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CNN Sunday Morning

Target: Terrorism, the U.S. Response

Aired October 07, 2001 - 09:00   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.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. It's Sunday, October 7th. From New York, I'm Kyra Phillips.

JEANNE MESERVE, CNN ANCHOR: And from Washington, I'm Jeanne Meserve.

PHILLIPS: Here are the latest developments in America's war against terrorism. New word from the Taliban. The Associated Press is now reporting that Osama bin Laden could be tried under Islamic law in Afghanistan if the U.S. government makes a formal request.

Afghanistan is boosting its military forces near its border with Uzbekistan. Taliban radio says the troop movement was in preparation for any possible ground invasion.

On the opposite side of the Uzbekistan border, about 1,000 U.S. Army troops are setting up base. Members of the 10th Mountain Division's Light Infantry has been deployed to the former Soviet Republic.

And the Taliban's official news agency says a detained British journalist has been released. Afghanistan authorities arrested newspaper reporter Yvonne Ridley last month on suspicious of espionage.

Authorities in Pakistan are cracking down on some key Taliban supporters. The man who has organized many of the recent anti-American rallies there had been placed under house arrest.

For more on that, we go to CNN's Nic Robertson, who stands by live in Islamabad. But, Nic, before we get there, why don't you tell us what you know about the Taliban and the word that it's willing to detain Osama bin Laden and put him on trial in Afghanistan?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, the Taliban ambassador here in Islamabad just had a very limited small briefing for a small handful of journalists. We've heard the AP report and we've also talked to a journalist who was present there for that briefing. We are still to get all the information from that limited briefing.

But, what we do know so far, from this journalist, is that the ambassador said, should the United States like to come to Afghanistan and present its evidence to the Taliban, then they, the Taliban, would be prepared to put Osama bin Laden on trial inside Afghanistan. But, their point being that the United States must bring their evidence to Afghanistan and to present that evidence inside Afghanistan.

Now, today, in Pakistan, the Pakistani authorities have placed under house-arrest, a leading Muslim cleric who has been closely allied with the Taliban in the past. This cleric, Maulana Fazlur Rehman, the Pakistani authorities say that they have put him under house-arrest because he appeared at a rally recently. One of his close guards had an automatic machine gun, and the Pakistanis say this is against this the law.

Also against the law, they say, and these are laws that the Pakistani government passed before the 11th of September, also against the law, they say that he had been causing unrest, causing disruptions, causing violence, and inciting the people against the government. And under Pakistani law, these are things that cannot be done.

Now, analysts here say that this particular religious party had been used by the Pakistani government recently as a sort of go-between with the Taliban, but now they view this as being very much a closed door. And, in fact, the Pakistani government here saying it does not see anymore diplomacy with the Taliban at this time -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: All right, Nic Robertson, I heard your beeper going off. I know information is coming to you by the second. Please tend to that and let us know if you've got developing information.

Meanwhile, reports out of Northern Afghanistan this morning say opposition forces are making significant advances against Taliban troops. For the latest on military actions in Afghanistan, we turn to journalist Kamal Hyder, who joins us now by phone.

Kamal, what can you tell us to add to this breaking news story?

KAMAL HYDER, JOURNALIST: Well, Kyra, I can tell you that the Taliban sources are now saying that elements of the Northern Alliance, particularly Hazra forces, who are also allied to the Northern Alliance, have been trying to take a strategic town of Ibeck (ph) and have succeeded in taking a few villages. But that they're lightly armed and the Taliban expect that they will not be able to hold this long.

There are also apprehensions in the Taliban military high command that the Northern Alliance may be planning an attack on Kabul. And they say that the Northern Alliance is probably waiting for the allied forces to give bombardment support, air support, but that apprehension now being felt very deeply by the Taliban here -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Kamal, can you tell us, the Taliban's ambassador to Pakistan says bin Laden would be tried under Islamic law. Can you tell us what that would entail?

HYDER: Well, the Taliban has been saying this before, also. What they are trying to say is that if the evidence is brought forward or if the United States is going to request them, then it would be a different matter. But trying him under Afghan law is something which the Americans have not accepted in the past, and it remains to be seen whether they would do it now.

I think the people are saying here, basically, that the Taliban have, most of them feel, that the Americans have been jumping to conclusions and that they do not have enough evidence. Whether that is justified or not, people say is something that remains to be seen.

PHILLIPS: Kamal, the Northern Alliance claims that there has been a defection of a number of Taliban fighters and that some have been captured. Can you confirm this information?

