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There is a 35 minute long interview of Saddam Hussein by Dan Rather 24 days before Iraq was invaded. - Asks for peace - Says he has no weapons of mass destruction - Says he will comply with the UN directives - He corrects his translator who says "Bush" — "No. Mr. Bush." https://t.co/b5x6OdRCgQ
Video Transcript AI Summary
In an interview with an American reporter, Saddam Hussein remains defiant in the face of an impending war. He hopes the attack will not happen but is prepared to face it. Saddam denies having prohibited missiles and claims Iraq has not violated any UN resolutions. He proposes a televised debate with President Bush to present their perspectives to the world. Saddam insists that Iraq will not destroy its oil fields or dams and believes the Iraqi people will not welcome American troops as liberators. He asserts that Iraq was not defeated in the 1991 Gulf War and vows to defend his country.
Full Transcript
Speaker 0: Fighting forces ever assembled. Yet in his first interview with an American reporter in more than a decade, Saddam Hussein remains defiant. Defiant even in the face of an impending war that seems certain to end his rule and quite possibly his life. We met him on Monday in Iraq's oldest and largest presidential palace at a time when the UN arms inspectors have accused him of having prohibited missiles. And when president Bush has said time has run out, that the only thing Saddam can do to prevent war is to disarm immediately.
Anything short of that, President Bush says, is a game. At this moment, The chief weapons inspector, Hans Blix, is preparing what could be his final report to the UN. In a matter of weeks with or without international support, The American and British forces could begin an all out assault on Baghdad, and their primary target will be this man, Saddam Hussein. Mister president, do you expect to be attacked by an American led invasion?
Speaker 1: We hope that the attack will not take place, but we are bracing ourselves to meet such an attack, to face it. The officials in America keep talking about attacking Iraq, And it's normal that the people prepare themselves for such a possibility. At the same time, they are praying to Allah to stop the Americans from going through with it and to spare the Iraqis from the harm that those on the bandwagon of evil want to inflict upon them.
Speaker 0: Are you afraid of being killed or captured?
Speaker 1: Whatever Allah decides, We are believers. We believe in what he decides. There is no value for any life without faith. When we were young, we decided to place ourselves to the service of our people. We did not ask the question whether we'll be going to live or die.
It's morally unacceptable to ask such a question. Nothing is going to change the will of God. The believer still believes that what God decides It's acceptable.
Speaker 0: But we reminded president Hussein that he has more earthly concerns. More than 100 missiles that UN inspectors Hussein have a longer range than permitted, threatening Iraq's neighbors and capable of attacking American troops in Kuwait. Do you intend to destroy the Asmoud missiles that the United Nations, prohibits? Will you destroy those missiles?
Speaker 1: We have committed ourselves to resolution 1441. It is on this basis that we have conducted ourselves, and it is on this basis that we will continue to behave. As you know, we are allowed to produce land to land rockets With a range of up to 150 kilometers, and we are committed to that.
Speaker 0: I want to make sure that I understand, Mister president, so you do not intend to destroy these missiles?
Speaker 1: Which missiles are you talking about? We do not have missiles that go beyond the prescribed ranges by the UN.
Speaker 0: I mean, the missiles that Hans Blick says that he wants a commitment from you that they will be destroyed.
Speaker 1: No violation has been made by Iraq to anything decided by the United Nations. If the intention is to rewrite those resolutions, Then we will be entering a new framework, a framework in which the United States will be made to forsake its own position And take a new road towards harming Iraq.
Speaker 0: In our interview, Saddam Hussein gave no indication he will capitulate to an ultimatum from chief weapons inspector blitz to begin destroying the missiles by this weekend. Indeed, he hinted he will not. Saddam also rejected in Bush administration allegations that besides the missile delivery system, he still has weapons of mass destruction.
Speaker 1: I think America and the world also knows That Iraq no longer has the weapons. And I believe the mobilization that's been done was in fact done Partly to cover the huge lie that was being waged against Iraq about chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons. That is why when you talk about such missiles, these missiles have been destroyed. There are no missiles that are contrary to the prescription of the United Nations in Iraq. They are no longer there.
Speaker 0: The Bush administration says president Hussein is just trying to fool the world one more time about his missiles and his weapons of mass destruction. And he faces a new UN resolution accusing him of failing to prove he has disarmed. A resolution which, if passed, would in effect Authorize war. Will the new proposed United Nations resolution, the one that's just out this week, Will this make any difference at all in your position?
