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Cohen Weighs in on Attacks in Israel

Aired August 31, 2004 - 12:41   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.


ZAIN VERJEE, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Our regular contributor, former U.S. Defense Secretary William Cohen joins us now from Washington with some insight. Secretary Cohen, good to see you.
First of all, in Israel twin attacks killing 15 people, more than 90 people have been wounded. This is the first time in six months we've seen an attack in Israel, the first time in Beersheva.

WILLIAM COHEN, FMR. DEFENSE SECRETARY: It is the first time and by virtue of the fact that it's coming in Beersheva, they're saying that there was no fence or wall there and, therefore, those who argue in favor of the fence are now going to insist that it be put up.

This may be part of the calculation on the part of the Hamas to ironically think that if they commit more acts of terror that the Israelis will respond with either their own military type of response or more fence building that that somehow works to the advantage of the Palestinians. I think the logic is mystifying but nonetheless that seems to be what's going on.

VERJEE: Iraq, a gruesome killing of 12 Nepalese hostages, the French government now trying to secure the release of two of its journalists. Are they going to be able to do it?

COHEN: I'm not sure they'll be able to do it, certainly not in the terms that are being demanded, namely that France give up its policy of banning the wearing of religious garb or scarves in public schools.

But that again points to what is involved here when you're dealing with extremists that the price is always going to continue to go up. It's not enough that France is not involved in working with the coalition forces in Iraq. You can see that a social policy by the French now has come into question and being challenged by the religious extremists, also the...

VERJEE: How do you negotiate? How do you negotiate with extremists?

COHEN: I don't think you do negotiate with them. You try to use third parties perhaps, others to appeal to reason but it's clear that these extremists don't fall upon reasonable lines and so I think it's going to be very difficult, if not impossible. I think the French government nonetheless has an absolute obligation to do whatever they can short of caving into the demands.

VERJEE: The Republican National Convention in New York is underway. John McCain, Rudy Giuliani speaking last night. Arnold Schwarzenegger will be speaking tonight. A lot of people saying that this isn't the true face of the Republican Party. They're just trotting out moderates to appeal to swing voters.

COHEN: Well, there is some element of that. Certainly, the Republican Party has become more conservative in the last number of years. It has moved to the right and, as you look at the balloting that's taking place and how they're writing up the party platform, quite conservative.

And so, they are bringing out a John McCain and Mayor Giuliani and Arnold Schwarzenegger and others, Governor Pataki. These are more moderate Republicans and frankly they are not considered to be part of the mainstream of the political establishment that's now really dominating the Republican Party politics.

But they do reflect an important constituency in the United States and that is what the Bush people are now looking at how can we take advantage of their moderation? And so it's pragmatism as opposed to really relying upon the policies that the administration has necessarily pursued during the past four years.

VERJEE: Slobodan Milosevic at The Hague he wants to cross-examine some 1,000 witnesses. Should he be allowed to?

COHEN: I think it's a case where the old expression, a man who is representing himself in a criminal proceeding or judicial proceeding has a fool for a client. I think that we're seeing now a process being drawn out to the point of ridicule and I think 1,000 witnesses being examined is not going to take place. I think the judges in the case will call a halt to this particular process and reach a verdict at some point relatively soon.

VERJEE: Regular contributor on "Your World Today," the former U.S. Defense Secretary William Cohen in Washington thank you so much.

COHEN: Pleasure.

END

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Aired August 31, 2004 - 12:41:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ZAIN VERJEE, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Our regular contributor, former U.S. Defense Secretary William Cohen joins us now from Washington with some insight. Secretary Cohen, good to see you.
First of all, in Israel twin attacks killing 15 people, more than 90 people have been wounded. This is the first time in six months we've seen an attack in Israel, the first time in Beersheva.

WILLIAM COHEN, FMR. DEFENSE SECRETARY: It is the first time and by virtue of the fact that it's coming in Beersheva, they're saying that there was no fence or wall there and, therefore, those who argue in favor of the fence are now going to insist that it be put up.

This may be part of the calculation on the part of the Hamas to ironically think that if they commit more acts of terror that the Israelis will respond with either their own military type of response or more fence building that that somehow works to the advantage of the Palestinians. I think the logic is mystifying but nonetheless that seems to be what's going on.

VERJEE: Iraq, a gruesome killing of 12 Nepalese hostages, the French government now trying to secure the release of two of its journalists. Are they going to be able to do it?

COHEN: I'm not sure they'll be able to do it, certainly not in the terms that are being demanded, namely that France give up its policy of banning the wearing of religious garb or scarves in public schools.

But that again points to what is involved here when you're dealing with extremists that the price is always going to continue to go up. It's not enough that France is not involved in working with the coalition forces in Iraq. You can see that a social policy by the French now has come into question and being challenged by the religious extremists, also the...

VERJEE: How do you negotiate? How do you negotiate with extremists?

COHEN: I don't think you do negotiate with them. You try to use third parties perhaps, others to appeal to reason but it's clear that these extremists don't fall upon reasonable lines and so I think it's going to be very difficult, if not impossible. I think the French government nonetheless has an absolute obligation to do whatever they can short of caving into the demands.

VERJEE: The Republican National Convention in New York is underway. John McCain, Rudy Giuliani speaking last night. Arnold Schwarzenegger will be speaking tonight. A lot of people saying that this isn't the true face of the Republican Party. They're just trotting out moderates to appeal to swing voters.

COHEN: Well, there is some element of that. Certainly, the Republican Party has become more conservative in the last number of years. It has moved to the right and, as you look at the balloting that's taking place and how they're writing up the party platform, quite conservative.

And so, they are bringing out a John McCain and Mayor Giuliani and Arnold Schwarzenegger and others, Governor Pataki. These are more moderate Republicans and frankly they are not considered to be part of the mainstream of the political establishment that's now really dominating the Republican Party politics.

But they do reflect an important constituency in the United States and that is what the Bush people are now looking at how can we take advantage of their moderation? And so it's pragmatism as opposed to really relying upon the policies that the administration has necessarily pursued during the past four years.

VERJEE: Slobodan Milosevic at The Hague he wants to cross-examine some 1,000 witnesses. Should he be allowed to?

COHEN: I think it's a case where the old expression, a man who is representing himself in a criminal proceeding or judicial proceeding has a fool for a client. I think that we're seeing now a process being drawn out to the point of ridicule and I think 1,000 witnesses being examined is not going to take place. I think the judges in the case will call a halt to this particular process and reach a verdict at some point relatively soon.

VERJEE: Regular contributor on "Your World Today," the former U.S. Defense Secretary William Cohen in Washington thank you so much.

COHEN: Pleasure.

END

TO ORDER VIDEOTAPES AND TRANSCRIPTS OF CNN INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMMING, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE THE SECURE ONLINE ORDER FROM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com