HYDER: Well, the Taliban Ministry of Defense officials basically being quoted by certain Taliban authorities are saying, basically, that there is sporadic exchange of fire across the Northern Alliance and Taliban positions up in the north. And that also in the Takhar area, but that the Taliban have not come under any major attack. This is what the authorities are saying here, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: All right, Kamal Hyder, thank you so much for that report.

We're going to go back to Washington, D.C. now where Jean Meserve has some reaction to this story in addition to the Saudi blast that she's been reporting on all morning -- Jean.

MESERVE: Right, Kyra. First, to Saudi Arabia where a remote controlled bomb planted near a busy shopping area killed two and injures four others. Police say they have little information about the two who were killed in yesterdays Al Khobar explosion. However, they are confirming the victims are not Saudis. Among those injured are an American and a Briton. You will recall, Al Khobar is where 19 American servicemen were killed five years ago when their barracks were bombed.

And there were reports this morning that large number of planes and military helicopters are flying in and out of an Uzbekistan air base. This dramatically increasing in recent days. This since the Taliban's Foreign Ministry claims to have opened fire on an unmanned antiaircraft. Excuse me, probably, they've opened antiaircraft fire on an unmanned aircraft.

CNN's Patty Davis is at the Pentagon. She joins us live from there with more. Patty.

PATTY DAVIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Jean, a senior Pentagon official confirms increased U.S. military activity at that base in southern Uzbekistan. Now, that comes on the heels of one -- an estimated about 1,000 U.S. troops from the 10th Mountain Division arriving there over the past several days, serving as security, basically, force protection at that base.

Now, that base, to be used simply for humanitarian purposes at this point. For airdrops, for food and medicine, also search and rescue if that's necessary. Now that base, at some point, however, could be used for combat missions. That is not being ruled-out by the government of Uzbekistan, but it has also not yet been agreed to by that government.

Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, meanwhile, is back here in the United States. He was on a whirlwind three-day tour, five countries: Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Oman, Egypt, also Uzbekistan, where he secured that agreement to use the base there. He is back here now in the United States trying to -- the mission there, of visiting all those countries, trying to garner international support for the U.S. led war on terrorism. Jean.

MESERVE: Patty Davis at the Pentagon, thank you.

And for reaction from Capitol Hill, join CNN's Wolf Blitzer for LATE EDITION today at noon Eastern. His guests include Senate Minority Leader Trent Lott.

Kyra, back to you.

PHILLIPS: All right, Jean, thank you so much.

Well, still to come, fighting terrorism with credit cards; can your money help win the battle?

Plus, with the market in constant flux, should you buy or sell or hold? An expert will be on hand with investment advice. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: We've been continuing to follow this story, this breaking news story, about the Taliban saying that they are willing to detain Osama bin Laden and put him on trial in Afghanistan under certain conditions.

We're going to go to our Chris Burns, who is live in Northern Afghanistan with more on this developing story. Chris, what do you know?

CHRIS BURNS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kyra, what we do hear actually up here are heightened expectations of some kind of military action. We just got out of a news conference with the foreign minister, Dr. Abdullah Abdullah, foreign minister of the Northern Alliance, who tells us, who says that a U.S. strike is eminent. He says it will come soon, very soon. He says he met with his commanders yesterday and has put his forces on alert.

He also says that he's been talking with the United States, coordinating military and humanitarian efforts. He expects his forces to move after the U.S. forces strike. That could be, that could take a few days.

But, anyway, that is the latest update on that. And also, the Northern Alliance claiming to have made advances in the north on two fronts, taking one provincial city and surrounding another. They're moving toward the Taliban-held strong hold of Mazar-e Sharif. Dr. Abdullah Abdullah says that his forces will be moving further on, toward Mazar, sometime tonight -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Chris, the Northern Alliance is also claiming a defection of a number of Taliban fighters and capturing a number of them also. Is that true? Have you seen that?

BURNS: Very difficult for us to confirm not only the claims of the advances on the ground, but also any captures, any defections. By the way, in that one province, in Samangan province, the Northern Alliance claims that 60 fighters on the Taliban side defected over and that 100 other were captured. Impossible for us to show, to determine that independently, so we're relying on their word. We also have to wait and see what the Taliban say themselves, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Chris, have you seen any activity so far? I know in the past couple of days you've been able to hear the artillery. Do you know if -- have you seen or heard anything, air or ground, to this point?

BURNS: Well, a couple of days ago thee was what was believed a Taliban MiG fighter that dropped a bomb not far from here, actually, along the front that is about 15, 20 miles from here.

Also, the repeated tank and artillery fire that we have heard from the front, that's the front between here and Kabul, that had been going on for several hours yesterday. However, today it's an eerie quite, but the heightened expectations are also because of the weather. There have been a lot of strong wind dust storms going on for several days, and the last two days have been very calm. As you can still see over my shoulder, it's very quiet, very clear, the perfect kind of battle weather for some commanders, here, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: All right, Chris Burns, from Northern Afghanistan, thank you so much.

