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CNN Wolf Blitzer Reports

Target: Terrorism: Cementing Delicate Coalitions

Aired October 05, 2001 - 19:00   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, HOST: Tonight on "WOLF BLITZER REPORTS, Target: Terrorism": as Defense Secretary Rumsfeld wraps up a tour of anti- terror allies, Uzbekistan offers the use of an air base. And British Prime Minister Tony Blair helps firm up support in Pakistan. Israel warns it won't be the odd man out. The White House warns that Americans must expect casualties, while Congress is warned that another terror attack is virtually certain. With an unusual case of anthrax raising concerns, should the U.S. go nuclear in response to biological or chemical attacks? I'll ask former Clinton National Security Adviser Samuel Berger. And we'll look at the latest eye in the sky, as America targets terrorism.

Good evening. Welcome to our viewers in the United States and around the world. I'm Wolf Blitzer reporting tonight from Washington.

Let's begin with a look at the latest developments: Armed national guard troops are stepping up patrols at some of the nation's busiest airports. For the first time since World War II, troops took up posts at Newark International Airport today, where one of the hijacked planes originated from. This, as the FAA's head of security stepped down.

A Florida man infected with an extremely rare and lethal form of anthrax has died.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. LARRY BUSH, INFECTIOUS DISEASE SPECIALIST: As far as we know this is an isolated case. For sure here at JFK Medical Center there are no other cases under suspicion, nor being investigated at this time.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: In hopes of boosting the nation's sluggish economy, President Bush is urging Congress to pass new tax cuts equal or greater to the amount earmarked for disaster recovery.

American troops are deploying in Uzbekistan, next door to Afghanistan, as the U.S. military moves into Osama bin Laden's neighborhood. This follows Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld's efforts to cement a new partnership in the war against terrorism.

Let's go live to the Pentagon, and CNN national correspondent Bob Franken for details -- Bob.

BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: And Wolf, Secretary Rumsfeld heading back to the United States after three days in what we know as "the region." The last stop was Turkey; an erstwhile NATO ally. Nevertheless, a country that does have disputes between its secular and Muslim factions in that country.

For consultations there he had come from Uzbekistan, which was probably the most significant stop. Uzbekistan, the former Soviet republic which will now receive U.S. troops. About 1,000 members of the Mountain Division on their way to one air base, at the moment for use only for humanitarian and search-and-rescue purposes. But a promise that this role might be expanded if a combat patrol is needed. Uzbekistan, of course, borders on Afghanistan.

He was throughout the region. He visited -- he, being Rumsfeld -- visited Egypt, Oman and Saudi Arabia. Different countries, different issues.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD RUMSFELD, U.S. SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: We recognize that every country has its own circumstance. It has its own neighborhood. It has its own history. And each country will make a judgment as to the kinds of ways that it can be helpful in dealing with the problem of international terrorism.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FRANKEN: So as Rumsfeld returns to the United States he will take parted in high level administration discussions. Clearly, Wolf, with his trip to the region the United States is closer to finalizing its military planning -- Wolf.

BLITZER: And Bob, it's almost four weeks now since the September 11 attack. I take it you and some cameras were allowed to see some of the damage over at the Pentagon. Tell us what you saw.

FRANKEN: Well, we saw an area, of course, that is nowhere near the appearance of devastation that it was on September 11, when a plane crashed into it. But we're seeing an area that had massive damage. And officials told us that the damage was worse than they thought. As a matter of fact, there are still fractures that are appearing every day, even as they continue to make repairs. And what they originally thought would be a $250 million repair is now going to be up to a 500 to $700 million.

They're hoping to have everything done within the next year, but it is a program -- it is a situation that is even worse than they originally thought. And of course, Wolf, they still have not found the remains of many of the victims there.

BLITZER: Bob Franken at the Pentagon, thank you very much.

On a coalition-building trip of his own, British Prime Minister Tony Blair says Pakistan has made the right move in lining up against terrorism.

I spoke earlier with CNN senior international correspondent Walter Rodgers in Islamabad.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: Walter, tell us what happened in this important meeting between Prime Minister Blair and President Musharraf.

WALTER RODGERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, almost within shouting distance of Afghanistan, Britain's Prime Minister Tony Blair once again showed he is the heavyweight of the Western alliance. He reissued an ultimatum to the Taliban, telling them, turn over Osama bin Laden or you, the Taliban, will become a legitimate target.

Tony Blair also said the Afghan people are not the enemy, and he reminded the world that the West's quarrel is not with Afghanistan, but merely with Osama bin Laden.

