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CNN Wolf Blitzer Reports
Bin Laden Tape Urges Muslims to Fight Against Crusaders; Al Qaeda May Be Planning Another Attack
Aired February 11, 2003 - 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.
WOLF BLITZER, HOST: It's a busy hour. We're expecting, we're waiting to hear directly from presidential hopeful John Kerry. He's about to tell the public he has prostate cancer and will undergo surgery tomorrow.
And the leader of al Qaeda, Osama bin Laden, is very much back in the public eye. It's all coming up, right now, on WOLF BLITZER REPORTS.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BLITZER (voice-over) Has al Qaeda's leader spoken? A new tape believed to be from Osama bin Laden.
COLIN POWELL, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: Once again, he speaks to the people of Iraq and talks about their struggle and how he is in partnership with Iraq.
BLITZER: Bracing for terror: Chilling words from the CIA and the FBI.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The intelligence is not idle chatter.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The greatest threat is from al Qaeda cells in the United States.
BLITZER: Can they bring dirty bombs and deadly poisons to your neighborhood?
Showdown Iraq: As U.S. marines take live fire training, the U.S. and its allies take aim at each other.
SEN. JOE LIEBERMAN (D), CONNECTICUT: We call on France, Germany and Belgium to cease and desist.
BLITZER: Dark days may lie ahead. Do Americans have what it takes? I'll ask conservative commentator Bill Bennett.
And how bad can it get at the pumps?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If we were to see Iraq blow up all of its oil fields, then we've got serious problems.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: It's Tuesday, February 11, 2003. I'm Wolf Blitzer, reporting today from Los Angeles.
We begin with breaking news. We're awaiting a major announcement from a presidential contender. Moments from now, Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts will announce details of his personal battle with prostate cancer.
Senator Kerry is to walk into this room on Capitol Hill. He'll answer questions and speak to the nation. We'll carry that news, of course, live once it happens. That's coming up.
We're also following a major development regarding Osama bin Laden. A short while ago, the Arabic television network Al Jazeera aired an audio tape said to be the voice of the al Qaeda leader. It calls on Muslims to fight against any U.S.-led attack on Iraq.
We have extensive coverage of this important story with our own reporters and analysts standing by in Atlanta and Washington.
First, let's go to CNN's Octavia Nasr at the CNN Center in Atlanta -- Octavia.
OCTAVIA NASR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, on Al Jazeera today, the voice of Osama bin Laden calling on all Muslims of the world to unite in defending the people of Iraq.
Let's listen in to some of these soundbites.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OSAMA BIN LADEN (through translator): In the name of God, the most merciful, a message to our brothers in Iraq. Peace be upon you. All you believers fear God as he should be feared. And say that we will die as Muslims.
We have been following anxiously the preparations of the crusades to conquer the former capital of Islam and steal their wealth and impose a puppet regime that follows its masters in Washington and Tel Aviv, just like these Arab governments, in order to create what is called great Israel. This is a war led by the infidels, by America and its spies and agents.
We need you to do several things. We need your intention to fight for the sake of God, not for national regimes. Or any of these infidel regimes, including Iraq.
We want to clarify, also, that whoever helps America from Iraq or from the leaders of the Arab world, or anyone who helps them in the crusade, either if they fight next to them or give them support in any form or shape, even by words, if they help them to kill the Muslims in Iraq, they have to know that they are outside this Islamic nation and God said in the Quran, those who believe you shouldn't take the Jews and the Christians as friends and whoever helps them becomes one of them.
(END VIDEO CLIP) NASR: And, Wolf, the tape runs 16 minutes. Almost the entire tape is about Iraq and the people of Iraq and a direct message to Muslims around the world.
BLITZER: Octavia, were there any direct threats to Americans?
NASR: No direct threats. As a matter of fact, this was a message to Muslims and to Iraqi people inside Iraq on how to defend themselves and how not to be fooled by what he called the western propaganda machine and big words such as smart bombs.
It was all teaching them how to deal with this big scenario and how to prepare themselves. He even called them to do suicide attacks, telling them that this will be the way to go, to build bunkers, he called them roof bunkers. And he told them that this is exactly what he did when he was in Tora Bora and this is how he was able to survive with the rest of the Mujaheddins -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Octavia Nasr, thanks very much for that report.
So is it real? To learn what the U.S. government and intelligence community are saying about this audio tape, let's go to our national security correspondent, David Ensor. He's joining us in Washington.
What are they saying back there, David?
DAVID ENSOR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, the quality of this tape is better than the last one. You may recall, the last one some people were arguing might have been recorded over a telephone line. It had a lot of hiss, there was a lot of noise on it.
This time officials say this is a clear recording in their view, and at first listen, it does sound like Osama bin Laden.
Now, they're going to spend a couple of days over at the National Security Agency, the eavesdropping intelligence agency which specializes in this kind of thing, analyzing the tape, comparing the voice with others, having the experts who have listened to hundreds of hours of Osama bin Laden at one time or another, check whether they think it's him.
But the early reading is that it is, indeed, Osama and they think that will stick.
BLITZER: One thing that was very unusual, David, was that we first learned about this audio tape from Secretary of State Colin Powell, who was testifying on Capitol Hill. What was that all about?
ENSOR: Well, that's right. It is interesting. And what that's all about is that the administration, on the one hand, sees some danger in this, obviously. There have been attacks by al Qaeda after tapes released by Osama bin Laden in the past.
At the same time, they do see a real opportunity. And in fact, they put Richard Boucher, Mr. Powell's spokesman, on Al Jazeera shortly afterwards to make some points.
Do we have that tape? I think we might.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RICHARD BOUCHER, SPOKESPERSON FOR COLIN POWELL: The secretary made clear that he thought they were bound by a common hatred. That is what brought them together. And I think that's really what you did have bin Laden confirming today in this tape.
In the tape, he says it doesn't matter if people are socialists, we're going to fight together with them to destroy everything that we can.
We're very careful about making the case on solid grounds, not overstating it. But this does confirm that bin Laden and Saddam Hussein seem to find common cause together.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ENSOR: So there, again, is the point that the administration is making. Here you have, in their view, Osama bin Laden helping make their argument for them, rather ironic.
One senior administration official said, at best it shows common cause with a brutal dictator. At worst it shows a burgeoning alliance of terror -- Wolf.
BLITZER: It was interesting that in the past they usually don't want the U.S. government to air these kinds of audio tapes or videotapes from Osama bin Laden. This time it looked as if the secretary was really anxious for us to do precisely that.
But as far as the U.S. intelligence community is concerned, David, does there seem to be a sense that all of this focus now once again on Osama bin Laden may be a detraction, may be detracting everyone from the possibility of a war with Iraq?
ENSOR: Well, I think the officials I've spoken to since the tape came out, at least, feel that this helps strengthen the U.S. case for war against Iraq, unless Saddam Hussein voluntarily disarms and very soon.