All right, when we come back, the market is in constant flux. Should you buy, sell or hold? We'll have an expert here on hand with investment advice.

We'll be right back. And if you want to call in, here's the phone number. Right now we're taking calls. 404-221-1855. Terry Savage is going to join us from "The Chicago Sun Tribune" to take your questions and give you investment advice. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Consumers have been a bit nervous about spending money since the terrorist attacks on America, but as CNN's Kitty Pilgrim reports, just a few weeks before the assault, consumers were saying "charge it."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KITTY PILGRIM, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A new car, or a trip to Hawaii? Both in the budget, and paid by credit card. A late summer spending binge pushed up consumer credit by $2.3 billion in August. RONALD HILL, BROWN BROTHERS HARRIMAN: Consumer credit tells you that, actually, consumers still have enough courage to go back out and buy, because you don't take on new debt if you're afraid that you're not going to be able to pay them off.

PILGRIM (voice-over): But economists think that was the last of the good times. Consumption patterns appear to have changed radically after he September 11th attack. With the Fed cutting rates, it may not seem like a problem to buy on credit, but not all interest rates react the same to the Fed lowering rates.

A lot of consumer data has been the addition of mortgage debt, as consumers refinance their homes. Mortgage rates have come down to the lowest level in three years, dropping sharply after September 11th as the outlook for the economy became uncertain.

A 30-year fixed rate averages 6.58 percent, while it was above 7 percent in the beginning of the year. Credit card rates have not followed suit, however, only notching down from 15.5 percent to 14.5 percent on average.

Some economists raise an alarm about not only the amount, but the quality of the outstanding credit card debt.

MAUREEN ALLYN, ZURICH SCUDDER INVESTMENTS: The people who have taken out most of this debt tend to be on the lower, lower income people, that didn't use to have access to this.

PILGRIM: In the next few months, economists predict consumers may lock up their credit cards in their desk drawers. News of layoffs and a slowdown in the economy may give consumers a dose of discipline, or at least a pause in their shopping habits.

Kitty Pilgrim, CNN FINANCIAL NEWS, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: Pre-September 11th and post-September 11th, that's a standard many people are using when referring to the U.S. economy. Joining me from Chicago to talk about the economy is Terry Savage, a regular on our weekends. She's an investment adviser, also with "The Chicago Sun Times." Great to see you, Terry.

TERRY SAVAGE, "CHICAGO SUN TIMES": Good morning, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: So, Bush wants to speed up tax cuts. Do you think that's a good idea right now?

SAVAGE: I think that will help. It's been very interesting. We've had the first tax cut, then we had the gasoline tax cut, if you've noticed gasoline prices dropping, and the Federal Reserve has put a lot of money into the economy, not just since September 11th, but all year long. So, that should do a lot to stimulate the economy.

There'll be a lot of debate on Capitol Hill about just which way to go next; tax cuts or some kinds of credits for lower income people, working people that might not get a tax refund. But the fact is that everything possible is being done to stimulate the economy from Washington.

PHILLIPS: Let's talk about other ways that folks can be helped.

SAVAGE: Well, I just want to warn a little bit about being patriotic in going shopping. I think Kitty made a very good point about the kind of levels of consumer debt. Americans have $1.5 trillion charged up on their credit cards on which they're not -- they're making less than the full monthly payment.

Those credit card rates, some of them are reaching their floor, so those are very exorbitant rates. The best present you can give yourself is to start paying down that debt, because certainly there's nowhere you're going to earn 10 or 11 or 12 percent that you're being charged on your credit card.

So, at the risk of saying don't go shopping, what I really want to say is do what's right for yourself and your family, and that will really help America get going again.

PHILLIPS: Are you still seeing a lot of money on the sidelines, Terry?

SAVAGE: There's a lot of money on the sidelines, for investors, particularly, but there's a lot of money that's been lost, as I call it. As I learned on the trading floor many years ago, when I looked and said, well, where did all the money go, and an old trader said to me, my dear, it went to money heaven.

So, a lot of money has been lost out of consumer's pockets in the stock market, and I think that also adds to the uncertainty.

PHILLIPS: What happens economically, historically, after something, a tragedy like September 11th?

SAVAGE: Well, you know...

PHILLIPS: It usually rebounds, doesn't it?

SAVAGE: I brought along pictures, the theory that a picture is worth 1,000 words. Let me show you three pictures, as it were, from Ibitson. They're graphics. The fist one shows you exactly what's happened in times when America's faced real tragedy. Not just war, but uncertainty.

