Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Sunday Morning

'Washington Post' Reports Bush Directed CIA to Topple Hussein

Aired June 16, 2002 - 09:08   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.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: President Bush is spending father's day with his family at the ranch in Crawford, Texas. As the "Washington Post" reports today, Mr. Bush earlier this year signed an order directing the CIA to conduct covert operations to topple Saddam Hussein. We're going to talk more about this with CNN's Kelly Wallace. She's in Crawford with more. Hi, Kelly.

KELLY WALLACE, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Hello to you, Kyra. Well, the White House right now is declining comments about this report. Reading between the lines, that means the administration, at least at this point in time, not saying that this report is not true.

It's important to note, President Bush has made it very clear that he believes Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein must go. What hasn't been clear though is how this administration expects to carry this out.

Now President Bush arrived in Texas late Friday, or in Crawford late Friday to spend the weekend here. According to the "Washington Post," the president signed this executive order really expanding U.S. policy. What it would do would call for the expanded intelligence gathering within Iraq, within Iraq's military and other parts of its government, and also would call for this CIA to carry out covert operations, the authority also to use lethal force to oust Saddam Hussein and capture him and also allowing U.S. Special Force teams to kill Saddam Hussein if those teams were acting in self defense.

Again, U.S. officials not commenting on the report, but this president has made it very clear he believes that Saddam Hussein should no longer be in power. He continues to say, though, that no military action is imminent.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: This is a person who gassed his own people and possesses weapons of mass destruction, and so I told the American people, I told John, we use all tools at our disposal to deal with him. And, of course, before there's any action or military action, I would closely consult with our close friend but there are no plans on my desk right now.

(END VIDEO CLIP) WALLACE: The report also says that any covert action, according to sources in the report. They don't believe that covert action in and of itself would have a high chance of removing Saddam Hussein from power and that it really could be sort of an initial step before any military action. Again though, Kyra, the president saying he has no war plans on his desk and White House aides so far declining to comment on what would be an expansion of U.S. policy when it comes to dealing with Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: All right, our Kelly Wallace, thanks so much.

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