NOVAK:   The politics of a possible war with Iraq have certainly created some strange international bedfellows. France and Germany are working together to delay a U.S. attack. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld dismisses that effort as old Europe. And Secretary of State Colin Powell says the U.S. has other friends and won't go it alone if it comes to war. But on the home front, recent U.S. polls show support slipping for a war in Iraq. Is the president's policy in trouble? First, in the CROSSFIRE tonight, is former National Security Adviser, Richard V. Allen. 
BEGALA:   Mr. Allen. Thank you for coming, sir. 
ALLEN:   Thanks for having me. 
BEGALA:   Thank you. Mr. Allen, Mr. Novak a moment ago mentions some public opinion polling suggests that popular support for the war is not as strong -- potential war in Iraq, not as strong as it was some months ago. One of the things my friends who work for President Bush say is, "Well, we haven't made our case." 
ALLEN:   You have friends that work for Bush? 
BEGALA:   I have a lot of them. I'm from Texas. They're all my pals. They're lovely people. We just disagree on policy. 
ALLEN:   Oh, I see. 
BEGALA:   And they say, "Well, we haven't made our case yet. Wait for the State of the Union; we'll make our case." So I actually had my assistant, Josh Cowan (ph), go on the White House Web site -- actually go to Nexus and look up how many times the president has spoken on Iraq. Let me put it up on the board. One hundred and thirty five speeches our president has give in which he's at least referred to Iraq and that's contrasted with only 106 where he ever talked about poverty, only 58 when he talked about unemployment. Only 47 when he talked about Osama bin Laden. The president has made his case. We just ain't buying it, isn't that right? 
ALLEN:   You might not be buying, but I think a lot of America is buying it. The president should be speaking that many time. You can contrast it to poverty is you want. It's not an ideological argument. Probably the most important thing that's ever happened to us in modern times any way and certainly in your lifetime, not in mine, is 9-11. And... 
BEGALA:   Again, three times more speeches about Iraq than bin Laden and he still hasn't persuaded enough Americans I should think to support his position. 
ALLEN:   That's probably true. I don't do those statistics, and Josh did them for you, and I'm glad he did. But the point that I'd like to make is that the president should be talking about Iraq. I happen to agree with him. I view Iraq as a centerpiece in the war on terrorism. And why should he talk about Osama bin Laden. We don't know where he is. Maybe he's alive; probably is alive. It's been conceded that he likely is alive. But what does it matter? The president defined early on a long- term war on terrorism. In the days after 9-11 it was very clear what he said. Yes. 
NOVAK:   Mr. Allen, there's something that as you watch what's going on in the administration, we all know there's been disagreements in the administration. And something has happened in the last couple of weeks. You're a great administration watcher. And I want you to interpret it. I want you to listen to what the secretary of state, Colin Powell, said today. And let's listen to him. 
POWELL:   They are in material breach now. They have been in the past. They have a chance to fix the situation by disarming themselves. It's very clear what they had to do. 
NOVAK:   He's talking about Iraq of course. And the secretary of state was considered as somebody who was very reticent. Now has he said, "OK, I have lost this battle and war hawks, led by our friend Dick Cheney, are in charge?" Is that -- how do you interpret that? 
ALLEN:   Well, that's a very interest observation. I mean, you're an astute administration watcher, and you too has noticed that something has changed. And it seems that the secretary of state is more fully convincing in his presentation of a case that is more completely in line with the administration's view. The president sets the tone. It's the president's foreign policy, not Colin Powell's. And I think the president has recently, in recent weeks, said very emphatically to his people, "We are going to sing from one sheet of music." That's the only way the administration should actually develop its policies and implement those policies. Now it doesn't hold across the board. You can come right back to me and say, "Well, there's a perhaps a difference on North Korea," an area that you know a lot about, and I spent a lot of time looking at. You don't have to have consistency.  This great national interest that we are now engaged in, the pursuit of our national interest, is exceptionally important. And I hope that everyone continues to sing from that same sheet of music. Certainly the secretary of defense does. And certainly Rich Armitage does, the deputy secretary of defense. Certainly John Bolton does. 
BEGALA:   Let me ask you about somebody who does, who is in the opposition party, one of the leaders of mu party, the Democratic Party. John Kerry gave a speech today. He's of course a decorated combat hero from the Vietnam conflict. Senator Kerry reminded us that then Governor Bush as a candidate promised us an exit strategy before he ever sent us into another conflict, a gloss on the old Weinberger doctrine, later Powell doctrine. Here's what Senator Kerry said today. Want you to take a look at that. 
KERRY:   The Bush administration has a plan for waging war, but no plan for wining the peace. It has invested mightily in the tools of destruction, but meagerly in the tools of peaceful construction. It offers the peoples in the greater Middle East retribution and war, but little hope for liberty and prosperity. 
BEGALA:   What is our plan for wining the peace? 
ALLEN:   Wow, that's pretty strong stuff. 
BEGALA:   Yes, sir. 
ALLEN:   It's oriented toward 2004, I believe probably the months of November more than anything else. 
BEGALA:   It's an enormously important point, though. 
ALLEN:   Well, I don't know that to be the case. As a matter of fact, my information is that we've done more planning not only for the conduct of this war, but for the post-war scenario should war be necessary. And we will wage it -- and if we wage it, we'll win it -- to provide for reconstruction. The Iraqi people can themselves make an enormous contribution. They're very clever and very dedicated people. 
NOVAK:   We're out of time, but I desperately need you to clarify something. Don Rumsfeld, this week, said that there were other countries who are anxious, anxious to join us in this war. Who is hie talking about? It's certainly not Britain where their Labor Party is knocking the hell out of Prime Minister Blair.  
ALLEN:   Well, it certainly wouldn't be our great allies, the French would it, or the Germans, who owe us slightly for something in the past century. And it doesn't seem to be the Korean in Korea. But I'm sure that he has a list and he's probably... 
NOVAK:   But name one country who is anxious. 
ALLEN:   Well, I can't say that because I'm not in the administration. But he has their telephone numbers. 
BEGALA:   Dick Allen, you're very good to come join us. Thank you very much. 
ALLEN:   Delighted. 
BEGALA:   Former National Security Adviser Richard Allen. Thank you for joining us, sir. Next, we may not be at war with Iraq yet, but the rhetorical bullets are already bullets are already flying in the battle for the White House in 2004. And later, the gospel according to Reverend Jerry Falwell. We will put George W. Bush's favorite preacher in the CROSSFIRE.
