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American Morning

Interview With Mark Kimmitt, Dan Senor

Aired January 01, 2004 - 08:07   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.


SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: In Iraq, though, it was a deadly end to a violent year. A car bomb ripped through a popular Baghdad restaurant where Westerners and Iraqis were celebrating the new year. At least seven Iraqis were killed. At least 20 others were wounded.
Joining us this morning to talk about the bombing and the overall situation in Iraq as we enter 2004 is Dan Senor. He is the senior adviser to the Coalition Provisional Authority. And, also, Brigadier General Mark Kimmitt. He is the Army's deputy director for operations.

Gentlemen, good morning.

Thank you both for being with me.

And I say Happy New Year. Of course, we start with some very bad news, though, out of Baghdad.

Let's get right into this blast overnight.

Who do you believe, General Kimmitt, was responsible?

BRIG. GEN. MARK KIMMITT, DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR OPERATIONS: We have no indications right now who was responsible, but the method that was used would indicate that it probably was a member of the former regime who put the car bomb astride the restaurant when it blew up.

O'BRIEN: We've heard reports of something like 1,000 pounds of C4 in that car.

Does that sound consistent with the damage that you've seen?

KIMMITT: We had information that would indicate about 400 pounds of high explosives and artillery shells.

O'BRIEN: All right, so that thousand pounds is way off the mark there.

Mr. Senor, obviously targeting a restaurant, that's very unusual in Iraq, although as we well know, it's not unusual, necessarily, in other parts of the Middle East,

How do you protect soft targets like this? And is this a new tactic on the part of the insurgents?

DAN SENOR, SENIOR ADVISER, COALITION PROVISIONAL AUTHORITY: Well, a hundred percent protection against soft targets anywhere in the world, as we know in the United States, is very difficult. But what's going on here is as we move closer to the summer transition, this June 30th deadline by which we hand over sovereignty to the Iraqi people, we expect there to be an increase in attacks. Ambassador Bremer has said that all along. Because the enemies, the terrorists, the insurgents are trying to undermine this process we're on.

And so what we have to do is do the sorts of things that General Kimmitt and his colleagues are doing, which is capturing and killing the terrorists and the insurgents.

We also have to forge ahead in empowering the Iraqi people, empower them to handle their own security, move quickly to turn over governing authority to them. The more we can empower Iraqis to handle the front lines of security and governance, the more we'll isolate the terrorists and make it more difficult for them to operate.

O'BRIEN: General Kimmitt, is there a way, though, to protect targets like restaurants, where the victims are primarily Iraqis?

KIMMITT: One of the ways is to count on the Iraqi people to provide us with as much intelligence as possible so that prior to these attacks we can go after those that would commit such acts and kill, capture and bring to justice those before it happens.

O'BRIEN: As we head into the new year, Mr. Senor, is there any indication to you that the coalition forces are truly gaining the upper hand against the insurgents in attacks like this?

SENOR: Absolutely. Even before the, Saddam Hussein's capture, we were seeing an increase in the number of Iraqis who were stepping forward and giving us intelligence and cooperating with us, and an increase in the number of Iraqis who want to volunteer to serve in the security services. But after Saddam Hussein's capture, a whole new group of Iraqis are in play, Iraqis that were hopeful that Saddam Hussein would return and therefore were reticent about cooperating with us. They now no longer can be hopeful. And those that were fearful that he would return and were therefore reluctant to help out, they are no longer fearful.

So there's a whole number -- a while lot of Iraqis now who are more engaged, more helpful. That helps us with intelligence. It helps us with getting high quality individuals to serve in the security forces. And that's what we need, Iraqis on the front lines. They understand the language, they understand the culture and the rhythm of life. It makes the job of the security, the American security, the coalition security, that much easier in protecting against these situations.

O'BRIEN: General Kimmitt, can Iraqis on the front lines, as we hearing from Dan, saying, handle the security situations that need to be handled?

KIMMITT: They are getting better and better every day. As a matter of fact, last night, we were incredibly pleased with how well the first responders came into the incident. The Iraqi police, the Iraqi firemen, the Iraqi medical responders were so quick to get to the incident and to render aid that they actually called the coalition forces and said no, we know you were going to provide help, but we don't need that help. We've got it under control.

O'BRIEN: An encouraging sign, too.

Brigadier General Mark Kimmitt joining us this morning. Also, Dan Senor. He is an adviser to the Coalition Provisional Authority.

Gentlemen, thank you very much for being with us.

Happy New Year to both of you.

