CNN American Morning - Interview with Senator Susan Collins

CNN

SHOW: AMERICAN MORNING 07:00

July 7, 2003 Monday 7:07 AM Eastern Time

HEADLINE: Interview With Senator Susan Collins

GUESTS: Susan Collins

BYLINE: Bill Hemmer

HIGHLIGHT: A group of nine senators are now back from Iraq. During a three-day trip, those lawmakers got a firsthand look at the dangers U.S. troops are now facing and the complex problems involved in rebuilding that country.

BODY:
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: A group of nine senators now back from Iraq. During a three-day trip, those lawmakers got a firsthand look at the dangers U.S. troops are now facing and the complex problems involved in rebuilding that country.

With us now this morning live from Maine, Susan Collins, a senator from that state.

Good morning, Senator.

SEN. SUSAN COLLINS (R), MAINE: Good morning.

HEMMER: You come back reporting that morale is extremely high in many places. There's a report today in the "Christian Science Monitor" that says morale has hit rock bottom. Where is the truth right now with troop morale in Iraq?

COLLINS: Well, we talked to American troops and British troops all over the country, and I found that morale was very high. I was surprised, because, obviously it's very dangerous conditions, and our soldiers are serving with considerable hardship. Obviously, our soldiers are eager to come home, but I found them very committed to the mission.

HEMMER: Another day, another U.S. soldier shot and killed; in fact, three over the past 12 hours. What is the impact right now on troops serving there when they hear about these random killings?

COLLINS: It's frustrating and tragic to them, and my heart goes out to the families of the soldiers and the Marines who have been killed. It's just awful.

I think the best thing that could happen is for us to capture or kill Saddam Hussein and his two sons. His presence, the fact that he is apparently still alive, is emboldening the remnants of his regime, the former Baathist Party members, to attack our soldiers. And I found there was a climate of fear in the country, and that people really believe that Saddam may come back.

HEMMER: You mentioned Saddam Hussein. Listen to this broadcast from Al-Jazeera on Friday, an audiotape said to be the voice of Saddam Hussein, a quick example of what was heard in Iraq and around the world at the first part of the weekend.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): There is not a day that passes by in the last few weeks that their blood is not spilt on our great lands, done by al-mujahideen. In the next days, it will be even more difficult on the invaders and even more honorable to the believers.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

HEMMER: Senator, you just said it. Why do you believe now the capture or the killing of Saddam Hussein would crush the resistance right now in effect there in that country?

COLLINS: You have to understand that the people of Iraq have witnessed Saddam's breathtaking brutality for the past 30 years. We visited one mass grave that contained the bodies of between 10,000 and 15,000 Iraqis. So, they're so fearful that America is going to go home too soon, and that Saddam will return to power.

It is imperative that we capture him. He's obviously encouraging the remnants of his regime to attack us. And what I found is that ordinary Iraqis believe that he may well return to power, so in some ways they're hedging their bets. That was particularly true in the south and around Baghdad. It was a little different up north.

HEMMER: Senator Susan Collins, a Republican from Maine, just back from Iraq, we'll talk again. The situation continues to get more violent as the days progress. Thank you for your time this morning.

COLLINS: Thank you.