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Posted on 03/15/2004 6:32:36 PM PST by Braveforever
COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WALLACE: And we're back now with Secretary of State Colin Powell.
Senator Kerry has been offering his views of Bush foreign policy, and I'd like to ask you about some of his comments.
Kerry says that the president has gone about defending America's security in the wrong way. Here's what he had to say during a debate. Let's listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
U.S. SENATOR JOHN KERRY (D-MA): This war on terror is far less of a military operation and far more of an intelligence-gathering, law-enforcement operation.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WALLACE: Why isn't intelligence gathering and law enforcement the right way to fight the war on terror?
POWELL: There are many ways to fight the war on terror. And intelligence gathering certainly is a major feature of our effort. I mean, we've spent a lot of time on intelligence gathering.
Law-enforcement activity, working with our friends and partners around the world, going after the financial infrastructure of terrorist organizations, we haven't neglected any of that.
And we have seen success over time in starting to roll up these networks. We have captured a number of members of Al Qaida without going to war. But taking direct military action sometimes is necessary and appropriate.
WALLACE: Senator Kerry has also suggested that the Bush administration held up the agreement with Libya for it to give up its nuclear weapons program to help in the president's reelection.
This is what Senator Kerry had to say, and you can see it on the screen: "Gadhafi's been trying to get back into the mainstream for several years now. There's evidence that we could've had that deal some time ago."
POWELL: It's absurd. I don't know what Senator Kerry's talking about. It's just absurd. That took time to bring that deal together. And I've been following it very, very closely for a number of months. And when finally the United States and the United Kingdom negotiators got a deal with Libya, we acted on that deal and we announced that deal. It was not held up for any campaign or political purpose.
WALLACE: You seem offended by it.
POWELL: Well, it is offensive because it's a political charge in a political year. And I expect that we will be hearing and seeing many more charges and many more such video clips. But I don't know what basis Senator Kerry is using to make such a statement. I mean, what is his evidence for this, other than an assertion on his part? It's not accurate.
WALLACE: All right. I'm not sure you can answer this one, but I would like to get your comment on it, if I could.
Senator Kerry says that foreign leaders — you look like you know this — want him to beat the president. And here's what he's had to say: "I've met with foreign leaders who can't go out and say this publicly, but boy, they look at you and say, 'You've got to win this. You've got to beat this guy. We need a new policy."'
POWELL: I can't even talk to that, Chris. I don't know what foreign leaders Senator Kerry is talking about. It's an easy charge, an easy assertion to make. But if he feels it is that important an assertion to make, he ought to list some names. If he can't list names, then perhaps he should find something else to talk about.
WALLACE: Senator Kerry also has had something to say about you. He says that you've been undercut on a regular basis by the more hawkish members of the Bush administration. Here's what he said: "I think, simply, Powell, who I know, like and admire, has never been permitted to be fully secretary of state in a way that I envision the secretary of state."
Does he have that right?
POWELL: No, I don't think he has that right. The president has me right now on the lead on so many issues, whether it has to do with our relations with China, what we're doing with the new Republic of Georgia, whether it has to do with Haiti, whether it has to do with Iraq, whether it has to do with negotiations with our European friends and the IAEA on Iran, whether it has to do with Russia, where I was last month. I'm on my way to the subcontinent now.
Name a specific issue where it looks like I have been marginalized. I was part of the team that took this case to the United Nations for Iraq. I am working on the North Korean issue. And so this is also an easy charge.
Are there differences of view within an administration? Sure. And we resolve those differences of view. But I know what the president wants, I know what his agenda is, and he knows that I am working his agenda. So these sorts of charges are always interesting to read and fun to gossip about, but don't have any standing in reality.
WALLACE: What do you think of John Kerry?
POWELL: I have known Senator Kerry for many, many years, and we did some work together on Capitol Hill. And I have regard for him, but it's now a political campaign between he and President Bush.
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