Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Wolf Blitzer Reports

America's New War: Military Options

Aired September 20, 2001 - 20:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Tonight on WOLF BLITZER REPORTS, military options.

One hour from now, President Bush will address Congress and the nation and lay out the case for a long war against terrorism.

With Afghanistan's clerics threatening a holy war if the U.S. attacks, we'll go live to Islamabad, the White house, and Capitol Hill. We'll also go live to the Pentagon, where more deployments have been ordered, and where they're searching for a new vocabulary to define this campaign.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD RUMSFELD, DEFENSE SECRETARY: Something that is very, very different from World War II, Korea, Vietnam, the Gulf War, Kosovo, Bosnia.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: We'll take you live to Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, where a Marine unit has just shipped out. With special operations forces likely to play key role, I'll speak live with retired General Dave Grange, who served with the Rangers, Green Berets, and Delta Force. And CNN's Bill Schneider will examine America's tolerance for war and for casualties, as America weighs its military options.

Good evening, I'm Wolf Blitzer reporting tonight from Washington. Let's look first at some of the day's major developments.

Afghanistan's Islamic clerics say the ruling Taliban should ask suspected terrorist, mastermind Osama Bin Laden to leave the country, but they're also warning the United States to stay out of Afghanistan.

President Bush has been preparing for tonight's speech, which will include what's described as a very direct message to the Taliban. He'll discuss the terror threat and his decision to deploy military forces.

In the audience tonight, 40 senators who earlier got a close look at the devastation in New York, where Mayor Giuliani today put the number of missing and presumed dead in the twin towers attack at 6,333. In addition, there are 241 confirmed deaths. The President today continued his coalition building efforts, even as he got ready to build a public case for tough response to terrorism.

Let's go live to CNN's senior White House correspondent John King.

At this moment, John, the President's wrapping up a meeting with the British prime minister Tony Blair. I take it there are no problems the U.S. has with the British reaction.

JOHN KING, CNN CORRESPONDENT: None at all, Wolf. The Brits are the most staunch ally of the United States. That, symbolically isolated to the ice, if you will tonight, by a working dinner. The President of the United States one hour away from joint address to Congress and American people, having dinner with the British prime minister, who has pledged military assets to this campaign if necessary. And to further the symbolism, Mr. Blair will sit in the President's box tonight up on Capitol Hill.

Wolf?

BLITZER: A little preview. I know that the White House has released some excerpts of what the President's thrust of speech is going to be.

KING: The thrust of the speech, Wolf, and excuse all the noise. They're getting the President's motorcade ready near the White House. A direct message to the Taliban that its offer today is not good enough. A direct message to the American people that they need to prepare for a long and sustained campaign against terrorism. And a direct message to other governments around the world.

The President says very bluntly in his prepared remarks, you're either with us or you with the terrorists. The President urges the United States military to get ready. He also says the American people need to be calm, but also to show resolve.

BLITZER: Now what was the reaction, John, at the White House to the Taliban -- the ruling cleric's decision in Afghanistan today to ask the Taliban to in turn ask Osama Bin Laden to leave, but not demand it?

KING: Wolf, the White House says not good enough. They say they view it as an effort to delay and to posture. And they say it was the terrorists who set the timetable for the attack on the United States. And that the President will make clear he will set the timetable for the response. And if Osama Bin Laden is to be turned over, we're told the President tonight will say that should happen very, very soon because as he will note, the military buildup continuing.

BLITZER: John King at the White House. Once again, thank you very much.

And Pakistani officials this week asked Afghanistan's ruling Taliban to turn over Osama Bin Laden or face U.S. retaliation. Afghanistan's clerics have now asked the Taliban to let Bin Laden leave peacefully, but have warned of a holy war if the U.S. intervenes.

Meantime, Pakistan's government faces widespread protests for its support of the United States.

To help us sort all of this out, let's go live to CNN's Christiane Amanpour in Islamabad, Pakistan. Christiane, first of all, try to sort out for us what the Pakistani reaction to this decision from the clerics in Afghanistan is?

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, in short, the Pakistanis are not surprised. When they sent their high-level delegation over to Afghanistan, they came back essentially empty- handed. They had sent a very forceful message from the President here to say that the Taliban now had to do what the world expected of them, or face the consequences. And they basically got no answer, other than to say, we'll deal with it in our religious meeting sometime soon.

BLITZER: Christiane, does Pakistani government believe that Osama Bin Laden will voluntarily leave Afghanistan?

AMANPOUR: No, they do not. No officials that I spoke to believe that at all. They also don't believe that the Taliban is even ready to hand him over. I mean it's one thing to say they should ask him to leave and other thing to actually physically hand him over or enact any mechanisms that would transfer him to another country.