Pearl Harbor, we saw that the American public was shocked, it make us change the way we think of the world, but three years later the stock market was up nearly 80 percent. And when President Kennedy was assassinated, the market rebounded three years later, was up over 20 percent. The same thing with the Gulf War and the same thing with the first World Trade Center bombing.

If you look back in history, those moments when we were most frightened about our future were times when investors, actually, would have done a good thing by buying, because people sold out of fear, but over the long run America's stock market has marched much higher.

PHILLIPS: We've got a phone call for you, Terry. Ray is on the line from Delaware. Go ahead, Ray.

RAY, CALLER: Hello? Yeah, I've got absolutely no savings, and I'm just starting out. I've got somewhere between $250 a week to $1000 a month that I can put away. I've got a short-term goal, like, say, three years. What would be the best thing to do with that? Could I -- would it be bonds or maybe an insurance policy. What would be the best thing to do with that?

SAVAGE: Ray, the most wonderful thing that you have going for you is the fact that you're just starting out and you have a lot of time on your side. So, I would say, divide your goals. Have some short-term and some long-term goals.

With the long-term goals, open an individual retirement account, or if you're working for a company, contribute to a 401-K plan. And don't get scared out of the market. But continue putting money in on a regular basis. That's the long run, because, I will tell you, there has never been a 20-year period, going back to 1926, where you would have lost money in a broadly diversified portfolio of stocks. Those are the Ibitson figures.

For the short-term, though, if you need the money in two or three years, you need to buy the car or you need a down payment on a house, that's not where you want to be in the stock market. And even though interest rates are very low, you'll have to leave that money in the bank or a money market.

One of the things you might consider is Series-I savings bonds. Right now, they're paying a very nice rate. They have a floor of 3 percent and then every six months the rate changes on top of that. Currently 5.88 percent. That'll go down in November a bit, but you will get tax deferred interest and you can hang onto those for a long time. The rates change every six months, but you've got that 3 percent floor if you buy them now.

PHILLIPS: Thanks, Ray. OK. We're going to go on to Kurt in Michigan. Go ahead, Kurt.

KURT, CALLER: Hi, Terry. My question is, right now, should we continue funding our mutual funds or should we be putting money directly into individual stocks and buying with the rates down so far?

SAVAGE: Well, either way you choose to do it, the important thing is to have a plan and stick to it, through all the emotional ups and downs. The fear is the time that prices go down below what the stocks are worth, when you think about the opportunity for these companies to do business and grow in the future.

So, whether you've chosen two or three stocks or whether you use a mutual fund to diversity over a lot of stock, the important thing is not exactly what you choose, but that you make that plan, stick to it.

Nobody can pick the top or the bottom. I can't tell you the market will be up in three months or a year. But I have every bit of confidence that five, 10, and 15 years from now you'll be glad you bought stocks today.

PHILLIPS: All right. John in Atlanta has a question. Go ahead, John.

JOHN, CALLER: Good morning, Terry. I wanted to ask about unemployment rate. Currently it's at 4.9 percent and next month allegedly we're going to probably come out over 5 percent, and we have not seen all the unemployment figures from the airline industry. What is your outlook on that?

SAVAGE: Well, the unemployment rate will certainly jump. We know that. The survey that was released Friday actually was taken just about before the crash, the terrorist activities. So, we will definitely see the impact of layoffs, and that's why I stressed at the beginning, what you need to do now is sit down and figure out how you're going to be personally effected. Make sure, before you start investing or shopping, that you've got your families finances in order, because even if someone in your family is not directly laid off, the impact will be for several months, I think, a slowing economy. And you might have to tighten your belt a little bit.

And we will see those numbers, but don't forget, we will be looking back then on the numbers that happened a month ago, and the critical thing, when you're planning for the future, is to look ahead. To understand history, but to look forward to the opportunities that will be created now as we go forward and the economy recovers.

PHILLIPS: Terry Savage, "Chicago Sun Times," investment adviser, thank you so much.

SAVAGE: Kyra, a pleasure.

PHILLIPS: Series-I savings bonds, right?

SAVAGE: That's a good place for your, what I call, chicken money. Otherwise, keep investing in your retirement plan and stops.

PHILLIPS: All right, I'm taking notes. Terry, thanks so much.

All right, still to come, we know they're on the move, but where are they headed? Up next, tracking the Taliban.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MESERVE: And send your e-mails in. Miles O'Brien, Nic Robertson, Patty Davis, will be taking your questions shortly.