They feel it strengthens the argument that there is a nexus, that there's a connection between al Qaeda and Iraq. So oddly enough, they're rather pleased by it.
BLITZER: David Ensor, thanks very much for that information.
Let's get some more now on the tape and its implications. We turn to an expert. Peter Bergen is CNN's terrorism analyst and the author of the important book "Holy War Inc., Inside the Secret World of Osama bin Laden." Peter has interviewed Osama bin Laden in the past.
Peter, thanks very much for joining us. What's your sense, first of all, is this the voice, as far as you can tell, of Osama bin Laden?
PETER BERGEN, TERRORISM ANALYST: The short answer is yes. I've heard his voice many times and I've met him briefly. It's him. I'd be very surprised if it turns out not to be him. Clearly fits with the usual rhetoric that we've had in the past.
As David mentioned, this is a quite different tape we heard before, which was only four minutes long. This is, I think, a very clear exposition of his views. I think it's going to galvanize his base and perhaps get some people who are sitting on the fence to turn against the United States.
Whatever your view about the war in Iraq, al Qaeda will use this as an opportunity to try to attack American interests around the world.
We've often seen in the past bin Laden's videotapes or audio taped statements are then followed by a series of anti-American or anti-western attacks. So that is not good news.
BLITZER: Is there any idea, based on what you heard or what our other experts are hearing, Peter, about when this audio tape may have been done?
BERGEN: I think the short answer is it's very hard to tell. There is -- I mean, after all the United States has been talking about a potential war with Iraq for months now. So I think it's unclear from this tape. There's no specific reference.
However, bin Laden is talking about a sort of imminent war against Iraq, which wouldn't have been the case several months ago and is obviously the case potentially now with hundreds of thousands of American troops on their way to the Gulf.
So the short answer is we don't know. My personal hunch is that it is rather recent.
BLITZER: You probably noticed -- I'm sure you did, Peter, that even though he was expressing his support for the people of Iraq, he was also attacking the Baath party which rules Iraq, Saddam Hussein's Baath regime, which is secular as opposed to the Islamic fundamentalist guidelines that he adheres to.
How do you explain that kind of sense, the relationship, if you will, between Osama bin Laden and Saddam Hussein?
BERGEN: Well, without directly addressing their relationship, which remains unproven, I mean, I think that bin Laden himself has been opposed to all sorts of Middle Eastern regimes in the region, including Saddam's regime, because it's not sufficiently Islamic. And I think that on this tape he talks about it doesn't matter if Saddam disappears.
So I don't see this as a sort of ringing endorsement of Saddam. I do see it as a call to arms for the Iraqi people.
But after all, Saddam's regime and the Iraqi people are hardly co-terminus.
BLITZER: Peter, let's listen to another excerpt from what Osama bin Laden purportedly said on this audio tape aired earlier today on Al Jazeera. Listen to this.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
BIN LADEN (through translator): People in Jordan, Morocco, Algeria, Pakistan, Saudi and Yemen, it's no secret that this crusade is -- Muslims. The socialist party and Saddam stay or go. For those Muslims, especially in Iraq, have to prepare themselves for Jihad.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
BLITZER: He talks about preparing the Muslim world, especially certain counties in the Arab world, for Jihad. What was your sense of that?
BERGEN: Well, I mean, he's criticizing a number of regimes around the Middle East that may be cooperating with the United States. He's calling them apostates. They're outside the religion. He mentions by name, Jordan, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, he even throws in Nigeria, which is a first for bin Laden.
So it's not only a call to arms to the people in Iraq, but it is a call to arms for people in the region not to support their governments, if indeed those governments support the United States and its allies in a war against Iraq.
BLITZER: Peter Bergen, as usual, thanks very much for your expertise.
And the directors of the CIA and FBI were on Capitol Hill today, warning once again that the terror threat in this country is all too real and that the United States is very much in the crosshairs.
Let's go live to our justice correspondent Kelli Arena -- Kelli.
KELLI ARENA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, the Senate intelligence committee heard a sobering assessment of the threat facing the U.S. from al Qaeda, Iraq and individuals in the country who may seek to do harm.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ARENA (voice-over) As the nation remains on high alert, intelligence chiefs offered a sobering assessment to Congress of the current al Qaeda threat and the possibility of an attack as early as this week.
GEORGE TENET, CIA DIRECTOR: It points to plots that could include the use of a radiological dispersion -- dispersal device as well as poisons and chemicals. The intelligence is not idle chatter on the part of terrorists or their associates. It is the most specific we have seen.
ARENA: FBI director Robert Mueller warned of hundreds of al Qaeda sympathizers in the United States and the possibility that undetected sleeper cells lie in wait to strike.
ROBERT MUELLER, FBI DIRECTOR: Our greatest threat is from al Qaeda cells in the United States that we have not yet been able to identify. Finding and rooting out al Qaeda members once they have entered the United States...
ARENA: From some Democrats, skepticism about Secretary Powell's assertion at the U.N. that there are ties between al Qaeda and the Iraqi government.
The discussion focused on Abu Musab al Zarqawi, the al Qaeda associate who the CIA says spent time in Baghdad, and whether intelligence suggests he and his associates are under the control of the Iraqi government.
SEN. CARL LEVIN (D-MI), INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE: You're saying that you don't know if they're under the support -- are under the control or direction?
TENET: Yes, sir. We've said -- what we've said is that Zarqawi and this large number of operatives are in Baghdad. They say the environment is good. And it is inconceivable to us that the Iraqi intelligence service doesn't know they live there or what they're doing.
ARENA: As for the threat Iraq itself poses, officials say Saddam Hussein will use weapons of mass destruction against the United States if there is a war.
TENET: One thing you have to remember is Saddam Hussein built a WMD program with inspectors living in his country for years. He understood how to acquire chemical and biological capabilities. He understood how to establish a clandestine procurement network. He understands how to cross borders.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ARENA: Despite that assessment, officials say current tensions with Baghdad are not a factor in determining the risk of another terror attack. They say al Qaeda is determined to strike regardless, and it will do so in its own time frame -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Kelli Arena in Washington. Kelli, thanks very much.
And here's your chance to weigh in on this story. Our Web question of the day is this: "Do you believe Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden are working together?" We'll have the results later in this broadcast. Vote at CNN.com/wolf.
While you're there I'd like to hear from you. Send me your comments. We might read some of them on the air each day at the end of this program. That's, also, of course, where you can read my daily online column, CNN.com/Wolf.
This reminder, we're awaiting a live news conference momentarily from Democratic senator John Kerry of Massachusetts. He's a presidential hopeful. He's about to announce he has prostate cancer and will undergo surgery tomorrow. As soon as the news conference begins, we'll go there live on Capitol Hill.
Also, an historic alliance on the verge of a meltdown? The split over Iraq that may redefine friends and foes. We'll go live to the White House for the fallout.