And of course, where would Osama Bin Laden go? He is not welcome in any country on the planet. Afghanistan was the last really safe haven.

BLITZER: And finally, Christiane, how much opposition has been visible on the streets of Islamabad and elsewhere in Pakistan to the decision by President Musharraf to in effect, go along with the U.S. request to cooperate in trying to remove Osama Bin Laden from Afghanistan?

AMANPOUR: Well, we've done our own informal polls. We've been reading the newspapers. We've done as much surveying of public opinion as we possibly can. And to a great extent, the people believe that the President here made his case when he tried to rally the nation the night...

BLITZER: We obviously have lost Christiane with a technical problem. We'll try to fix that, but thanks to Christiane.

But let's move on now to the Pentagon. U.S. forces have begun moving out, preparing for a possible action in the campaign against terrorism, a campaign which has yet to be defined. Let's turn first of all to CNN military affairs correspondent Jamie Mcintyre. He's live at the Pentagon. Tell us about today's announcement decisions on deployments, Jamie

JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well the deployment orders that went out yesterday have just begun to get the U.S. military machine in high the gear. It will take weeks for a buildup to continue as the U.S. redeploys its forces.

Pentagon sources say almost 100 planes altogether will be repositioned to places around the world, the locations undisclosed. Among those, B-52 bombers based in Barksdale, Louisiana will moving to an island in the Indian Ocean, to be within striking distance of targets in Afghanistan, if the President decides that.

Other bombers including the B-1 bomber will be moved to bases in the Persian Gulf. In addition, Army secretary Tom White said that U.S. Army ground troops are also getting deployment orders as well. But again, no details on the specific units or their specific missions.

Simply as Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld said, repositioning forces to give President Bush all the options he needs. And Secretary Rumsfeld today again cautioned people not to think of this as another Persian Gulf War.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD RUMSFELD, DEFENSE SECRETARY: If I could do anything today, I'd like to disabuse people of trying to draw parallels between previous conflicts and this one. I think it's not useful. And I think it'll prove to be in a direction that is not helpful and not going to prove to be a correct one.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Meanwhile, the Pentagon did today announce about 5,000 of that 35,000 call-up of National Guard and reserve troops. Most of these pilots and air crews to support the so-called homeland defense mission, U.S. fighter planes flying missions over the United States. And most of the troops called up today are to support that mission -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Jamie, tell our viewers, who may just be tuning in, why operation "Infinite Justice" as it was branded yesterday, is no longer going to be called that?

MCINTYRE: Well, as you recall, Wolf, we always said that that wasn't -- that name never got final approval from the White House. It was a working name, "Infinite Justice." And now because several Muslim groups have complained that that name is insensitive to law abiding Muslims around the world, because they believe that only Allah can give infinite or ultimate justice, the U.S. is considering changing the name of operation, which they say never a finalized anyway. New name has not yet been disclosed.

BLITZER: Jamie Mcintyre at the Pentagon, thank you very much.

And now we want to go to Capitol Hill, where members of Congress are gathering for the President's speech.

CNN congressional correspondent Jonathan Karl is live on Capitol Hill with more. Give us a sense of the anticipation up there, John.

JONATHAN KARL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, one key area here, Wolf, is going to be the question of national defense. Obviously, there's the question of what's going to be done in response to these attacks.

But members are also warning members of Congress what will be done to ensure or to take steps to minimize the possibility of future terrorist attacks. And one thing that CNN's John King has reported earlier is that the President will talk about a new cabinet level position for what he is calling a homeland defense, to coordinate the various efforts to fight against a future attack.

Various law enforcement agencies, Coast Guard, U.S. Customs, also airport security. That will have a very receptive audience here on Capitol Hill. As a matter of fact, Wolf, Senator Joe Lieberman has already put forward a proposal on this. And we'll have hearings tomorrow on the very question of what he is calling a Homeland Defense Agency.

This is a phrase we barely heard before these attacks, but now the question of homeland defense is something that senators up here will very much want to hear more about.

BLITZER: Jonathan Karl, thank you very much. And we'll be joining you later as this evening continues.

But up next, an inside look at the military special forces. We'll talk with a retired army general about what role elite units might play in America's war on terrorism.

Meanwhile, we have a live picture right now of the White House. President Bush, as you know, has been meeting with the British prime minister Tony Blair. We see Secretary State Colin Powell standing by for the President and the prime minister to emerge.

