Secretary of State Colin Powell said that with the establishment of an Iraqi Governing Council and cabinet positions, there was "no reason" why power should not be handed over to the Iraqi people "as quickly as is possible."

"If you look at what our plan is, it is to put in place an Iraqi Governing Council; we've done that, and then put in place cabinet positions to run the ministries of the government; we've done that. And now what we're looking for is how quickly can we move to put in place some body of law underneath all of this so that the Iraqis can start to have elections and put in place leaders who enjoy the mandate of the people," Powell said in an interview November 13 with Nashville, Tennessee's WTVF television station.

Powell also spoke about U.S. operations in Iraq with three other regional television stations, WRTV of Indianapolis, Raleigh, North Carolina's WRAL, and KNSD of San Diego, California.

The secretary said Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) administrator Paul Bremer had met with President Bush for consultations before returning to Iraq to develop a plan with the Iraqi Governing Council on how to transfer power. U.N. Security Council Resolution 1511 has asked the Iraqis to come up with a plan by December 15.

Powell expressed confidence that more Iraqi leaders will emerge as the country stabilizes and becomes more secure, telling KNSD that "you can't have a vacuum in politics for an extended period of time."

"Some people have said to us, 'Just turn it over to anybody who's there.' That isn't going to work," said Powell. "We have to have a democratic process that leads to legitimacy, so the people are confident that those leaders that emerge out of that process represent all the people and are answerable to the people."

He also said that in the weeks ahead, thanks to $20 billion of funding from the U.S. Congress as well as other international funding, the reconstruction effort in Iraq "will start to gain more momentum."

On WRAL, the secretary expressed his appreciation to Italy for its willingness to "make the sacrifices necessary and stick with us," despite a deadly attack on Italian soldiers November 12 in Nasiriya.

He said more than 30 countries have contributed soldiers to the coalition effort, and others such as Japan, South Korea, Bangladesh, and Pakistan are also considering sending troops.

Secretary Powell also listed a number of coalition successes in Iraq that he felt deserved more media coverage. Despite hard and tense conditions in the country following the end of the Ba'ath regime, Iraqis have not suffered from starvation or sectarian violence, he said.

"Town councils are being formed. Kids are going back to school. The oil is now being pumped out. Revenue is being generated for the Iraqi people to operate their own government; we do have a Governing Council functioning. We do have cabinet ministries now working again. The sewerage-water systems are being repaired. Hospitals have been repaired," said Powell.

November 13, 2003

MR. CLARK: Mr. Secretary, as you know, President Bush told reporters today that the United States is developing a plan for Iraqis to more quickly assume governance of their own country. Now this comes after Paul Bremer, the special -- the Civilian Administrator in Iraq, called quickly back to Washington for meetings with top Administration officials including the President, following the worst weeks of violence since major combat operations ended, and increased criticism from the Democrats, Nancy Pelosi being one of them, saying either the Administration doesn't have a policy or it's not working.

So that announcement that comes today, is this pushed along by political considerations here at home and abroad, or is this part of a deliberately carefully crafted thought-out plan to return power to Iraqis and eventually extricating American troops? In other words, are we doing this quickly, or are we doing it right?

SECRETARY POWELL: Well, we're doing it right, but there's no reason we shouldn't do it as quickly as is possible. If you look at what our plan is, it is to put in place an Iraqi Governing Council; we've done that, and then put in place cabinet positions to run the ministries of the government; we've done that. And now what we're looking for is how quickly can we move to put in place some body of law underneath all of this so that the Iraqis can start to have elections and put in place leaders who enjoy the mandate of the people.

Ambassador Bremer came back to discuss how quickly we can move in that direction, and we had good consultations with him. It's got nothing to do with domestic politics. This rises above domestic politics, and it is wise for us to have these kinds of consultations. The President is getting ready to go Europe, Secretary Rumsfeld was getting ready to go to Asia and before we went off on these trips, we thought it was useful for Ambassador Bremer to come back, give us some thoughts that he had been given by the Iraqi Governing Council. We had a chance to discuss them. Now Ambassador Bremer is on his way back over to speak to the Iraqi Governing Council.

