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CNN Wolf Blitzer Reports

President Bush Stresses Patience During War; How Much Power Will the Northern Alliance be Willing to Give Up?

Aired November 20, 2001 - 17:00   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.
JOHN KING, GUEST HOST: Thanks for joining us. From Washington, I'm John King in for Wolf Blitzer.

Northern Alliance forces are in a stand-off against the Taliban in one Afghan city, as we see new tactics employed on another front of "America's New War." We'll find out about that, and the next steps toward trying to form a new government in Afghanistan, after we check in with Catherine Callaway for today's developments -- Catherine.

CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: Good afternoon, John. Good to see you. Well, we heard some blunt words from President Bush on the war against terrorism today. American forces could be in Afghanistan for a long time.

Mr. Bush spoke on the Afghan war when he and visiting Philippine President Gloria Arroyo met with reporters. Mr. Bush also said that the fight against terrorists will involve other fronts in other countries.

And one of those other fronts could be the Philippines. President Bush today pledged to help the Philippines in its fight against the Islamic rebel group, Abu Sayyaf. That group accused of killing an other violence in the southern Philippines. And the U.S. says Abu Sayyaf is linked to the al Qaeda terror network.

Pentagon sources tell CNN that hundreds of U.S. Marines could be on the ground in Afghanistan in just a few days. One report says the Marines will join U.S. special forces in the hunt for Osama bin Laden.

The Pentagon says the fight for the northern Afghan city of Konduz remains a stand off. U.S. warplanes continue to pound Taliban positions in and around Konduz. The Northern Alliance says the city is held by Taliban forces and a large number of Muslim fighters from other countries.

The bodies of four international journalists killed in Afghanistan were recovered today. They were killed yesterday when their convoy was attacked near the Afghan capital of Kabul. It is still not known if the journalists were killed by the Taliban or by bandits.

And here in the U.S., trace amounts of anthrax have been found in the offices of Democratic senators Ted Kennedy and Christopher Dodd. Both offices are in the Russell building -- first time the substance has been discovered there. And that's where a suspicious letter was addressed to Senator Patrick Leahy.

And that's the headlines. We'll send you back now to John King in Washington.

KING: Thank you, Catherine.

From the very moment President Bush launched America's military might against the Taliban and al Qaeda, he put the world on notice: Afghanistan would not be the only battlefield in the war on terrorism. He repeated that today, and minced no words in saying the fight in Afghanistan is far from over.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I want people in America to understand that, first of all, the theater in Afghanistan is entering a difficult period of time. We can be there for quite a while -- which is fine, because we've got an objective in mind.

KING (voice-over): A warning from the president: the next phase of the war on terror will require patience and determination. The immediate objective, find Osama bin Laden. But despite the intense manhunt, no one knows how long that will take.

REAR ADM. JOHN STUFFLEBEEM, JOINT STAFF DEPUTY OPS. DIRECTOR: It's possible that on one of these strikes he may be killed. It is also possible that he may survive. And as secretary has pointed out, it is possible that he might slip out.

KING: Another challenge, persuade Afghanistan's many factions to form some sort of representative government. The United Nations envoy in Kabul reports progress on that front.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The authorities of the united front have accepted the invitation of the secretary general to attend the meeting in Germany, that we hope to open next Monday.

KING: And Afghanistan's former president, now the head of the Northern Alliance, says he's ready to share power for the sake of peace.

We don't want to hear the sound of artillery anymore. People should hear the sound of workers with shovels and hammers, rebuilding their country.

KING: The United Nations hopes to bring representatives of the Northern Alliance, the majority Pashtun tribes and others to Berlin. But the meeting is a week away -- an eternity, given the pace of developments on the ground.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

And the question remains: now that it controls the capital, Kabul, how much power will the Northern Alliance be willing to give up? The man who made decide the answer to that question is Burhanuddin Rabbani. He is the president of the Northern Alliance government of the Islamic state of Afghanistan. He discussed the key issue of power sharing in an interview with CNN.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Are you aware how much the people of Afghanistan, the people of Kabul, don't want the old leaders back in charge again? They're afraid that if you do come back, you'll give them more war instead of peace?

BURHANUDDIN RABBANI, AFGHAN PRESIDENT (through translator): I don't believe that is accurate. And of course, those who think like that have a very bitter experience from war. But I believe that they understand that today the Northern Alliance has defeated the terrible Taliban. Anyway, the decision of the people has always been respected by us and still is.

AMANPOUR: If there is a decision to choose a different leader than yourself, are you prepared to step down from power?

RABBANI (through translator): As I have said before, yes, why not?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: The United Nations said today that the Northern Alliance will attend a meeting in Germany next week to discuss Afghanistan's future with other Afghan representatives. Joining us now to talk about that meeting and related issues is Peter Schweizer of the Hoover Institution at Stanford University.

Sir, you think this is a bad idea, trying to get all of these factions together to create one broad-based government for all of Afghanistan. Is that the case, and if so, why?