They will be making remarks, brief remarks, as both prepare to drive from one end of Pennsylvania to the other end of Pennsylvania for the President's address to Congress. Prime minister Blair will be sitting, by the way, right next to Laura Bush, the First Lady in the gallery. On the other side of Mrs. Bush will be Mayor Giuliani. And right next to Mayor Giuliani, Governor Pataki of New York.

The president and the first lady have also invited other leaders, distinguished leaders, to join them, including religious leaders. There will be a rabbi present, Joshua Haberman from here in Washington.

There will be cardinal, his eminence, Edward Cardinal Egan, the archbishop of New York, will be attending. And also Iman Hamza Hanson, a Muslim religious leader, has been invited as well, pointedly to make a statement by the Bush administration that any U.S. led military strike is not a strike designed to go after Islam. It is a strike designed to go after terrorists.

Once again, Secretary of State Colin Powell standing just at the White House, awaiting the arrival of President Bush and prime minister Tony Blair, who will be making very brief statements. By the way, in addition to the political leaders, the religious leaders, the President and the First Lady have also invited a delegation of New York city firefighters, New York city police officers, representatives from the Port Authority in New York, as well as military officers to sit in the gallery as well. For example, petty officer White Marsh of the U.S. Navy will be in the gallery.

Here are the two leaders.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: It's my honor to welcome my friend and a friend to America, prime minister Tony Blair to the White House. I appreciate him coming to America in our time of need.

One of the first phone calls I got after that terrible day was from the prime minister. He was reassuring to me. He was -- he showed to be a true friend and I appreciate that. So honored you are here.

And I look forward to giving a speech tonight. The prime minister has kindly agreed to come and listen to it. So I'm not going to answer any questions tonight. I'm going to let my speech be exactly what I want to say.

In the meantime, the prime minister has agreed to say a few comments and then take a couple questions from you.

TONY BLAIR, PRIME MINISTER OF ENGLAND: Thank you, Mr. President.

It's my honor to be here and also to pay tribute to your leadership at this immensely difficult time. I was in New York earlier today. And it's perhaps only when you are actually there that the full enormity and horror of what happened comes home to you.

And I said then, I would like to repeat, that my father's generation went through the experience of the second World War, when Britain was under attack during the days of the Blitz. And there was one nation and one people that above all stood side-by-side with us at that time. And that nation was America. And those people were the American people.

And I say to you, we stand side-by-side with you now, without hesitation. This is a struggle that concerns us all, the whole of the Democratic and civilized and free world.

And we have to do two things very clearly. We have to bring to account those responsible. And then we have set about at every single level, in every way that we can, dismantling the apparatus of terror and eradicating the evil of mass terrorism in our world.

And I know that America, Britain and all our allies will stand united together in that task. And I give you on behalf of our country, our solidarity, our sympathy, and our support.

BUSH: Thank you, sir.

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)

BLAIR: Well, of course, we've discussed the full range of issues. Now is not the moment to go into the details of whatever response we make. But I think that you can be in no doubt at all about determination to act, to make sure as I say that those responsible for this event are brought to account.

And in the talks I had in Europe before I left, I believe that sense of solidarity is echoed right around the world.

QUESTION: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) full scale war?

BLAIR: I believe we have to go on fighting terrorism as long as it takes. Because what happened on the 11th of September was of course a brutal and horrific attack on America, but it was a demonstration of what these people are capable of in any part of world.

And the important thing to realize is that there is no limit on what they would do that is moral. They have no regard for the sanctity of human life. They don't share the values of democracy or freedom or justice. The only limits on what they do are practical or technical. And that is why it is our duty, I believe this, it is our duty to take action to make sure that at every level we can, how these groups are financed, how they operate, how they move about, the weapons that they acquire at every single level. We have to take the action necessary to put an end to it.

QUESTION: The president said tonight that countries have to choose (OFF-MIKE) terrorists (OFF-MIKE) what are consequences still not sure which side they are on?

BLAIR: Well, I just want to say this to you in conclusion to that question. I believe right around the world, there is support for firm action now. And I believe the coalition of support for that action is growing. It is strengthening. It is not diminishing.

And that is the impression that I have had from many of the conversations I've had with world leaders in all different parts of the world, because this struggle is something that should unite people of all faith, of all nations, of all democratic, political persuasions. And I believe it will. Thank you.

BUSH: We got to go. Thank you all.

BLITZER: British prime minister Tony Blair and President Bush heading over now inside the White House, but they'll be heading over to Capitol Hill shortly for the President's address to Congress. Our senior White House correspondent John King joins once again.

John, when you were listen to Tony Blair, there didn't seem to be even a speck of difference between the Bush administration and the British government?

