Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Saturday Morning News
Administration Angst: Powell to Travel to Kuwait and Iraq
Aired September 13, 2003 - 09:05 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.
STEPHEN FRAZIER: Back in Washington, and not far away in the Katuckten (ph) Mounts of Maryland at Camp David, the White House is all keeping a close eye on the Mideast and at that U.N. meeting in Geneva.
So for reaction from the administration, here is our Dana Bash. Dana, first let's talk about those meetings and the situation in Iraq.
DANA BASH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Stephen, the president made clear yesterday when he spoke in Fort Stewart, Georgia, that he wants Colin Powell to say to the members of the permanent five countries of the United Nations that no free nation can remain neutral, in the president's words, in Iraq, because all civilized countries need to realize that what is needed is a stable Iraq.
But obviously the challenge for the secretary of state today is to convince countries that did not support the U.S. in going to war in Iraq in the first place, that it is in their interests to, in fact, help stabilize the situation in Iraq. And the situation, of course, is a lot more tolling both in terms of troops and cost than the administration had anticipated.
And they do need the support of the United Nations, a U.N. blessing, of sorts, to bring other nations, as Sheila was talking about, even like India and Pakistan, to get them to send some troops, whether it's under a multinational force with U.S. head, or maybe another compromise that the leaders will talk about today.
But the U.S. does believe that they need that. And it's also a domestic issue for President Bush. Let's take a look at a recent CNN/USA TODAY/Gallup poll. It said that now, when asked if things are going well in Iraq, since major fighting ends, now Americans, only 47 percent say yes. And that's down from August, 50 percent, July 54 percent, June 56 percent.
So you see here that the president is losing support among Americans when the question is asked whether or not they think that things are going well in Iraq.
And that is also another poll that came out says that just under 60 percent thinks that the president has a clear plan in Iraq. And that is a big part of what the president and what the secretary of state is trying to do in Geneva, is to get a U.N. resolution, and that will certainly help convince Americans that there is a plan in the Bush administration, Stephen. FRAZIER: Dana, let's turn to the situation in the Middle East. There hasn't been any movement there, although there's been an awful lot of talking recently. So what's the latest from the White House on that?
BASH: Still a lot of talking. The secretary of state, before he left for Geneva, was working the phones, talking to some leaders in Israel, the national security adviser, Condoleezza Rice, too, was making phone calls to Israelis to figure out exactly what their intention was in saying that perhaps Yasser Arafat could be exiled, and also to make it clear that they don't -- just like they've said publicly, they do not believe in the White House that any move like that was helpful or constructive in the process.
It is no secret that the Bush administration does not think Yasser Arafat is somebody who should be in charge. They have been trying to sideline him for the past two in a half years since they've been in office.
But they also understand that he is very popular on the Palestinian streets. And they think that this could backfire and actually embolden Yasser Arafat, at a time where they're trying to transfer the power over to the Palestinian prime minister.
So that is their point of view at this time, Stephen.
FRAZIER: All right, Dana Bash on a very busy day. Thank you for joining us, Dana.
BASH: Thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Iraq>
Aired September 13, 2003 - 09:05 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
STEPHEN FRAZIER: Back in Washington, and not far away in the Katuckten (ph) Mounts of Maryland at Camp David, the White House is all keeping a close eye on the Mideast and at that U.N. meeting in Geneva.
So for reaction from the administration, here is our Dana Bash. Dana, first let's talk about those meetings and the situation in Iraq.
DANA BASH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Stephen, the president made clear yesterday when he spoke in Fort Stewart, Georgia, that he wants Colin Powell to say to the members of the permanent five countries of the United Nations that no free nation can remain neutral, in the president's words, in Iraq, because all civilized countries need to realize that what is needed is a stable Iraq.
But obviously the challenge for the secretary of state today is to convince countries that did not support the U.S. in going to war in Iraq in the first place, that it is in their interests to, in fact, help stabilize the situation in Iraq. And the situation, of course, is a lot more tolling both in terms of troops and cost than the administration had anticipated.
And they do need the support of the United Nations, a U.N. blessing, of sorts, to bring other nations, as Sheila was talking about, even like India and Pakistan, to get them to send some troops, whether it's under a multinational force with U.S. head, or maybe another compromise that the leaders will talk about today.
But the U.S. does believe that they need that. And it's also a domestic issue for President Bush. Let's take a look at a recent CNN/USA TODAY/Gallup poll. It said that now, when asked if things are going well in Iraq, since major fighting ends, now Americans, only 47 percent say yes. And that's down from August, 50 percent, July 54 percent, June 56 percent.
So you see here that the president is losing support among Americans when the question is asked whether or not they think that things are going well in Iraq.
And that is also another poll that came out says that just under 60 percent thinks that the president has a clear plan in Iraq. And that is a big part of what the president and what the secretary of state is trying to do in Geneva, is to get a U.N. resolution, and that will certainly help convince Americans that there is a plan in the Bush administration, Stephen. FRAZIER: Dana, let's turn to the situation in the Middle East. There hasn't been any movement there, although there's been an awful lot of talking recently. So what's the latest from the White House on that?
BASH: Still a lot of talking. The secretary of state, before he left for Geneva, was working the phones, talking to some leaders in Israel, the national security adviser, Condoleezza Rice, too, was making phone calls to Israelis to figure out exactly what their intention was in saying that perhaps Yasser Arafat could be exiled, and also to make it clear that they don't -- just like they've said publicly, they do not believe in the White House that any move like that was helpful or constructive in the process.
It is no secret that the Bush administration does not think Yasser Arafat is somebody who should be in charge. They have been trying to sideline him for the past two in a half years since they've been in office.
But they also understand that he is very popular on the Palestinian streets. And they think that this could backfire and actually embolden Yasser Arafat, at a time where they're trying to transfer the power over to the Palestinian prime minister.
So that is their point of view at this time, Stephen.
FRAZIER: All right, Dana Bash on a very busy day. Thank you for joining us, Dana.
BASH: Thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Iraq>