The U.S., of course, has been positioning troops around Central Asia. The Taliban positioning troops here. Miles O'Brien has been mapping it all out and here to tell us and show us what's going on -- Miles.

MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Well, Jean, ever since the September 11th attacks and all the talk about how the U.S. might retaliate, we've been telling you an awful lot about how this might be sort of an amorphous conflict, taking place all over the globe. No necessarily a frontline maneuver, as you might think of from, say World War II, a D- Day invasion kind of thing.

Having said that, there is a border right now where there is a little bit of troop activity. Wanted to take you down and give you a sense of what's going on there right now. As we zoom in to the region and into Afghanistan, I want to point out a key country, what has become a key country, you have been hearing a lot about it this morning, Uzbekistan, which is to the north of Afghanistan, Afghanistan being highlighted here.

Let's get in just a little bit closer, and this country is key because not only of its proximity, it has an 80 mile long border with Afghanistan. That is a crucial 80 miles. In 1979, the Soviet's staged their invasion into Afghanistan from that very point. As a result, there is an infrastructure which remains here, several military bases, and that is what has caught the attention of the U.S.

Let's take a look at those bases. We just talked a little while ago to CNN's Alessio Vinci, who is very close to this particular air base, Khanabad, that "K" is not pronounced, according to Alessio. It is about 150 miles from the border of Afghanistan.

What he has been seeing coming in there, and what others have seen in the area, are big planes, C-130's, that kind of thing, cargo carrying planes, planes which could carry troops. We do know that the 10th Mountain Division, based in upstate New York normally, is there, about 1,000 troops involved in that.

They would be carried in, potentially, by helicopters. Also carried in on those C-130's, but it's very likely that those helicopters, given their range, might stage from this particular base, Termez, and I believe we have a little bit of breaking news.

We're going to send it over to Jean Meserve in Washington, Jean.

MESERVE: And there you see President Bush arriving in Emmitsburg, Maryland. He is going to be speaking there shortly to a meeting of the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation and laying a wreath there. They are paying tribute today to all of the firefighters who have fallen in the line of duty in the past year, including more than 300 New York firefighters who died at the World Trade Center. We'll be bringing the president's remarks to you later -- Miles.

Kelly Wallace, I understand, joins us from Emmitsburg, Maryland. Kelly, preview the president's remarks for us, if you can.

KELLY WALLACE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I certainly can, Jean. President Bush arriving here just a short time ago. This memorial service, as you noted, to begin about 10:00 AM. The president definitely to pay tribute to he 101 firefighters who were killed last year in the line of duty. And, Jean, there is a monument here called the National Fallen Firefighters Monument. The names of all those firefighters will be added to that monument. The president also, though, again, as you noted, definitely to recognize the more than 300 members of the New York City Fire Department killed trying to save lives during the attack on the World Trade Center. And, Jean, we understand the names of all those firefighters will be added to the monument next year.

And, Jean, I wanted to mention one other thing to you, some developments. We did talk to an administration official about these reports coming from the Taliban. The Taliban claiming they would detain suspected terrorist Osama bin Laden and try him in an Islamic court if the U.S. formally requested. The Taliban takes such action, no surprise, Jean. Administration officials saying that the president's demands are nonnegotiable.

The demands include immediately turning over Osama bin Laden, all of his associates, and shutting down all those terrorist training camps. The message is, this is not a negotiation. There are no room -- there is no room for discussions. It was the same message we heard from the administration yesterday when the Taliban offered to release those eight Western aide workers if the U.S. did not threaten any military action.

Jean, back to you.

MESERVE: Kelly Wallace, thank you. And, straight ahead, our journalists across the globe answer your questions about everything from military strategy to diplomacy. E-mail your questions for Miles O'Brien, Nic Robertson and Patty Davis to ATTACK@CNN.COM. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: And welcome back to New York. I'm Kyra Phillips.

Here are the latest developments as America targets terrorism. Afghanistan's Taliban rulers are making an offer to Washington. The Associated Press is reporting that the Taliban say they are willing to detain terrorist suspect Osama bin Laden and try him under Islamic law if the U.S. makes a formal request.

The White House says it's time for action, not words.

There's a lot of military activity along the border of Afghanistan, Uzbekistan. CNN has learned the Taliban are moving a significant number of troops toward the border. It follows the deployment of some 1,000 U.S. troops from the elite 10th Mountain Division to Uzbekistan.

The Uzbek president is allowing the U.S. to use an air base for humanitarian purposes.

Time for us now to address your e-mail questions. Here with some answers are CNN's Miles O'Brien, in Atlanta, and CNN's Nic Robertson is Islamabad, Pakistan. Gentlemen, hello.