Keeping in mind that just a few weeks ago, the United Nations Security Council passed Resolution 1511 which endorsed this approach and placed a requirement on the Iraqi Governing Council to come forward with a plan by the 15th of December. That's only a few weeks away, so we thought it was very appropriate for us to have this consultation so that Ambassador Bremer could go back and work with the Iraqis to develop that plan and have it before the United Nations, hopefully before 15 December.

MR. CLARK: If the plan takes effect, the effect on American troops is going to be, what, nothing, right?

SECRETARY POWELL: Well, no. I think that if the plan --

MR. CLARK: They'll still have the same duties, they'll still have the same responsibilities.

SECRETARY POWELL: Yeah, initially they will, of course, until the plan is executed. But at the same time that we are seeing these developments, something else is going on. We're building up Iraqi forces, more Iraqi police forces. The army is now starting to be built up again. Civil defense forces, border patrol forces, militia forces, all of those are now being put in place, and increasingly, Iraqis themselves can substitute for American presence in the streets of the towns and out in the countryside.

That hopefully will reduce the risk to our troops and allow us to reduce the number of American troops that will be needed. But let's not -- let's not in any way try to dodge the reality of the situation. It's going to take time, and American presence, military and political presence will be required for some time to come.

MR. CLARK: Is the Administration disappointed that, as a result of these recent attacks, Japan has decided to delay deployment of a token force, and Korean is limiting theirs to 1,000. I think the Administration is looking for more than that.

SECRETARY POWELL: Well, I don't -- there have been a variety of reports. I know that the Japanese have reaffirmed their commitment to take action by the end of the year, and the South Koreans are continuing to review how many they might make available. Secretary Rumsfeld is on his way to Tokyo now, and from there he'll be going on to Seoul, and we'll see what the results of his consultations are in the very near future.

MR. CLARK: Mr. Secretary, thank you very much.

SECRETARY POWELL: You're welcome.

(begin transcript)

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Office of the Spokesman
November 13, 2003

INTERVIEW

Secretary of State Colin L. Powell
On Indianapolis WRTV/ABC with Rafael Sanchez

November 13, 2003
Washington, D.C.

(3:51 p.m. EST)

MR. SANCHEZ: Mr. Secretary, welcome to Indianapolis and thank you for joining us this afternoon.

SECRETARY POWELL: Thank you, Rafael.

MR. SANCHEZ: We spent a lot of time talking to Hoosier families today wanting to ask you some questions. Mike Ernest is with the 101st Airborne, and his mom wants to know from you, what are you doing to make sure that her son and all the others come back home safely?

SECRETARY POWELL: Well, of course, the Army is doing everything they can to protect our troops who are in dangerous situations in Iraq. The 101st is doing a particularly outstanding job up in the northern part of the country. It's almost a model of what we would like to see throughout the country. They're working with town councils. They're building hospitals and schools. They're helping people organize themselves.

But at the same time, they are at risk. It's a dangerous area and we shouldn't forget why we are called soldiers because often we have to go into harm's way. And we want to make sure that we bring all of our soldiers back if that's possible, but we know it is not possible. Some lives will be lost.

And I just want to assure her that we will do everything we can to protect those youngsters -- give them every defensive technique and measure that we can think of. But it is a dangerous environment, and there should be no illusions about that. And that's why we want to bring this conflict to an end as fast as we can. And her loved one is an important part of accomplishing that mission.

I know the 101st very, very well. I was privileged to command a brigade in that outstanding division a number of years ago.

MR. SANCHEZ: Mr. Secretary, what we've found of a lot of the parents who are in Indiana -- they're so proud of the young men and women that are serving in Iraq. The next parents: Ben Bath of Shelby County, they want to know: Why the dependence on National Guardsmen, many who signed up thinking they were going to be doing some Homeland Security, doing some floods and some sandbagging, but are now in Iraq?