Plus the war on terror. A possible strike against Iraq. Bill Bennett weighs in on both. He'll join me live next.
And a drug raid turns wild, wild west in the Pacific waters. And creatures of the sea recruited to fight in a potential war. All that plus today's news quiz.
The Navy first used dolphins to conduct top secret missions during which war? Vietnam, World War II, Korean War, the Persian Gulf War. The answer, coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: You're looking at live pictures of a conference room on Capitol Hill. The Democratic senator from Massachusetts, John Kerry, expected to walk in momentarily, meet with reporters, announce formally that he does indeed have prostate cancer, will undergo surgery tomorrow.
The Democratic senator is a presidential hopeful. He will explain his rationale for going on with the campaign, of course, even in the aftermath of this surgery.
The Vietnam veteran expected momentarily to be walking into this news conference on Capitol Hill. We're standing by. We'll have live coverage as soon as he begins.
In the meantime, the United States remains at odds today with three NATO allies over a dispute linked to possible military action against Iraq.
France, Germany and Belgium oppose a plan to send defensive military hardware to Turkey, a NATO ally. And a meeting today to resolve the dispute broke up after only 20 minutes.
Our White House correspondent, Suzanne Malveaux, standing by with the latest -- Suzanne.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, part of the strategy from the White House is toning down the rhetoric.
White House spokesman Ari Fleischer saying that this was a setback, but a temporary setback. He said that the president ultimately believes that NATO will do the right thing in defending Turkey. He also said the president is not angry with France but rather disappointed.
But he also brought up the fact that this is a critical test for NATO to prove that it is relevant and that also Saddam Hussein must at least have the message that the world is behind the United States in forcibly disarming him.
We also heard from those -- some lawmakers on both sides really winning some support, the president, but at the same time, not necessarily from abroad.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LIEBERMAN: We call on France, Germany and Belgium to cease and desist from further actions that block enforcement of United Nations resolutions that they voted for.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: So the president winning some support here, but certainly hoping that that will spill over abroad. We have yet to see. But the White House keeping a very close eye on the developments.
Also they believe that this is really going to frame the larger debate later on in the week at the U.N. Security Council. That is why they're hoping that with at least toning down the language a bit, that all might come to an agreement in the days to come -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Suzanne Malveaux at the White House. Suzanne, thanks very much.
Our senior political correspondent Candy Crowley standing by. Candy, you've been covering this story ever since we got word today that Democratic presidential hopeful, the Democratic senator from Massachusetts, John Kerry, has prostate cancer. We're expecting to hear from him momentarily.
What's the anticipation now in terms of the politics of all of this?
CANDY CROWLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, obviously, you can tell that this is a campaign that very much wanted to get out three things: that this cancer was caught very early on, that it is very localized, and that he has more than 95 percent chance of recovering.
You know, any time you're in a campaign and people are talking about anything other than how well you are doing or how great your ideas are, it's not a good thing.
Having said that, we're about what, 11 plus months away from the Iowa caucus. I was told earlier by someone in the Kerry camp that the senator's a little bit annoyed by all of this. That they're trying to make not light of it but say, look, this is no big deal. They put out a piece of paper with a number of people who have had prostate surgery similar to what Senator Kerry is going to have. So we do know, in fact, that sometimes health problems when they come up in a campaign do tend to dominate the discussion, but as we know from Vice President Cheney and others that it doesn't seem to make a whole lot of difference to the voters, particularly when dealt with in an up front matter, which is clearly what the Kerry campaign is trying to do.
BLITZER: Stand by, Candy, because I want to continue this.
But Elizabeth Cohen, our medical correspondent, is with us as well.
Elizabeth, the ramifications, the medical ramifications of what the senator is about to announce. Talk a little bit about that.
ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Sure. Candy mentioned that this cancer was caught very early, Wolf. And in fact, the senator's doctor, who is Patrick Walsh from Johns Hopkins, has said that the senator is a poster boy for early detection.
In other words, when they found this cancer and they found it through a blood test in December they found that...
BLITZER: Elizabeth, hold on one second. I see the senator has now walked into the room. He's about to speak.
Let's listen in.
(INTERRUPTED BY BREAKING NEWS)
BLITZER: Democratic presidential hopeful John Kerry explaining to our viewers or explaining to all of America right now why he has decided to go ahead with prostate cancer surgery tomorrow. Diagnosed with prostate cancer and going forward with that, insisting that he is definitely going to continue on with his road to the White House, his hopeful road to the White House. We have some analysis; some that we want to get in on this important story right now.
Joining us -- rejoining us Candy Crowley, our senior political correspondent, Elizabeth Cohen, our medical correspondent, Dr. Bill Bennett is joining us as well, the chairman of Empower America, co- chairman that is, the former education secretary.
And Mr. Bennett, let me just begin with you. You've looked at politicians over the years having to deal with these kinds of very sensitive issues. How do you think John Kerry, who wants to be the president of the United States, handled this most sensitive issue?
BILL BENNETT, DIRECTOR, EMPOWER AMERICA: I think he handled it very well. Just a couple thoughts -- I ran into John Kerry on the street in Boston a couple of months ago. We should all be as fit for John Kerry. It would be a good thing for the men of this republic. Second, I don't think he's got a veracity problem. I've written some on the veracity and the presidency. The man has the right to disclose this at the appropriate time. There wasn't any harm not telling people about this until this press conference.
BLITZER: And so the notion that he lied to a reporter or reporters who asked him last week if he was sick and he said no, that's not going to be a serious problem, you don't think?
BENNETT: I do not think so, because again, you know, no harm, no foul. It didn't do any harm. What do people have a right to know? They have the right to know the full facts about John Kerry as he's running and he's given them plenty of time. He's done this in plenty of time, so people can decide about him as they think about it. He's got problems running for president, but this is not one of them.
I was talking to a doctor friend -- you have an expert there. But I was talking to a doctor friend the other day saying all men pretty soon will live to 100 and then they'll all have prostate cancer. This is obviously something to be taken seriously, but he seems to have done it exactly right. This is treatable. He's a very fit man, a very impressive man in a lot of ways. And I think he handled this very, very deftly.
BLITZER: All right. Well, let's get some medical analysis as well. Stand by Bill Bennett. Elizabeth Cohen, our medical correspondent -- when we heard those numbers, Elizabeth, that the PSA test went from 2.0 to 2.7, 3.2, 3.4, what exactly is he referring to? What does all that mean?
ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: What that's referring to the PSA test, which is the protein specific antigen. And what it means is it tells a sort of -- it's sort of a gauge as to whether or not someone is likely to have prostate cancer. That test is supposed to be done in men starting at age 50. When they saw that climb in the senator, what they needed to do was they needed to come up with a plan. Does he had have cancer and if so what do we do?
