Return to Transcripts main page
American Morning
Target: Terrorism - Rumsfeld's Mission
Aired October 05, 2001 - 10:01 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.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Washington's most public ally, British Prime Minister Tony Blair in Pakistan at this hour to further solidify that country's pledge of support in the anti terror campaign.
Later today, Mr. Blair travels on to Pakistan's long standing enemy, he will be in New Delhi, India, a bit later.
The politics of geography also the focus of conversation today between Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and the president of Uzbekistan. The former Soviet republic shares a border that stretches for 80 miles in the northern section of Afghanistan. And sources tell CNN, Uzbek officials are welcoming U.S. troops now and in the future. More coming up on that momentarily.
Also, haunting images, or a terrible specter of things to come. From the shadows of U.S. law enforcement voicing American's worse fears. A lot more on all of those stories straight ahead here.
But we want to give you some more details on Defense Secretary's Donald Rumsfeld's trip to Uzbekistan. Again, that's north of Afghanistan, it could play a key role in any U.S. military action. The stop there, in Tashkent, comes after meetings with other potential players in the U.S. coalition. Uzbekistan of particular importance because of its strategic location.
CNN's Jamie McIntyre gives you the latest developments out of that country, traveling with the Defense Secretary.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The most significant development of this trip so far as Rumsfeld wraps it up, Uzbekistan announcing today that it will allow the United States to use a single Uzbek air base, but only for humanitarian missions, and for search and rescue missions.
The president of Uzbekistan, Islam Karimov, said he was not yet ready to make a decision to allow the United States to launch offensive strikes or commando raids from his country's soil. But he clearly left that option open for the future.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
O'BRIEN: Jamie McIntyre reporting a short time ago. From here there will be a short stop over in Turkey before Donald Rumsfeld makes his way back here to the U.S.
For more on his visit though, in Uzbekistan, Alessio Vinci is in the capital city of Tashkent. Alessio filed this report from there.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ALESSIO TASHKENT, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Uzbekistan may prove be the United States' strongest ally in central Asia, because the two countries have common cause in the region: Fighting the terrorists who have struck in both lands.
In supporting Washington's fight against terrorism, the President Islam Karimov sees an opportunity to defeat the terrorist threat against his own country.
Uzbekistan has been fighting a civil war for years, especially the IMU, the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, thought to be responsible for a series of bomb attacks in the capitol Tashkent in 1999.
The U.S. administration has linked the IMU to the al Qaeda terror network of Osama bin Laden, and the President Karimov believes the IMU is backed and trained by terrorist organizations in Afghanistan.
ISLAM KARIMOV, PRESIDENT OF UZBEKISTAN (through translator): We know very well who these camps are training and who the terrorists are targeting. From this point of view, should we not support the United States of America, a superpower today, in its efforts of destroying those camps?
VINCI: But Uzbekistan cannot offer unconditional military support to the United States because the government does not want to involve its troops in a long and costly war against the Taliban.
(on camera): Instead, Uzbekistan is promising logistical help, such as opening its air space to U.S. military aircraft, and possibly allowing U.S. ground troops to be deployed at air bases near the border with Afghanistan.
(voice-over): But President Karimov also fears too close an alliance with the U.S. could invite reprisals from terrorist groups in Afghanistan. He has kept details of military cooperation under the wraps.
KARIMOV (through translator): I do not want war. I know they may attack us tomorrow, they may attack our land, our soil, they will cross into an independent country and organize bomb attacks, sabotage, and disrupt peace here.
VINCI: Unlike neighboring Afghanistan and Tajikistan, Uzbekistan has enjoyed a decade of relative peace, and many here support the U.S. fight against terrorism.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): I think our leaders will find the solution to the problem, she says, Bush, Putin and Karimov are wise and good politicians; and Karimov is worried about his people. VINCI: There is apprehension here. War may soon start again in the region, and people here wonder how long it can stay out of Uzbekistan.
Alessio Vinci, CNN, Tashkent.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
