Interview on Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation

MS. KHOURY: Mr. Armitage, are there any specific information that has pushed the Federal Bureau of Investigation to warn against possible attacks that were described as major and tremendously huge that al-Qaida is planning to do inside the United States?

DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: Well, we have a body of information which leads us to believe that the recent tape which alleges to be the voice of Usama bin Laden, combined with the amount of indications we're getting both here and abroad, that the United States and US interests are under a heightened threat right now.

MS. KHOURY: Then are you ready to increase the level, to increase the level of the state of alert inside the United States, in expectancy for probable attacks?

DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: Well, those are matters that are being reviewed by the government -- I believe even at this minute, as I'm talking to you -- and a decision will be made whether to up the level or not, or perhaps to up the level in certain regions or not. But that discussion is being held even at this minute.

MS. KHOURY: Mr. Armitage, to move to the Iraqi subject, you are still pursuing your military plans despite the acceptance of the return of the inspectors by the Iraqis. Are you therefore betting on (inaudible) of the inspectors?

DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: No, we're not betting -- if I heard the question correctly, we're not betting on the failure of the inspectors. But we know that diplomacy which is not backed by the credible threat of force would be an empty gesture, particularly when dealing with Saddam Hussein. We hope the inspectors have full and complete access, and full and complete cooperation with the authorities in Baghdad; and in that case, then there would be no need for military force.

MS. KHOURY: If Iraq doesn't (inaudible) of the inspectors, will you then immediately strike against Iraq?

DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: We will hear what Mr. Blix and his inspection team find, we'll listen carefully to his report to the Security Council, and we'll make up our mind. I cannot speak to the time period or even if we'll do this. The President will have us in a position, if necessary, to defend our interests, but I don't think any good purpose is served by speaking about the immediacy of that event.

MS. KHOURY: Mr. Armitage, we would like to know why are you insisting on removing the Iraqi weapons of mass destruction, if existent, whereas there is no mention of the Israeli weapons.

DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: Well, first of all, I have to say that Iraq has already used weapons of mass destruction against her own people and against the Iranians during their long war, so we know that weapons of mass destruction are existent with the Iraqis.

On the question of Israel, we have constant discussions with our friends in Israel, as we do with the Palestinians, about the need to lower violence and to not have to posses any extreme weapons.

But beyond that, there is an enormous difference between a nation like Saddam Hussein, which has already used weapons of mass destruction against her own people and her neighbors, and a democratic country like Israel.

MS. DERGHAM: Mr. Armitage, thank you.

DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: Thank you very much.