We heard a lot of talk about all the various treatments. And anyone who's ever been diagnosed with prostate cancer knows that there are so many different options out there. It depends on the man's age. It depends on the size of the tumor, if it's spread beyond the prostate, if the tumor's aggressive or not. And so there are lots of different choices. He mentioned that Rudy Giuliani had made a very different choice.
And I thought it was interesting that the senator is obviously very confident. He says, "I am going to be cured." Certainly, the statistics bear that out. Eighty-five to 95 percent of men with this stage cancer are cured. The American Cancer Society says his survival is probably closer to 95 percent. Senator Kerry says that his statistics probably are higher -- 95 percent or a higher chance of survival -- Wolf.
BLITZER: And very briefly, Elizabeth, the difference between the radiation treatment, those pellets, that Rudy Giuliani decided to go with as opposed to the surgery which John Kerry is going to go with -- the difference -- the pros and cons of both are what?
COHEN: Well, the pros of having the radiation rather than the surgery is that a man might be able to avoid becoming impotent or incontinent. With the surgery, especially, years ago, there was a relatively high chance of that happening. Now, the senate's surgeon has pioneered a surgery that preserves the nerves. He has a less than one percent chance of becoming incontinent, a less than 10 percent chance of becoming impotent. So a lot of the decisions around radiation versus surgery have to do with quality of life after the procedure.
BLITZER: Candy Crowley, as you look at this and look at the political landscape now with this development thrown in, John Kerry announcing he has prostate cancer, will go for -- with surgery tomorrow. How does it all shake up at least in the short-term?
CANDY CROWLEY, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, I think as Bill says, obviously, we are almost a year from the Iowa caucuses, which is the very first contest of the primary season. So there's plenty of time for voters to get used to this if they have to. I do think that taking care of it early on or having it come up early on is fine. I would only disagree in that one of the things that happen to reporters on the campaign trail was the Paul Tsongas story when he told people that he was free of the cancer but there had been, as we found out later, some recurrence.
So the idea that if you say are you in good health and he says flat-out no is troublesome to reporters. I don't think -- and I agree with Bill that it's troublesome to the American people. They understand that you want to talk to your -- people you're close to. So I'm not sure it plays out any time that a -- you've got something that people are talking about other than how great you're doing or what your issues are, you don't like it. Having said that, it's early. He's dealing with it. It looks like, pretty up front. And he'll get past this.
BLITZER: And all of us wish John Kerry all the best as he goes into that surgery tomorrow. Thanks Candy Crowley, Elizabeth Cohen.
We're going to ask Bill Bennett to stand by. We have more to talk with him about. Learn why he argues the United States should deal with Saddam Hussein aggressively sooner rather than later. He'll also be taking your e-mail on this subject. That's coming up. And Saddam Hussein's missile launchers, where he's moved them and what it means for American war planners. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: For many decades, of course, American college campuses have been focal points for anti-war activities. But at New York's Columbia University tomorrow, there will be a pro-war event, effectively a teach-in sponsored by Americans For Victory Over Terrorism. The former education secretary, Bill Bennett, is the chairman of that group. He's rejoining us from Washington.
Bill, thanks very much for joining us.
BENNETT: Sure. BLITZER: I want to get to some of the specific questions, but we've got a lot of e-mail and one of these is very much directed towards you. Let me read it -- from Paul in Portland, Oregon -- "The Pope has today reasserted his conclusion that a new Gulf War would be immoral, as was the first Gulf War. As a faithful Catholic, will you be instructing your students that current U.S. policies toward Iraq are immoral?"
BENNETT: No, I won't. The Pope is not here instructing excathedra (ph) and this is not a doctrinal teaching on faith and morals and we are not obligated as Catholics to follow it. One I have a disagreement with the Pope on this as I have with a couple of other things that are not matters of faith and morals.
BLITZER: So what's the point of the teach-in tomorrow? What exactly do you hope to achieve?
BENNETT: One of the things we've learned over the last year, Wolf, is that a lot of students on a lot of our campuses, even our best campuses, such as Columbia, are not getting a full account of why we fight, why we're in this war. They're getting a rather -- very partial account, one that tends toward the left and liberal criticism of the president and policies. We're going with our group because we have a point-of-view about the war and we want to present it to the students.
But I must say even though we have a point-of-view, which we believe this war should be prosecuted to the full extent, it's a bipartisan panel. We have Jim Woolsey, who was Bill Clinton's CIA director, as well as Paul Bremmer who did counterintelligence -- the terrorism panel for Ronald Reagan. It's important for students to hear this point-of-view because as we have heard from many students, they're not getting the arguments for this point-of-view from their professors.
BLITZER: Those of us old enough like you and me, for example, remember Columbia University, '60s, '70s leading the way in the anti- Vietnam war protest. Do you expect any fireworks on campus tomorrow when you show up?
BENNETT: Well, I hope not. At least, I hope they're not aimed fireworks. I expect protests. I expect some exercise of First Amendment rights and that's fine. We just hope to be able to exercise ours.
You know, I'm an old philosophy professor, Wolf, from the 60's and 70's. There's a very interesting question, a fundamental question, out there. The students heard today Osama bin Laden, presumably, saying that we are evil and that we must be extirpated. And we have said that he is evil. And we have said the regime in Iraq is evil. Let's have a discussion about what the evidence is for what we say and the evidence -- with the evidences for what they say. I think we can make a pretty good case for our side. I'm not sure a lot of students have heard that case.
BLITZER: All right, let's get to another e-mail. This one from Mrs. Shawn Olsen in Lakewood, Washington. "North Korea is more threatening than Iraq and has nuclear weapons. Why are we not going there instead of the easy target, Iraq? Is it maybe because Iraq has oil?"
BENNETT: Well, it certainly isn't because Iraq has oil because this is a very complicated way to make a deal with Iraqis about oil. If we wanted the oil in Iraq, we should dispense with the war and just make a very advantageous deal as the French made with the Iraqis.
Oil isn't the point. This makes the oil in some ways more difficult for us to use. Obviously, if we were to just gobble up all the oil after an attack or a war, people would say, you see. So it really isn't a very smart way to go after it, if that's your motivation. It is clearly not the motivation because there are easier ways to do it.
I agree North Korea is a very serious matter. But that, I think, underscores one of the reasons we need to act in Iraq. We need to act in Iraq before it becomes another North Korea.
By the way, I would point out there's been an awful lot of ink about whether there are weapons of mass destruction in Iraq and inspectors and so on. Virtually everybody in the know knows there are. I noted that Madeleine Albright, the former secretary of state, said on news shows on Sunday -- this past Sunday, she said, of course there are weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. This is really not a plausible debate anymore on those grounds.
BLITZER: Bill Bennett, good luck tomorrow. Columbia University, we'll be covering that story. Bill Bennett and his group...
BENNETT: Great.
BLITZER: ... the name of the group, Americans For Victory Over Terrorism.
BENNETT: Yes, sir.
