: Dana, you used the word "vague" there, but is there a target date, other than that mid-December date we've talked about for months?
BASH: Well, certainly they are trying to get the elections up and running and actually get a government up and running as soon as possible. There is no question about that. When exactly that will happen, that is unclear. In large part that depends on what the Governing Council decides and what kind of new government, transitional government they decide to appoint, what kind of leaders they decide to appoint. But certainly this White House has their eye on the political calendar here. They hope to get this all worked out and hope to get the government up and running by early to mid-next year -- Bill.
HEMMER: Dana Bash at the White House.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