O'BRIEN: Good morning, Kyra. PHILLIPS: We're going to get right to the first e-mail. This one comes from David Taylor: "Are there any scenarios that could turn this into a nuclear war?"

Nic, do you want to take that one?

ROBERTSON: Well, certainly, a couple of years ago Pakistan tested for the first time it's nuclear capability, underground in the mountains, very close to the border with Afghanistan. It certainly has a nuclear capacity. Does Pakistan have the nuclear capacity to deliver it as a missile? Could somebody get their hands on it, some renegade element of this government, get their hands on it and use it?

Certainly, the government here says that is absolutely unlikely and it would take a major change in the lineup of forces and the lineup in backing that the government here has right now to really envisage this -- that the nuclear element could become part of the equation right now -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Giovanni from Montreal, Canada said: "Would U.S. troops also be ready for any chemical attacks?"

Miles, I know that in the last week you've been talking a lot about biological warfare.

O'BRIEN: Yes, Kyra, they're ready for chemical and biological threats. They have the basic sort of equipment that you would need in the field to protect oneself against a chemical attack. And they've also been inoculated against things like anthrax in advance, if that were used in this sort of situation.

That anthrax inoculation, if you will, has been somewhat controversial in the past, you may recall. Some people resisted having it, but I suspect all those troops that we're hearing about headed in that direction at the moment, headed on the ground, that 10th Mountain Division, I suspect they've been inoculated, at the very least, against anthrax.

PHILLIPS: Scott Loewenstine wants to know: "Do we currently know where bin Laden is, and if so, how are we tracking him?"

Nic, I know you've been following this on a daily basis.

ROBERTSON: Well, certainly, even when we were in Afghanistan a few weeks ago, it was really impossible to get concrete information, and it's even harder now. Recently, the Taliban have said that they do know where bin Laden is and that they are able to reach him, deliver messages to him.

But it's absolutely not clear to anyone else where he is at this time and, certainly, journalists are the last people on the list who they might divulge his whereabouts to. It is still believed, however, that he is inside Afghanistan and there is, at this time, no concrete proof to say that he might have come to Pakistan or other countries -- Kyra. PHILLIPS: Nic, would you say too that the U.S. military is focusing more on the Taliban government versus just Osama bin Laden right now? They're looking at the broader picture, right?

ROBERTSON: Certainly, those that harbor terrorists, those that give them the freedom to operate in, have been placed on that list as the opponent or rather the opponents of the battle on terrorism. So, certainly, they would be considered targets. The Taliban, today, saying today, that their forces are lined along the border with Uzbekistan. They say that although they look as if they're in a defensive position now, the Taliban says those forces could easily change and go on the offensive.

In the past, however, when the Taliban go on the offensive, it's rather a full charge ahead, a flat out charge into a sort of an unknown scenario on the battlefield. There's less sort of strategic maneuvers that a Western force might be used to being up against.

PHILLIPS: Miles, let's direct this question to you.

"Do you know if U.S. has offered or Pakistanis have asked for a U.S. military presence inside Pakistan to make the country stable in case of a civil war?" O'BRIEN: Well, we don't know about any sort of conversations which might be going on back channel, but the idea of U.S. troops on the ground in Pakistan is a very ticklish issue for that country. If you'll recall, just this past week Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld made a trip to the region and conspicuously absent on his itinerary was Pakistan, because of the internal situation there.

The concern is that the potentially, well, the Islamic fundamentalists, put it that way, within Pakistan, might use the presence of U.S. troops as an opportunity to topple the government of Pervez Musharraf.

And so, I think that that would be something that certainly wouldn't be made public at this juncture, although I suppose there might be wink and nod agreements that if things got a little bit out of control, there would be some help of security. That in exchange for the capability of, say, using Pakistani airspace for refueling, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: I know people have been asking also about airspace in Iran and this question is about "What is the latest relationship with Iran? Have they committed to assist the U.S. and NATO to find and apprehend bin Laden? Or will they continue to remain on the sidelines?"

Etta asks this question from Dallas, Texas -- Nic.

ROBERTSON: Well, certainly the Taliban are the avowed enemies of the, rather Iran is the avowed enemy of the Taliban as well. Just a few years ago, when the Taliban took control of a key city in Northern Afghanistan, Mazar-e Sharif. A number of Iranian diplomats and a journalist were killed by the Taliban at that time, and very much that almost brought things to a head between the Taliban and Iran. So, Iran is very, very close to the Northern Alliance at this time. They say that they supply them with weapons and material in their fight against the Taliban. Where exactly they would go and what they would do should there be a strike on Afghanistan -- certainly, they have shown up to now it is clear that they would back the Northern Alliance.

