DoD: Rumsfeld and Myers on Turkey and the Aftermath of War in Iraq

BRIEFING BY DONALD H. RUMSFELD
DEFENSE SECRETARY

AND GENERAL RICHARD B. MYERS
CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF

U.S DEFENSE DEPARTMENT

February 28, 2003

Excerpts

. . .

Q: Back to the Turkish question. The Turkish parliament tomorrow is going to make a major decision one way or the other. Can you review the bidding here in terms of the military significance of having a number of U.S. forces in the region in terms of how it complicates Iraqi defenses against the U.S., and might facilitate a quick, rapid campaign, that the president hopes for?

And, General Myers, could you address that also?

Rumsfeld: I don't think we both have to answer each of his questions, do you? I think -- why don't you just do it?

Myers: Okay --

Q: (Off mike) -- military refine the point. You can --

Myers: Well, I think you're right, Tony. I think -- my understanding is that the Turkish parliament will vote tomorrow. That's the plan right now. They've been trying to address this issue of U.S. troops, and overflight, and basing of aircraft in Turkey for some time now, in case there is conflict in Iraq. Without going into the operational detail, clearly there are a lot of things that are important about northern Iraq, and that's why we're in these negotiations with Turkey right now. And I don't want to get into the operational details of what that might entail, but --

Q: But aren't you past the point where you needed to get an answer?

Myers: No.

Rumsfeld: We'll be all right.

Myers: We'll be -- yeah.

Q: Well, how long would it take to unload 40 vessels, just kind of a time line here that --

Myers: You want me to tell the Iraqi regime exactly how long to get our forces in place? I'm sorry, but I don't want to do that.

Rumsfeld: Don't be sorry. (Laughter.)

Myers: I don't want to do that, but we've calculated that. There are -- General Franks, as we speak, is looking at lots of options. My guess: in the end, we will have U.S. forces in northern Iraq one way or the other.

. . .

Q: The last month has been one of the busiest, if not the busiest, in the no-fly zones, against Iraqi targets, after they have, according to the different releases by CENTCOM, provoked the United States. The U.S. has gone after a series of repeater stations, some days hitting five and six at a time. Is there a correlation between these strikes and sort of future planning that the United States has with regard to Iraq?

Rumsfeld: I don't know that the number is up. Is it up noticeably?

Myers: I'd have to look at the facts. But the primary -- we patrol the no-fly zones in accordance with what is called for in previous U.N. resolutions.

We respond when we're shot at. And so I think the facts are, we're getting shot at about two out of every three times that we fly. And these are responses.

The repeater stations are part of their defense network. And so what we're trying to do is to have some impact on their defense network where they can't bring our air crews into harm's way, and that's what it's all about.

Q: How about the surface-to-surface missile batteries? You hit four in one day this week, and those aren't threatening aircraft.

Myers: No, but they are -- they have been deployed, some down to the South, within range of Kuwait, where we have lots of coalition forces; some close to the Turkish border, where we and our ally Turkey are located as well. And they become a threat to our forces, absolutely, because they were new deployments. They were --

. . .

Q: The president said today that the military is ready to accomplish any mission that they're asked to. Does this mean that your forces that are based in the Gulf region and around it are ready to strike Iraq any minute?

Rumsfeld: Assuming you accurately quoted the president, needless to say, the president is correct. (Laughter.) Whatever it was he said.

. . .

Q: Can I ask my question now? Are the U.S. forces ready to strike in Iraq at any minute, once they're given the order?

Myers: I think the secretary said it exactly right. What we're trying to do is provide maximum flexibility to the president of the United States, so if he decides a certain course of action is required, we'll be ready to do that. And we're ready.

Rumsfeld: We'll make this the absolute last question.

Q: Could the --

Rumsfeld: No, I didn't like the earlier one you had. Maybe I'll try someone -- (laughter) --

Q: I never get a --

Rumsfeld: (Laughing) Sorry! I'm kidding! I'm kidding!

Q: The rules for the military commissions, could that be applied to Iraqi soldiers or Iraqi military personnel in a prospective war?

Rumsfeld: I forget what it was called, but the president issued an -- I think an executive order -- or a military order, is what it was called. It seems like years ago now. And whatever it provides -- my recollection is that it specified no U.S. citizen. That could be amended; he could change that. But under the current military order, no U.S. citizen could be. But I think any other national could be.

Rumsfeld: Hm. You say certainly you have in your mind. You know, the truth is, no, I didn't have that in my mind. I haven't thought much about it, to be perfectly honest. I would not anticipate that in a -- in the event force is needed with respect to Iraq, and the president makes that decision, I would not personally anticipate large numbers of Iraqi soldiers being sent to Guantanamo Bay or being put through -- necessarily put through a military commission. It just happens to be something that I'm not focused on.

Q: Well, what about leadership, though? You've specifically said and warned very publicly Iraqi generals or other officials not to take -- carry out certain activities, or they could be prosecuted for war crimes.

Rumsfeld: That's true.

Q: Would this not possibly come into play there?

Rumsfeld: It could. This would be one vehicle that would be available among several others that would be available. There are all kinds of ways that Iraqis could be brought to justice. They could be brought to justice in Iraq. They could be brought to justice in other countries. They could be brought to justice through a military commission, one would think. They could be brought to justice --

Q: What would you do with POWs in the event of a war?

Rumsfeld: Well, we sure don't want to take lots of them down to Guantanamo.

Q: You had that -- this same position during Desert Storm.

Rumsfeld: Yeah.

Q: Is there an agreement with another country to handle that or --

Rumsfeld: There will be provision made for prisoners, and I assume it will be in Iraq, in the event something like that were to occur.