Speaker 1: The basic position, there is no change. We have not pursued any weapons of mass destruction. So what do they want to issue new resolutions about now?
Speaker 0: So basically no change in your position?
Speaker 1: The basic stand of our position is clear. We do not compromise our independence or our dignity or our freedom. At the same time, we will continue to commit ourselves to what has been decided by the United Nations. If the new resolutions infringe upon our dignity, then Our position towards such a resolution will be in line with our previous positions.
Speaker 0: Mister president, have you been offered asylum anywhere? And would you, under any circumstances, consider going into exile to save your people death and destruction?
Speaker 1: I can understand the motive behind your question. This is a very American style, And it may not be like by some. But I can understand. However, I will answer your question. Thank you.
I was born here in Iraq, And I was born as a genuine believer. I am proud to have been born fearing God, and I have taught my children the value of history And the extreme importance of iman, of our heritage, that we must maintain the honor of nationalism and pan Arabism. We do not change our position. Our position is basic. We have been born in Iraq.
This is part of a glorious nation, A great Arab nation, and we have lived here. That is why, talking about asylum, whoever decides to forsake his nation is not true to the principles. We will die here in Iraq. We will die in this country, And we will maintain our honor, the honor that is required of our people. I believe that whoever offers Saddam asylum in his own country is in fact a person without morals because he will be directing an insult to the Iraqi people.
The Iraqi people who have chosen Saddam Hussein Unanimously to continue to lead the people of Iraq.
Speaker 0: The Iraqi president told us that the first Bush administration threatened it would bomb Iraq back to a preindustrial age and then attack this country with Thousands of warplanes and helicopters and missiles.
Speaker 1: They destroyed bridges, colleges, buildings, factories. They destroyed houses, palaces. They killed people and elderly, but they did not push Iraq back into the pre industrial age.
Speaker 0: Saddam Hussein said his country stood up The challenge from 1 Bush administration in 1991 and a force to will stand up to this new Bush administration as well.
Speaker 1: Yes. It's now time for him
Speaker 0: to, to fully disarm.
Speaker 1: We hope that war will not take place. But if war is forced upon us, then Iraq will continue to be here. This country with a history of over 8000 years, this country, the cradle of the first civilizations of humanity, We'll not finish just like that even though a huge power may want it to be like that. Nobody Nobody should accept that Iraq will finish in such a way.
Speaker 0: Americans are very much concerned about anyone's connections to Osama bin Laden. Do you have have you had any connections to Al Qaeda and Osama bin Laden?
Speaker 1: Is this the basis of the anxiety in the minds of US officials, Or is it the basis of anxiety in the minds of the people of the United States?
Speaker 0: Mister president, I believe I can report accurately That it's a major concern in the minds of the people of the United States.
Speaker 1: We have never had any relationship with mister Osama bin Laden, And Iraq has never had any relationship with Al Qaeda. And I think that mister bin Laden himself has recently, in one of his speeches, given such an answer That we have no relation with him.
Speaker 0: Do you or do you not agree in principle with the attack of 911?
Speaker 1: Let me tell you absolutely clearly. We believe in humanity. We believe in accordance with what Allah, the god almighty, has taught us in the same way that god has taught humanity as a whole. That there must be a law governing humanity and governing relations in humanity. That there should not be an aggressor While others are silent about the aggression, there should not be a killer while those who watch and applaud the killing.
Speaker 0: Not so long ago, you were clearly hailed by Arabs from Palestinians to Jordanians throughout the Arab world as the, quote, Arab Avenger. Are you still relevant on the Arab street, or Has Osama bin Laden made you with other Arabs irrelevant? Hope you can understand the question. Thank you.
Speaker 1: This is not our goal. What we want is not a personal issue. What we want is what Allah wants and what our nation wants. We want our nation to be happy, not to be spoken of as heroes. The most basic thing to be said about Saddam is that he is a true son of his nation And to say he did his best for his people and his nation.
Speaker 0: And he does or does not agree that Osama bin Laden is now The champion of the Arab streets.
Speaker 1: How do you see it? Mister Rather is an intelligent person. I believe that he wants to get to the truth and not merely provoke or to try to get someone to say something that might be held against him. The most essential thing is to stop the aggression against our nation and the Iraqi people. You see how the Palestinians are killed on their land And their homes are demolished, and their properties are destroyed, and no one is trying to take away their handcuffs to free them.