And there are groups inside Afghanistan, Shia groups rather than the Sunni Muslims that the Taliban are. These Shia groups, obviously the same type of Islamic group that Iranians are, Shia Muslims in the majority, and they have a very strong kinship if you will with the Iranians, and the Iranians in the past have backed and supported those groups as well, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: And I'm trying to look back, Nic, didn't the president of Iran, Khatami, come out and definitely condemn what happened in the United States? And did it go farther than that, his comments?

ROBERTSON: Absolutely. He did condemn the action in the United States, the terrorism in the United States, and in fact, in a football match in one of the Gulf states, just within a day of that happening, the Iranian team was playing another team down there on the Persian Gulf and they stopped for a minute silence before the game.

So, certainly, it's very keenly felt in Iran as well, and certainly a lot of sympathy there and a lot of understanding. And a lot of fear, as well, about what kind of instability and what kind of Islam that the Taliban can bring to the region.

There are fears in all the countries around neighboring Afghanistan, is what the overspill effect is. Not only in Iran, but in Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, all these neighboring countries do fear what would the Taliban's plans be once they conquer Afghanistan?

The Taliban have said that they would go beyond it's borders, take that harsh brand of Islam even further -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Gentlemen, here's another question: "What is the end game result the terrorists are looking for? Do they wish to destroy all of Western society, Christianity , Judaism -- what is their ultimate goal?"

Mare Meyer asks this question. Let's get both of you in on this one. Miles, you want to start?

O'BRIEN: Well, I think if you look at Osama bin Laden, his track record and his organizations track record, there avowed goal is, number one, get what they term infidels out of the Middle East. The U.S. in particular, in Saudi Arabia, the U.S. presence in Israel, is considered an issue to content with. That is a fundamental goal in their respect, because they see this as trampling on the sacredness of some religious aspects of Islam.

Beyond that, I think they have a revulsion for our system, which might include the goals states in that question. Whether they truly see that as the end game, if you will, I do not know. I think the short-term goal, however, is to reduce certainly the U.S. presence in the Middle East -- Nic.

ROBERTSON: Well, certainly the Taliban, as well as their leader Mullah Mohammed Omar, defining to his people inside Afghanistan and his message internationally, is that he believes Afghanistan is under attack, not because of Osama bin Laden; in fact, he came out and said this just a few days after September 11th -- that Afghanistan is not under attack because Osama bin Laden, but because it is an Islamic nation.

And it's very much defined Taliban's view of all of this as being one of an attack on Islam. And they certainly believe that Mullah Omar's views coincide very closely with this issue with Osama bin Laden. They are believed to have a very similar view of how -- what type of Islam should be implemented in any country, and in particular in Afghanistan. So, their view is, this is all about Islam and Christianity.

PHILLIPS: CNN's Nic Robertson in Islamabad, and Miles O'Brien in Atlanta. Gentlemen, thank you very much.

Still to come, changing the way America obtains critical intelligence data. Does the CIA have the answer? But first, a quick check of the forecast and Jill Brown.

(WEATHER REPORT)

MESERVE: And we're going to go right to Emmitsburg, Maryland where President Bush is about to speak. Let's listen to his remarks.

GEORGE W. BUSH: Thank you very much.

Joe, thank you for those kind words, and thank you for your outstanding service in a difficult time for our great land.

I want to thank Hal Bruno (ph) and the directors of the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation for the outstanding leadership they have shown in recognizing America's heroes. I want to say thanks to the members of the Maryland delegation who are here, Senator Sarbane, Senator Mikulski, Congressman Hoyer and Congressman Bartlett. I want to thank you all for being here.

I want to thank the local officials who are here. I want to thank the firefighters from all around America who have come to comfort the families of the fallen. I want to say hello to the moms and dads, husbands and wives, sons and daughters, of the fallen. Laura and I are honored to be here with you today, as we remember the lives and sacrifices of your brave relatives.

Two years ago this weekend, I attended a memorial ceremony in New York City honoring fallen firefighters, and standing nearby were Chief Peter Ganci and many others who are now gone. None of us on that day could have imagined what was to come, the scale of the emergency, the enormity of the danger, the magnitude of the evil. Yet each one of those firefighters felt a strong calling and knew its risks. On September 11th, that calling led them into burning towers on a mission of rescue. Within a single hour, more than 300 firefighters were lost, and our nation still mourns. They did not live to know who had caused the destruction or why. They only knew their duty, and that was to go in, to follow the faintest cry, to search for the trapped and helpless and to save those who could be saved.

A few days ago, one New Yorkers described firefighters as the kinds of guys you look up to. Everyone of you hear knew exactly what he meant.

