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CNN Sunday Morning
Bush Admin Cheers at Libya's Decision to Renounce WMDs
Aired December 21, 2003 - 08:00 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.
CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: We're going to begin this hour with the sudden change in relations between the U.S. and Libya. The Bush administration is cheering Libya's decision to renounce weapons of mass destruction, suggesting that even a former international pariah could return to the good graces of the global community.
But for the latest on that and other developments, let's go to CNN's Kathleen Koch at the White House.
KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Catherine, it seems to say that from the White House point of view this year is wrapping up very well. Last weekend Saddam Hussein is captured, this week Libya makes this stunning announcement.
Senior U.S. intelligence officials do say that it was Colonel Moammar Gadhafi himself who was the motivator behind this agreement to abandon his country's weapons of mass destruction program. President Bush has said that this opens the path to better relations with the United States, a chance for Libya to rejoin the community of nations. Some do speculate, though, that fear may have been a very strong motivating factor in the decision.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HANS BLIX, FMR. CHIEF WEAPONS INSPECTOR: I can only speculate, but I would imagine that Gadhafi could have been scared by what he saw happen in Iraq. While the Americans would have a difficulty, I think, in doing the same thing in Iran and North Korea as they have done in Iraq, Libya would be more exposed. So maybe he would have reasons to be worried.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KOCH: The White House does view Libya's move to disarm as a vindication of its preemptive strike policy. The administration believes that it is best to aggressively pursue countries whose weapons programs pose potential threats to the United States.
Now, of course this chance for potential thaw in relations between the relations between two countries does not please one group, and that is the family members of the 270 victims of the Pan Am Flight 103 bombing over Lockerbie, Scotland back in 1988. As Sean said earlier, many of those family members are in Washington today for a memorial marking the 15th anniversary of that attack for which Libya has claimed responsibility.
And Catherine, to say that they are appalled is putting it mildly. Back to you.
CALLAWAY: All right. Thank you, Kathleen. That's Kathleen Koch at the White House for us this 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
Aired December 21, 2003 - 08:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: We're going to begin this hour with the sudden change in relations between the U.S. and Libya. The Bush administration is cheering Libya's decision to renounce weapons of mass destruction, suggesting that even a former international pariah could return to the good graces of the global community.
But for the latest on that and other developments, let's go to CNN's Kathleen Koch at the White House.
KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Catherine, it seems to say that from the White House point of view this year is wrapping up very well. Last weekend Saddam Hussein is captured, this week Libya makes this stunning announcement.
Senior U.S. intelligence officials do say that it was Colonel Moammar Gadhafi himself who was the motivator behind this agreement to abandon his country's weapons of mass destruction program. President Bush has said that this opens the path to better relations with the United States, a chance for Libya to rejoin the community of nations. Some do speculate, though, that fear may have been a very strong motivating factor in the decision.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HANS BLIX, FMR. CHIEF WEAPONS INSPECTOR: I can only speculate, but I would imagine that Gadhafi could have been scared by what he saw happen in Iraq. While the Americans would have a difficulty, I think, in doing the same thing in Iran and North Korea as they have done in Iraq, Libya would be more exposed. So maybe he would have reasons to be worried.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KOCH: The White House does view Libya's move to disarm as a vindication of its preemptive strike policy. The administration believes that it is best to aggressively pursue countries whose weapons programs pose potential threats to the United States.
Now, of course this chance for potential thaw in relations between the relations between two countries does not please one group, and that is the family members of the 270 victims of the Pan Am Flight 103 bombing over Lockerbie, Scotland back in 1988. As Sean said earlier, many of those family members are in Washington today for a memorial marking the 15th anniversary of that attack for which Libya has claimed responsibility.
And Catherine, to say that they are appalled is putting it mildly. Back to you.
CALLAWAY: All right. Thank you, Kathleen. That's Kathleen Koch at the White House for us this 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