SECRETARY POWELL: The demands on our force structure to deal with the situation in Afghanistan and in Iraq, as well as the other deployments we have around the world were of such a nature that it was necessary to call upon our wonderful National Guard and Reserve troops -- not only because in the National Guard and Reserve we have some special skills that we don't keep in the active force -- and we called them up and we need them from the Reserves and the National Guard, and also combat units and other kinds of units that are being called up from the National Guard and Reserves to fill out the ranks of the active force.

I know that many of them thought that it would just involve one weekend a month and perhaps two weeks during the summer, but all understood, as volunteers, that it might require more than that. What is so -- what is so reassuring and makes me so proud is that they are coming forward to serve their nation, recognizing that it will be a major impediment to family life and to their own professional plans -- their own civilian occupations. But nevertheless, they're coming forward and they're serving proudly. But beyond that, they're serving exceptionally well and I'm very proud of them.

MR. SANCHEZ: Our senior Senator, Richard Lugar, says that this may take five to ten years. Do you believe that this situation will take that long?

SECRETARY POWELL: I don't know. I don't think so. I have the greatest respect for Senator Lugar and, of course, he chairs on one of the committees that provides oversight for me and my department, but we want to get it over with as quickly as we can. We don't want it take five or ten years. That's why Ambassador Bremer was back here this week consulting with us on some ideas that he received from the Iraqi Governing Council.

He's on his way back now, and we hope we can put in place an accelerated political process so we can get to the point where the Iraqis are governing themselves as quickly as possible. Nevertheless, that will take some time. And I ask my fellow citizens to have patience along with a spirit of perseverance to make sure that we do this right, and not necessarily fast.

MR. SANCHEZ: We've seen a lot of violence images in the last couple of days from the Middle East. What would you tell Hoosier parents whose children may be considering enlisting? Would you encourage them to enlist?

SECRETARY POWELL: Yes. I would -- I still believe it is noble to serve your nation, and not just in times of peace, when there is no danger, but when there is danger and when the need is great. Americans have always rallied to the cause in times of danger and when there is risk, and I know that Hoosiers will not be any different now. They have always rallied before, so I would encourage youngsters to come forward, volunteer to serve your nation. You will learn a lot about yourself. You will acquire skills that will be useful: skills of self-awareness and skills with respect to leadership that will make you a better citizen.

But beyond that, you will get a sense of satisfaction for what you're doing for someone else -- for a nation that is very much in need -- the nation of Iraq, or perhaps in Afghanistan. So I hope young people will continue to stand up and step forward to serve the nation.

MR. SANCHEZ: Mr. Secretary, thank you for joining us here in Indianapolis on First at Five.

SECRETARY POWELL: Thank you, Rafael.

(end transcript)

(begin transcript)

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Office of the Spokesman
November 13, 2003

INTERVIEW

Secretary of State Colin L. Powell
On Raleigh WRAL-CBS With David Craptree

November 13, 2003
Washington, D.C.

(3:34 p.m. EST)

MR. CRAPTREE: Mr. Secretary, first question, a few weeks ago the White House said that the basic message, particularly regarding Iraq, was not getting out -- not necessarily getting out within the mainstream media. Can you distill that message that you believe is not being heard? What does the Administration want the American people to hear they're not hearing?

SECRETARY POWELL: We want the American people to know that there are many good things happening in Iraq. There has been considerable progress over the last six months.

There's no starvation. There's no sectarian violence; that is to say, one group fighting another group inside of Iraq. Town councils are being formed. Kids are going back to school. The oil is now being pumped out. Revenue is being generated for the Iraqi people to operate their own government; we do have a Governing Council functioning. We do have cabinet ministries now working again. The sewerage-water systems are being repaired. Hospitals have been repaired.

The economy is starting to function again. We're going through a currency exchange, getting rid of all of the old Saddam Hussein dinars and bringing in new currency. So there are many good things that are going on that we believe the American people should know about and should be proud of -- that we have caused this to happen with our Coalition partners.

