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A look back at Greta's first OTR interview: former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright
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I'm I'm -- ancestors tonight why did former secretary of state Madeleine Albright -- President Bush made a big mistake lumping Iran Iraq and North Korea as an axis of evil.
The bush stands by the presence warnings.
You don't get anywhere.
By pulling punches about the nature of regimes like the Iraqi regime of the North Korean regime.
In a moment former secretary of state Madeleine Albright will be here also ahead and -- solicitor general Ted Olson.
What went through his mind when He got that horrible Kaufman's wife Barbara as -- hijacked plane went full speed into the Pentagon.
Seems like everybody has something to say about my appearance as of -- -- -- later I'll go off the record and tell you what I did and why.
But first a virtual blame game is going on between administrations about what the president calls that axis of evil here with reaction former secretary of state.
-- and Albright welcome madam secretary.
Good to -- you -- grant I am madame secretary Condoleezza Rice seems to suggest that the Clinton administration pulled its punches -- -- as a -- terrorist is that true.
We didn't ever pull their punches I think that spend an incredible amount of time.
Making clear that we thought that Saddam Hussein was a danger and making sure that He stayed in his box.
We also spoke very clearly about what problems we had with a rod and North Korea.
And worked very hard on those issues so we didn't pull our punches I just think it was a mistake to -- those countries together they're very different from -- other.
Before -- talk about lumping those countries again though why I think she said that what would provoke her to say that.
Start let me ask you again that sector but I -- issue of lumping those three countries together to act subpoena what do you think could provoke Condoleezza Rice to suggest that the Clinton administration pulled its punches.
Well I think there is a tendency to.
Blame the previous administration I guess as a kind of thing that happens but.
I believe that what is very importantly -- to understand what we're doing here in terms of fighting terrorism.
I fully support President Bush in what he's been doing in Afghanistan.
And fighting terrorism.
But in order to get full international support.
For that fight I think you have to be very careful not to go beyond what is our capability.
And not to just kind of -- countries together and think that there's a cookie cutter approach.
Those three countries specifically are quite different from each other how if they don't say the state of -- the State of the Union Address that these three were to get our together as the three.
Well I -- you know it's hard to figure out exactly how things ultimately get into the State of the Union Address any State of the Union Address.
But I think there is a simplification.
Going on here.
And because we do have.
So much national support for fighting terrorism.
I think there's a little bit always a danger of taking one step too far now let me just say that I.
And fully supportive of fighting terrorism it's a question.
Have how to do it right and how to make sure.
That we continue to have the kind of international support we need not so much -- for the military part of it.
But as we now fighting terrorism also means sharing intelligence.
Trying to deal with the issues of how to block.
The assets that are in the -- you can't do it all -- no matter how powerful our military is and by choosing countries that don't really go to gather.
We are in danger of weakening that international coalition.
-- there's no doubt in my mind that we all have the same goal here at the fight terrorism but as you'll look back and -- you really look at what the Bush Administration to make any doing something that's.
That's a fatal flaw in -- of their strategy in dealing with -- -- Well I think.
We don't know whether it's a fatal flaw because there is no plan I mean.
All that happened was that President Bush and -- coined this term axis of evil and put these three countries together He has not laid out a plan.
And as far as I've been following the press they have in fact.
Walked it back a little bit and said that it's there's nothing imminent that's going to happen they do -- have some kind of talks with the north Koreans and they aren't really threatening anything immediately so it's very hard to know exactly what they mean bad.
What I think is that clearly we have to be very topped with Iraq and choose our moment we would've.
Happily got rid of Saddam was saying earlier we could -- I sure wish that the first President Bush -- actually.
Finish the job when we had 500000 forces on the ground.
But on Iraq is a very complicated country there are divisions in that country.
And did you see it as a monolithic.
-- country that against us and -- it with Iraq.
-- country considers its enemy is a mistake.
And North Korea we wanted to have a verified.
Agreement that would end the export missiles and missile technology.
And the Bush Administration decided it didn't want to continue with that particular track at the time I think so it's a question of timing.
And we don't know what the plan is.
-- switch gears a little bit at least one news organization is reporting that al-Qaeda terrorists may have targeted your former boss -- -- Bill Clinton.
To kill him that they found some -- with what do you make of that.
Well I it's very hard to tell what any of these documents say the truth is that all of us who served in high level positions and some form -- another.
Have before.
Been threatened.
And I think that everybody has to be very vigilant and careful but who knows specifically the veracity of -- documents unless my last question Dan pearl Wall Street Journal reporter He has been kidnapped is there something in that the State Department.
And US government should be doing that you think.
Well I'm sure that there are things going on behind the scenes I think what cannot happen though is for us to have negotiations with terrorists.
Because that just and bring more.
Threats like this.
And makes those think that they can gain something out -- it.
Is congress -- does that mean that we're just paralyze the US government sits and watches now I think there many kinds of discussions that one can have behind the scenes.
And I understand the secretary Powell has been in touch with the Pakistani government and I think that it is important for us to make clear.
How essential it is that Danny Pearl be really that we have to be very careful not to get involved in negotiations with terrorists always nice to see you madam secretary thanks for joining us in good to see it'll look great read and thank you very much -- talking about that to.
Anyway up next.
