Reply #46: CNN Transcript [View All]

[sandnsea]

Yes, saying what he's always said.

"COOPER: Let me ask you, yesterday you said, quote, "The administration can and must launch a major effort to gain international support and win peace." You said they have a unique opportunity to do that right now.

By all reports, Colin Powell was on the phone with 16 of his counterparts on Sunday, with the German, the French, Japanese and others. What more does the administration need to do?

KERRY: Well, that is the kind of thing they need to do, but they haven't been doing that. I mean, that's exactly the point.

You know, I think this is a great thing, obviously. Everybody in America is elated. We congratulate the troops. They've done an extraordinary job. We're blessed to have the best military we've ever had.

But the fact remains that many of us who said we ought to hold Saddam Hussein accountable -- and we are -- have felt very strongly there's a better way to do it that reduces the risk to our troops and reduces the cost to the American taxpayer. That way is not to do it unilaterally, not to have a sense of American occupation, but to have other countries participating.

This is now a golden opportunity. It's a huge opportunity. I hope the president will fully seize it. We can bring other countries to the table, reduce the burden and, frankly, turn our attention to the real war on terror, which is the effort to capture Osama bin Laden and to focus on al Qaeda around the world."