SENOR: Thank you.

O'BRIEN: I hope you have a safe one, as well.

KIMMITT: And a happy new year to you.

O'BRIEN: Thank you -- Miles.

MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Well, I suppose we don't need to remind you, in 2003, the Iraqi regime was overthrown and Saddam Hussein was captured by the U.S.-led coalition. But what's in store during the coming year in the effort to stabilize Iraq?

Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr takes a look at key hurdles Iraq must overcome in 2004.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BARBARA STARR, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): By June, there is to be a new Iraqi led transitional government with full powers, key to moving beyond the war, the occupation and the violence that has torn the country apart. The coalition's Provisional Authority and the Iraq Governing Council will dissolve and by December 2005, elections for a new permanent government. U.S. officials are working frantically to make all that happen.

RICHARD BOUCHER, STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN: Really, what they're talking about at this point is working to plan the political transition in Iraq, talking about how to support a U.N. role in that process.

STARR: But the most important hurdle, security. Plans call for Iraq to have its own quarter million man security force -- police, army, civil defense and facilities protection. But reality is grim. Bombing attacks against Iraqi police continue, army troops have left complaining of low pay. Perhaps half the security forces fully trained and equipped. The U.S. plan to put people on the street quickly a move still defended.

BRIG. GEN. MARK KIMMITT, U.S. ARMY: I think on balance the commanders would come back and say the decision to not wait until we had the perfect solution was the wise one, the prudent one and one that's probably saved a significant amount of coalition lives in the process. STARR: The new government must show it can bring Saddam Hussein to trial. So far, it's not clear if the U.S. will have a role. Economic issues must also be resolved. How to award nearly $20 billion in reconstruction contracts, already controversial because the U.S. will not let countries opposed to the war bid on prime contracts. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld remains defensive.

DONALD RUMSFELD, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: So everyone's clear, the United States did not ban any company from doing anything.

STARR: But the whole reconstruction effort now badly behind schedule. One area that is working out, debt forgiveness for much of the $120 billion in red ink run up by Saddam Hussein's regime. France, Germany and the U.S. have an agreement in principle to have that debt written off.

(on camera): A new Iraqi government, a secure environment and a healthy economy, all challenges to be faced in Iraq in 2004.

Barbara Starr, CNN, the Pentagon.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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 January 1, 2004 - 08:07   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: In Iraq, though, it was a deadly end to a violent year. A car bomb ripped through a popular Baghdad restaurant where Westerners and Iraqis were celebrating the new year. At least seven Iraqis were killed. At least 20 others were wounded.
Joining us this morning to talk about the bombing and the overall situation in Iraq as we enter 2004 is Dan Senor. He is the senior adviser to the Coalition Provisional Authority. And, also, Brigadier General Mark Kimmitt. He is the Army's deputy director for operations.

Gentlemen, good morning.

Thank you both for being with me.

And I say Happy New Year. Of course, we start with some very bad news, though, out of Baghdad.

Let's get right into this blast overnight.

Who do you believe, General Kimmitt, was responsible?

BRIG. GEN. MARK KIMMITT, DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR OPERATIONS: We have no indications right now who was responsible, but the method that was used would indicate that it probably was a member of the former regime who put the car bomb astride the restaurant when it blew up.

O'BRIEN: We've heard reports of something like 1,000 pounds of C4 in that car.

Does that sound consistent with the damage that you've seen?

KIMMITT: We had information that would indicate about 400 pounds of high explosives and artillery shells.

O'BRIEN: All right, so that thousand pounds is way off the mark there.

Mr. Senor, obviously targeting a restaurant, that's very unusual in Iraq, although as we well know, it's not unusual, necessarily, in other parts of the Middle East,

How do you protect soft targets like this? And is this a new tactic on the part of the insurgents?

DAN SENOR, SENIOR ADVISER, COALITION PROVISIONAL AUTHORITY: Well, a hundred percent protection against soft targets anywhere in the world, as we know in the United States, is very difficult. But what's going on here is as we move closer to the summer transition, this June 30th deadline by which we hand over sovereignty to the Iraqi people, we expect there to be an increase in attacks. Ambassador Bremer has said that all along. Because the enemies, the terrorists, the insurgents are trying to undermine this process we're on.

And so what we have to do is do the sorts of things that General Kimmitt and his colleagues are doing, which is capturing and killing the terrorists and the insurgents.