PETER SCHWEIZER, HOOVER INSTITUTION: Well, John, I think it's a good idea, if it works. But I think if you look at the history of Afghanistan, the likelihood of success is very low. The fact is that Afghanistan was created by Britain and Russia in the late 19th century. And it was really an artificial state that was created. It's ethnically divided, and really since that time, the history of Afghanistan has been really an ethnic, a zero-sum game, with warring tribes that have a greater identity as tribes, than they do as Afghan nationals.

KING: We have a map, I think, that will help us understand the point you're making about the ethnic diversity in Afghanistan. As we show our viewers the map, Peter, I want you to help us understand, how would you then partition the country?

SCHWEIZER: Well, my suggestion is that -- one consideration that we ought to look at is the idea of dividing Afghanistan -- either creating two separate countries, or creating something on the model of Switzerland, with you have strong local autonomy and a very loose central government. The problem is that Afghan history, whether it's a time of peace, or whether it's a time of war -- like, for example, when the Soviets invaded in the 1980s -- during that time period, even when they had a common enemy, like the Soviet Union, many of these tribes were still fighting with each other.

I think we can expect the same. If we cobble together some sort of coalition government, we're still going to see feuding. So my suggestion is, maybe rather than creating one state, where the stakes will be so high, and we'll have this zero-sum game, create two states, or create a government with two local cantons that allow for diversity to flourish, rather than just one central state.

KING: Any indication the Bush administration is open to that? And as you answer the question, sir, what would the Russians say, and what would Pakistan say?

SCHWEIZER: Well, that's a good question, John. I don't have any sense that the Bush administration is considering this at this point. What I would say, though, is that I think the regional powers would all have a stake in this. Part of the problem for Afghanistan is that it's plagued by the fact that it's very strategically important.

Regional powers like Russia and Pakistan all very much want to have their ethnic groups that they are supporting be in power in Kabul. That means the Northern Alliance, in the case of Russia. Vladimir Putin has said he believes they are they legitimate government of the country. And in the case of Pakistan, they favor the Pashtun tribes.

So you have a situation where the regional powers will continue to fuel this cycle, unless we come up with a creative solution it end it.

KING: And look past the short-term goal of -- the very important goal, of trying to capture Osama bin Laden -- are you convinced, sir, that if they go ahead with this single broad-based government, that the result will be civil war?

SCHWEIZER: I think that history tells us that there is a very strong likelihood of that. You know, look at the situation, for example, when the communist party was formed in Afghanistan during the Cold War. Here you have an ideology, Marxism, Leninism, that demands very strong unity. But in the case of Afghanistan, it couldn't even find unity along the tenants of that belief system. So they had a Pashtun faction and they had a Tajik faction.

So quite simply, even when they're united, so-called, by a certain idea, tribal rivalries rule out. And I think we can expect that to be the case in the future.

KING: We will keep track of this, in advance of a very important meeting next week in Berlin, bringing all the various factions together. Peter Schweizer at the Hoover Institution, thank you very much for your thoughts today. And we'll have more on the Northern Alliance's plans when its spokesman, Haron Amin, joins me in the war room, 7:00 p.m. Eastern, 4:00 Pacific. Participate by going to cnn.com/wolf. Click on "send questions," and I'll put those questions to our panel.

Here in Washington, Secretary of State Colin Powell opened a conference with 21 countries on the reconstruction of Afghanistan. Powell said the entire world has an enormous obligation not to walk away from Afghanistan, as has been done in the past. The country is one of the world's poorest, and has suffered more than two decades of warfare.

Powell says that ultimately, it is the Afghan people who hold the key to the country's future.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: Success of course ultimately depends on the will of the people of Afghanistan and their legitimate representatives, to build free society with free markets and a stable, drug-free environment, in which political and economic freedom and activity can flourish.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: The conference is the first step in what is expected to be a long-haul effort to rebuild Afghanistan. And just as the president cautioned today that American forces could be in Afghanistan quite a while, he also said the war on terrorism needs to expand to other countries as well.

Case in point, the Philippines, whose president Mr. Bush hosted today, and warmly praised as well. Joining us with that story, CNN White House correspondent, Kelly Wallace -- Kelly.

KELLY WALLACE, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, John, President Arroyo definitely getting the royal treatment from the White House. After all, it's not every time that a world leader goes from the Defense Department to the White House, and then to the State Department. And that is where President Arroyo is now meeting with Secretary of State Colin Powell.

As you see there, though, in the Oval Office, the president praising President Arroyo for her work in the fight against the Muslim militant group known as Abu Sayyaf, which operates in the Philippines, believed to have links to Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda network, and is currently holding a number of hostages, including two American missionaries. The president saying he will give President Arroyo any help she needs, anything she asks for, in this fight against terrorism. The message very, very clear coming from Mr. Bush, the president praising President Arroyo and others who are taking a stand against terrorism.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BUSH: President Arroyo understands now is the time to make a stand against terrorist activity, whether it be in Afghanistan, or in the Philippines, or anywhere else al Qaeda exists. Because if we don't make a stand now, our children and grandchildren will not be able to grow up in a free world.