And if the Arabs considered Osama bin Laden a hero, we are not jealous of him. Jealousy is for women, and men are not supposed to be jealous of one another.
Speaker 0: At one point during our interview, Saddam got up from his chair and said it was time for him to pray. He left the room, and we thought that might be the last we heard or saw of him. But he returned about 10 minutes later, seemed refreshed, and answered questions about what kind of war he expects and if he'll set his oil fields on fire. Those answers and his proposal for a sort of duel, a TV debate with George Bush in a moment. Car driven around the city east, west, north, and south again before we reached our final destination, the Republican Palace.
I recognize the palace from just last month. We were reporting from here when the UN inspectors made a surprise visit, But you can't see much from outside the gates. And for security, you're not allowed to take pictures. The only way to see it is from space. This is Baghdad as seen from a satellite, a huge sprawling city bigger than Los Angeles.
Tucked hard along the Tigris River Is the old palace, the Republican Palace, apparently one of Saddam's favorites built by the British just after World War 1 when they took over what is now Iraq from the Turks. We were driven through the main gates, through several checkpoints, and with armed guards all around, We were finally taken into the palace itself, a place heavily bombed during the first Gulf War and now meticulously restored. About 2 and a half hours after we left our hotel, just a few miles away, we were greeted by Saddam. He seemed thinner when we saw him 12 years ago. He seemed healthy, though a bit stiff apparently from back problems.
And in our interview, he made a proposal directly to president Bush. What is the most important thing you want the American people to understand at this important juncture of history.
Speaker 1: First, convey to them that the people of Iraq are not the enemy of the American people. If the American people would like to know the facts as they are through a direct dialogue, Then I am ready to conduct a debate with the president of the United States, president Bush on television. I will say whatever I have to say about American policy. He will have the opportunity to say whatever he has to say about the policy of Iraq. And this will be in front of the world on television in a direct, uncensored, honest manner.
In front of, as I said, everyone. And then they will judge what is true and what is false.
Speaker 0: This is new. You you are suggesting you were saying that you are willing, you are urging a debate with president Bush On television?
Speaker 1: Yes. That is my proposal. On films, we see that the Americans are courageous. When challenged to a duel, they will not back down just as the Arabs would not. This will be an opportunity for him to convince the war if he has committed to war.
If he's convinced of his own position, this will be an opportunity for him to convince the world that he is right in making such a decision. It could also be an opportunity for us to tell the world our own side of the story and why we want to live in peace and security. I believe that it is the right of the American people, the Iraqi people, and the world that we show our evidence clearly so that they can see for themselves. So why should we hide from the people? Why shouldn't we show them both perspectives?
We, as presidents, president of the United States, and president of Iraq. This is what I am calling for. We will either make peace, and this is what we hope for, And spare our people harm, or whoever decides anything other than peace will have to convince his own people with the facts. This is the gist of my proposal, my idea.
Speaker 0: This is not a joke.
Speaker 1: No. No. I call for this because war itself is not a joke.
Speaker 0: Mister president, where would this debate take place that you
Speaker 1: imagine? America. The American president in America. And Saddam Hussein, the president of Iraq in Iraq. And then the debate can be conducted through satellite.
Speaker 0: Oh, so a satellite television debate. Yes. Nam? Yes.
Speaker 1: And if mister Bush has another proposal, then we are prepared to listen. What is important is the idea.
Speaker 0: Would you be prepared to come to the United Nations for this debate?
Speaker 1: The most important thing is that our debate be heard in a normal and accurate way. And by this, I do not mean that I go and I make a speech at the United Nations and then that mister Bush We'll make his speech at the United Nations. That is not what I mean. What I mean is that we sit As we are sitting, you and I, now, I will address questions to him, and he will address questions to me. He will explain why he wants to go to war.
I will explain Why we are insistent on peace and we want to maintain peace. And we defend our honor And our sovereignty and our rights saw that the American people, The Iraqi people and the other peoples of the world will hear us. Without tricks, without editing, Without prepared speeches, people want to hear live and direct dialogue.
Speaker 0: Well, this surprises me, but I wanna make sure I understand.
Speaker 1: The debate could be broadcast on American and Iraqi television in its entirety, and it should be broadcast live. With the West Ham of Russia.