We also have to forge ahead in empowering the Iraqi people, empower them to handle their own security, move quickly to turn over governing authority to them. The more we can empower Iraqis to handle the front lines of security and governance, the more we'll isolate the terrorists and make it more difficult for them to operate.

O'BRIEN: General Kimmitt, is there a way, though, to protect targets like restaurants, where the victims are primarily Iraqis?

KIMMITT: One of the ways is to count on the Iraqi people to provide us with as much intelligence as possible so that prior to these attacks we can go after those that would commit such acts and kill, capture and bring to justice those before it happens.

O'BRIEN: As we head into the new year, Mr. Senor, is there any indication to you that the coalition forces are truly gaining the upper hand against the insurgents in attacks like this?

SENOR: Absolutely. Even before the, Saddam Hussein's capture, we were seeing an increase in the number of Iraqis who were stepping forward and giving us intelligence and cooperating with us, and an increase in the number of Iraqis who want to volunteer to serve in the security services. But after Saddam Hussein's capture, a whole new group of Iraqis are in play, Iraqis that were hopeful that Saddam Hussein would return and therefore were reticent about cooperating with us. They now no longer can be hopeful. And those that were fearful that he would return and were therefore reluctant to help out, they are no longer fearful.

So there's a whole number -- a while lot of Iraqis now who are more engaged, more helpful. That helps us with intelligence. It helps us with getting high quality individuals to serve in the security forces. And that's what we need, Iraqis on the front lines. They understand the language, they understand the culture and the rhythm of life. It makes the job of the security, the American security, the coalition security, that much easier in protecting against these situations.

O'BRIEN: General Kimmitt, can Iraqis on the front lines, as we hearing from Dan, saying, handle the security situations that need to be handled?

KIMMITT: They are getting better and better every day. As a matter of fact, last night, we were incredibly pleased with how well the first responders came into the incident. The Iraqi police, the Iraqi firemen, the Iraqi medical responders were so quick to get to the incident and to render aid that they actually called the coalition forces and said no, we know you were going to provide help, but we don't need that help. We've got it under control.

O'BRIEN: An encouraging sign, too.

Brigadier General Mark Kimmitt joining us this morning. Also, Dan Senor. He is an adviser to the Coalition Provisional Authority.

Gentlemen, thank you very much for being with us.

Happy New Year to both of you.

SENOR: Thank you.

O'BRIEN: I hope you have a safe one, as well.

KIMMITT: And a happy new year to you.

O'BRIEN: Thank you -- Miles.

MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Well, I suppose we don't need to remind you, in 2003, the Iraqi regime was overthrown and Saddam Hussein was captured by the U.S.-led coalition. But what's in store during the coming year in the effort to stabilize Iraq?

Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr takes a look at key hurdles Iraq must overcome in 2004.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BARBARA STARR, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): By June, there is to be a new Iraqi led transitional government with full powers, key to moving beyond the war, the occupation and the violence that has torn the country apart. The coalition's Provisional Authority and the Iraq Governing Council will dissolve and by December 2005, elections for a new permanent government. U.S. officials are working frantically to make all that happen.

RICHARD BOUCHER, STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN: Really, what they're talking about at this point is working to plan the political transition in Iraq, talking about how to support a U.N. role in that process.

STARR: But the most important hurdle, security. Plans call for Iraq to have its own quarter million man security force -- police, army, civil defense and facilities protection. But reality is grim. Bombing attacks against Iraqi police continue, army troops have left complaining of low pay. Perhaps half the security forces fully trained and equipped. The U.S. plan to put people on the street quickly a move still defended.

BRIG. GEN. MARK KIMMITT, U.S. ARMY: I think on balance the commanders would come back and say the decision to not wait until we had the perfect solution was the wise one, the prudent one and one that's probably saved a significant amount of coalition lives in the process. STARR: The new government must show it can bring Saddam Hussein to trial. So far, it's not clear if the U.S. will have a role. Economic issues must also be resolved. How to award nearly $20 billion in reconstruction contracts, already controversial because the U.S. will not let countries opposed to the war bid on prime contracts. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld remains defensive.

DONALD RUMSFELD, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: So everyone's clear, the United States did not ban any company from doing anything.

STARR: But the whole reconstruction effort now badly behind schedule. One area that is working out, debt forgiveness for much of the $120 billion in red ink run up by Saddam Hussein's regime. France, Germany and the U.S. have an agreement in principle to have that debt written off.

(on camera): A new Iraqi government, a secure environment and a healthy economy, all challenges to be faced in Iraq in 2004.

Barbara Starr, CNN, the Pentagon.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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