And so we are looking for opportunities to help friends and allies strike al Qaeda, wherever they exist.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WALLACE: And President Arroyo starting the stay with an honor cordon over at the Pentagon, with Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. The defense secretary expressing concerns that Abu Sayyaf could have links to al Qaeda in other countries, and also expressing concern about any al Qaeda members that could escape from Afghanistan and make their way to other countries.

So that's a big concern of the administration. Making sure that President Arroyo has everything she needs to combat Abu Sayyaf, and making sure it doesn't become a bigger threat. And, John, we do know the administration offering more economic aid, some $78 million, in new economic aid, $200 million in a new line of credit from the overseas private investment corporation.

And as for the military assistance, John, as you know, a U.S. team on the ground in the Philippines, providing advice and technical expertise. The president was asked if he would provide ground troops. He said he would if President Arroyo asked for those troops. But the president of the Philippines indicating she has full faith and confidence in her military. So, not asking for those ground troops just yet.

John, back to you.

KING: Kelly Wallace at the White House. For more discussion of the potential new fronts in this war, joining us now here, Dana Dillon, an expert on Southeast Asia from the Heritage Foundation. A lot of talk in the media among some of the experts in Washington, that Saddam Hussein in Iraq might be the next front. Is it more likely, in your view, that the Philippines, Indonesia, southeast Asia, will be the next front?

DANA DILLON, HERITAGE FOUNDATION: The Philippines has already become a front in this war. They've already sent the assessment team out there. The secretary of national defense for the Philippines was here looking for help in fighting the war. They're already fighting Abu Sayyaf on the island of Ceylon.

So, yes, the war is already shifting toward the Philippines. But it's going to be kind of a secondary war. IT's going to be fought mostly by Filipinos, with American assistance.

KING: Put this in a context. Is the United States worried about strikes launched by the Abu Sayyaf network, or is it, as the defense secretary suggested today, worried perhaps that al Qaeda people spread out around the world -- obviously won't go back to Afghanistan at this point -- might be looking for someplace to hide. Is that a reasonable place they might go?

DILLON: It would be hard for them to get from Afghanistan to the Philippines, but they have a record in the past of aiding and abetting al Qaeda operatives moving in and out of countries. IT's easier in the Philippines, especially if you have assistance inside the country, from groups like Abu Sayyaf.

And they have proven money-making capability, which is always useful for terrorist organizations. They made $20 million last year from kidnapping operations. So Abu Sayyaf would be a great assistance to fleeing al Qaeda members.

KING: Help us compare and contrast. Obviously, the royal treatment for President Arroyo today. The president sees her, the defense secretary, the secretary of state -- promises of anything she wants, she will get. Contrast that with, say, Indonesia and President Megawati, an administration of which this administration has been fairly critical.

DILLON: Well, when Megawati was here, the Bush administration rolled out the red carpet for her as well. But in the time she left -- and she was very cooperative when she was here -- but from the time she left here by the time she arrived in Indonesia, the political situation had changed for her. Muslim parties had gained a lot power, were using this as a shoo-in to hurt her in upcoming elections. So she was put in a bad position.

She has recanted almost everything that she said or did or did while she was here in the United States. And she has been hypocritical about Ramadan. She, for example, she called the United States not to bomb during Ramadan, at the same time her military is still fighting a war. And they've already said they're going to continue fighting through Ramadan. In fact, I think there was four people were killed yesterday there.

KING: Do you see a high probability of U.S. military forces being used in this theater, whether it be the Philippines or Indonesia, in the foreseeable future?

DILLON: I see a very low probability. The Philippines want to fight this war. The Philippines are capable of fighting the war. They need some assistance, they need material assistance, and we can provide that -- and training assistance, we can provide that. But I don't see any need for American troops on the ground. Unless the situation changes dramatically.

KING: President Arroyo and President Bush both spoke of U.S. military advisers helping out in the Philippines. That can be a loaded term, if we go back to the Vietnam experience. What are we talking about? Who from the United States military is on the ground in the Philippines now?

DILLON: As I understand, it has been just assessment teams that have gone out there and helped out. Advisers can be special forces that could go to -- right now they're fighting on a small island, Basilon. And special forces could go with the teams to Basilon and overview what is going on there. And that way they can some of the problems they're having. That would not be unusual, for something like that to happen.

But right now, the Philippine army is capable of handling, I think, completely capable of handling the situation in Basilon.

KING: And help make the distinction, al Qaeda, a global terrorist network, with -- at least in the Bush administration's view, and there seems to be considerable evidence -- the ability to strike the United States and elsewhere around the world. Abu Sayyaf, anywhere near the same capabilities?

DILLON: Not like al Qaeda. They couldn't hit the World Trade Center. But regionally, they have done international kidnapping operations. They've kidnapped two Americans, as you reported earlier. Actually, they kidnapped three. One of them, they already killed, and they may kill the other two before this is over with. They have attacked in Malaysia and Indonesia. They kidnapped foreign terrorists -- not just Americans, but from other countries. So they're not quite as capable as al Qaeda, but they certainly are an assisting organization to al Qaeda.