BLITZER: As usual, always good to have you on the program. Thanks very much.
BENNETT: Thank you, Wolf.
BLITZER: And despite Iraq's latest statements that it does not have banned weapons and does not want war, American officials say there are many signs Saddam Hussein is indeed preparing for battle. Our senior Pentagon correspondent, Jamie McIntyre, is joining us now live with details.
JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN SENIOR PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, as the U.S. is sending strong signals that war with Iraq is growing closer, Iraq is responding by taking measures that appear to be aimed at making any war as messy as possible.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) MCINTYRE (voice-over): The United States believes Iraq is hiding up to 20 SCUD missiles. And the latest U.S. intelligence indicates mobile missile launchers, though not the missiles themselves have been moved next to mosques and other civilian structures in an attempt to shield them from U.S. bombs. It's a standard Iraqi tactic, say Pentagon officials. This photo from the 1991 Persian Gulf War shows military aircraft moved to an historic site near Tahlil.
VICTORIA CLARKE, PENTAGON SPOKESWOMAN: Saddam Hussein will do what he's done in the past and he will use civilians in the most cynical fashion possible. He will put innocent men, women and children near military assets. He will put military assets near civilian populations.
MCINTYRE: And U.S. intelligence says it sees more signs Iraq might torch oil fields as it did in Kuwait. Pentagon sources tell CNN, railroad cars full of explosives have been moved into the south. And U.S. officials fear Iraqi troops will be ordered to dynamite their own oil fields in an attempt to complicate any invasion and create an environmental disaster.
CLARKE: And we have seen evidence that he may indeed try to do what he has done in the past, which is set oil fields on fire and destroy them so the Iraqi people have no assets left, nothing to get -- help them get their economy and their country back up on their feet again.
MCINTYRE: The U.S. is seeing a number of other indicators that Iraq is girding for war, including the dispersal of aircraft and the building of revetments, bunkers and other defenses.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MCINTYRE: And Pentagon sources say U.S. intelligence has determined that Saddam Hussein's best-trained and equipped troops, the Republican Guard, have set up two separate rings of defenses around Baghdad. The big question for U.S. military planners is will they fight or fold when faced with what the Pentagon believes is certain defeat -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Good question. We'll see the answer presumably not too far down the road. Jamie McIntyre, thanks very much for that report.
Time is running out for your turn to weigh in on our "Web Question of The Day." Do you believe Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden are working together?" Log onto CNN.com/Wolf. That's where you can vote. And we'll have the results immediately when we come back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Here's how you're weighing in our "Web Question of the Day." Remember we've been asking you this -- do you believe Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden are working together? Look at this, 39 percent of you say yes, 61 percent of you say no. You can find the exact vote tally, continue to vote, by the way, on our website, CNN.com/Wolf. This is not -- not -- a scientific poll. That's all the time we have today. Please join me again tomorrow at 5:00 p.m. Eastern, 2:00 p.m. Pacific and don't forget "SHOWDOWN: IRAQ" every weekday at noon Eastern. Until then, thanks very much for watching. I'm Wolf Blitzer in Los Angeles. "LOU DOBBS MONEYLINE" is up next.
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Al Qaeda May Be Planning Another Attack>
Aired February 11, 2003 - 17:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
WOLF BLITZER, HOST: It's a busy hour. We're expecting, we're waiting to hear directly from presidential hopeful John Kerry. He's about to tell the public he has prostate cancer and will undergo surgery tomorrow.
And the leader of al Qaeda, Osama bin Laden, is very much back in the public eye. It's all coming up, right now, on WOLF BLITZER REPORTS.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BLITZER (voice-over) Has al Qaeda's leader spoken? A new tape believed to be from Osama bin Laden.
COLIN POWELL, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: Once again, he speaks to the people of Iraq and talks about their struggle and how he is in partnership with Iraq.
BLITZER: Bracing for terror: Chilling words from the CIA and the FBI.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The intelligence is not idle chatter.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The greatest threat is from al Qaeda cells in the United States.
BLITZER: Can they bring dirty bombs and deadly poisons to your neighborhood?
Showdown Iraq: As U.S. marines take live fire training, the U.S. and its allies take aim at each other.
SEN. JOE LIEBERMAN (D), CONNECTICUT: We call on France, Germany and Belgium to cease and desist.
BLITZER: Dark days may lie ahead. Do Americans have what it takes? I'll ask conservative commentator Bill Bennett.
And how bad can it get at the pumps?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If we were to see Iraq blow up all of its oil fields, then we've got serious problems.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: It's Tuesday, February 11, 2003. I'm Wolf Blitzer, reporting today from Los Angeles.
We begin with breaking news. We're awaiting a major announcement from a presidential contender. Moments from now, Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts will announce details of his personal battle with prostate cancer.
Senator Kerry is to walk into this room on Capitol Hill. He'll answer questions and speak to the nation. We'll carry that news, of course, live once it happens. That's coming up.
We're also following a major development regarding Osama bin Laden. A short while ago, the Arabic television network Al Jazeera aired an audio tape said to be the voice of the al Qaeda leader. It calls on Muslims to fight against any U.S.-led attack on Iraq.
We have extensive coverage of this important story with our own reporters and analysts standing by in Atlanta and Washington.
First, let's go to CNN's Octavia Nasr at the CNN Center in Atlanta -- Octavia.
OCTAVIA NASR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, on Al Jazeera today, the voice of Osama bin Laden calling on all Muslims of the world to unite in defending the people of Iraq.
Let's listen in to some of these soundbites.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OSAMA BIN LADEN (through translator): In the name of God, the most merciful, a message to our brothers in Iraq. Peace be upon you. All you believers fear God as he should be feared. And say that we will die as Muslims.
We have been following anxiously the preparations of the crusades to conquer the former capital of Islam and steal their wealth and impose a puppet regime that follows its masters in Washington and Tel Aviv, just like these Arab governments, in order to create what is called great Israel. This is a war led by the infidels, by America and its spies and agents.
We need you to do several things. We need your intention to fight for the sake of God, not for national regimes. Or any of these infidel regimes, including Iraq.
We want to clarify, also, that whoever helps America from Iraq or from the leaders of the Arab world, or anyone who helps them in the crusade, either if they fight next to them or give them support in any form or shape, even by words, if they help them to kill the Muslims in Iraq, they have to know that they are outside this Islamic nation and God said in the Quran, those who believe you shouldn't take the Jews and the Christians as friends and whoever helps them becomes one of them.
(END VIDEO CLIP) NASR: And, Wolf, the tape runs 16 minutes. Almost the entire tape is about Iraq and the people of Iraq and a direct message to Muslims around the world.
BLITZER: Octavia, were there any direct threats to Americans?
NASR: No direct threats. As a matter of fact, this was a message to Muslims and to Iraqi people inside Iraq on how to defend themselves and how not to be fooled by what he called the western propaganda machine and big words such as smart bombs.