Speaker 0: A live international debate via satellite. Namtam.
Speaker 1: Yes. Of course.
Speaker 0: How would this work? Who who would moderate this debate? Namtam.
Speaker 1: You, mister Rader.
Speaker 0: With respect, mister president, I have plenty of other problems. I got enough problems already. But I As soon as the White House heard of Saddam Hussein's proposal For a debate, it was immediately rejected. A spokesman called it not serious. During our interview, Everything Saddam Hussein told us was being relayed with the help of his 2 translators sitting at the same table.
It turns out that Saddam was not just speaking but listening carefully to what they were saying. At one point, after president Hussein mentioned president Bush senior, One of his translators called him Bush instead of mister Bush. Saddam Hussein interrupted him in mid sentence.
Speaker 1: And how Bush, the father Bush. Bush. I didn't say Bush. I said mister Bush. I am being historically accurate and showing him respect.
Speaker 0: I understand his point. He wanted to call him mister Bush.
Speaker 1: I used not to, and this is a funny anecdote, Address him as mister Bush when he was in power. But as soon as he left office, I refer to him as mister Bush. We believe that we should respect the humanity even of our enemy. That's why I refer to him as mister Bush.
Speaker 0: Mister president, I hope you will take this question in the spirit in which it's asked. First of all, I regret that I not speak Arabic. Do you speak any any English at all? Have your coffee? I have coffee.
Speaker 1: Americans like coffee.
Speaker 0: That's true. And this American
Speaker 1: I am sorry. I do not speak English fluently. But I can understand to some extent.
Speaker 0: Well, would you speak some English for me? Anything you choose.
Speaker 1: Our language is Arabic. Arabic.
Speaker 0: A footnote to what you just heard when Saddam Hussein corrected his interpreter asking him to say mister Bush. A reminder that after the first president Bush left office, Saddam Hussein tried to have him assassinated. And today, one of Saddam's own newspapers refers to the second president Bush as the son of the snake. In a moment, We asked Saddam about his plans for war, be a war with the United States, but he certainly has been planning for 1. In this part of our interview, the Iraqi leader shared some of his thoughts about war with the US.
Those thoughts are shaped, Some might even say warped by Saddam's view of the situation today and of recent history. Saddam sees the world in his own terms and takes the same approach to interviews with television reporters. Saddam will allow only cameramen from Iraqi TV to record his interviews. He says this is for security reasons. We could not bring our own camera crews in or even a tape recorder.
The Iraqis provided cameras for our interview. They provided the interpreters to translate Saddam's remarks into English, and they provided us the tape of the interview hours after it was over. CBS translators here in New York carefully compared the official Iraqi translation with their own independent interpretation and found their translation of Saddam's remarks to be accurate. Those remarks include a surprising assessment of the outcome of the 1991 Gulf War and an equally surprising renunciation of the tactics that left Kuwait's oil fields in flames at the end of that war. If there is an invasion, will you set fire to the oil fields?
Will you blow the dams for your reservoirs of water to resist the invasion?
Speaker 1: Iraq does not burn its own wealth, and it does not destroy its own dams. We hope that this question is not going to be used by those who intend to attack us To cover their backs while they themselves destroy Iraq's dams and oil wells. Iraq will not destroy its oil or dams, But we'll use them and protect them for the benefit of the Iraqis.
Speaker 0: Mister president, vice president Cheney, Vice president Richard Cheney of the United States says that if and when an American led army comes into Iraq, it will be greeted With music, it will be treated as a army of liberation. If Americans are not to believe that. Why should they not believe that?
Speaker 1: If the Iraqi army or any other army were to cross the Atlantic and occupy America, Is it going to be received by the American people with music? I am categorically certain That no Iraqi will welcome any American when he is an occupier. But all the Iraqis will welcome any American Who comes as a friend? That is why now that
Speaker 0: you are here, you are
Speaker 1: being welcomed even though you come from a country threatening to destroy Iraq. Haven't you seen the kind of welcome you've received by officials and ordinary citizens? You can roam about in the town. What if an American soldier is here as an occupier? He won't be received in this way.
So as long as you are not a soldier, you are a guest, and a guest is always treated with respect. Any American, if they want to know the real position of the Iraqi people, They must ask themselves a question. In 1995, the Iraqi people elected Saddam Hussein president of Iraq. And in 2002, they reelected him. And the percentage of the voting was, respectively, 99.6% and 100% In those two elections
Speaker 0: A 100%. A 100%.