He emerged from the meeting with President Musharraf of Pakistan. Mr. Blair signalling that it's a whole new ball game in this part of the world.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TONY BLAIR, PRIME MINISTER OF BRITAIN: The 11th of September has changed the world. Nations make their choices as to whether they will help in the fight against international terrorism or stand aside. I believe that Pakistan has made the right choice. The result will be a significant and lasting strengthening of the outside world's relation with Pakistan. We in Britain will play our full part. We will not walk away; neither will others.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

RODGERS: Mr. Blair, in saying "we will not walk away" was making it very clear the United States, Britain and the West will play a major role in reshaping a new Afghanistan, pouring aid into there and making sure that the new Afghan government is very broadly based, and hopefully democratic. What is not clear, however, is how all of this will shake out with the other players in the region: Russia, India, China and Iran itself -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Walter, when we spoke 24 hours ago you said a key sign of the reaction inside Pakistan would be after the Friday prayers. What happened on the streets of Pakistan today?

RODGERS: Well, as we anticipated, there would be demonstrations, but that's pretty usual after Friday prayers at the mosques here. The big demonstration was Rawalpindi. That's not very far from Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan.

This demonstration was sponsored by the HUI Party, a radical Islamist party. We shouldn't read too much into it; that party only controls 15 percent of the seats in the Pakistani parliament. That being the case, these people were really out there muscle flexing, trying to signal their president, Mr. Musharraf, that they're not all that happy with the new friendship that he's developing with the United States and the West.

The ultimate test, however, is going to be not after Friday prayers, but after the Pakistanis see the extent of the American strikes against Afghanistan when, and if, they come. Then the equation changes in this part of the world, and no one knows what the shape of this part of the world will be if, indeed, there are American strikes -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Walter Rodgers in Islamabad, thank you very much.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: CNN has confirmed that a senior U.S. intelligence official has told the Senate Intelligence Committee, quote, "There's a 100 percent chance of another terrorist attack if the U.S. takes military action against Afghanistan."

We turn now to CNN congressional correspondent Kate Snow. She's been talking to members of Congress; she has some reaction -- Kate.

KATE SNOW, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, lawmakers very familiar with high-level intelligence. Those that get classified briefings here on Capitol Hill urging some caution on this quote that we've obtained. Congressman Porter Goss, the Republican chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, for example, says that that prediction of an attack he says is, quote, "unnecessarily alarmist."

And the source who confirmed that that is what was said in the Senate intelligence briefing, that it would be 100 percent likely, that same source urging some caution as well. Telling CNN that the comment that was made was also given with the caveat that the warnings have been general; that there have been no specifics on who, where or what kind of an attack to expect.

Porter Goss saying that the 100 percent comment was a big over- statement. Let me quote him now; he said, quote, "I'm not aware of any specific imminent threat now which will cause me to go about my business in any different way." But he did say, Wolf, as CNN has been reporting for several days now, that there are, certainly, threats out there. There certainly is a heightened awareness of that. Mr. Goss saying that Americans should be aware, they should be prepared, but at the same time they should have some common sense and not overreact -- Wolf.

BLITZER: And Kate, what are you hearing from members of Congress about any specific military action that might be over the horizon?

SNOW: Well, actually, the point on that from Representative Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat from California and the highest ranking Democrat on that same House Intelligence Committee, was that if the U.S. were to act in Afghanistan, that is not necessarily a precursor to some sort of retaliatory terrorist attacks. She wanted to be clear on that. She said, quote: "We have to watch our exposure and vulnerability" -- meaning the United States -- "but it is not dependent on whether we attack Afghanistan or not" -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Kate Snow, thanks for that very good reporting.

And seeking to make its anti-terror coalition as broad as possible, the Bush administration has touched a raw nerve in Israel.

Let's go live to CNN senior White House correspondent John King, he has the details -- John.

JOHN KING, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, at least a fragile truce tonight after a very rare and a very blunt war of words between two long-time allies: the United States and Israel. In a statement this evening, the Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon saluting, quote, "the deep friendship and special relationship" between the United States and Israel. He also went on to salute President Bush for a, quote, "bold and courageous decision to fight terrorism."

And in that statement and in that fight, the prime minister promised Washington it would have Israel's full support.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

(voice-over): It was an about-face from a day earlier, when Sharon lashed out.

ARIEL SHARON, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: Do not try to appease the Arabs at our expense. This is unacceptable to us.

KING: What angered Washington most was Sharon's comparison to Europe ceding parts of Czechoslovakia to Hitler, suggesting that in its aggressive effort to court Arab nations for the coalition against terrorism, the United States was turning its back on Israel's security.

ARI FLEISCHER, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: The president believes that these remarks are unacceptable. Israel could have no better or stronger friend than the United States, and better friend than President Bush.

KING: Secretary of State Colin Powell called Sharon once to voice the president's displeasure, then again later after the prime minister agreed to issue a conciliatory statement.

RICHARD ARMITAGE, DEPUTY SECRETARY OF STATE: The United States is embarking on a great campaign. We do need the help of Israel, and we hope things are put back in the box.