It was all teaching them how to deal with this big scenario and how to prepare themselves. He even called them to do suicide attacks, telling them that this will be the way to go, to build bunkers, he called them roof bunkers. And he told them that this is exactly what he did when he was in Tora Bora and this is how he was able to survive with the rest of the Mujaheddins -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Octavia Nasr, thanks very much for that report.
So is it real? To learn what the U.S. government and intelligence community are saying about this audio tape, let's go to our national security correspondent, David Ensor. He's joining us in Washington.
What are they saying back there, David?
DAVID ENSOR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, the quality of this tape is better than the last one. You may recall, the last one some people were arguing might have been recorded over a telephone line. It had a lot of hiss, there was a lot of noise on it.
This time officials say this is a clear recording in their view, and at first listen, it does sound like Osama bin Laden.
Now, they're going to spend a couple of days over at the National Security Agency, the eavesdropping intelligence agency which specializes in this kind of thing, analyzing the tape, comparing the voice with others, having the experts who have listened to hundreds of hours of Osama bin Laden at one time or another, check whether they think it's him.
But the early reading is that it is, indeed, Osama and they think that will stick.
BLITZER: One thing that was very unusual, David, was that we first learned about this audio tape from Secretary of State Colin Powell, who was testifying on Capitol Hill. What was that all about?
ENSOR: Well, that's right. It is interesting. And what that's all about is that the administration, on the one hand, sees some danger in this, obviously. There have been attacks by al Qaeda after tapes released by Osama bin Laden in the past.
At the same time, they do see a real opportunity. And in fact, they put Richard Boucher, Mr. Powell's spokesman, on Al Jazeera shortly afterwards to make some points.
Do we have that tape? I think we might.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RICHARD BOUCHER, SPOKESPERSON FOR COLIN POWELL: The secretary made clear that he thought they were bound by a common hatred. That is what brought them together. And I think that's really what you did have bin Laden confirming today in this tape.
In the tape, he says it doesn't matter if people are socialists, we're going to fight together with them to destroy everything that we can.
We're very careful about making the case on solid grounds, not overstating it. But this does confirm that bin Laden and Saddam Hussein seem to find common cause together.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ENSOR: So there, again, is the point that the administration is making. Here you have, in their view, Osama bin Laden helping make their argument for them, rather ironic.
One senior administration official said, at best it shows common cause with a brutal dictator. At worst it shows a burgeoning alliance of terror -- Wolf.
BLITZER: It was interesting that in the past they usually don't want the U.S. government to air these kinds of audio tapes or videotapes from Osama bin Laden. This time it looked as if the secretary was really anxious for us to do precisely that.
But as far as the U.S. intelligence community is concerned, David, does there seem to be a sense that all of this focus now once again on Osama bin Laden may be a detraction, may be detracting everyone from the possibility of a war with Iraq?
ENSOR: Well, I think the officials I've spoken to since the tape came out, at least, feel that this helps strengthen the U.S. case for war against Iraq, unless Saddam Hussein voluntarily disarms and very soon.
They feel it strengthens the argument that there is a nexus, that there's a connection between al Qaeda and Iraq. So oddly enough, they're rather pleased by it.
BLITZER: David Ensor, thanks very much for that information.
Let's get some more now on the tape and its implications. We turn to an expert. Peter Bergen is CNN's terrorism analyst and the author of the important book "Holy War Inc., Inside the Secret World of Osama bin Laden." Peter has interviewed Osama bin Laden in the past.
Peter, thanks very much for joining us. What's your sense, first of all, is this the voice, as far as you can tell, of Osama bin Laden?
PETER BERGEN, TERRORISM ANALYST: The short answer is yes. I've heard his voice many times and I've met him briefly. It's him. I'd be very surprised if it turns out not to be him. Clearly fits with the usual rhetoric that we've had in the past.
As David mentioned, this is a quite different tape we heard before, which was only four minutes long. This is, I think, a very clear exposition of his views. I think it's going to galvanize his base and perhaps get some people who are sitting on the fence to turn against the United States.
Whatever your view about the war in Iraq, al Qaeda will use this as an opportunity to try to attack American interests around the world.
We've often seen in the past bin Laden's videotapes or audio taped statements are then followed by a series of anti-American or anti-western attacks. So that is not good news.
BLITZER: Is there any idea, based on what you heard or what our other experts are hearing, Peter, about when this audio tape may have been done?
BERGEN: I think the short answer is it's very hard to tell. There is -- I mean, after all the United States has been talking about a potential war with Iraq for months now. So I think it's unclear from this tape. There's no specific reference.
However, bin Laden is talking about a sort of imminent war against Iraq, which wouldn't have been the case several months ago and is obviously the case potentially now with hundreds of thousands of American troops on their way to the Gulf.
So the short answer is we don't know. My personal hunch is that it is rather recent.
BLITZER: You probably noticed -- I'm sure you did, Peter, that even though he was expressing his support for the people of Iraq, he was also attacking the Baath party which rules Iraq, Saddam Hussein's Baath regime, which is secular as opposed to the Islamic fundamentalist guidelines that he adheres to.
How do you explain that kind of sense, the relationship, if you will, between Osama bin Laden and Saddam Hussein?
BERGEN: Well, without directly addressing their relationship, which remains unproven, I mean, I think that bin Laden himself has been opposed to all sorts of Middle Eastern regimes in the region, including Saddam's regime, because it's not sufficiently Islamic. And I think that on this tape he talks about it doesn't matter if Saddam disappears.
So I don't see this as a sort of ringing endorsement of Saddam. I do see it as a call to arms for the Iraqi people.
But after all, Saddam's regime and the Iraqi people are hardly co-terminus.
BLITZER: Peter, let's listen to another excerpt from what Osama bin Laden purportedly said on this audio tape aired earlier today on Al Jazeera. Listen to this.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
BIN LADEN (through translator): People in Jordan, Morocco, Algeria, Pakistan, Saudi and Yemen, it's no secret that this crusade is -- Muslims. The socialist party and Saddam stay or go. For those Muslims, especially in Iraq, have to prepare themselves for Jihad.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
BLITZER: He talks about preparing the Muslim world, especially certain counties in the Arab world, for Jihad. What was your sense of that?
BERGEN: Well, I mean, he's criticizing a number of regimes around the Middle East that may be cooperating with the United States. He's calling them apostates. They're outside the religion. He mentions by name, Jordan, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, he even throws in Nigeria, which is a first for bin Laden.
So it's not only a call to arms to the people in Iraq, but it is a call to arms for people in the region not to support their governments, if indeed those governments support the United States and its allies in a war against Iraq.
BLITZER: Peter Bergen, as usual, thanks very much for your expertise.
And the directors of the CIA and FBI were on Capitol Hill today, warning once again that the terror threat in this country is all too real and that the United States is very much in the crosshairs.