KING: And any evidence -- have we seen any evidence at all, that al Qaeda cells around the world, if they're trying to flee the United States, if they're trying to flee Germany or elsewhere, that they are going to this region or anywhere else? Where would they go?

DILLON: Actually, it's interesting. I read a report this morning that there is one guy that disappeared in Spain, they don't know where he went. He disappeared shortly after September 11th. If he could have got out of the country, out of Spain, out of Europe, certainly, southeast Asia would be a good place to hide out while the heat is on in Afghanistan.

KING: And a good place for us to keep an eye on as well. Dana Dillon, from the Heritage Foundation, thank you very much for your time today.

DILLON: Thank you, John.

KING: And with a $25 million price tag on his head, who's lining up to find Osama bin Laden? Rounding up a posse inside Afghanistan when we come back.

Also, Afghan women have new champions inside the Bush administration. What's the motivation behind this high-level support?

And later, the ultimate sacrifice. Four people died so you can stay informed.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KING: Want to update you quickly on a developing story. Connecticut Governor John Rowland is about to hold a news conference about a suspected case of inhalation anthrax. An elderly woman is in serious condition in a hospital in Connecticut's smallest city, Derby. She has stayed mostly at home in recent weeks and has no connection with the U.S. postal service. We're waiting for the governor's news conference to begin, and we'll bring you details as soon as we have them.

Now, besides being a target of the war on terrorism, Osama bin Laden also has a price on his head, $25 million. The United States believes bin Laden is still in Afghanistan, and hopes the reward will help flush him out. CNN's Jim Clancy talks to some Afghans about the offer.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JIM CLANCY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Asked about the U.S. reward, most of the Afghans we talked with said they were unaware so much money was being offered to help catch Osama bin Laden. Like everyone else in the world, they had only seen bin Laden in photos. In Kandahar province, where the leader of the al Qaeda network is believed hiding, no one wanted to appear on camera to talk about the subject. So long as the Taliban controlled this region...

(INTERRUPTED FOR BREAKING NEWS)

KING: We take you live now to that news conference we promised you. The Connecticut Governor John Rowland, in Hartford.

GOV. JOHN ROWLAND, CONNECTICUT: We have the state police, the FBI, our Department of Public Health officials and the Department of Environmental Protection, are meeting right now, and will be going to the home to do some preliminary investigations and follow the appropriate procedures in the Oxford area.

QUESTION: In the Oxford area, or in Oxford?

ROWLAND: In Oxford.

QUESTION: Governor, do you know (UNINTELLIGIBLE) began Wednesday?

ROWLAND: They were admitted -- the patient was admitted on Wednesday.

QUESTION: Symptoms on Wednesday, and she was either admitted Wednesday night or Friday.

ROWLAND: After I tried so hard not to...

QUESTION: When was this first brought to your attention?

ROWLAND: This afternoon I was informed by the FBI that there was a possible case of anthrax. I talked to officials at Griffin Hospital, talked to Dr. Garcia, and of course, talked to a variety of other officials. We then -- we sent a team down there to the home and, as I said, the patient lives at home alone. And there were some relatives that have been in contact with the patient.

QUESTION: The home has been sealed? ROWLAND: The home has been sealed. And we will have the FBI and state police, will be doing investigative procedures, to find out where the anthrax could have come from, if indeed it is anthrax.

QUESTION: The CDC will go to the home?

ROWLAND: The CDC will be in tonight, and will -- CDC is here tonight, coming tonight, to pick up the specimen. It's possible the CDC officials could also go to the home.

QUESTION: Governor, is there a theory right now on how this person contracted the disease?

ROWLAND: There really isn't. There is no reason to believe that the patient, you know, again, a patient who happens to be in their 90s, limited exposure, in terms of traveling, limited routine. So we're a little bit disturbed as to how this could have happened at this point. We thought it perhaps could have been natural anthrax, but that's only through contact. This is inhaled anthrax, so that rules out a natural contact.

So we really have no other leads at this point. But I'm hopeful that the FBI and the state police, over the next 24 hours, will be able to find any connection or any leads that could make sense. In the meantime, of course, CDC will be doing their tests over the next 24 hours. I'm hopeful that CDC will come back with a report that it's negative.

(CROSSTALK)

ROWLAND: No, I think that, again, no reason for alarm. The reason I mentioned that anthrax is not contagious, person to person, because obviously if have you a loved one in Griffin Hospital you would be concerned. There is no reason for anyone in Griffin Hospital to be concerned, because it's not contagious person to person.

We are -- obviously, if the tests prove to be positive from CDC, we are concerned obviously as to how this could have happened, or how it could have been contacted.

QUESTION: Governor, that leaves opens the possibility, at least, of someone of this age and her schedule, that it may have something to do with the mail system. A few weeks ago, postal officials in this state said that Stanford facility was going to be checked out for anthrax, as well as probably Hartford. I never head anything beyond that. Did you receive any kind of communication from postal officials, about those checks on those facilities or any other mail facilities in Connecticut?