. . .

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Search WMD profiles Iraqi entities of concern Iraq's suppliers UN documents Government documents Controlled items Perspectives	BRIEFING BY DONALD H. RUMSFELD DEFENSE SECRETARY AND GENERAL RICHARD B. MYERS CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF U.S DEFENSE DEPARTMENT February 28, 2003 *Excerpts* . . . Q: Back to the Turkish question. The Turkish parliament tomorrow is going to make a major decision one way or the other. Can you review the bidding here in terms of the military significance of having a number of U.S. forces in the region in terms of how it complicates Iraqi defenses against the U.S., and might facilitate a quick, rapid campaign, that the president hopes for? And, General Myers, could you address that also? Rumsfeld: I don't think we both have to answer each of his questions, do you? I think -- why don't you just do it? Myers: Okay -- Q: (Off mike) -- military refine the point. You can -- Myers: Well, I think you're right, Tony. I think -- my understanding is that the Turkish parliament will vote tomorrow. That's the plan right now. They've been trying to address this issue of U.S. troops, and overflight, and basing of aircraft in Turkey for some time now, in case there is conflict in Iraq. Without going into the operational detail, clearly there are a lot of things that are important about northern Iraq, and that's why we're in these negotiations with Turkey right now. And I don't want to get into the operational details of what that might entail, but -- Q: But aren't you past the point where you needed to get an answer? Myers: No. Rumsfeld: We'll be all right. Myers: We'll be -- yeah. Q: Well, how long would it take to unload 40 vessels, just kind of a time line here that -- Myers: You want me to tell the Iraqi regime exactly how long to get our forces in place? I'm sorry, but I don't want to do that. Rumsfeld: Don't be sorry. (Laughter.) Myers: I don't want to do that, but we've calculated that. There are -- General Franks, as we speak, is looking at lots of options. My guess: in the end, we will have U.S. forces in northern Iraq one way or the other. . . . Q: The last month has been one of the busiest, if not the busiest, in the no-fly zones, against Iraqi targets, after they have, according to the different releases by CENTCOM, provoked the United States. The U.S. has gone after a series of repeater stations, some days hitting five and six at a time. Is there a correlation between these strikes and sort of future planning that the United States has with regard to Iraq? Rumsfeld: I don't know that the number is up. Is it up noticeably? Myers: I'd have to look at the facts. But the primary -- we patrol the no-fly zones in accordance with what is called for in previous U.N. resolutions. We respond when we're shot at. And so I think the facts are, we're getting shot at about two out of every three times that we fly. And these are responses. The repeater stations are part of their defense network. And so what we're trying to do is to have some impact on their defense network where they can't bring our air crews into harm's way, and that's what it's all about. Q: How about the surface-to-surface missile batteries? You hit four in one day this week, and those aren't threatening aircraft. Myers: No, but they are -- they have been deployed, some down to the South, within range of Kuwait, where we have lots of coalition forces; some close to the Turkish border, where we and our ally Turkey are located as well. And they become a threat to our forces, absolutely, because they were new deployments. They were -- . . . Q: The president said today that the military is ready to accomplish any mission that they're asked to. Does this mean that your forces that are based in the Gulf region and around it are ready to strike Iraq any minute? Rumsfeld: Assuming you accurately quoted the president, needless to say, the president is correct. (Laughter.) Whatever it was he said. . . . Q: Can I ask my question now? Are the U.S. forces ready to strike in Iraq at any minute, once they're given the order? Myers: I think the secretary said it exactly right. What we're trying to do is provide maximum flexibility to the president of the United States, so if he decides a certain course of action is required, we'll be ready to do that. And we're ready. Rumsfeld: We'll make this the absolute last question. Q: Could the -- Rumsfeld: No, I didn't like the earlier one you had. Maybe I'll try someone -- (laughter) -- Q: I never get a -- Rumsfeld: (Laughing) Sorry! I'm kidding! I'm kidding! Q: The rules for the military commissions, could that be applied to Iraqi soldiers or Iraqi military personnel in a prospective war? Rumsfeld: I forget what it was called, but the president issued an -- I think an executive order -- or a military order, is what it was called. It seems like years ago now. And whatever it provides -- my recollection is that it specified no U.S. citizen. That could be amended; he could change that. But under the current military order, no U.S. citizen could be. But I think any other national could be. Rumsfeld: Hm. You say certainly you have in your mind. You know, the truth is, no, I didn't have that in my mind. I haven't thought much about it, to be perfectly honest. I would not anticipate that in a -- in the event force is needed with respect to Iraq, and the president makes that decision, I would not personally anticipate large numbers of Iraqi soldiers being sent to Guantanamo Bay or being put through -- necessarily put through a military commission. It just happens to be something that I'm not focused on. Q: Well, what about leadership, though? You've specifically said and warned very publicly Iraqi generals or other officials not to take -- carry out certain activities, or they could be prosecuted for war crimes. Rumsfeld: That's true. Q: Would this not possibly come into play there? Rumsfeld: It could. This would be one vehicle that would be available among several others that would be available. There are all kinds of ways that Iraqis could be brought to justice. They could be brought to justice in Iraq. They could be brought to justice in other countries. They could be brought to justice through a military commission, one would think. They could be brought to justice -- Q: What would you do with POWs in the event of a war? Rumsfeld: Well, we sure don't want to take lots of them down to Guantanamo. Q: You had that -- this same position during Desert Storm. Rumsfeld: Yeah. Q: Is there an agreement with another country to handle that or -- Rumsfeld: There will be provision made for prisoners, and I assume it will be in Iraq, in the event something like that were to occur. . . .