20 March 2004
Success In Iraq Means a Safer World, Armitage Says
CNN interviews deputy secretary of state
A successful outcome in Iraq will result in a much safer world, "and we fully intend to be successful," Deputy Secretary Richard Armitage said March 19.
In a televised interview with CCN, Armitage outlined what he termed "good alliance management" -- the regular, ongoing contact between top U.S. officials and coalition allies. "[W]e meet steadily with counterparts and exchange information to make sure we can maintain a good, strong alliance in this global war against terrorism, and that's what's going on."
The deputy secretary dismissed a suggestion that recent statements by French, Spanish and Polish leaders indicate a difference of opinion on the appropriate strategy for the war on terrorism. "I attended the President's speech today [March 19] and I noticed the flags of 84 countries arrayed behind the president. These are the 84 nations in the world who are with us in the global war on terrorism."
On the question of ongoing violence in Iraq, Armitage predicted attempts "to disrupt the turnover of sovereignty to Iraqis" would continue, adding that "the closer Iraq is to being a multi-ethnic, multi-religious society, well on the path to democracy, the more it threatens the interest of those who do not want to see a secular government."
Following is the transcript of Deputy Secretary Armitage's interview:
(begin transcript)
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Office of the Spokesman
For immediate release
March 19, 2004
2004/296
Interview
Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage With CNN's John King
March 19, 2004
Washington, D.C.
(12:30 p.m. EST)
MR. KING: Richard Armitage, Deputy Secretary of State. Sir, thank you for joining us today.
As you know, the President delivered a major speech today about the global war on terrorism, including the war in Iraq. The President specifically mentioned France and Germany, two very fierce critics of the United States before the war. The President said those differences are now in the past.
However, the French Foreign Minister today said that the war in Iraq has made the world a more dangerous place, and that there was no terrorism in Iraq a year ago, but it is now a hotbed of terrorism -- very critical of the United States. How would you answer that, sir?
DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: Well, certainly, Dominque de Villepin, the Foreign Minister, has the right to say anything he wants, Mr. King. I didn't see his statement. I don't know what context -- in what context he was making those remarks, but I think I simply disagree.
Terrorism had emanated from Iraq before a year ago. There is still a great battle going on there now, and if we're successful, and we fully intend to be successful, the Middle East, and indeed the world, will be a much safer place.
MR. KING: The President himself made a phone call today to the president of Poland who questioned yesterday whether there would be ever any evidence of weapons of mass destruction but did reaffirm his commitment to leave his troops in Iraq as part of the coalition.
The Polish president's office says that in that conversation, Mr. Bush said this, quote, "Those who are pulling out, showing their weakness, are very naïve to expect to be guaranteed safety and be spared of terrorist attacks." Spain, of course, had said it would pull its troops out of Iraq.
Is Spain weak, sir? Is Spain naïve?
DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: I think Spain is not naïve. They've suffered terribly recently at the hands of terrorists, as they've suffered over the past many years at the hands of a separate terrorist group, the ETA. They're not naïve. They have a right to do what they want. But I did notice that the new leadership, or the incoming leadership of Spain, has somewhat softened their comments recently, and they've indicated that perhaps under some sort of U.N. mandate there might be a different decision.
MR. KING: Step back, if you will, and help us assess, in your view, world opinion at the one-year mark of the war in Iraq and the state of the coalition. The president is making phone calls today. You have been making phone calls, I understand. Dr. Rice has been making phone calls. Is that not a sign of at least some trepidation out in there?
DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: You know, I would have called it good alliance management. You don't just put a great coalition together and leave it sit there. And we didn't start making phone calls three days ago. We do this steadily and we meet steadily with counterparts and exchange information to make sure we can maintain a good, strong alliance in this global war against terrorism, and that's what's going on.
MR. KING: More bombings in Baghdad today, some violence over the past 72 hours or so, leading up, if you will, to the one-year anniversary. What is your sense, who is doing this and why? Is it deliberately to draw attention to the anniversary, to try to make the point that there is not a stable security situation?
DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: My own view is that it's -- this violence that we're seeing will continue, certainly to try to disrupt the turnover of sovereignty to Iraqis on 1 July. I think the closer we get to that date, the closer Iraq is to being a multi-ethnic, multi-religious society, well on the path to democracy, the more it threatens the interest of those who do not want to see a secular government.