But we're not saying, "Don't report those things that are not going well." The security situation is giving us difficulty. We see that every day in the loss of life that takes place, the tragic loss we saw yesterday with our Italian colleagues in Nasiriya. And we regret every loss of life and our heart goes out to family members of every individual who has lost their lives or has been seriously injured.

And all we are asking for is that the American people and the people of the world get a balanced picture. We are in a difficult challenge in Iraq. We will prevail. Our military know what they have to do, and I'm sure they'll be successful. I have every confidence in them. And we know what we have to do politically and we know what we have to do with respect to reconstruction efforts, and the President is determined to see this through to the end.

And the end simply is, as soon as we can put in place an Iraqi government that reflects the will of the Iraqi people. And when that happens, we'll be very pleased to go home, having left a much better nation in that part of the world.

MR. CRAPTREE: Mr. Secretary, in the meantime, you're addressing an audience here that has a heavy military presence with Fort Bragg, Camp Lejeune, Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, Cherry Point and the like, and a lot of retired military people here -- people who have supported the President, have supported the Administration in what we're trying to accomplish in Iraq -- at the same time are increasingly concerned about the loss of life, and in some cases frustrated.

You are a soldier. How do you encourage those people?

SECRETARY POWELL: Let them know, first and foremost, that we are in a conflict and sacrifices will be required. And let them know that everyone who loses their life, we grieve for, but at the same time, it's not a life lost in vain. They're bringing peace to a troubled part of the world. They're helping people who are desperately in need, and they're also serving the national interest of their country. They are true patriots.

I know the Raleigh-Durham area well. I used to command all Army forces in the United States and I've been at Fort Bragg, I've been stationed at Fort Bragg briefly over the years. And I know all of the facilities down there. There is no more patriotic part of the country. I'm very proud of what the citizens of North Carolina and the surrounding region, and the other states in the area do for us. And I ask them to keep supporting the President, but more importantly, keep supporting these wonderful young men and women who were willing to volunteer to serve their nation and go forth in harm's way in order to carry our message forward, and in order to bring peace to this troubled part of the world.

MR. CRAPTREE: Mr. Secretary, you referenced what happened yesterday regarding the Italians. In light of the continuing problems there, the continuing deaths, do you believe we will see other countries come forward at this stage and participate more actively than what we have seen in the past six months?

SECRETARY POWELL: Well, let me begin by saying that some 30 countries are there with us. More than 30 countries have contributed troops, such as the Italians yesterday. I was so very pleased that the Italian Prime Minister today reaffirmed that Italy will not cut and run. Italy will make the sacrifices necessary and stick with us.

There are other countries that are considering making a contribution. Turkey was willing to make a contribution, but for a variety of reasons having to do with the sensitivity of Turkey sending troops into Iraq, we came to a conclusion with Turkey that they should not make that contribution at this time.

Other nations: Japan, South Korea, Bangladesh, Pakistan -- all of them are considering whether or not troops would be appropriate, and we're working with those nations and other nations, as well as the Iraqis themselves -- the Governing Council -- to see what additional contributions might be possible and what additional contributions might be appropriate.

MR. CRAPTREE: Secretary of State Colin Powell, we thank you for your time.

SECRETARY POWELL: Thank you very much.

(end transcript)

(begin transcript)

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Office of the Spokesman
For Immediate Release
November 13, 2003
2003/1167

Interview

Secretary of State Colin L. Powell On San Diego KNSD/NBC with Greg Dawson

November 13, 2003 Washington, D.C.

(3:30 p.m. EST)

MR. DAWSON: Mr. Secretary, we're getting ready in this community to send thousands of Marines back to Iraq again, this time to serve, we're told, as an occupying force. I'm sure you're well aware that has not traditionally been their mission. What is different now that's going to make that a situation that the Marines will more easily be able to deal with?

SECRETARY POWELL: Well, the Marines have done an absolutely wonderful job in Iraq when they first went in earlier in the year, and we have a requirement for fairly significant presence in Iraq for the foreseeable future. And it is for that reason that Secretary Rumsfeld and the Joint Chiefs of Staff determined that it was appropriate to send Marines back in.