ROWLAND: I have not personally gotten any reports or feedback on those particular facilities.

QUESTION: Do you know if the post office is doing anything with those facilities that may serve Oxford, in terms of checking them, closing down and inspecting them? ROWLAND: Well, that's one of the things we'll do. The FBI and the state police are presently doing interviews to determine where the patient has visited, what postal facilities that patient may have gone to. And although it's most likely there would be a postal facility, we don't know that to be positive either. It could be any other way of getting the contact.

QUESTION: Do you know the habits of the victim?

ROWLAND: We're in the process of talking to family members to get an idea of where the patient has been over the last several weeks.

QUESTION: Was she home-bound though, or was she able to get out and around, do you know?

ROWLAND: Yeah, it's my understanding that the patient lived alone and had a limited schedule. Obviously, a person in their 90s, so it would be easy to determine the locations that the patient has visited.

KING: We have been listening here to a news conference by Connecticut Governor John Rowland, discussing a case of suspected -- emphasis on suspected -- inhalation anthrax. A puzzling case, if it is indeed inhalation anthrax.

A woman in her 90s, the governor says, very seldom leaves her house. No connection at all with the U.S. postal service. The governor saying state health officials looking into this as well as the FBI and the CDC. He says he hopes results come back from the CDC saying this is negative, but the governor of Connecticut discussing what would be the latest puzzling development of the anthrax scare in the United States -- a woman in her 90s in Connecticut, hospitalized with a case of suspected inhalation anthrax. We'll bring you more details as we get them.

Attorney General John Ashcroft is defending his boss, the president, for authorizing military tribunals to try to stop terrorists like bin Laden. Some have criticized the tribunals as kangaroo courts, which deny defendants' basic rights. Ashcroft spoke in an interview today with CNN's Judy Woodruff.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHN ASHCROFT, ATTORNEY GENERAL: What a tragedy it would be to bring people back to the United States for trial, and to make juries at risk, courthouses, and cities terrorist targets, because these were on trial, reveal important secrets of America's defense, in the kind of normal court system, when we're not talking about violations of our criminal law, we're talking about violations of war crimes. They've always been tried in military courts, and it's appropriate that this president save American lives by having that as one of his tools.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: On a related theme today, President Bush named the building that houses the Justice Department, for the late Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy. During a run for the White House in 1968, Kennedy was assassinated by a Palestinian gunman. Today would have been his 76th birthday. Massachusetts Senator Edward Kennedy had this to say about the honor bestowed on his late brother.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. EDWARD KENNEDY (D), MASSACHUSETTS: I speak for all the members of the Kennedy family, in expressing a great sense of gratitude to President Bush for naming the Justice Department after Robert Kennedy. He was a strong believer in justice. And it was a very critical time, in terms of our nation's history, in the areas of civil rights and civil liberties.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: Earlier today, one of Robert Kennedy's daughters criticized the new Justice Department measures against terrorism. Carry Kennedy Cuomo said it is not the type of justice her father would have embraced. Now these stories making today's news wire.

The Bush administration announced today that public tours of the White House will not resume for the holidays. The tours were halted in the wake of September 11th. President Bush says he regrets the fact that in his words -- quote -- "evil knows no holiday."

In Beijing, several dozen westerners took part today in a protest against China's crackdown against the Falun Gong spiritual movement. The demonstrators included Americans, Europeans and Australians. Chinese police detained them, and the government says they will be expelled.

Seattle's Ichiro Suzuki has been named the American League's most valuable player. IT's only the second time a player has been named rookie of the year and MVP in the same season. Suzuki played nine years in Japan before coming to America.

An update on today's developments is next -- and the big drop in gas prices: Russia's role in keeping OPEC over a barrel.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KING: In just a moment, how to explain the drop in the price of gasoline, but first to Atlanta. That's where Catherine Callaway has the latest news from America's new war -- Catherine.

CALLAWAY: Thank you, John.

President Bush has said that today the war in Afghanistan is entering what he called a difficult phase, and U.S. troops could be in that country for quite some time. And, at the same time, he said the fight against terrorism needs to be taken to other countries as well. Now, the president's comments followed a meeting with the Philippine president, Gloria Arroyo. U.S. military advisers are on the ground in the Philippines to help the Philippine military in its fight against a militant group allegedly tied to Osama bin Laden. The Pentagon expects to put hundreds of U.S. Marines in Afghanistan in the next few days. The expected deployment would mean a substantial enlargement of the current U.S. ground presence there. One report says the Marines will be involved in the hunt for Osama bin Laden.

Today, a Defense Department spokesman said that the struggles for the cities of Kunduz and Kandahar are stalemated. With those two cities still contested, the Pentagon says that three-fourths of Afghanistan has fallen from the hands of the Taliban.