The courage and loss we saw in New York is found in every community that has laid a firefighter to rest. Hardly a week passes in America when a career or volunteer firefighter does not fall in the line of duty. Fire-fighting is a hard and demanding job, and it may at any moment send a person into high heat or thick smoke. It's been said that a firefighter's first act of bravery is taking the oath to serve. And all of them serve, know that one day they may not come home.

Today we honor 101 who did not come home. They were all people who accepted the dangers of fire-fighting, and were last seen on duty. We add their names to this national monument. We do so with pride and with deep gratitude.

The nation pays respect to them for their service and their sacrifice, and we respect you, their families, for your sacrifice. For the heavy burden you carry to this day.

The McCormack's (ph) of Arkansas. The Hendrick's (ph) of Kentucky. The Pascatour's (ph) of Pennsylvania. Each lost a son who was not yet 20 years old. The families of Beau Rafter (ph) of Wyoming, Jim Robins (ph) of Missouri, Fred Brain (ph) and Pete Scanelle (ph) of New York, Kenneth Jest (ph) of Pennsylvania; lost loved ones who were willing to serve, even in the latter years of life.

Many where taken during the fullest days of life, that time when we are needed most by the people we love. Kimberly Smith (ph) of Texas was engaged to be married. Robert Crump (ph) of Colorado was home after honorable service in the Marine Corp. Marvin Bartholomew (ph) of Florida had paid his way through college and was working his way up the ranks of the department. Roger Burkat (ph) was 34 years old when he died, and he was a loving dad. He had a great outlook, and it was summed up on a sign he kept on his locker: "Love your wife, love your life."

All these firefighters loved life, and scripture teaches there is no greater love than to lay down one's life for another. Sometimes a person cannot know for sure what mark he or she has left on the world. That will never be said of the people we remember today, or of their kind.

They were strong and caring people, brave and upright. You could always count on them. You could always look up to them. This firefighters monument belongs to the nation and represents a national loss. The firefighters belong to you, and I know that loss can never be recovered.

A fireman's widow recently said that her husband was her hero, and there's nothing I wouldn't do to have my hero here. That same feeling is shared by many here today, and time will never take it away. But the years can bring comfort, and they can bring hope.

You will always know that your hero died in the service of others. You can give one another the strength to go on. You can find the comfort of God, who is with us especially in sorrow. And you can know today that your loved ones are not forgotten. They hold an honored, cherished place in the memories of their comrades and an honored place in the memory of our country.

God bless you all.

(APPLAUSE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is the first time a president has ever been to our ceremony.

MESERVE: President Bush will now lay a wreath at the National Fallen Firefighters Monument, 101 names being added to that, the 101 firefighters who lost their lives last year.

Let's watch.

(MUSIC)

(APPLAUSE)

MESERVE: And we'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Since September 11th, bookstores have been doing a brisk business in materials on Islamic culture. CNN's Elina Furhman has the details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ELINA FURHMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Searching for clues, Americans are flooding bookstores, hoping to find some explanation for who attacked them and why. Everything from "The Predictions of Nostradamus" to the academic discussions of modern Islam are flying off the shelves.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: People are mad. People are scared, and I think they're turning to books for information on the Middle East, the Quran, Islam, all issues related, because it's such an unknown territory to most Americans.

FURHMAN: Caught off guard by this sudden demand, bookstores are scrambling to order reprints on an unprecedented scale. Books usually bought for research and not leisurely reading, have become best sellers. Many see this as a positive sign. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It shows a recognition by a lot of Americans that we're not in a position of being able to ignore the world around us. The world has suddenly come bursting in the door, so to speak, in a very terrible way.

FURHMAN: For some, an understanding of the world begins with basic geography.

World atlases that barely ever sell suddenly appeared on some best seller lists. The reason, many Americans believe the world changed on September 11th and now they want to see what it looks like. They also want to find out the lay of the land where the terrorists have been training and where the U.S. is sending its military.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We have fewer on hand, but we're constantly reordering.

FURHMAN: Customers who can't find what they're looking for in regular bookstores turn to rare book shops, but even they are running low.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We've sold a lot of books about Islamic religion in general, and Christianity as it's compared to Islamic religion. We sold a lot of spiritual books.

FURHMAN: Even at a time when people are inundated by seemingly endless glow of raw information on 24 by 7 newscasts, newspapers, the Internet, it's books that offer understanding.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: In books, you get your own selected piece, a title or two, what is it that you're looking for specifically. Somewhere buried within the vast storehouse of books and knowledge that is stored there, is more answers.

FURHMAN: Elina Furhman, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEPTAPE)

PHILLIPS: We have a lot more coming up right after this break. Don't go away.

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