Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

DATE=09/26/03

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=PENTAGON / BREMER (L-O)

NUMBER=2-307961

BYLINE=MEREDITH BUEL

DATELINE=PENTAGON

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: The head of the U-S provisional administration in Iraq, Paul Bremer, is urging Congress to approve the entire 87-billion dollar emergency spending bill for Iraq and Afghanistan. As Correspondent Meredith Buel reports from the Pentagon, Mr. Bremer is warning that if the money is not approved Iraq could become a breeding ground for terrorism.

TEXT: Ambassador Bremer told reporters here at the Pentagon that the Coalition Provisional Authority (C-P-A) needs the entire budget request if it is going to continue its efforts to bring stability and democracy to Iraq.

While Congress is expected to approve the 66-billion dollars in the legislation that will support U-S soldiers in Iraq, it is not clear whether the more than 20-billion dollars to reconstruct the country will also receive approval on Capitol Hill.

Mr. Bremer says those reconstruction funds are critical and should not be carved out of the overall package.

/// BREMER ACT #1 ///

The 20-billion of the 87-billion for which the C-P-A would be responsible is an important part in the overall effort to win the war against terrorism in Iraq. This is an integrated budget request where no one part is more important than another. And the 20-billion is an essential part of supplementing the other 66-billion.

/// END ACT ///

Ambassador Bremer says if the money is not approved Iraq could collapse into complete chaos and become a country that would attract terrorists and breed terrorism.

He pointed out that U-S forces in Iraq are holding 19 suspected members of the al-Qaida terrorist network and some 248 foreign fighters, about half from Syria, have also been captured.

/// BREMER ACT #2 ///

If we don't succeed in the reconstruction effort in Iraq there is a very real risk, and I think a likelihood, that Iraq will, because of the continued instability and poverty become the kind of breeding ground for terrorism that we have seen in other countries in the last 20-years.

/// END ACT ///

Mr. Bremer says he agrees with Secretary of State Colin Powell that six months is a good timetable for Iraqi leaders to write a new constitution.

He was careful, however, to point out that this is not a firm deadline.

/// BREMER ACT #3 ///

We don't know how long it will take for them to write the constitution. Six months seems to me a reasonable guess as to how long it will take. But there are no deadlines involved here. What we are talking about is trying to emphasize our interest, which coincides with the Iraqi Governing Council's interest in moving along. And we hope the Governing Council in fact will convene this constitutional conference quickly and will get on with the job of writing the constitution.

/// END ACT ///

Ambassador Bremer says he has no plans to come back to the American taxpayers and ask for more funds if the U-S Congress approves the 87-billion dollar supplemental budget.

The Congress is expected to begin debate on the legislation next week. (Signed)

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