Let's go live to our justice correspondent Kelli Arena -- Kelli.
KELLI ARENA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, the Senate intelligence committee heard a sobering assessment of the threat facing the U.S. from al Qaeda, Iraq and individuals in the country who may seek to do harm.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ARENA (voice-over) As the nation remains on high alert, intelligence chiefs offered a sobering assessment to Congress of the current al Qaeda threat and the possibility of an attack as early as this week.
GEORGE TENET, CIA DIRECTOR: It points to plots that could include the use of a radiological dispersion -- dispersal device as well as poisons and chemicals. The intelligence is not idle chatter on the part of terrorists or their associates. It is the most specific we have seen.
ARENA: FBI director Robert Mueller warned of hundreds of al Qaeda sympathizers in the United States and the possibility that undetected sleeper cells lie in wait to strike.
ROBERT MUELLER, FBI DIRECTOR: Our greatest threat is from al Qaeda cells in the United States that we have not yet been able to identify. Finding and rooting out al Qaeda members once they have entered the United States...
ARENA: From some Democrats, skepticism about Secretary Powell's assertion at the U.N. that there are ties between al Qaeda and the Iraqi government.
The discussion focused on Abu Musab al Zarqawi, the al Qaeda associate who the CIA says spent time in Baghdad, and whether intelligence suggests he and his associates are under the control of the Iraqi government.
SEN. CARL LEVIN (D-MI), INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE: You're saying that you don't know if they're under the support -- are under the control or direction?
TENET: Yes, sir. We've said -- what we've said is that Zarqawi and this large number of operatives are in Baghdad. They say the environment is good. And it is inconceivable to us that the Iraqi intelligence service doesn't know they live there or what they're doing.
ARENA: As for the threat Iraq itself poses, officials say Saddam Hussein will use weapons of mass destruction against the United States if there is a war.
TENET: One thing you have to remember is Saddam Hussein built a WMD program with inspectors living in his country for years. He understood how to acquire chemical and biological capabilities. He understood how to establish a clandestine procurement network. He understands how to cross borders.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ARENA: Despite that assessment, officials say current tensions with Baghdad are not a factor in determining the risk of another terror attack. They say al Qaeda is determined to strike regardless, and it will do so in its own time frame -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Kelli Arena in Washington. Kelli, thanks very much.
And here's your chance to weigh in on this story. Our Web question of the day is this: "Do you believe Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden are working together?" We'll have the results later in this broadcast. Vote at CNN.com/wolf.
While you're there I'd like to hear from you. Send me your comments. We might read some of them on the air each day at the end of this program. That's, also, of course, where you can read my daily online column, CNN.com/Wolf.
This reminder, we're awaiting a live news conference momentarily from Democratic senator John Kerry of Massachusetts. He's a presidential hopeful. He's about to announce he has prostate cancer and will undergo surgery tomorrow. As soon as the news conference begins, we'll go there live on Capitol Hill.
Also, an historic alliance on the verge of a meltdown? The split over Iraq that may redefine friends and foes. We'll go live to the White House for the fallout.
Plus the war on terror. A possible strike against Iraq. Bill Bennett weighs in on both. He'll join me live next.
And a drug raid turns wild, wild west in the Pacific waters. And creatures of the sea recruited to fight in a potential war. All that plus today's news quiz.
The Navy first used dolphins to conduct top secret missions during which war? Vietnam, World War II, Korean War, the Persian Gulf War. The answer, coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: You're looking at live pictures of a conference room on Capitol Hill. The Democratic senator from Massachusetts, John Kerry, expected to walk in momentarily, meet with reporters, announce formally that he does indeed have prostate cancer, will undergo surgery tomorrow.
The Democratic senator is a presidential hopeful. He will explain his rationale for going on with the campaign, of course, even in the aftermath of this surgery.
The Vietnam veteran expected momentarily to be walking into this news conference on Capitol Hill. We're standing by. We'll have live coverage as soon as he begins.
In the meantime, the United States remains at odds today with three NATO allies over a dispute linked to possible military action against Iraq.
France, Germany and Belgium oppose a plan to send defensive military hardware to Turkey, a NATO ally. And a meeting today to resolve the dispute broke up after only 20 minutes.
Our White House correspondent, Suzanne Malveaux, standing by with the latest -- Suzanne.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, part of the strategy from the White House is toning down the rhetoric.
White House spokesman Ari Fleischer saying that this was a setback, but a temporary setback. He said that the president ultimately believes that NATO will do the right thing in defending Turkey. He also said the president is not angry with France but rather disappointed.
But he also brought up the fact that this is a critical test for NATO to prove that it is relevant and that also Saddam Hussein must at least have the message that the world is behind the United States in forcibly disarming him.
We also heard from those -- some lawmakers on both sides really winning some support, the president, but at the same time, not necessarily from abroad.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LIEBERMAN: We call on France, Germany and Belgium to cease and desist from further actions that block enforcement of United Nations resolutions that they voted for.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: So the president winning some support here, but certainly hoping that that will spill over abroad. We have yet to see. But the White House keeping a very close eye on the developments.
Also they believe that this is really going to frame the larger debate later on in the week at the U.N. Security Council. That is why they're hoping that with at least toning down the language a bit, that all might come to an agreement in the days to come -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Suzanne Malveaux at the White House. Suzanne, thanks very much.
Our senior political correspondent Candy Crowley standing by. Candy, you've been covering this story ever since we got word today that Democratic presidential hopeful, the Democratic senator from Massachusetts, John Kerry, has prostate cancer. We're expecting to hear from him momentarily.
What's the anticipation now in terms of the politics of all of this?
CANDY CROWLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, obviously, you can tell that this is a campaign that very much wanted to get out three things: that this cancer was caught very early on, that it is very localized, and that he has more than 95 percent chance of recovering.
You know, any time you're in a campaign and people are talking about anything other than how well you are doing or how great your ideas are, it's not a good thing.
Having said that, we're about what, 11 plus months away from the Iowa caucus. I was told earlier by someone in the Kerry camp that the senator's a little bit annoyed by all of this. That they're trying to make not light of it but say, look, this is no big deal. They put out a piece of paper with a number of people who have had prostate surgery similar to what Senator Kerry is going to have. So we do know, in fact, that sometimes health problems when they come up in a campaign do tend to dominate the discussion, but as we know from Vice President Cheney and others that it doesn't seem to make a whole lot of difference to the voters, particularly when dealt with in an up front matter, which is clearly what the Kerry campaign is trying to do.
BLITZER: Stand by, Candy, because I want to continue this.
But Elizabeth Cohen, our medical correspondent, is with us as well.
Elizabeth, the ramifications, the medical ramifications of what the senator is about to announce. Talk a little bit about that.
ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Sure. Candy mentioned that this cancer was caught very early, Wolf. And in fact, the senator's doctor, who is Patrick Walsh from Johns Hopkins, has said that the senator is a poster boy for early detection.
