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CNN Live Event/Special

America's New War: Second Deployment Order Issued

Aired September 25, 2001 - 05:09   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.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Let's check in now at the Pentagon. Mark Potter is keeping duty there this morning. He's got news of a second deployment order being issued -- Mark, good morning.

MARK POTTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Leon.

And we have an interesting story here at the Pentagon beyond that. Sources are telling CNN that among the targets being considered for attack in Afghanistan are illicit drug manufacturing labs. U.S. officials believe that opium production is a major moneymaker for the ruling Taliban, bringing in an estimated $50 million a year.

The U.S. is beginning a broad campaign to financially squeeze the terrorist networks and their supporters, and attacking the drug labs is one of the potential ways being discussed for pressuring the regime.

Now, in Washington here at the Pentagon, CNN has learned that Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has signed another deployment order, this one involving special forces troops. No word on how many men are involved, or where they are going. Sources say the deployment order also involves support personnel, specializing in communications, logistics, medicine, intelligence and security.

This follows a deployment order last week that sent B-1 and B-52 bombers overseas with support aircraft. Secretary Rumsfeld says the fight against terrorism must be taken to the source.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD RUMSFELD, DEFENSE SECRETARY: The only way we can defend the way of life of Americans -- free people -- is to not think you can defend against every conceivable terrorist everywhere in the world using any technique. The only way to do it is to carry the effort to them, and when you say to them, it means to the terrorists -- the terrorist networks, the people that help them, the people that sponsor them, the people that finance them and the people who tolerate them.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

POTTER: Now, sources tell CNN at the State Department that deputy secretary of defense, Paul Wolfowitz, will be heading later this week to Brussels, where he will meet with NATO defense ministers. He is expected there to present evidence to U.S. allies of the connection between Osama bin Laden and his network and the terror attacks in New York and Washington September 11.

Secretary Rumsfeld says much is at stake in this campaign against terrorism.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RUMSFELD: What we are attempting to do is to assure that we can prevent people from adversely affecting our way of life. We are a free people. We need to be able to go out of the door in the morning and not be fearful for our lives. Children have to go off to school, and we have to have reasonable expectation that they'll be coming home from school. And people have to be able to say what they think and go where they think and engage in the kinds of legal activities that they wish to engage in. And that is what this is about.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

POTTER: Now, here at the Pentagon complex itself, you can see a live picture this morning, workers are still on the scene 24 hours a day. The plane crash site is now controlled by the FBI, which is searching for evidence.

Military workers continue to look for remains. And, Leon, of the 189 people still listed here as dead or missing, 74 have now been positively identified -- back to you.

HARRIS: All right. Thank you very much -- Mark Potter at the Pentagon this morning.

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