[Judy Woodruff, Cnn Anchor:] Washington's criticisms of Damascus were mounting today and it is backing up those demands with a threat of sanctions. CNN's Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr joins us now live with more. And, Barbara, the secretary of defense himself is very much in on the action?
[Barbara Starr, Cnn Pentagon Correspondent:] Absolutely, Judy. The secretary of defense today launching more criticism about what he says is serious help for the last remnants of the Iraqi regime. Now, behind the scenes, senior Pentagon officials are saying that family members of senior Iraqi leaders and senior Ba'ath Party officials are desperately, in the words of one official, trying to get out Iraq, go to Syria, and possibly go on to Libya and get sanctuary there. It's not clear at the moment whether anyone has actually successfully done this, but it's something the Pentagon is very concerned about. Now, additionally, Pentagon officials are saying that Syria is providing the largest contingent of these foreign fighters that have been seen in Iraq, possibly several hundred of them still in Baghdad. These pockets of resistance of foreign fighters against the U.S. military presence there. Now, you'll remember that yesterday excuse me. You'll remember that tomorrow, there is going to be a meeting of the Iraqi opposition group in southern Iraq. Now getting into the Iraqi political process of trying to find a new leadership in the country. The most important thing about all of this may, in fact, be the man who is not there. The man who will not show up is Ahmed Chalabi, this man, the head of the Iraqi National Congress, quite a controversial figure. The Pentagon, including Secretary Rumsfeld, has, indeed, been backing him. But the White House has been trying to downplay his role. Now what's interesting, of course, is for the last several days he has been in southern Iraq with more than 600 of his armed fighters and there are now rumors that he will go to Baghdad with some of those fighters to tray and provide additional security. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld was asked about this today and he said he couldn't answer the question about Ahmed Chalabi and his role. Here's what he had to say.
[Donald Rumsfeld, Defense Secretary:] I can't answer your specific question, I'm sorry. All I can say is that the United States government, and that includes the Pentagon, is not backing anybody for any role in Iraq. The Iraqi people are, over time, going to have to make those judgments and I'm sure they will.
[Starr:] While the secretary said he did not know, off camera a senior Pentagon official was telling reporters that, indeed, Ahmad Chalabi, this controversial figure, was brought to Iraq with his 600 fighters days ago by none other than Tommy Franks, the head of the U.S. Central Command. General Franks wanted him and his fighters in southern Iraq to help with security in some of the areas that were still suffering unrest. And official said it is, indeed possible that Ahmad Chalabi will go to Baghdad. So just underscoring that politics have now come to Iraq, possibly for the first time in many years Judy.
[Woodruff:] Fascinating, Barbara. Just one quick question though about Syria. What clarify for us what the Pentagon and others are saying at this point about the possibility of any military moves on Syria.
[Starr:] Well, nobody here is saying that that is very likely. It seems every indication is it seems that there will possibly be some sort of sanctions considered, some sort of diplomatic or economic activity. Now, the U.S. has known, and Secretary Rumsfeld talked about this today, that Syria has been in the U.S. view working on a chemical weapons program for many, many years. It feels that there has been close cooperation in the past with the Iraqi regime of Saddam Hussein. At this point, they say they have no indication that any Iraqi weapons have actually gotten out of Iraq and gone to Syria, but they are very concerned about these continuing ties. No indication yet of military action, much more likely to be sanctions Judy.
[Woodruff:] All right, Barbara Starr with the latest from the Pentagon. Thank you very much. TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com