2003/984
SECRETARY POWELL: I've just completed a very moving visit here in Halabja to see the kind of a mass grave, the wall that's been constructed around it, as well as we've come to this very moving museum to see witness that cannot be denied of Saddam Hussein's crimes against humanity and crimes against his own people. We'll never forget the 5,000 people who were gassed here, who lost their lives, Saddam Hussein's use of weapons of mass destruction. It wasn't the first time he had done it, but it certainly is nothing that anybody in this country has to worry about any further, nor any of the neighbors.
I want to thank Mr. Talibani and Mr. Barzani for sharing their thoughts with me, as I bring to a close this brief trip to Iraq, encouraged by what I have seen: a commitment of leaders to build a new democratic Iraq with a new constitution and elections that bring it into place a legitimate government. We know there is a great deal of work ahead in forming a government, getting the ministries up and running, and determining the form of government that will come into existence in the constitution.
There are many challenges ahead. There is a major security challenge that increasingly will be dealt with, with the use of Iraqi police and Iraqi forces as they are formed. And I am confident in the ability of our military personnel to deal with the threats that they face, and additional capacity to deal with those threats will come about as Iraqi forces are trained.
I'd like to thank my hosts for being with me today, and if you'd like, I can take a question or two.
QUESTION: Mr. Secretary --
SECRETARY POWELL: George?
QUESTION: Two quick questions. You were in the Reagan Administration and I'm curious as to why the Administration's response to Halabja was so weak. And on to the second one, do you have any thoughts as to what type of chemical weapon Saddam Hussein used here in 1988?
SECRETARY POWELL: At the time, Halabja was commented on by the Administration. And it was commented on both by the White House at that time, as well as by the State Department. Strongly condemned. And there was no effort on the part of the Reagan Administration at that time to either ignore it or not take note of it.
With respect to weapons of mass destruction, as one of the speakers said today, if you want evidence of the existence and use of the weapons of mass destruction, come here now to Halabja, look today and see it. What happened over the intervening 15 years? Did he suddenly lose the motivation? Did he suddenly decide that such weapons were not useful? The international community did not believe so, and that's why they've passed resolution after resolution after resolution. And we all await Dr. Kay's reports, what he has found, and I expect those reports to be forthcoming in the not too distant future.
QUESTION: (Inaudible.)
SECRETARY POWELL: Well, as you know, we have a great deal of money that will be coming into the country. I can't give you the specifics with respect to this part of the country -- I don't know if Ambassador Bremer will say a word or not, but we will be working with the new leadership of Iraq for them to tell us what their priorities are and where they think the money that will be coming from the American people can best be spent. How best to invest in your country is a decision that we want to make jointly with our Iraqi friends, and we will wait to hear what the priorities are as they are developed by the various Cabinet Ministers.
QUESTION: Ministers, can you tell us again why it's important to you that Secretary Powell came here today and why you think it was right for the U.S. to go to war against Iraq?
MR. BARZANI: (Via translator.) We are pleased to have your Secretary, General Colin Powell. The Secretary, as a person, personally, as well as a representative, the Secretary of State of the greatest country in the world, which has also a strong message for everybody that there will be no chances for the catastrophe, the tragedy of Halabja to be repeated against our people. And, of course, the tragedy of Halabja in itself gives the legitimacy for going to war because 5,000 people have given their lives -- men, women and children -- within a few minutes. Is there any crime which is bigger than this? So the legitimacy is there for toppling this dictatorial regime.
SECRETARY POWELL: Thank you.
