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Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

06 December 2002

Transcript: Wolfowitz Says U.S. Goal in Iraq "Right Now" Is Disarmament

(But DOD official indicates this is not the "only concern in Iraq")
(1740)
Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz says the goal in Iraq right
now is disarmament, but he says "that isn't our only concern in Iraq."
While the world would be better off with a different form of
government in Baghdad, he said, "what we're focused on right now and
what we are doing military planning . and mobilizing forces for is to
enforce [the] U.N. Security Council resolution that requires Iraqi
disarmament, if it's necessary, and also to put the pressure on Saddam
Hussein to make those fundamental changes."
Interviewed December 3 by CNN during his trip to Turkey, Wolfowitz
said the opportunity for "achieving the peaceful disarmament of Iraq's
weapons of mass destruction is greatly increased by U.S.-Turkish
cooperation." He also said it is important for Saddam Hussein to know
and understand that "he's surrounded by an international coalition."
Wolfowitz also said Iraq's continued firing upon coalition aircraft
patrolling the northern and southern No-Fly Zones presents a pattern
of behavior that "hardly counts as cooperation."
He also indicated that the United States has been working with both
the Turkish government and Kurdish opposition groups concerning
long-standing tensions that have arisen in the region. Although it
would be better if a democratic government were in power in Iraq,
Wolfowitz said, "It's important if it comes to removal of the Saddam
Hussein regime that the territorial integrity of Iraq be maintained."
He said U.S. officials have stated repeatedly, both publicly and
privately, that "we are opposed to a separate state in northern Iraq."
Following is the transcript of the Wolfowitz interview:
(begin transcript)
United States Department of Defense
News Transcript
Presenter: Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz
Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2002
Deputy Secretary Wolfowitz Interview with Wolf Blitzer, CNN
Blitzer:  Welcome back.
Joining me now live from Ankara, Turkey, the Deputy Secretary of
Defense. Paul Wolfowitz is on a mission to try to encourage support
for the U.S. in the case of -- in case of war with Iraq.
Mr. Secretary, thanks for joining us.
Are the Turks on board in case the President gives that order to go to
war against Iraq?
Wolfowitz: Wolf, we have a brand new government here in Turkey, but
it's an old ally, a country that's been with us in many crises in the
past. And our chances of achieving a peaceful outcome here, of
achieving the peaceful disarmament of Iraq's weapons of mass
destruction is greatly increased by U.S.-Turkish cooperation. It's
important for Saddam Hussein to understand that he's surrounded by an
international coalition. And that, I think, is our best chance of
getting through to him and understanding that he's got to have a
fundamental change --
Blitzer:  The Turkish military has always been --
Wolfowitz:  -- own problems that this country will face.
Blitzer: The Turkish military has always been a closed ally, a NATO
ally of the United States. But this new government, which has a strong
Islamic influence, obviously, are they going to be on board as well?
Wolfowitz: Well, you know, Wolf, they actually reject that label. They
have a lot of religious roots, as do parties in other countries. One
of the very striking things about this new party and this new
government is how strongly they've made it clear that Turkey wants to
be part of Europe, which means to be a part of the West, that they're
committed to the values of separation of religion and government that
underlie this modern, secular democracy.
Frankly, all the signs for this government continuing Turkey's strong
traditions, democratic traditions, and even advancing them are very
good.
Blitzer: And what about the U.S. and the Turks as far as the Kurds in
northern Iraq are concerned, the opposition forces closely aligned
with the U.S. But, of course, there's been some tensions with Turkey
longstanding, tensions. Are you working that problem out with the
Turkish government?
Wolfowitz: We've been working it with both the Turkish government and
with opposition forces and Kurdish groups. I believe the Kurds of
northern Iraq really do understand that their destiny is in Iraq and
as Iraqis, not to have a separate state. And we've made it clear over
and over again, publicly and privately, that we are opposed to a
separate state in northern Iraq. It's important if it comes to removal
of the Saddam Hussein regime that the territorial integrity of Iraq be
maintained. In fact, it will be a lot better when there's a democratic
government in Baghdad.
Blitzer: We heard earlier today from Kofi Annan, the U.N.
Secretary-General, that things are moving along just fine as far as
the U.N. inspections are concerned. It's been a week now. We heard the
same line come from Mohamed elBaradei, the nuclear inspector, Hans
Blix, the chief weapons inspector. But the President says he's not
encouraged by what's happened so far.
Have you come up with any reason to be concerned about the
inspections, at least of this first week?
