Advisers Want U.S. to Have Solid, Permanent Policy Toward Iraq
BRIAN NELSON, CNN ANCHOR: In the Middle East, Friday's allied air strikes in Baghdad prompted protests today in Gaza. About 1000 Palestinians gathered to condemn the attack and voice their support for Saddam Hussein. How will these developments affect Israeli- Palestinian peace efforts, and Secretary of State Colin Powell's trip to the Middle East and the Persian Gulf? Joining us from Washington now is Jon Alterman, with the United States Institute of Peace. Thanks for being with us.</s>JON ALTERMAN, U.S. INSTITUTE OF PEACE: My pleasure.</s>NELSON: Mr. Alterman, what kind of reception do you think Colin Powell will receive in the wake of the attack on Iraq? Well, there will be a lot of listening going on...</s>NELSON: By whom?</s>ALTERMAN: By all the leaders in the region and by Secretary Powell. The people in the region want to know what the U.S. policy will be toward the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and what U.S. Policy will be toward Iraq. Secretary Powell will be listening to people in the region, trying to get their advice on how U.S. policy should move forward, as he begins to create that policy.</s>NELSON: How incensed do you get the feeling the Arab nations are towards this attack on Iraq?</s>ALTERMAN: I'm not sure they're incensed by the attack. The Arab countries and people in the Arab countries even more so, are upset that an American policy that seems not to be going anywhere, as Iraqi civilians suffer. There would be significant support in the region for a U.S. policy which really seemed to have a goal. The sense is, you speak to people throughout region, they think the U.S. has forgotten any goal in its policy toward Iraq.</s>NELSON: This was supposed be a get-acquainted session for Powell and the Arab leaders. Does he have the obligation to arrive there with a message or some sort of deeper explanation of how America intends to treat Iraq?</s>ALTERMAN: The agenda is going to be so full. First of all, Iraq was always going to be on the agenda for this trip -- the sanctions are under a lot of attacks, they aren't having the effects people want, and there's a lot of suffering. So, Iraq will always be on the agenda. Iraq will be much more urgent because of this attack. And what's going on the Israeli-Palestinian arena is going to be an urgent concern for everybody in the region. So, a lot of listening on his part, a lot of listening on the part of regional leaders.</s>NELSON: But the Arab nations, while they may not agree with Saddam Hussein and don't support his policies, do object to attacks on another Arab nation that seem to be unprovoked. Remember, many of those nations are not participating in protecting the no-fly zone. So, how does Colin Powell attempt to address their concerns?</s>ALTERMAN: Well, he says we will work with you; if you have a better idea of how to work with Iraq problem, we're ready to hear it. The problem Iraq poses is not a direct threat to the United States -- not going to attack the U.S. with nuclear weapons, it is that Iraq would acquire nuclear, chemical, biological weapons and use them against its neighbors. So, this is a policy that the U.S. is willing to listen to the Arab leadership on but they have to have some alternative ideas for U.S. policy if they don't like the current one.</s>NELSON: There have been demonstrations in Baghdad itself and demonstrations by Palestinians. I have not noticed any demonstrations elsewhere in the Arab world. Does that tell you something?</s>ALTERMAN: It may. All these demonstrations -- it's always hard to tell how much true grassroots support they have. I was just in the Middle East two weeks ago, and I spoke to a number of expatriate journalists in London on my back, and the real sense is, let's really have a policy toward Iraq. You can have whatever policy you want, but drawing this out for years and years with no result is no way to run U.S. policy in the region.</s>NELSON: Thank you for joining us for your insight. That's Jon Alterman from the United States Institute of Peace. We appreciate it.