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CNN Sunday Morning

Punishing Airstrikes Continue

Aired October 28, 2001 - 10:05   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.
JEANNE MESERVE, CNN ANCHOR: Now the latest from the U.S. perspective on the military campaign. Kathleen Koch is at the Pentagon for us -- Kathleen.

KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): Jeanne, punishing air strikes continue over Afghanistan as the United States and its allies embark on their fourth week of the bombing campaigns. They're the most serious air strikes over the last 24 hours happening over both Kabul and Kandahar. And the word from the Pentagon is that these strikes, The bombing campaign, will go on perhaps longer than some expected. But still Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld says that does not mean that the United States, in any way, underestimated the Taliban.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD RUMSFELD, DEFENSE SECRETARY: Well, this is going roughly the way we have said publicly that it would go. We've said it would be long, we've said it would be difficult, we've said it would be different, and indeed it is. There is no question but that part of what's going on is seen, part of it's not seen. It is not simply military, it's also economic and financial and law enforcement, and we feel it's going very much the way we predicted.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KOCH: During the last day or two, there have been reports of U.S. missiles going astray near Kabul and also to the north, near the front. The defense secretary says that while U.S. weapons are not perfect, they are about 85 to 95 percent reliable, which he considers very good.

However, Secretary Rumsfeld pointed out that the both the Taliban and al Qaeda do fire weaponry at U.S. aircraft, fire from the ground, and some of that weaponry, when it misses, obviously, has to come down, so the defense secretary said, "Showing a dead person and contending it is the U.S.'s fault is just plain false." Also, Secretary Rumsfeld condemned the Taliban saying that it is partly responsible for some civilian casualties for placing its weaponry purposely next to schools, next to hospitals -- Jeanne.

MESERVE: Kathleen, what's the Pentagon saying about Osama bin Laden and its efforts to find him.

KOCH: I'm sorry Jeanne, I didn't hear you. Could you ask again?

MESERVE: Osama bin Laden and where he is and U.S. efforts to find him. Any update on that from the Pentagon?

KOCH: What we're hearing is that they are going after Osama bin Laden still very seriously and especially targeting the system of caves where both he, his al Qaeda terrorist network and perhaps some of the Taliban are expected to be hiding. The defense secretary says that they are not having a problem hitting the system of underground caves with these bunker buster bombs. The issue is that there are so many of them, and it's just taking them time to find each and every one. They're systematically going through though and doing there best to eliminate them -- Jeanne.

MESERVE: Kathleen Koch at the Pentagon.

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