KING: But that there was a war of words between two long-time allies in the first place is a reminder of the extraordinary pressures of coalition-building.

As it courts Moscow, for example, the administration is softening its criticism of the Russian campaign in Chechnya. And perhaps the most important ally now is a Pakistani government that seized power in a military coup, and has long supported Afghanistan's ruling Taliban. JAMES STEINBERG, FORMER DEPUTY NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: I think the administration is walking a very delicate line in trying to maximize the coalition, but also maintaining other U.S. national interests.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KING: In Sharon's case, a senior Bush administration official telling CNN tonight is was, quote, "justifiable frustration" talking there; the guy has been put in a box, and we helped put him there." But this official went on to say, he should know better, he's a friend; he knows we have other things much more important to worry about right now -- Wolf.

BLITZER: But John, seen in a broader context, was there anything else that prompted Sharon's very tough and blunt statement?

KING: Well Wolf, remember back just a week or so ago, the administration privately pressured the prime minister to pull back, to show restraint, to engage in new security negotiations with the Palestinians at a time Sharon says he did not have, and has not, received full cooperation from the Palestinians in stemming the violence.

So Sharon pressured by the United States into those discussions, and then just as those discussions begin -- and remember, the violence continuing -- the administration says publicly it supports a Palestinian state as the outcome of Israeli-Palestinian negotiations. No surprise that that would be the outcome, but administrations don't say so so directly. It's part of the diplomatic nuance.

So U.S. officials saying they understand the frustration; that Sharon has been pushed by the United States into a very uncomfortable position. They're just saying they wish that he would voice his displeasure privately, and not lash out so publicly and to make those historical comparisons which the administration says are simply off- base, that the United States would never turn its back on Israel.

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

And he's played a key role in previous attempts to go after Osama bin Laden. To discuss the terror threat and the U.S. response, I'm joined now by Samuel Berger, the national security adviser in the Clinton administration.

Mr. Berger, thanks for joining us.

Very briefly on this latest flap between the United States and Israel, how does the U.S., the Bush administration, manage to try to bring in moderate Arab states and some not-so-moderate Arab states like Syria, for example, into this coalition while at the same time not overly antagonizing the Israelis?

SAMUEL BERGER, CLINTON NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: Well, Prime Minister Sharon should understand that the United States has no intention to appease the Arab states or to in any way undermine our commitment to Israel as we prosecute this fight against terror.

We'll continue to fight terror in that region, and we'll also continue to try to bring some diminution in the conflict in that region, because that's in Israel's interest, and it's in the region's interest, and in our interest.

BLITZER: You've seen this quote from this U.S. intelligence official who briefed members of Congress, saying there was now a 100 percent certainty that there would be additional terror attacks against the United States if the U.S. responds militarily in Afghanistan.

Should that change the U.S. strategy, now, in fighting terror?

BERGER: No, I don't think that we can be intimidated by the prospect of further acts here. I think the American people understand that we're living in a world in which there is likely to be further terrorist incidents directed at the United States, as there have been for the last 25 or 30 years.

We have to intensify security; we have to be alert as a people. But we certainly cannot be deterred, in terms of going after this group that has perpetrated this extraordinary act by virtue of potential threats against us.

BLITZER: You're obviously aware of the nervousness in the West, here in the United States and Europe, about an anti-American, anti- Western uproar in the Muslim and Arab world if the U.S. and its coalition partners strike militarily. But is there an alternative? Can the U.S. recruit the Northern Alliance, the so-called United Front Afghan rebels to get the job done? Can they get the job done?

BERGER: Well, I'll take it in two parts, Wolf. I think first of all we need to support those groups in Afghanistan who seek a different kind of future for the Afghan people. They're, in many ways, the first victims of the Taliban regime -- 5 million on the edge of starvation, 3 million refugees. So it's perfectly legitimate for us to be supporting those groups.

But, you know, at the same time, obviously, we have to keep our focus on going after those responsible for what happened on September 11. And I think our ability to keep the rest of the world with us will be directly related to the strategic quality of how we use force, and our ability to continue to justify it to the world in terms of going after the perpetrators and those that support them. And I think as long as the world sees us using force in that way, and not indiscriminately, I think we'll hold the coalition together.

BLITZER: You saw the headline in the "Washington Post" the other day earlier this week: "U.S. was foiled multiple times in efforts to capture bin Laden or have him killed." The numerous efforts that you and the Clinton administration were engaged in, why was he so elusive? Why couldn't you, during your years in office, get the job done, especially after the East Africa embassy bombings?

BERGER: Well, it was a top priority of the administration from -- in the late '90s to go after bin Laden, to go after al Qaeda. We made an effort in '98 to attack him; the intelligence was slightly off.

It's obviously a very difficult target. You need to know not only where he is, but where he will be. That's not easy. But we worked at it very aggressively in cooperation with a number of different folks on the ground and elsewhere. And had we had the actionable intelligence which would have given us had a high degree of success, we would have struck again.