The suspicious letter sent to Senator Patrick Leahy has tested positive for anthrax. The FBI is convinced that the letter came from the same source as the anthrax letter sent to Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle. Offices of Senators Christopher Dodd and Edward Kennedy will be closed for decontamination because trace amounts of anthrax were discovered there.

And updating a story that we are following this hour: The governor of Connecticut says that an elderly woman is being treated for a possible case of inhaled anthrax. He said that the woman rarely leaves her home. And he also said that the suspected anthrax case could not have come from natural sources -- the case called very puzzling. We will continue to follow the story -- and turn it back now to John King in Washington -- John.

KING: Thank you, Catherine.

During these, the year's busiest travel days, there are indications that more Americans may be staying home. The auto group AAA predicts 35 million Americans will take Thanksgiving trips this year, down several million from last year. At the same time, the percentage of travelers going by car up from 83 percent last year to 87 percent in 2001. On that front, there's some welcome news most drivers have noticed already.

As CNN's Jeff Flock reports, the price of a gallon of gasoline is down -- way down.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEFF FLOCK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We're at what they call Skyway Shell, it is a station just over the Chicago border here in Hammond, Indiana. Talking to folks pumping gas this morning. It is good news, because prices reasonably low.

Apparently, a large percentage of people traveling by car this Thanksgiving, according to AAA. The cheapest places to buy gas? Well, that would be states like Georgia, where they're, I think, at about $1.03. Missouri's a $1.06. South Carolina $1.06. States where it costs more to buy gas, that would be Washington state, at least in the continental U.S., Washington state, Idaho, and California. I'm with the manager of Skyway Shell this morning. You don't want to telegraph your next price move, here, but these are pretty good prices, aren't they?.

MANAGER OF SKYWAY SHELL: Yes, they are. They're down considerably compared to last year.

FLOCK: And they have been falling, really, pretty much since the summer, right?

MANAGER: Yes, they have. The Summer at the beginning was very high, and then they've dropped and of course, since everybody is trying to get the consumer to start traveling since September 11th, they have dropped. And I still feel that they're going to drop more, like they're quoting that the barrel prices are down. So, you know, it should start effecting the market soon before Christmas.

FLOCK: How low can you go?

MANAGER: Hopefully, they said -- what they said, something like 99 cents in some parts of Indiana. So, since we are so close to the Illinois border, though, I don't know how close we'll get to 99 cents.

FLOCK: Still cheaper than the folks in Chicago, though.

MANAGER: Oh, yes, much.

FLOCK: Appreciate it. Thanks very much. That is the latest from this stop here along what they call the Skyway. The road from Indiana into Chicago. A lot of people planning to be on it this Thanksgiving.

I'm Jeff Flock, CNN reporting from Hammond, Indiana.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KING: And joining me now to examine the drop in gasoline cost and some of the factors behind it, well-known energy analysts Daniel Yergin.

Sir, good news for the American consumer, especially if you're taking a drive this holiday season -- is it good news without question or are there downsides to this drop in gas prices?

DANIEL YERGIN, ENERGY ANALYST: Well, I think certainly when we are seeing gas prices down like this, in effect, this is like a fiscal stimulus that doesn't have to pass Congress. It's money into people's pocket. And so it's helpful for the economy. And it reflects what's happening, which is a lot of weakness in the world oil market right now.

KING: Well, let's look at that. Let's take this outside of the United States' borders. OPEC had talked of cutting production in an effort to try to boost prices up a bit. It fell through when some wouldn't go along.

YERGIN: Well, no, it didn't actually fall through. It's in a state of suspended animation right now. They said they would do it on January 1, which gives about a month and a half now for negotiation to go on as they wait to see. They said: We will do it if you will do it.

And the "you" is non-OPEC. And that's what the waiting is about right now.

KING: And who are the biggest questions mark there? One, the president who met with President Bush recently, the Russian president.

YERGIN: Yes. By far, the biggest question right now is Russia. The other countries that are key are Mexico, Norway. The Mexican energy minister was just in Russia and is now in Norway. And it's important to all these countries. You take Mexico, our neighbor to the south, 35 percent of their government revenues come from oil. So they are very concerned with a good recovery in the U.S. And they are also concerned with the price of oil. But Russia, as you say, is No. 1 right now.

KING: And help us understand the global impact here -- the American consumer unquestionably happy. Filling up at the pump, it is lower. But as we put this in the context of the war on terrorism, could there be a downside in terms of lot of countries in the Middle East that are key to this coalition get most of their money?

YERGIN: Well, I think the risk is not now. I mean, prices actually bounced up today somewhat. But if we had a complete oil price collapse back to 1998 -- I was listening to that thing from Gary from Indiana and it reminded me of 1998. If you get down to instead of $20 a barrel, $10 a barrel, then you have a crisis in part of the United States. You certainly have a crisis in a country like Mexico. And it's a big crisis because it's money for social spending in countries in the Middle East whose stability is very front and center right now in this crisis.

KING: And are you seeing this, the lower prices, having any impact on the domestic political debate, if and when we get back to it, over the president's energy plan, put on the back-burner, if you will, during the war on terrorism -- but Mr. Bush even saying the instability in the Middle East, the potential for instability in that part of the world increases, in his view, the need to go drill in the Arctic National Wildlife Reserve.