Wolfowitz: Wolf, it's very early to make that kind of optimistic
judgment. We certainly have to wait and see what the Iraqis come up
with with this declaration that they're supposed to make on December
8th. But it's clear that if we want to have what has got to be a
fundamental change of attitude on the part of the Iraqi regime, that
they really do have to see themselves surrounded by a unified
international coalition.
I think the people I've talked to in Turkey, from the Prime Minister
on down, understand very clear that our real hope for a peaceful
outcome to this crisis is to maintain the pressure on Saddam Hussein.
Blitzer: Yesterday, the President said he's not encouraged by what
he's seen so far, and he specifically cited the Iraqis continuing to
fire on those U.S. and British planes patrolling the no-fly zones in
the north and the southern parts of Iraq. If there's a zero tolerance
policy, why isn't that, in and of itself, a casus belli for the U.S.
to go to war against Iraq?
Wolfowitz: There's no question that that pattern of behavior hardly
counts as cooperation, and I believe one of the things that is very
clear here in Turkey is a great deal of realism about what it's going
to take to produce a real change in attitude on the part of the Iraqi
regime. It's not going to happen simply because we passed a new
resolution. But that is a much tougher resolution than any they've
confronted before. It's essential that they face a unified coalition
that is prepared and able to use force if necessary.
Blitzer: But does the Bush administration consider those fires -- the
firing at the U.S. and British planes in the no-fly zones a material
breach of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1441, which was unanimously
passed by the Security Council?
Wolfowitz: Wolf, you're getting into legal terms. I would just say
it's certainly not a good sign of cooperation, and it's something that
clearly we've got to take into account. We are looking for a
fundamental change in attitude on the part of Iraq. Without that,
there's no hope for peaceful disarmament. It's not something the
inspectors can do on their own in the face of an Iraqi government that
denies that it has these programs. So we're going to have to see. It's
very important to see what they come forward with on December 8th,
whether they admit what they have and open up and give us a chance to
get rid of it. That will be a crucial test.
Blitzer: But if you don't like what you see in that document that's
released this coming weekend, if the Iraqis, according to the U.S.
interpretation, Mr. Secretary, are lying, not telling the whole truth
about what their capabilities are in weapons of mass destruction, what
happens next? Do you then go back for this meeting at the U.N.
Security Council? And then what?
Wolfowitz: Wolf, we're talking about obviously very big decisions that
in our system the President of the United States is the one who has to
make. What the President has made absolutely clear is his
determination that we will disarm Iraq of those weapons one way or
another; as he put it, voluntarily if possible, by force if necessary.
Blitzer:  And is regime change still the ultimate U.S. objective?
Wolfowitz: We've been -- it's been a policy of the United States going
back to the last administration, and it established in actually a
bipartisan act of Congress called the Iraq Liberation Act, that makes
very clear what ought to be pretty obvious, which is that we would be
better off, the Iraqi people would be better off, and the whole world
would be better off with a different government in Baghdad. But what
we're focused on right now and what we are doing military planning for
and mobilizing forces for is to enforce U.N. Security Council
resolution that requires Iraqi disarmament, if it's necessary, and
also to put the pressure on Saddam Hussein to make those fundamental
changes.
Our goal right now is disarmament. But that isn't our only concern in
Iraq.
Blitzer: So, just to let -- I'm going to let you go in a second. But
just to pinpoint this fine point, even if the Iraqis did fully --
Wolfowitz: This is going to have to be the last one, I'm sorry,
because I am late.
Blitzer: Well, let me just ask you this. Even if the Iraqis fully
comply with all of the U.N. resolutions, regime change still is the
ultimate objective?
Wolfowitz: As I said, everyone would be better off with a
representative government in Baghdad that treats its people decently,
treats its neighbors properly and isn't hostile to the rest of the
world. That would be a huge improvement. But our focus right now, the
reason we're engaged in this kind of military planning, the reason we
went to the United Nations for a strong resolution was to eliminate
the single greatest danger, which is Saddam's weapons of mass
destruction.
I'm going to have to sign off now, but thanks for the opportunity to
speak to you.
Blitzer: Paul Wolfowitz, as usual, thanks for spending some time. I
know this has been a hectic schedule for you. Good luck to you on your
mission. We'll see you back here in Washington. Paul Wolfowitz, the
number two official at the Department of Defense, the Deputy Secretary
of Defense. Thank you very much.
(end transcript)
(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)



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