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CNN Live Event/Special
Powell Answers Questions Before Foreign Relations Committee
Aired February 06, 2003 - 11:10 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: Want to take you live now to Capitol Hill. Secretary of State Colin Powell appearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
(JOINED IN PROGRESS)
COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: ... a second resolution when serious consequences are called for. Don't play that double game."
Everybody knew what we were getting into with 1441. And we all hoped it would work. We all hoped Saddam Hussein and the Iraqi regime or other leaders within Iraq would recognize that this is the time to stop this kind of behavior, end these kinds of programs, live in peace with its neighbors and let the inspectors come in and verify the destruction of this material and find out the truth.
So far the Iraqi regime led by Saddam Hussein has chosen not to do that. And we will see what happens when the inspectors visit this weekend. And we will all be looking with great interest at what the inspectors report next Friday.
SEN. JOHN F. KERRY (D), MASSACHUSETTS: Thank you very much, Mr. Secretary.
And thank you, Mr. Chairman.
POWELL: Thank you, Senator.
SEN. RICHARD LUGAR (R-IN), CHAIRMAN, FOREIGN RELATIONS COMMITTEE: Thank you very much, Senator Kerry.
Let me just say the colloquy between Senator Kerry and the secretary was very important, and the chair did not want to interrupt either.
POWELL: Thank you. I will be brief now.
LUGAR: Both the secretary and Senator Kerry took seven and a half minutes, which amounted to 15 minutes. And in fairness to other members, the chair is going to maintain a liberal leave policy. But at the same time, I hope members will observe the clocks that are in front of them. Most of us have these. And if not, I'll try to prompt them.
But I don't want to criticize the senator or the secretary. It was very important. So we're just going to try to keep everybody into... SEN. JOSEPH BIDEN (D-DE), RANKING MEMBER, FOREIGN RELATIONS COMMITTEE: You have a better chance now. Republicans are more disciplined.
(LAUGHTER)
POWELL: Sir, I will not leave before -- I will not try to leave before every senator has had an opportunity.
LUGAR: Thank you, thank you, Secretary.
Senator Allen?
SEN. GEORGE ALLEN (R), VIRGINIA: Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Thank you, Mr. Secretary. I'll try to keep within five minutes.
I want to observe the new...
KAGAN: Secretary of State Colin Powell has been appearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee all morning.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Committee>
Aired February 6, 2003 - 11:10 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Want to take you live now to Capitol Hill. Secretary of State Colin Powell appearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
(JOINED IN PROGRESS)
COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: ... a second resolution when serious consequences are called for. Don't play that double game."
Everybody knew what we were getting into with 1441. And we all hoped it would work. We all hoped Saddam Hussein and the Iraqi regime or other leaders within Iraq would recognize that this is the time to stop this kind of behavior, end these kinds of programs, live in peace with its neighbors and let the inspectors come in and verify the destruction of this material and find out the truth.
So far the Iraqi regime led by Saddam Hussein has chosen not to do that. And we will see what happens when the inspectors visit this weekend. And we will all be looking with great interest at what the inspectors report next Friday.
SEN. JOHN F. KERRY (D), MASSACHUSETTS: Thank you very much, Mr. Secretary.
And thank you, Mr. Chairman.
POWELL: Thank you, Senator.
SEN. RICHARD LUGAR (R-IN), CHAIRMAN, FOREIGN RELATIONS COMMITTEE: Thank you very much, Senator Kerry.
Let me just say the colloquy between Senator Kerry and the secretary was very important, and the chair did not want to interrupt either.
POWELL: Thank you. I will be brief now.
LUGAR: Both the secretary and Senator Kerry took seven and a half minutes, which amounted to 15 minutes. And in fairness to other members, the chair is going to maintain a liberal leave policy. But at the same time, I hope members will observe the clocks that are in front of them. Most of us have these. And if not, I'll try to prompt them.
But I don't want to criticize the senator or the secretary. It was very important. So we're just going to try to keep everybody into... SEN. JOSEPH BIDEN (D-DE), RANKING MEMBER, FOREIGN RELATIONS COMMITTEE: You have a better chance now. Republicans are more disciplined.
(LAUGHTER)
POWELL: Sir, I will not leave before -- I will not try to leave before every senator has had an opportunity.
LUGAR: Thank you, thank you, Secretary.
Senator Allen?
SEN. GEORGE ALLEN (R), VIRGINIA: Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Thank you, Mr. Secretary. I'll try to keep within five minutes.
I want to observe the new...
KAGAN: Secretary of State Colin Powell has been appearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee all morning.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Committee>
