CNN Rediscovers Saddam's Govt Backed Terrorism, Notes Clinton Airstrike Anniversary

On Tuesday's The Situation Room, CNN's Wolf Blitzer noted that it was the 14th anniversary of a cruise missile attack on Iraq, ordered by then-President Clinton, in retaliation for a plot to assassinate former President Bush in Kuwait earlier that year. CNN also played a clip of the CNN correspondent from June 26, 1993 in which, referring to President Clinton's speech to the nation, Blitzer relayed the Clinton administration's desire "to make sure that the Iraqi government does not engage in what the U.S. describes as state-sponsored terrorism." (Transcript follows)

Below is a complete transcript of the item from the June 26 The Situation Room on CNN:

WOLF BLITZER: Here's an historic footnote. Fourteen years ago today, U.S. forces launched 23 cruise missiles against Iraqi intelligence headquarters in Baghdad. President Clinton ordered the attack--retaliation for a failed Iraqi assassination attempt against former President Bush two months earlier in Kuwait. CNN's then-senior White House correspondent reported on the missile strike.

BLITZER, in clip from June 26, 1993: If there were more of these kinds of operations in the works, as the President says, and as the chairman of the Joint Chiefs and the Defense Secretary all say, this will send a powerful wake-up call to officials in Baghdad that this Clinton administration is as determined as the Bush administration to make sure that the Iraqi government does not engage in what the U.S. describes as state-sponsored terrorism.

BLITZER, on camera live again: Fourteen years ago today. Kuwait later sentenced five Iraqis and a Kuwaiti to death for the assassination attempt.