Interview on WDIV TV with Emery King

MR. KING: Mr. Secretary, as Arab countries learn to revitalize their economies, how will it undercut the appeal of extremist groups in certain areas of the Middle East?

SECRETARY POWELL: I think it would have a major effect on extremist groups. What are they extreme about? They don't believe that their governments and their economies are doing enough for the people, and so they take extreme positions. But if the people in these countries believe in the future of those countries, if they saw an economy that was functioning, if they saw jobs available for so many youngsters who do not yet have the skills for those jobs and don't know that the jobs are available -- but if you correct that, if you start investing in education, if you start investing in civil society and you start investing in democracy, open economic systems, then you essentially pull the energy out of the extremist movement.

MR. KING: To switch directions just a little bit, if I may. Regarding the leak of the identity of Ambassador Joe Wilson's wife as an undercover agent, what kind of damage was or could be caused by the disclosure of such information, and what is the purpose of laws providing such information?

SECRETARY POWELL: I really don't know what the damage might be in this particular case. The laws require that whenever somebody whose cover has been blown, that it becomes known that the cover is blown, the Director of Central Intelligence is expected to notify the Justice Department, and then they determine where to take it from there.

If they're undercover, you don't know they're undercover if they're well undercover, so the person who might have done this may not have known that she was undercover. Nevertheless, it's a serious matter. Not only do you put her at risk, or any undercover agent at risk, by letting it be known that they are an agent, but you also put the sources they have worked with over the years at considerable risk.

So we take this very, very seriously, and I am sure that Director Tenet and Attorney General Ashcroft will be looking at this, as will the White House, as a very serious matter.

MR. KING: Achieving peace in Iraq is going to be a -- I presume it's going to be a long-term process. How much longer do you anticipate American troops to be stationed in Iraq?

SECRETARY POWELL: I can't say. We were very successful in defeating the Iraqi army and in removing Saddam Hussein and his evil regime. And let there be no doubt about it, that was an evil regime and the world is better off because he is no longer in charge in Iraq of 24 million Iraqis. 24 million people are now free to pursue their future. We've got to help them.

So our military has to stay there and defeat the remnants of this horrible regime, defeat those who don't want to just attack Americans, they want to bring back the old form of government. We're not going to let that happen. It isn't going to happen.

And so our troops, joined by troops from 31 other nations, are in country now to provide security. How long? Until we can build up the Iraqi military, a new military, Iraqi police forces, Iraqi institutions, Iraqi ministries, so that they can take over their country.

Now, to take over their country once more, take it over from Ambassador Bremer and the coalition, we need a constitution, and, from that constitution, we need elections. So we are hopeful that once they start on the constitution writing process, they might be able to finish it in six months. We'll see. Then that constitution would have to be ratified, and then hold elections.

So, certainly we'll be there, it seems clear to me, through the end of next year. But it's a good investment. It's a good investment of our military. It's a good investment of the money that we're asking the Congress for, $20 billion in reconstruction, reconstruction funds, because when this is over and the proud day arrives when we move out and give it all back to the Iraqi people, there will be a democratic nation resting on the rule of law and elections and a constitution, will no longer be a threat to its neighbors, and we'll never have to worry about it again as long as we keep that democracy going. And that begins with the creation of the right kinds of institutions, which is what we're doing now.

MR. KING: That debate on funding for rebuilding of Iraq begins in Congress in the days to come.

SECRETARY POWELL: Yes.

MR. KING: I'm wondering how you assess not only the mood in Congress, but the mood of the American people who -- many of whom are questioning whether this is turning into another Vietnam and we're pouring money into it in hard economic times here at home.

SECRETARY POWELL: Yeah, I know a lot about Vietnam. I served there for two years. This is not another Vietnam. We have got remnants of a defeated regime that have to be dealt with, some terrorists who are trying to come fish in troubled waters, and they will be dealt with.

I think the response so far in Congress and with the American people has been pretty good. Questions are being asked: "Why are we doing this? Should some of it be alone?" And all of those questions will be dealt with. It's a big amount, and we would expect Congress to ask questions and the American people to know what we're doing with this money.

But I think once we have provided those explanations, the American people will support it, and so will the Congress.

MR. KING: All right, Mr. Secretary, thank you very much. It's been a pleasure.