So, to answer the first part of your question, clearly there are some of the former regime elements, but more and more it looks like other outsiders who are intent on destroying secular governments are doing the violence.
MR. KING: Saddam Hussein has been in the custody of the United States for quite some time now. Is the United States learning anything meaningful from him at all? And I understand from your comments in recent days, sir, you think he's being a bit of a wise guy.
DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: Well, I felt he's been a wise guy for some time, and it certainly appears that he's being that way with his interlocutors. But as I also said in recent days, I think we are going to have a while before we can connect all the dots in what he's telling us. And clearly, whatever he tells us will have to be checked against other people's recollections and intelligence that's collected on the ground.
MR. KING: Is he cooperating at all, or is he simply debating?
DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: Well, I don't know that I -- since I wasn't personally involved, I can characterize it. I would say that he appears to be enjoying himself.
MR. KING: Appears to be enjoying himself. Since the election in Spain and the change of government, the newly elected prime minister says he will pull his troops out. He has said that he believes the Bush administration's approach to the war on terrorism has been a failure, that in fact that violence and the use of military force is inspiring more terrorism. Romano Prodi at the
European Union has said the same thing. Mr. de Villepin today.
Is there a debate among longstanding allies of this country, the United States, about the strategy, the Bush administration strategy, and how would you answer those critics?
DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: I think I'd say that we sat back for years in the face of attacks, the World Trade Center in '98, the Cole bombing -- excuse me, in '93 -- the Cole bombing in the latter part of the '90s, and finally we were attacked wantonly on 9/11 and we decided we're not going to take it anymore. And President Bush summoned a mighty coalition to kick the Taliban out of sanctuary and kick al-Qaida out of sanctuary in Afghanistan.
So, clearly, those that think you can conquer the global war on terrorism without some resort to military force are dead wrong.
MR. KING: It's a debate not only overseas, a debate in this country now in the middle of a presidential campaign in which the president's Democrat opponent, Senator John Kerry, says the approach is a failure. And he says that the Administration, including your State Department, sir, have been stubborn and arrogant, sticking to a policy that he says is a failure and driving away
allies. How would you answer him?
DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: Well, I attended the President's speech today and I noticed the flags of 84 countries arrayed behind the president. These are the 84 nations in the world who are with us in the global war on terrorism. So I think that graphic demonstration, or tableau, ought to answer Senator Kerry's remarks.
MR. KING: I want to turn your attention, sir, to the military operation underway along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border -- very hard to get definitive information out of there, but sources within Pakistan say they believe they have surrounded up in that remote area, Usama bin Laden's number two, Ayman Al-Zawahiri. Do we have any reliable information that that is the case, sir, and what do you know about that operation?
DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: Yes, the Pakistanis have told us the same thing. I have no independent corroboration. It is the case, however, that there seems to be quite a battle going on and the Pakistani forces have committed a large amount of energy and commitment of people to the prosecution of those who are destabilizing Pakistan as well as Afghanistan.
MR. KING: What would be the significance if it in fact is bin Laden's number two, and you as the answer the question, how much U.S. resources involved in helping here?
DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: Well, I don't think I'm inclined to answer the second part, but on the first part, I think it would be important but it's certainly not going to stop terrorism. We believe we've got about three-quarters of the higher ranking al-Qaida leadership dead or locked up. I think it would be a good psychological blow to be able to take down Zawahiri and Usama bin Laden, but that in itself is not going to stop terrorism.
As the director of our Central Intelligence Agency, Mr. Tenet indicated recently with the greater difficulty that the leadership of al-Qaida is having in directing terrorism, it seems that al-Qaida cells have become somewhat more regionally oriented and somewhat more autonomous.
MR. KING: As a search like this, an operation like this, a military operation is underway, it brings to mind the question if this is perhaps bin Laden's number two, where is bin Laden himself? What is the last time that you believe the United States had reliable intelligence about his potential whereabouts?
DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: That's another question, Mr. King, I'm not inclined to answer. To answer it any way would give something away, so there's no way I can go with that question.
MR. KING: I appreciate your concern, sir, and I also appreciate your time. The Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage. Thank you very much today.
(end transcript)
(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
This page printed from: http://usinfo.state.gov/xarchives/display.html?p=washfile-english&y=2004&m=March&x=20040320195416liameruoy0.3297998&t=livefeeds/wf-latest.html
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