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CNN Live Sunday
Capture Of Hussein Doesn't Mean End To Violence
Aired December 14, 2003 - 15:08 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.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: President Bush made it clear the capture of Saddam Hussein does not mean an end of violence in Iraq. So, what's next for coalition troops and Iraqi security forces? CNN Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr back with us to tell us a little bit about that.
Hello, Barbara.
BARBARA STARR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello to you, Miles. Well, at the Pentagon today, and really across Washington, officials in the Bush administration are extremely cautious, low keying it, playing it down a great deal. Now, it's not to say that they're not very pleased about the capture of Saddam Hussein and that they feel, indeed, his capture will lead to significant progress in bringing piece to Iraq. But, everyone is saying in Washington today, and even General Sanchez earlier today in Baghdad said there is an expectation that there's a real possibility attacks and violence will continue, and there's some good reasons that the military has come to this assessment. The feeling for some weeks now, has been that the opposition groups are not centrally controlled, that Saddam Hussein himself really was not calling the shots in the opposition attacks, that there are a number of cells of opposition to across Iraq, very loosely connected, perhaps operating independently and that they are basically carrying out their own missions. There's a lot of concern that they may enact even more desperate revenge-type measures in the days and weeks ahead and especially as Iraq begins to move just six months from now, June, 2004, towards self-governance that some of these groups may become more desperate. So, there is a lot of jubilation today, quiet jubilation that they have captured Saddam Hussein, but no one is thinking at this point that it's all over just yet -- Miles.
O'BRIEN: Barbara, let's talk a little bit about tactics from here though, what are folks saying at the Pentagon? Is now a right time to continue a rigorous crackdown and perhaps pursue people like the farmer's property that -- where this hole was found, or is now the time perhaps to offer an olive branch, an amnesty if you will, to try to get some of these insurgents to come out of the woodwork?
STARR: Well, there have been calls today, of course, for reconciliation, if you will, across Iraq, but Iraq, of course, is a country of many tribes, many varying cultural influences, if you will. There have been a number of calls quite separate from the opposition groups, from some of the Shia groups, some of the Sunni groups in opposition to the U.S. military and the coalition efforts in Iraq. So, the opposition has come from many, many quarters, and it's not clear that the capture of Saddam Hussein, himself, will have much of an impact at this point on those opposition groups. It perhaps is going to be incumbent on the Iraqi governing council, some officials feel, that they basically take more preeminent role and...
O'BRIEN: All right, Barbara Starr, I'm sorry. I have to interrupt you. I apologize; I've got to shift from your perch in the -- near the Pentagon in Washington to Fort Hood, Texas.
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 14, 2003 - 15:08 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: President Bush made it clear the capture of Saddam Hussein does not mean an end of violence in Iraq. So, what's next for coalition troops and Iraqi security forces? CNN Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr back with us to tell us a little bit about that.
Hello, Barbara.
BARBARA STARR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello to you, Miles. Well, at the Pentagon today, and really across Washington, officials in the Bush administration are extremely cautious, low keying it, playing it down a great deal. Now, it's not to say that they're not very pleased about the capture of Saddam Hussein and that they feel, indeed, his capture will lead to significant progress in bringing piece to Iraq. But, everyone is saying in Washington today, and even General Sanchez earlier today in Baghdad said there is an expectation that there's a real possibility attacks and violence will continue, and there's some good reasons that the military has come to this assessment. The feeling for some weeks now, has been that the opposition groups are not centrally controlled, that Saddam Hussein himself really was not calling the shots in the opposition attacks, that there are a number of cells of opposition to across Iraq, very loosely connected, perhaps operating independently and that they are basically carrying out their own missions. There's a lot of concern that they may enact even more desperate revenge-type measures in the days and weeks ahead and especially as Iraq begins to move just six months from now, June, 2004, towards self-governance that some of these groups may become more desperate. So, there is a lot of jubilation today, quiet jubilation that they have captured Saddam Hussein, but no one is thinking at this point that it's all over just yet -- Miles.
O'BRIEN: Barbara, let's talk a little bit about tactics from here though, what are folks saying at the Pentagon? Is now a right time to continue a rigorous crackdown and perhaps pursue people like the farmer's property that -- where this hole was found, or is now the time perhaps to offer an olive branch, an amnesty if you will, to try to get some of these insurgents to come out of the woodwork?
STARR: Well, there have been calls today, of course, for reconciliation, if you will, across Iraq, but Iraq, of course, is a country of many tribes, many varying cultural influences, if you will. There have been a number of calls quite separate from the opposition groups, from some of the Shia groups, some of the Sunni groups in opposition to the U.S. military and the coalition efforts in Iraq. So, the opposition has come from many, many quarters, and it's not clear that the capture of Saddam Hussein, himself, will have much of an impact at this point on those opposition groups. It perhaps is going to be incumbent on the Iraqi governing council, some officials feel, that they basically take more preeminent role and...
O'BRIEN: All right, Barbara Starr, I'm sorry. I have to interrupt you. I apologize; I've got to shift from your perch in the -- near the Pentagon in Washington to Fort Hood, Texas.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
