Powell & Biden on Iraq
Reported by Eleanor - September 26, 2004 -
On Fox News Sunday with Chis Wallace (Sept. 26, 5:00 p.m.), Colin Powell disagreed politely with positions of the administration. Joe Biden disagreed not so politely.
Wallace: Didn't the president "mischaracterize" what the National Security Estimate said? Powell: There are many alternatives. We cannot continue with the insurgency. It cannot be allowed to succeed. Wallace: The NSE took us to war based on an estimate of WMD's. Why reject it now? Powell: We don't just follow estimates. You influence events by the path you take. Wallace: Rumsfeld said that 3/4 of the country can vote. Nothing is perfect. A partial election is acceptable. Powell: The goal is the whole country. We may have attacks at the polling places. We'll find someplace else to vote. We'll provide security. Local elections are taking place today. Wallace: Is it all or nothing? Powell: It must be throughout the country. We don't need 100% turnout, but it must be a free and fair election to have credibility. Wallace: You are building regional support for the election? Powell: We're holding a regional conference to discuss the interests of the entire neighborhood in a stable Iraq. It's already underway. Diplomacy never stops.
Wallace: John Kerry's new anti-war stance contradicts what he said before about being better off without Sadam Hussein. Joe Biden: He said nothing contradictory. We traded a dictator for chaos. That's a statement of fact. Kerry is happy he's gone, but mismanagement created the chaos. 700 casualties have occurred since he said that. Get real. In December, the situation wasn't remotely like it is now. We wanted a G-8 Summit meeting. We thought we would spend $18 billion rebuilding Iraq. We've spent $.5 billion. Wallace: Kerry says Allawi and Bush put the best face on policy, and that we should hold the Saudis accountable. Biden: The Saudis are not our allies. Wallace: What about Allawi? Is he an ally? Biden: Allawi is in a tough spot. He made it look good, but privately he says the borders are porous, and he hopes we spend the money. He has guts. The truth is he's not getting the help they need. John Kerry wasn't criticizing him. He wasn't indicting Allawi. The opposition is dangerous telling him that Kerry won't stick with Iraq. He will continue to have the support of the U.S. Wallace: What about Fallujah? Biden: Kerry will listen to the militia on the ground, not the politicians. These guys so misrepresent things, it's disgraceful!