BLITZER: If there had not been the military overthrow of Nawaz Sharif, who was then the leader of Pakistan by General Musharraf in 1999, I believe, you were working with Pakistani military to get the job done.

BERGER: Well, I don't want to go into details of what we were doing at that point, Wolf, because all of those things, obviously, can be at play at this point. All I can say is that there was a multi- faceted, concerted, intense effort over two years to go after bin Laden. And had we had the information, the intelligence that would have given us confidence of success, we certainly would have struck him again.

BLITZER: Are you confident that the Bush administration will, or already has, the intelligence necessary to win this war against Osama bin Laden?

BERGER: I believe that we will prevail here. And prevail, I define, as ultimately dismantling this operation in Afghanistan and elsewhere, and its support structure.

We have, now, assets that didn't exist before September 11: the full cooperation of the Pakistanis; the cooperation of other front- line states with ethnic relationships inside Afghanistan -- ethnic affinities. So we have a far greater resource pool to be able to determine where he is, where he's going to go. And I think that if we are persistent, patient, use force in a strategic way, that with time, that we will take this network down.

BLITZER: So what you're saying is the single most important ingredient that the U.S. and its coalition partners need right now is good intelligence?

BERGER: Good intelligence, and keeping the coalition together by staying focused on the objective and maintaining the support of the international community that we are, in fact, here not going after the Afghan people, we are not going after the Arab world or the Muslim world; we're going after an organization that is dedicated to imposing its vision of Islamic radicalism on that entire region and driving the West not only out of the region, but weakening us severely.

BLITZER: But, briefly, even if the U.S. does achieve its objectives in Afghanistan -- strictly Afghanistan -- that doesn't necessarily mean the war against terrorism is over, from the U.S. perspective. BERGER: No. I think, first of all, al Qaeda itself operates beyond Afghanistan, as we know from even this September 11 tragedy. So we have to work with our allies in other parts of the world intensively to continue to take down cells in various parts of the world, as we've been doing over the last few years. We have to intensify that effort.

And ultimately I think President Bush has articulated the longer- term goal here, which is a climate change, in a sense, towards terrorism around the world. And that's the long-term goal. The short-term goal is to go after the cancer which is, at this point, the most grievous threat to the United States.

BLITZER: Samuel Berger, thanks for joining us.

BERGER: Thank you Wolf.

BLITZER: Appreciate it very much.

And up next: Osama bin Laden may be the needle in an Afghan haystack, but the latest satellite technology can narrow the odds. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Welcome back.

By land and by sea, the United States military readies for war. And from space, possibly crucial help from spy satellites. This evening a Titan-4 rocketed to space, likely carrying satellite imaging equipment which could be used to spy on suspected terrorists.

CNN science correspondent Ann Kellan has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANN KELLAN, CNN SCIENCE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This rocket launch was planned well before the September 11 attacks, but those attacks have put new focus on its top secret payload, which will likely help spy on suspected terrorists or the Taliban.

This 3-D view of Afghanistan is just a sample of what can be done with state-of-the-art satellite technology. We don't know what's in the payload, but intelligence expert Jeffrey Richelson says this latest launch is likely carrying satellite imaging instruments similar to this into orbit. Some of those instruments can provide a wide angle view of various sites around the world. Others, such as the advanced KH-11, keyhole satellites, can zero in on objects as small as a license plate. Much closer even than what you're seeing now.

JEFFREY RICHELSON, NATIONAL SECURITY ARCHIVE: Well, the advanced KH-11 probably has the best resolution of any satellite we have. And that would be somewhere under six inches; you couldn't read a license plate using it, but if you took the license plate off the car, put it on the highway, it would see that there was a license-plate-shaped object there. KELLAN: Even if clouds or bad weather block the shot, satellite- based radar can help give a clear picture of the ground. And then intelligence agencies use a variety of instruments to turn all that data into 3-D computer models.

Just like NASA and Noah (ph) computers can fly you into a virtual hurricane, a soldier can take a virtual tour of Afghanistan's mountains and terrain before ever setting foot on its soil.

RICHELSON: You're much better off than if you simply go in there either blind, or simply with a map and have to first experience it for the first time.

KELLAN (on camera): Also up in space lending a hand: signal intelligence satellites. Now, these instruments can listen in on conversations, and intercept data and communications while they're being transmitted.

(voice-over): But first they have to get there. And sometimes they don't. The United States and others lost billions of dollars in high-tech equipment when six launchers failed to reach their mark between August of 1998 and May of '99. This time, the Titan-4V rocket hit its mark. An Atlas rocket is scheduled to take another intelligence payload up within the month.

Ann Kellan, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: "CROSSFIRE" comes your way at the bottom of the hour.

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