I just don't much like the idea of setting a precedent whereby the U.S. can go anywhere, create a huge mess, and have everybody else clean it up for them. Eventually there may be no other choice, but as a precedent, I'm not happy about it.
>Looking back, it now appears that the man with the clearest picture seems to have been Former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Richard Holbrooke :
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>WOODRUFF: It is quite a photo op. All right, Frank Buckley on board the USS Abraham Lincoln. Frank, thank you very much.
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>CNN, of course, is going to carry the president's speech tonight at 9:00 Eastern on board the Abraham Lincoln. And just a few moments ago, I spoke with former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Richard Holbrooke, about what the president will say tonight, declaring an end to major combat operations in Iraq. And I started by asking him if this is the right time for that to happen.
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>RICHARD HOLBROOKE, FMR. U.S. AMBASSADOR TO THE U.N.: I think so, and it's great to see those pictures of our victorious troops with the president. I think it's very important for all Americans, whether they opposed the war or supported it, whether they're liberals or conservatives, Republicans, Democrats or independents to be able to say with pride, we won, and embrace the victory, even as we begin to discuss the very difficult decisions that lie ahead.
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>WOODRUFF: I guess it's been said so often, Ambassador, that it's obviously important for the United States to have won the war. But it is even more important now for the U.S. and other countries in the coalition to win the peace. What exactly are the challenges going ahead now in Iraq?
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>HOLBROOKE: The reason this statement you just made appears to be a cliche is because it is so profoundly true. A war is only as good as the peace that follows it. In Afghanistan, the last year has not gone so well, notwithstanding what Secretary Rumsfeld said today in Kabul. The warlords have fractionalized and fragmented the country. And Karzai is only as safe as he is because he's protected 24/seven by American security guards. We don't want to repeat that problem in Iraq. And it's going to be very tough.
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>Iraq's international borders were created very artificially 80 years ago by Winston Churchill, incidentally. And they were a mistake. The country really is three different countries. And you aren't hearing a lot about democracy building in Iraq these days from administration officials who said a lot about this before the war for a very good reason. A vote right now would result in the country tearing itself apart. I think Americans need to prepare themselves for a post-Saddam American presence in Iraq that's going to be longer, more expensive and more difficult than anyone anticipated.
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>WOODRUFF: You mentioned Afghanistan. We heard Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, who is there today, pronouncing the end of major combat operations there as well. We heard him saying today, in effect, that Afghanistan is a secure country now. Are you saying that's not correct?
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>HOLBROOKE: I don't know what he said exactly, but he couldn't possibly say that Afghanistan is secure. Americans are being killed there rather regularly. I say with deep regret. The warlords have fragmented the country. Karzai needs 24/seven protection from Americans. And the country is increasingly unsafe. And those terrible warlords that we never should have put back into control of the other cities in the country are also the drug lords who send 90 percent of the heroin to the U.S.
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http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0305/01/ip.00.html