YERGIN: Yes. When you see prices down like this now, of course, it takes the anxiety -- last month, SUV sales were up 42 percent over the preceding year. But I think that this focus on the Middle East -- as the military strategists say, the war is in Afghanistan and the center of gravity is in the Middle East.

And I think that still focuses question on security and supply and what are we going to do make sure that we have a more secure energy situation here at home.

KING: You mentioned the term economic stimulus. It doesn't have to go through the Congress at the beginning. Help us understand, as we debate the state of the U.S. economy, and as the Congress debates what to do about a stimulus plan, what impact does lower energy prices have? What is the domino effect throughout the economy, not just on consumers?

YERGIN: Well, it's good -- obviously, it's good for consumers. It's also good for industry. Last year at this time -- it seems another age that we had those high prices of oil and gas. It was putting a lot of pressure on industry, industrial users of natural gas. Home owners were feeling it with heating bills. And it sort of relieves the budgets now.

And this becomes one -- bringing down the cost structure for industry is something that helps in the recovery that we have to -- want to look forward to.

KING: All right, Dan Yergin, thanks for your thoughts today on the issue -- as most consumers in the United States happy, but it's a little bit more complicated than filling up at the pump for a lower price.

And stay up to date on Thanksgiving holiday travel online with our "Home for the Holidays" section at CNN.com -- AOL keyword CNN.

A look at one aspect in the war on terrorism just ahead: the role of Afghan women in the Bush administration's strategy against Osama bin Laden.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KING: There are some high-profile voices speaking out against the way women in Afghanistan are treated by the Taliban. The effort began with a radio address by the first lady, Laura Bush, and a report from the State Department. That was followed Sunday and Monday by remarks from National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

LAURA BUSH, FIRST LADY OF THE UNITED STATES: Because of our recent military gains, in much of Afghanistan, women are no longer imprisoned in their homes. They can listen to music and teach their daughters without fear of punishment. Yet the terrorists who helped rule that country now plot and plan in many countries. And they must be stopped. The fight against terrorism is also a fight for the rights and dignity of women.

CONDOLEEZZA RICE, NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: We believe in equal rights for women. We believe that women are an important part of any society. And I think we are living proof by example that, when women are fully incorporated, a country is better off for it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: Cherie Blair, wife of the British prime minister, also spoke on the treatment of Afghan women. And at a briefing this week, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld talked about how women held roles in Afghan government, medicine and education before the Taliban took power.

What's behind the focus on the role of women in that Muslim society? To talk about that, Raghida Dergham of the newspaper "Al- Hayat" joins me from New York.

Let's start just with that question: Why does the Bush administration want to focus so much public attention on this issue right now?

RAGHIDA DERGHAM, "AL-HAYAT": I think the idea initially is to expose Taliban and their atrocities and what they have done. And the example of what the Taliban did for women and to women is a very great example of their kind.

So I think one idea is to expose Taliban and say this is the result of a rule like that. But I also believe, of course, there is a good message behind the interest in women's affairs in Afghanistan. And I believe it should be sustained. This message, some others have carried it before and it did not hold ground. And I believe right now it is very important in the process of rebuilding Afghanistan, hopefully, when they get to the idea of the constitution, the new constitution for the country, that women are taken seriously in that affair.

It is not a moment too late to empower those women through education and through the laws. They have to be given the rights by the law, and not only just because it happened to be convenient to talk about them now.

KING: Help our viewers understand, then. Give them a before- and-after snapshot, or a before-and-during, if you will. What were women's rights like in Afghanistan before the Taliban? And do you have any confidence they will be significantly different and improved for the better under this broad-based coalition government the Bush administration and the United Nations are trying -- trying -- to bring together?

DERGHAM: Their lot has worsened a lot under Taliban, but they were not in good shape when the other -- Northern Alliance or the other parties were ruling in Afghanistan. It has been a continuous deterioration of women's rights and status. It culminated in the Taliban taking all these horrifying measures against them, forbidding them to learn, and forbidding them to walk and listen to music.

But that is also the fact of matter that Taliban only enhanced these measures. We should be quite aware and awake to the fact that, whoever else takes over in Afghanistan now -- especially that the United Nations is involved in trying to arrange a broad-based government there -- that the issue of women is not put on the shelf, that later we will take care of it. It is supposed to be at least in the minds of many women of Afghanistan and the world.

It should be really part of the political process the empowerment of women in the process of the empowerment of those moderate forces not to put them -- to spearhead the fight against fundamental, to put them in the front row right now, because that might be harmful to them.

KING: Help us understand. And as you answer the question, put it in the context of varying ways women are treated throughout the Arab and Muslim world. The Taliban, of course, would say it was acting in accordance with Islam.

