Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice Heads to Middle East; Interview With New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson
ZAHN: And welcome back. An important part of our "Top Story" is the global reaction to the crisis in the Middle East. In streets across the Muslim world, people are carrying red and white Lebanese flags and green Hamas flags, but they are burning U.S. and Israeli flags. In Damascus, Syria, a man tears apart an Israeli flag with his teeth. In Egypt, protesters carry posters of Hezbollah's leader. And, in Malaysia, signs label President Bush and Prime Minister Tony Blair as war criminals. Now, with passions running so high, one of the most surprising turns in our "Top Story" coverage is the U.S.' diplomatic approach to the crisis. Critics say it is nonexistent. Finally, after being accused of standing on the sidelines for days, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is going into action. White House correspondent Ed Henry picks up the "Top Story" coverage with this dramatic change on the diplomatic front.</s>ED HENRY, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Announcing plans to leave for the Mideast Sunday, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice had a sharp answer for critics who say the Bush administration should have engaged in shuttle diplomacy much sooner.</s>CONDOLEEZZA RICE, SECRETARY OF STATE: I could have gotten on a plane and rushed over and started shuttling, and it wouldn't have been clear what I was shuttling to do.</s>HENRY: But mindful her trip will raise hopes of a peace deal, the secretary downplayed expectations by admitting she still is not sure what can be accomplished.</s>RICE: I know that there are no answers that are easy, nor are there any quick fixes. I fully expect that the diplomatic work for peace will be difficult.</s>HENRY: What the secretary is certain is, despite growing pressure, the U.S. still does not support a cease-fire.</s>RICE: A cease-fire would be a false promise, if it is simply returns us to the status quo, allowing terrorists to launch attacks at the time and terms of their choosing, and to threaten innocent people, Arab and Israeli, throughout the region.</s>HENRY: She called for a robust international peacekeeping force on the ground in Lebanon, but suggested, the U.S. would not contribute boots on the ground.</s>RICE: I do not think that it is anticipated that U.S. ground forces would -- are expected for that force.</s>HENRY: In a sign of the growing urgency, President Bush's schedule has been shaken up, to add a rare Sunday meeting at the White House, where he and Secretary Rice will host top Saudi officials. Then, the secretary heads to Israel and the West Bank, followed by a summit in Rome with Arab leaders, where she will keep the heat on Syria to stop supporting Hezbollah.</s>RICE: The Syrians have to make a choice. Do they really wish to be associated with the circumstances that -- that help extremism to grow in the region, or are they going to be a part of what is clearly a consensus of the major Arab states in the region, that extremism is one of the problems here?</s>HENRY (on camera): Democrats charge, the White House moved too slowly, and are now urging the president to appoint a special envoy to the Mideast. But the White House says, it is already sending its top envoy, Secretary Rice, to the region, and says it will take time to achieve a sustainable peace. Ed Henry, CNN, the White House.</s>ZAHN: So, is the U.S. getting into the diplomatic game too late? With Israeli tanks poised at Lebanon's border as we speak, can diplomacy possibly work? Next in our "Top Story" coverage: a veteran diplomat who handled the Middle East and other thorny issues when he was the U.S. ambassador at the United Nations during the Clinton administration. New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson joins me now. Always good to see you, sir. I don't know whether you heard our interview at the top of the hour, an exclusive one, with the president of Lebanon, but he says there is absolutely no diplomacy that can stop this invasion. So, does that mean Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is wasting her time?</s>GOV. BILL RICHARDSON (D), NEW MEXICO: No, she is not wasting her time. In fact, the United States should have had a special envoy permanently. But that is another story. I think she can make a difference. She is skilled. She represents the United States. She should immediately persuade our European allies to put sanctions on Hezbollah and make sure that they are sanctioned, no visas, frozen assets. And she should be very firm with the president of Lebanon, that, basically, there is going to be isolation and sanctions, if they continue this effort to not just back Hezbollah, but stir things up in Lebanon.</s>ZAHN: All right.</s>RICHARDSON: But I do believe, Paula, that the American presence, shuttling around, with Israel only trusting the United States and being a major player, that we should be there.</s>ZAHN: All right. But , Governor, Condoleezza Rice said today that, basically, you can't have any kind of truce that would lead to another conflict here. Do you think she has made a mistake by not joining in a call for an immediate cease-fire?</s>RICHARDSON: No. She is right on that score. I fault them for not being there and getting engaged, but you can't just have a cease-fire, without anything else. I think what has to be established is the scope of an international peacekeeping force. Hezbollah has got to get sanctioned. And there has got to be an agreement that, eventually, they will be disarmed.</s>ZAHN: Well, that -- that's the issue.</s>RICHARDSON: Syria and Iran have to be persuaded...</s>ZAHN: Do you think that that...</s>RICHARDSON: They have to be persuaded...</s>ZAHN: ... is possible?</s>ZAHN: Let's -- let's talk about the international...</s>RICHARDSON: Well, yes, I...</s>ZAHN: ... peacekeeping force. They obviously have to have the ability to disarm Hezbollah. That hasn't been done, after the U.N. leaning on Lebanon to do just that for two years.</s>RICHARDSON: Well, but you have to have an international peacekeeping force. If you can't authorize it through the United Nations, through a resolution there that promises sanctions, sanctions and an international peacekeeping force, Secretary Rice, Muslim countries, and European nations should do one. We're eventually going to need one. And I believe that should be some effort to get that constructed, at the same time that you are talking cease-fire, and a simultaneous cease-fire. You have got to do both of them at the same time. But I do agree that just having a cease-fire, without any infrastructure in place, is not going to work. The main point, Paula, is, an American secretary of state, the country with the most leverage in the Middle East, trusted by Israel, and major military power, with the Europeans, can make a difference. And...</s>ZAHN: All right.</s>RICHARDSON: ... I just believe we should have been there before.</s>ZAHN: Well, we always appreciate your perspective, Governor Richardson. Thanks for your time tonight. Now a reminder...</s>RICHARDSON: Thank you, Paula.</s>ZAHN: ... that we are keeping a very close eye on the Israeli- Lebanese border. Our live crews are standing by, in case Israel's army starts moving into Lebanon. We are told they are ready. They are just waiting for an order. Now, even without an all-out assault, thousands of Lebanese civilians are suffering, and suffering deeply. Next in our "Top Story" coverage, our own Dr. Sanjay Gupta makes his way inside a Beirut hospital. He will have an amazing report about how lives are being saved, as a city burns. Also, we are going to take you to an Israeli emergency room in a city that has become a target for Hezbollah rockets. What is that like? We will return with both of those reports on the other side.