Reply #106: 20 Feb 1988. Nightline. Madame Albright on WAR with Iraq [View All]

MR. KOPPEL: And we're back, once again, from the campus of Ohio State
University, with the Secretary of State, Secretary of Defense, the
President's National Security Advisor.

Secretary Albright, what, short of complete acquiescence on Saddam
Hussein's part, would be acceptable, would prevent war, at this point?


SECRETARY ALBRIGHT: Ted, I think we have to keep in mind here that
Saddam Hussein is not here to negotiate with the international
community. The Security Council, at the end of the Gulf War, laid out
a set of rules that he had to abide by to open up the sites where the
weapons of mass destruction are. And they created a commission to do
that inspection. What Kofi Annan is going there to talk about is to
make sure that this UNSCOM, this UN inspection unit, can do its job in
an unconditional and open way.


I think, Ted, we have to remember that Saddam Hussein is the one that
created this crisis, and that he has to reverse course. And that's
what Kofi Annan is going to take with him, the message he is going to
deliver.

<snip>

SECRETARY COHEN: I want add to what Mr. Berger just said, it's not
only Saddam Hussein who's at stake here. If we remain indifferent to
what he is up to, and if we turn a blind eye andif we don't take
action in the face of his flouting of the UN Security Council
resolutions, then there is nothing to inhibit Iran from continuing to
amass its chemical and biological weapons, North Korea, Sudan, Libya.
So there's more at stake than just Saddam Hussein, although that's a
very big issue at stake.

We would be sending a signal which would be, I think, unfortunate for
future generations as well. If we show a lack of will; if there is a
lack of discipline; if there is a willingness to enforce the
resolutions through military action if necessary, then I think it's a
very bad signal to the rest of the world.

<snip>

SECRETARY ALBRIGHT: First of all, I really do think that you're
underestimating the international support for this action. We have
been working hard, all of us, and there is support out there.


But let me make the following point; which is that the United States
is the only superpower. We have responsibilities as such. We stand
tall and therefore we can see further. And we are very concerned about
this threat to all our societies, due to weapons of mass destruction.
And if we have to go it alone, we will go it alone. But we are always,
that's kind of where we are in the international system at the moment.
We look for partners; we seek help from others that are like-minded;
we have a lot of help. But ultimately, Ted, we are the United States,
and we are the indispensable power.

MR. KOPPEL: Secretary Cohen, Secretary Albright and Mr. Berger, thank
you very much.


(end transcript)

http://www.fas.org/news/iraq/1998/02/20/98022004_tpo.html