Powell discusses Iraq, Middle East peace in interview with Danish DR TV

Despite security concerns and the recent prisoner abuse in Abu Ghraib, the United States is still determined to bring democracy and freedom to Iraq and return sovereignty to the Iraqi people, Secretary of State Colin Powell said in an interview in Washington with Denmark's DR TV May 13.

"We are determined to see that Iraq become a democracy in the hands of its own people with sovereignty over its country," Powell said.

A combination of terrorists, holdovers from Saddam Hussein's regime, and criminals are making security a major challenge in Iraq, Powell said, vowing the United States will stay "until the country is secure."

The prisoner abuse in Abu Ghraib has caused Americans a "great deal of anguish," but the U.S. system of justice and the Congress are currently investigating the problem to find and punish those responsible, he said.

"And let's remember that while we are ashamed of what these young soldiers have done, we are proud of the tens upon tens of thousands of other young soldiers who are trying to bring a better life to the Iraqi people, who are putting themselves at risk every day, to fight the enemies of the Iraqi people," he pointed out.

Asked about the current situation in the Middle East, Powell said President Bush is still committed to the "creation of a Palestinian state living side-by-side in peace with Israel."

"We have to end terrorism; we have to get the Palestinians to reform themselves; and we have to get the Israelis to also be prepared to move down the path laid out in the roadmap," Powell said, noting he will be meeting soon with Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qorei.

Following is the State Department transcript of the interview:

(begin transcript)

U.S. Department of State
Washington, D.C.

SECRETARY COLIN L. POWELL INTERVIEW ON DENMARK'S DR TV WITH KIM LASSEN

Washington, DC
May 13, 2004
(1:20 p.m. EDT)

MR. LASSEN: If you look at Iraq today, polls show a majority of Iraqis want America to leave, want the coalition to leave. There are people, traditional allies, who feel very, sort of, alienated towards American policies. Experts will say that terrorist organizations have an easier time recruiting right now. What went wrong?

SECRETARY POWELL: Nothing has gone wrong. A dictator is gone. Saddam Hussein is gone. The man who oppressed his people, who filled mass graves, who did all kinds of terrible things to his people, as the policy of the state, he's gone. He's gone. Let's not overlook that. He's gone. In the year that followed his departure, or the removal of his regime, and we have begun a reconstruction effort, we have put in place a political process that will allow us to return sovereignty to the Iraqi government.

Now we are having some difficulties right now because there are still bad people in Iraq, people who are left over from the former regime, terrorists who have come to make trouble and criminals. So we've got a challenge ahead of us in creating a level of security in the country so that people can get on with the rebuilding of their society.

Yes, they want us to leave, but they don't want us to leave unless the country is secure and we will stay there until the country is secure. They want to see their own leaders in charge. And that's what we are going to have happen over the next two months, as we get ready to return sovereignty.

So we are going through some difficult times right now, and there are a lot of people who are criticizing us, but we got rid of Saddam Hussein. And now we are going to put in place an Iraqi government that will put themselves in place, that will be in charge of their own destiny and we'll help them rebuild their country.

MR. LASSEN: But why do you think you have a large part of the world saying, well, things are out of control? You've got polls, numbers showing that the number of Iraqis who are supporting the coalition's efforts are falling. What is happening?

SECRETARY POWELL: Because there is a sense of insecurity. And so they're nervous. And they want to see security. I can assure you that if security was restored and all the reconstruction money was flowing the way we want it to flow, that number would turn around in a minute. And all of the so-called experts around the world, who say that everything is out of control; I think they're wrong.

We have strong partners who are with us in Iraq. Denmark is with us in Iraq. So many other countries are with us in Iraq because they understand how important it is. We're working with the United Nations.

So, yes, are we having some difficulties now? Yes. But we have seen challenges like this before in American history and in world history where the United States went into accomplish a difficult mission. And so we know what we have to do and we will accomplish that mission, and we are determined to see that Iraq become a democracy in the hands of its own people with sovereignty over its country.

MR. LASSEN: If you -- one of the stated goals about this Iraqi war was also to create sort of a shining example in the Arab world, here was a democracy that could work. With the prisoner abuse scandal that has come out, with -- and also a sentiment in the Arab world that the U.S. is being perceived as so closely connected to Israel -- how do you think that battle, it's called a Battle of Minds, how easy or difficult has that become?

SECRETARY POWELL: It's become difficult. It's been difficult. The prisoner abuse that took place in Abu Ghraib has caused us a great deal of anguish. We are devastated by these pictures. We are devastated to know that young American soldiers did this.

But what have we done since discovering this? We have been investigating it. We are using our justice system, our congressional system, to look into this and get to the bottom of it. And let's remember that while we are ashamed of what these young soldiers have done, we are proud of the tens upon tens of thousands of other young soldiers who are trying to bring a better life to the Iraqi people, who are putting themselves at risk every day, to fight the enemies of the Iraqi people.

With respect to the Middle East, I will be seeing the Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority this weekend. I'll be meeting with Arab leaders in Jordan to let them know that the President is still committed to the creation of a Palestinian state living side-by-side in peace with Israel. We have to end terrorism; we have to get the Palestinians to reform themselves; and we have to get the Israelis to also be prepared to move down the path laid out in the roadmap.

MR. LASSEN: Now this might be a large question to answer. But you came, this Administration came to power three-and-a-half years ago. There are a lot of people, especially in Europe, who are very uncomfortable with this President. Do you feel that this Administration, during those three-and-a-half years, has made the world a better place to be?

SECRETARY POWELL: Yeah, I'd like to offer up a few examples. This President recently announced the largest increase in development assistance for the undeveloped world since the Marshal Plan at the end, just after the end of World War II -- some of our critics should do as well in their own countries -- this President has put forward a $15 billion program to assist the people of the world in fighting the greatest terrorists out there right now, and that's HIV/AIDS, $15 billion. And we've started to distribute that money. Our critics around the world should do as much.

We have good relations with so many of our friends in Asia. We have good relations with most of our friends in Europe. We've had difficulty with respect to the Iraq issue, and some other issues, where we have disagreements with our European partners. But this is the same America that Europe has known for all these many, many years, an America that is a principled nation and it rests on a set of values, the values that liberated Europe twice over the past century, that has brought liberty to parts of Asia that had never seen it before, and it is the same America that would bring liberty and democracy and freedom, despite all the difficulties in front of us, to Iraq.

MR. LASSEN: Thank you very much for your time. I appreciate it. Thank you very much.

(end transcript)

(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)