Speaker 1: This I know may sound strange to you, but Even if you take out whatever portion you want to take out of that, then the ratio would remain high in favor of reelecting Saddam Hussein. Now What does that mean? It means that the Iraqis have decided to take a patriotic stand under the circumstance of war and the blockade. In order to say to the foreign powers that are threatening Iraq, it is we, the people of Iraq, who decide our way, not you telling us what to do.
Speaker 0: You mentioned 1990 and 91, the Gulf War. You fought the father, George Bush the first. He and the forces he led prevailed on the battlefield. Now you face the sun who has an even greater, Even more modern, even more lethal military force aimed directly That's your throat and heart. Why would you think that you could prevail This time on the battlefield.
Or do you?
Speaker 1: You know that in both cases, We did not cross the Atlantic to commit aggression against the United States, neither by land or sea or air. The officials in America are the ones who are talking about the intention of attacking Iraq. Isn't it a responsible thing, the moral thing, and the most basic thing to do To warn the aggressor that if they attack us, we will not surrender? If we ask the question to any honest American, including you, mister Rada, let us suppose that during any time in the future, If another power comes to America, do you do nothing? I will answer.
I will tell the Americans that if such a thing happens to you one day, do not surrender, stand and defend your country And your dignity. And as you know, we didn't commit aggression against America. America is the one who is daily killing our children, our women. As I'm talking to you, there are American planes in the South and the North Dropping their bombs on the citizens and on their property. This happens daily.
If there is a law in the world that says the stronger ones get their Wait. It means surrender to the law of the jungle, and we do not want to surrender to the law of the jungle. It is our duty to defend our country so we will not surrender, not to America, not to anybody else. Just a quick historical correction that might interest you and the American people. In 1991, Iraq was not defeated, but our army withdrew from Kuwait by our own decision.
It's true. They left Kuwait under bombing, But when they were back inside Iraq, they were not defeated and neither were the Iraqi people.
Speaker 0: Mister president, respectfully, A lot of Americans are going to hear that and say, what is this man talking about? Because all of those Iraqi tanks coming out of Kuwait with the turrets knocked down, indicated a a beaten army on the battlefield. The point is I'm I'm asking you to explain what you mean That you were not defeated in the 1919, 91 war because I I can report to you with accuracy that overwhelmingly, The American people believe that that was a resounding defeat, for you and for Iraq.
Speaker 1: Let me answer this. You know the goals of Bush the father, and you know he attacked us repeatedly after that. So why did he repeat his attack if we had been defeated? When there is military conflict, there is attack and there is retreat. And when we saw that Bush the father, The president had mobilized 28 armies against us.
When we saw that the whole world was in fact collaborating against us, We realized that we had to withdraw from Kuwait. We did not lose More than 10% of our equipment in all of the battles. That was the worst loss suffered by any of our units. So we lost the battle, but we were not defeated. In what sense does Iraq threaten America threaten America?
The Iraqi people are not the enemies of the American people. Mister Rather, You are a well informed man, and you know the battle is not over until the guns are quiet and when the national will is bent to what the aggressor wants. It's not enough to have superiority in planes and missiles. In the final analysis, the guns will tell the tale of a courageous people Defending themselves against the occupiers. This is a decision made by the people of Iraq.
They will continue to commit themselves to the role That will make them respect themselves as well as others.
Speaker 0: Mister president, you say that knowing that poised on your border He's a tremendous armada ready to deliver destruction and all.
Speaker 1: Yes. I understand. I hear and I see, but the final truth will be decided by Allah On Iraqi soil In Baghdad I'm not talking about the fate of Americans in America, But the fate of Iraqis in Iraq and the fate of anybody who attacks Iraq.
Speaker 0: Mister president, you I appreciate your Remembering that we met in 1990, and I interviewed you in this very building.
Speaker 1: Given the
Speaker 0: sober moment and the danger at hand, What are the chances this is the last time you and I will see each other?
Speaker 1: Only Allah besides the fate of man. But the almighty also says, man should prepare what is necessary here on Earth. Then I can see that in the future, we will meet another time no matter what happens or what takes place. And I hope that the Iraqi people and the American people will live in peace and have a relationship that expresses their national interests Without one side harming the other.