They're going back in into a different environment. I'm not sure exactly where they will be serving in the country. If they are in the southern part of the country, they know it well from their previous assignment there. I think what we will see in the weeks ahead is that the reconstruction effort will start to gain more momentum now that we have the $20 billion of funding from the Congress as well as funding that will be coming in from the international community, and I hope they'll be able to build on what they did before: creating town councils, dealing with those who are trying to resist the sweep of history in that part of Iraq.

We're so very proud of our Marines and we're especially proud of the city of San Diego, which has been a home to the Navy-Marine Team for so many years.

MR. DAWSON: Mr. Secretary, one of the ways it appears to me that Saddam Hussein remained in power is by making sure there was no one else around that could assume power. When you look around the country for leadership to fill that vacuum, the Council that has been chosen doesn't seem to be moving at a pace as much -- as quickly as the Administration would like, but who's going to become that figure or that group that will assert that amount of power in Iraq? Not dictatorship, obviously.

SECRETARY POWELL: Yeah. Well, obviously, that's not what we're looking for. We don't see yet somebody like the gentleman who took over in Afghanistan, Hamid Karzai, but a leader will emerge. You can't keep a vacuum in political life for very long, and the Governing Council does have leaders in it representing different parts of the country. And what we have to do is give them an opportunity --

MR. DAWSON: Will it always be someone that -- I'm sorry, does that have to be someone that the Administration is selecting or the Administration will just deal with whoever emerges?

SECRETARY POWELL: No, no. Quite the contrary. I think it's important for the Iraqis to determine who their leadership will be, whether it's one individual or several individuals. But I think as the country stabilizes and as we get the security situation more under control, people will step forward. People will stand up and want to play a leadership role in this country, and I'm quite confident of that.

We're starting to see some play that role. In the north, you have Kurdish leaders who are very effective in their part of the country. They will not have the same effectiveness yet as a national leader, but I'm quite confident leaders will stand up, because you can't have a vacuum in politics for an extended period of time.

MR. DAWSON: But isn't there a likelihood in Iraq that you get leadership from three different pressure groups, ethnic groups that then become a clash all on their own?

SECRETARY POWELL: Well, absolutely, there will be leaders surfacing among the Shia, among the Sunnis, and among the Kurds. But what we're trying to put in place is a democratically based system that has a basis in law, so that these groups can debate the issues and work within a construct of law in order to determine who will hold the leadership reins. That's the guts of it all.

Some people have said to us, "Just turn it over to anybody who's there." That isn't going to work. We have to have a democratic process that leads to legitimacy, so the people are confident that those leaders that emerge out of that process represent all the people and are answerable to the people.

MR. DAWSON: Mr. Secretary, final question. I've been in this job for decades. I just don't ever remember the Secretary of State's office calling up and making the Secretary available for a one-on-one interview with a local television station. What is it that you expect to achieve from this that other members of the Administration have been unable to?

SECRETARY POWELL: Well, I think all of us in the Administration realize that we give a lot of interviews in Washington, and I'm on a lot of international television programs as a result of my job. We thought it was just good to reach out and talk to communities around America. So you'll be seeing us do more of it, and not to spin anything, but just to be able to reach out to a broader audience. I do it quite a bit in my office --

MR. DAWSON: You're not getting through via the national media?

SECRETARY POWELL: No, we get through in the national media --

MR. DAWSON: In the sense that you're not --

SECRETARY POWELL: We get through with the national media, but why not also take the opportunity, as I have this afternoon for 30 minutes, to talk to regional media in six different parts of the country in a 30-minute period? It's just a way of reaching out. I will also do national media, and I do international media. It's just yet one more channel available to us to reach out and talk to our fellow citizens.

MR. DAWSON: Well, we're delighted. Don't misunderstand. This is a very wonderful opportunity and we thank you very much, sir.

SECRETARY POWELL: Thank you.