DERGHAM: Well, that is not so. You could take a look at several different Arab and Muslim countries with various degrees of better or worse treatment of women. But I think the record shows there has not been treatment of women as bad as that under Taliban. At any rate, I think it is about what kind of society, what kind of rule in that society is taking place? Are there civil institutions? Is there any Democratic process? It is then when women have the right. Regardless of whether it's a Muslim country or not, it is under the auspices of regimes that are oppressive that not only women do not have rights, but any part of the society that wants to oppose them.

Therefore, I think it is essential not to isolate women alone, although highlight their cause, but not to isolate them alone in pitching them against the fundamentalists, particularly that they really need to be part of that majority of that movement for the moderates and modernization altogether in order to put to the fundamentalists like Taliban in their place.

KING: And, quickly, in focusing on the role of women and treatment of women in Afghanistan, does the administration run a risk of alienating any of its Arab friends, Muslim friends in this coalition? Is there any concern in other parts of the region that women in those countries might say: "What about us; don't we have more rights, too; shouldn't we have more rights, too"?

DERGHAM: Well, yes, of course there will be a conflict. But I think if there is great respect for the different cultures and the religion itself, I think insisting on the rights of women as part of human rights convinces that this country decides, too, that it's not a moment too late. It is essential to put the women's issue in the context of civil liberties and civil institutions that are absolutely necessary for the Arab and Muslim world to live up to.

KING: All right, Raghida Dergham of "Al-Hayat" newspaper, we thank you very much for your thoughts today -- a very fascinating issue we will continue to track in the weeks ahead.

DERGHAM: Thank you.

KING: Thank you very much.

And up next: A prominent senator takes on a new role. Plus, Microsoft is in settlement talks again. We'll tell you about that when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KING: Now, these stories making today's "Newswire": Software giant Microsoft is close to settling many of the private antitrust lawsuits it faces. In the proposed settlement, Microsoft says it will give more than a billion dollars of software, training and computers to poor schools over five years.

The first man to get a self-contained artificial heart has suffered another setback. His implant surgeon says 59-year-old Robert Tools has had bleeding in his brain. It is the same area damaged by a stroke 10 days ago. The damage has made Tools less responsive.

Senator Robert Byrd got dressed up for his 84th birthday today. The West Virginia Democrat was in Western Maryland filming a cameo appearance as a Civil War general in the movie "Gods and Generals." Byrd was elected to the Senate back in 1958.

Let's go now to New York and get a preview of "LOU DOBBS MONEYLINE," which begins at top of the hour. Jan Hopkins is sitting in for Lou -- Jan.

JAN HOPKINS, "LOU DOBBS MONEYLINE": Thanks, John.

Coming up on "MONEYLINE," the Northern Alliance says the Taliban still controls Kunduz. U.S. warplanes continue to pound the Taliban in and around the city. I will talk to General David Grange for the latest on America's new war. And as we enter this season of giving, how are charities not connected to September 11 bearing? We will have the report. And a positive strength in the otherwise slowing airline industry: As major carriers scale back operations, regional airlines see an opportunity -- all that and more coming up at the top of the hour.

John King will return right after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KING: The bodies of four journalists killed in Afghanistan were recovered today. The four were traveling through an area called the Black Mountains, heading from Jalalabad to Kabul, when they were pulled from their convoy and shot.

CNN's Bill Delaney reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BILL DELANEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Four journalists repeatedly, cold-bloodedly shot: a gauge of the chaos, cruelty just beneath even seemingly calm surfaces of post-Taliban Afghanistan. Killed in a convoy of journalists on a road others had passed safely, from Jalalabad in Eastern Afghanistan to the country's capital, Kabul, were Maria Grazia Cutuli of the Italian newspaper "Corriere della Sera"; Harry Burton and Aziz Haidari of Reuters; and Julio Fuentes of the Spanish newspaper "El Mundo."

At least 13 other journalists' vehicles in the convoy were turned back in time -- unknown whether Taliban, as some accounts had it, or simply bandits committed the killings.

(on camera): This part of Eastern Afghanistan is, for all intents and purposes, now without a government since the Taliban gave up power here without a fight. But now thousands of fighters are in this main eastern city of Jalalabad heavily armed, attached to one of four or more different factions now competing for power, an insecure situation that may have contributed to the deaths of the journalists.

(voice-over): And in Afghanistan's eastern provinces, the authority of the Northern Alliance, in control of so much of the rest of the country, means little, or even nothing. The Northern Alliance has few from the Pashtun tribe. The factions in Jalalabad are mostly Pashtun -- one more fissure in already-broken Afghanistan -- and now also broken: four lives, and many more hearts.

Bill Delaney, CNN, Jalalabad, Afghanistan.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KING: I'll be back in one hour with the "War Room." Northern Alliance spokesman Haron Amin will join our panel at 7:00 Eastern, 4:00 Pacific. And at 11 p.m. Eastern, live from Uzbekistan we will bring you a news conference by the commander of the U.S. forces in the war in Afghanistan: General Tommy Franks.

I'm John King in Washington. CNN's coverage of America's new war continues with "LOU DOBBS MONEYLINE," which begins right now.

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