Iraq's Election and the Muslim World

This is a partial transcript from "Hannity & Colmes," Jan. 30, 2005, that has been edited for clarity.

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ALAN COLMES, CO-HOST: Today's elections in Iraq have been historic for the country, especially in a region where democracy is struggling to grow. What will Iraq's election mean to the rest of the Muslim world? Joining us former Secretary of State Alexander Haig. General Haig is with us.

General, thank you for being here on a Sunday night. Thanks for being here.

ALEXANDER HAIG, FMR. SECRETARY OF STATE: Good to be with you, Alan.

COLMES: I know you mean that. You made Hannity laugh.

Let me show you some of what John Kerry had to say on "Meet The Press", about our attempts to get more international cooperation and the U.N., I want to get your reaction to what John Kerry said. Let's take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JOHN KERRY, (D) MASSACHUSETTS: On three different occasions the Bush administration spurned the offer of the United Nations, the international community. People offered police training. People offered peacekeepers. People offered other forms of assistance, and our administration has gone it alone.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COLMES: Now is our real opportunity to get this assistance. This is a key moment. I keep hearing how the U.N. didn't want — they wanted to get involved, we didn't allow them to. What's your response to what John Kerry had to say?

HAIG: Well, you know, Mr. Kerry had his shot at it and he failed miserably.

COLMES: But is he right or wrong?

HAIG: This is just another example of why.

COLMES: We know he lost the election, does that mean he is wrong in everything he says?

HAIG: No. He's just usually wrong when he gets into things like this that have to do with war and peace. He's certainly been wrong on Vietnam and his annunciations in the campaign. He's wrong now. Not quite as starkly as perhaps Teddy Kennedy, but equally...

COLMES: Are you saying we couldn't have done a better job getting the U.N. involved, getting other nations, reaching out to get a more international effort to defray fatalities and costs we are incurring in Iraq?

HAIG: I could make a very good case that going to the U.N. was probably a mistake in the first place, that we should have gone with Europe, and gone with our NATO allies. That was my position at the time. -- It's still my position.

We learned just today that those six months that we took with the United Nations gave Saddam the chance to create the underground guerrilla warfare that we have been confronting. I think you could make a very good case that that was a diplomatic mistake.

HANNITY: I want you to respond, General — good to see you. Thank you for being with us this Sunday night.

Ted Kennedy-- three days before these historic elections, with this incredible voter turnout, the passion, in spite of the risk to one's life, it is inspiring.--but Ted Kennedy said our military presence is part of the problem, not part of the solution.

John Kerry said today, Iraq is more of a terrorist threat today. John Kerry said the world is less safe today. He once again called for Rummy's resignation, said we are part of the problem in Iraq.

We wouldn't be here today. This would have happened if John Kerry and Ted Kennedy had their way, right?

HAIG: No question about that, especially, Ted Kennedy. I mean his comment was exquisitely poorly timed. And was very stupid in hindsight. I think Mr. Kerry backed a little bit away from it, but not as much as he should have, because he didn't really focus on the issue.

And that was, today was a great victory for democracy. It was a great victory for our armed forces who made it possible. And it was a great victory for the president who has been doing the right thing. And that is going to war to protect our values and our interests as well as the peace of the region.

HANNITY: When I sub-titled my book last year, General, "Deliver Us From Evil: Defeating Terrorism, Despotism and Liberalism," this is what I mean. -- You were there with Ronald Reagan, you were there with his administration early on. And it was Reagan leading the war to build up our military, to modernize our weaponry in Europe, to deploy the Pershing IIs, to confront the Soviet Union, the evil empire, challenge Gorbachev to tear down the wall. Many of those same democrats were wrong then, they are wrong today.

I mean, how many times do they get to be wrong on world events and world history, and people still take them seriously?

HAIG: Well, they have a string of lost elections and that proves they're wrong. But that doesn't mean, we're the people who are always right at the ballot box. I just happen to think that in this case President Bush has been totally correct on what he did in Iraq and he stuck to it, despite all of the opposition from the Democratic Party.

HANNITY: Sure.

HAIG: Not all of the party.

HANNITY: Let me ask you this.

HAIG: And you'll have a guest tonight who hasn't been that way. And he's been far more responsible. [Editor's note, Gen. Haig is referring to Connecticut Democrat Sen. Joseph Lieberman.]

HANNITY: How does this impact Iran and the rest of the region?

HAIG: Well, they hear this, from our opposition party, they are only encouraged to hang in there and continue to bleed and die. And that is what they've been doing in the case of the guerrilla movement or the insurgent movement in Iraq.

COLMES: Hey, General Haig, we've ...

HAIG: And they have been paying a very heavy price and they're going to continue to.

COLMES: Thank you for being with us tonight.

Thanks for taking time on a Sunday to join us.

HAIG: Well, as always, it is good to be with you, Alan. You are always such a friend.

(LAUGHTER)

COLMES: Thank you, sir.

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