JOHN KING, CNN CORRESPONDENT: "Our support without hesitation," the prime minister said, and we are told by sources, that includes military support if the United States requests it in any response President Bush might contemplate and order.

And Wolf, if there is one good to come of this, U.S. officials including the President say that once leaders get a look at the horror, the prime minister has been there. The French President was there a day previously. They believe finally perhaps built the political will around the world to wage a real war on terrorism.

And for his part, we should say, the President as part of that, will announce a new cabinet-level agency for what he calls homeland security. That will coordinate the role of so many federal agencies, also reach out to state and local governments to fight terrorism. Mr. Bush promising to do his part, very encouraged by the support he has received from the British prime minister and as a show of solidarity.

After their dinner tonight and after those remarks, Mr. Blair will travel to Capitol Hill, sit in the First Lady's box, listen to the President's speech. Wolf?

BLITZER: John King once again at the White House.

John, you'll be with us throughout the evening. A lot of our viewers, of course, will remember 11 years ago, August 1990 when then Margaret Thatcher came to the United States and in effect, bucked up then President George Bush in the aftermath of the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. We'll be right back with Bill Schneider.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Welcome back, the Secretary of the Army today stressed special operations forces will play a prominent role in the anti- terror campaign.

To help us learn more about these forces, I'm joined now by retired Army Brigadier General Dave Grange. He's in Oak Brook, Illinois. He was a Ranger, a Green Beret and a member of the Army's counterterrorist unit. Later commanded the famed 1st Infantry Division, the Big Red One.

General Grange, thanks for joining us. Are these special force units prepared for what awaits them potentially in Afghanistan?

RET. GEN. DAVE GRANGE, U.S. ARMY: All these forces are prepared very well. Both the Navy, Army, Air Force, Marine Special Operations Forces. They rehearse for these kind of missions continuously. They're very well resourced. They're great soldiers, sailors, Marines. And they're ready to go.

BLITZER: Will this be in your opinion, based on what you know, a largely U.S. and perhaps British assisted operation? Or will there be other nations who will militarily become involved in this operation?

GRANGE: Well, my evaluation of the situation would be that we'll do this if a coalition of special operating forces. Some of our allies have very good ones, especially Great Britain. And we'll do that, along with I think also, conventional forces, which will be required to do it properly.

BLITZER: Is the U.S. -- has the U.S. trained in the past with other nations in special operations forces?

GRANGE: We trained for military allies all the time. And that gives us a lot of the synergy we need to accomplish these kind of tasks.

BLITZER: A lot of our viewers, of course, remember the disaster that awaited the Soviet Union in Afghanistan some 10 years ago. They were well trained. They were prepared. They weren't up to it. What makes you think U.S. and British and other coalition forces will have any better experience in the terrain of Afghanistan?

GRANGE: Well, first of all, I think it's a different type of mission. I've trained with the Russian paratroopers and their special ops forces. They're very good. But they went and occupied the country for an extended period of time.

I believe our forces, special ops forces, will be going in on raids, interdiction, to destroy camps, kill or capture these terrorist leaders.

BLITZER: You know, I want to show you viewers and you some of the images of a disaster took included -- that place in Somalia a few years back. That was in 1993 when special operations forces went in there. Viewers who look at those pictures who remember Desert 1, 1980 the ill-fated U.S. hostage operation in Iran. They don't want to see these kinds of images again. How concerned should the American public be?

GRANGE: Well just keep in mind, a lot of these images especially here that you show in Somalia was a tough operation, obviously. And caused to us to withdraw. But there's more operations that was successful than some of these are shown on television right now.

So they should be concerned. But however, the forces are trained well. I'm fully confident that they'll be successful. They just need to be resourced. And we have to go the distance to get to accomplish these missions. We have to go the distance.

BLITZER: General Colin Powell, the former chairman of the Joint Chiefs, he had the Powell Doctrine and said there must be defined mission that uses overwhelming force. Do you envisage that will be case this time?

GRANGE: I envision overwhelming force. There's no doubt that we'll resource both -- not only the hardware required to accomplish this mission, but the intangible requirements of the morale, the spirit to win. I think we're going to do that this time. No doubt in my mind. I feel so comfortable, I'd go myself. They're going to do well.

BLITZER: General Grange, they might be bringing you back out of retirement. You never know. Thanks so much for joining us.

GRANGE: Thank you.

BLITZER: Thank you. And we'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: That's all the time we have. Please stay with CNN throughout the evening. CNN will have live coverage of the president's address, beginning about a half an hour from now. Jeff Greenfield and I will be back at 11:00 p.m. tonight.

I'm Wolf Blitzer in Washington.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com