From CNN Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer:
BLITZER: Joining us from New York is the former Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright.
Madam Secretary, thanks very much for joining us.
MADELEINE ALBRIGHT, FORMER SECRETARY OF STATE: Good to be with you, Wolf.
BLITZER: What do you say? Was it worth it, going to war in Iraq?
ALBRIGHT: Well, it is certainly is good that Saddam Hussein is gone, but I honestly think that the incompetence in which the post invasion plans were put together, and the chaos that is now existing in Iraq makes one really question it, and the over 2,000 American lives that have been lost.
I think it would have been worth it if it had been planned properly. I actually thought that this was a war of choice but the truth is, the planning of it, and the carrying out of it has been incompetent. And it's our troops that are the brilliant part of this, but the Washington planning of it has not worked.
BLITZER: The air assault operation underway right now, Operation Swarmer, it's a joint U.S.-Iraqi military campaign to try to deal with insurgents north of Baghdad. I assume you think this is good that Iraqi forces now maybe up to speed, are getting ready to cooperate with U.S. forces in these kinds of operations?
ALBRIGHT: Well, it is. That's the idea. We have to see how much they are really doing and how up to speed they are. I hope it is well coordinated. As I say, I have a great deal of confidence in our troops.
I was listening to your report.
They so far haven't found insurgents, so I hope very much that the coincidence of this being the third anniversary of the beginning of the war and the finding of intelligence to launch this Swarmer Operation really produces the insurgents.
BLITZER: Well, are you suggesting or implying that there may be some political motive in launching this operation?
ALBRIGHT: No, I just think it is a very interesting day. The operation, the putting out of the national security strategy, the president going out. I admire the coordination.
BLITZER: So it is sort of like changing the subject, is that what you are saying?
ALBRIGHT: I hope that this all works, because I have great faith in our military.
BLITZER: But it would be pretty devastating if the U.S. military and American lives were put on the line, put in danger, to try to help the president politically, because that's the implication of what I hear you saying.
ALBRIGHT: No, I am not saying that. I think that they have managed to have an important day in terms of putting out the national security strategy, and putting this Operation Swarmer into place. I hope that the intelligence matches what they are trying to do. I admire the military.BLITZER: Let me read to you from this new national security strategy, this segment, on Iraq. "This administration inherited an Iraq threat that was unresolved. We have no doubt that the world is a better place for the removal of this dangerous and unpredictable tyrant, and we have no doubt that the world is better off if tyrants know that they pursue WMD, weapons of mass destruction, at their own peril."
Basically, they're suggesting they inherited this problem from you, from the Clinton administration.
ALBRIGHT: They inherited a sanctions regime that had Saddam Hussein in a box. We now know that he did not have any weapons of mass destruction, and so, they inherited quite a different situation. And as I've said, this was a war of choice, not of necessity.
There was not an imminent threat, and the administration should have kept its eye on the ball on Afghanistan, which is far from finished, as you know, Wolf. There have been greater and greater problems in Afghanistan, despite the efforts of President Karzai.
Lots more at the link
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0603/16/sitroom.03.html
Printer-friendly format
Email this thread to a friend
Bookmark this thread
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
