CNN American Morning - Transcript
CNN
SHOW: AMERICAN MORNING 07:00
September 8, 2003 Monday
HEADLINE: Discussion with Senator Jack Reed
GUESTS: Sen. Jack Reed
BYLINE: Fredricka Whitfield
HIGHLIGHT:
Reed discusses President Bush's addressed to the nation last night about the reconstruction of Iraq and the war on terrorism. He says there were issues not addressed in the speech and disagrees that Iraq should be the centerpiece of the war on terror, which he says is much broader than Iraq.
BODY:
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Earlier, we heard from Republican Senator Richard Shelby on this $87 billion figure.
Let's turn now to senator -- Democratic Senator Jack Reed of Rhode Island, joining us this morning.
Good morning to you, sir.
Thanks for joining us.
SEN. JACK REED (D), RHODE ISLAND: Good morning, Soledad.
O'BRIEN: As we mentioned, we heard from Senator Shelby just moments ago. He said that figure is realistic. When you heard that number mentioned in the speech, what was your reaction, sir?
REED: Well, my reaction is I've heard the number increase every day and I would not be surprised if it increased again. This is a very complex, complicated set of issues in Iraq and it's going to be extremely costly. In fact, the only thing certain last night in President Bush's speech was at least the initial price tag of $87 billion. There was no other certainty in terms of the duration of our presence there or even our approach to solving these difficult issues.
O'BRIEN: So, where some have praised the speech as being specific on issues that they wanted to hear about, you don't think it went far enough?
REED: Well, I don't think it went far enough to really chart out a course over the next several years. And that, in fact, is where we're going to be involved. This is not just one year, this is many years. This is also a situation where we have real questions about the size of our forces, whether an international division will be provided, what efforts are being made to engage multinational support, both politically, diplomatically and militarily. Those questions still remain unanswered.
O'BRIEN: Outside of that, the time line and the size of the force and the makeup of the force, what else was not in that speech? What do you think was omitted?
REED: Well, it's not so much a question of perhaps other things that were omitted. I think the president essentially has this, Iraq, the centerpiece of the war on terror, when the war on terror is much broader than Iraq. In fact, one might argue that the war on terror is more dangerous to us in Afghanistan, where bin Laden is trying to rally his force to conduct attacks against us.
The choice to go into Iraq was a choice that the administration made. Indeed, many advocated that choice before 9/11. And now we're left with the consequences, which are attacks on our troops and billions and billions of dollars that we'll have to spend. And at the same time, we have threats not only in the war on terror, but North Korea and many other places.
And so I think it indicates that the president at least is trying to reconcile and draw back and back track, if you will, to try to find some way to deal with Iraq. But as the central front on a war on terror, it's just one war and perhaps it's not the one that we should have concentrated on.
O'BRIEN: The president pointed out some highlights in his speech last night, saying, for example, that 90 percent of the towns and cities are functioning with governments, local governments, and also have restored basic services. That's not impressive to you?
REED: Well, I was there just about six weeks ago and there is progress in many parts of the country. But the critical area of the country, the one in which the political center and the social center, is in Baghdad and the surrounding areas, and that is a very, very dangerous place. We are making progress in some parts of the country. That, in some places, is a function of the demographics, the mixed ethnic groups that are beginning to work together. There is some progress.
But there is still great danger.
O'BRIEN: Senator Jack Reed is a Democrat from Rhode Island.
Thanks for joining us this morning.
REED: Thank you, Soledad.