In other words, when they found this cancer and they found it through a blood test in December they found that...
BLITZER: Elizabeth, hold on one second. I see the senator has now walked into the room. He's about to speak.
Let's listen in.
(INTERRUPTED BY BREAKING NEWS)
BLITZER: Democratic presidential hopeful John Kerry explaining to our viewers or explaining to all of America right now why he has decided to go ahead with prostate cancer surgery tomorrow. Diagnosed with prostate cancer and going forward with that, insisting that he is definitely going to continue on with his road to the White House, his hopeful road to the White House. We have some analysis; some that we want to get in on this important story right now.
Joining us -- rejoining us Candy Crowley, our senior political correspondent, Elizabeth Cohen, our medical correspondent, Dr. Bill Bennett is joining us as well, the chairman of Empower America, co- chairman that is, the former education secretary.
And Mr. Bennett, let me just begin with you. You've looked at politicians over the years having to deal with these kinds of very sensitive issues. How do you think John Kerry, who wants to be the president of the United States, handled this most sensitive issue?
BILL BENNETT, DIRECTOR, EMPOWER AMERICA: I think he handled it very well. Just a couple thoughts -- I ran into John Kerry on the street in Boston a couple of months ago. We should all be as fit for John Kerry. It would be a good thing for the men of this republic. Second, I don't think he's got a veracity problem. I've written some on the veracity and the presidency. The man has the right to disclose this at the appropriate time. There wasn't any harm not telling people about this until this press conference.
BLITZER: And so the notion that he lied to a reporter or reporters who asked him last week if he was sick and he said no, that's not going to be a serious problem, you don't think?
BENNETT: I do not think so, because again, you know, no harm, no foul. It didn't do any harm. What do people have a right to know? They have the right to know the full facts about John Kerry as he's running and he's given them plenty of time. He's done this in plenty of time, so people can decide about him as they think about it. He's got problems running for president, but this is not one of them.
I was talking to a doctor friend -- you have an expert there. But I was talking to a doctor friend the other day saying all men pretty soon will live to 100 and then they'll all have prostate cancer. This is obviously something to be taken seriously, but he seems to have done it exactly right. This is treatable. He's a very fit man, a very impressive man in a lot of ways. And I think he handled this very, very deftly.
BLITZER: All right. Well, let's get some medical analysis as well. Stand by Bill Bennett. Elizabeth Cohen, our medical correspondent -- when we heard those numbers, Elizabeth, that the PSA test went from 2.0 to 2.7, 3.2, 3.4, what exactly is he referring to? What does all that mean?
ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: What that's referring to the PSA test, which is the protein specific antigen. And what it means is it tells a sort of -- it's sort of a gauge as to whether or not someone is likely to have prostate cancer. That test is supposed to be done in men starting at age 50. When they saw that climb in the senator, what they needed to do was they needed to come up with a plan. Does he had have cancer and if so what do we do?
We heard a lot of talk about all the various treatments. And anyone who's ever been diagnosed with prostate cancer knows that there are so many different options out there. It depends on the man's age. It depends on the size of the tumor, if it's spread beyond the prostate, if the tumor's aggressive or not. And so there are lots of different choices. He mentioned that Rudy Giuliani had made a very different choice.
And I thought it was interesting that the senator is obviously very confident. He says, "I am going to be cured." Certainly, the statistics bear that out. Eighty-five to 95 percent of men with this stage cancer are cured. The American Cancer Society says his survival is probably closer to 95 percent. Senator Kerry says that his statistics probably are higher -- 95 percent or a higher chance of survival -- Wolf.
BLITZER: And very briefly, Elizabeth, the difference between the radiation treatment, those pellets, that Rudy Giuliani decided to go with as opposed to the surgery which John Kerry is going to go with -- the difference -- the pros and cons of both are what?
COHEN: Well, the pros of having the radiation rather than the surgery is that a man might be able to avoid becoming impotent or incontinent. With the surgery, especially, years ago, there was a relatively high chance of that happening. Now, the senate's surgeon has pioneered a surgery that preserves the nerves. He has a less than one percent chance of becoming incontinent, a less than 10 percent chance of becoming impotent. So a lot of the decisions around radiation versus surgery have to do with quality of life after the procedure.
BLITZER: Candy Crowley, as you look at this and look at the political landscape now with this development thrown in, John Kerry announcing he has prostate cancer, will go for -- with surgery tomorrow. How does it all shake up at least in the short-term?
CANDY CROWLEY, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, I think as Bill says, obviously, we are almost a year from the Iowa caucuses, which is the very first contest of the primary season. So there's plenty of time for voters to get used to this if they have to. I do think that taking care of it early on or having it come up early on is fine. I would only disagree in that one of the things that happen to reporters on the campaign trail was the Paul Tsongas story when he told people that he was free of the cancer but there had been, as we found out later, some recurrence.
So the idea that if you say are you in good health and he says flat-out no is troublesome to reporters. I don't think -- and I agree with Bill that it's troublesome to the American people. They understand that you want to talk to your -- people you're close to. So I'm not sure it plays out any time that a -- you've got something that people are talking about other than how great you're doing or what your issues are, you don't like it. Having said that, it's early. He's dealing with it. It looks like, pretty up front. And he'll get past this.
BLITZER: And all of us wish John Kerry all the best as he goes into that surgery tomorrow. Thanks Candy Crowley, Elizabeth Cohen.
We're going to ask Bill Bennett to stand by. We have more to talk with him about. Learn why he argues the United States should deal with Saddam Hussein aggressively sooner rather than later. He'll also be taking your e-mail on this subject. That's coming up. And Saddam Hussein's missile launchers, where he's moved them and what it means for American war planners. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: For many decades, of course, American college campuses have been focal points for anti-war activities. But at New York's Columbia University tomorrow, there will be a pro-war event, effectively a teach-in sponsored by Americans For Victory Over Terrorism. The former education secretary, Bill Bennett, is the chairman of that group. He's rejoining us from Washington.
Bill, thanks very much for joining us.
BENNETT: Sure. BLITZER: I want to get to some of the specific questions, but we've got a lot of e-mail and one of these is very much directed towards you. Let me read it -- from Paul in Portland, Oregon -- "The Pope has today reasserted his conclusion that a new Gulf War would be immoral, as was the first Gulf War. As a faithful Catholic, will you be instructing your students that current U.S. policies toward Iraq are immoral?"
BENNETT: No, I won't. The Pope is not here instructing excathedra (ph) and this is not a doctrinal teaching on faith and morals and we are not obligated as Catholics to follow it. One I have a disagreement with the Pope on this as I have with a couple of other things that are not matters of faith and morals.
BLITZER: So what's the point of the teach-in tomorrow? What exactly do you hope to achieve?
BENNETT: One of the things we've learned over the last year, Wolf, is that a lot of students on a lot of our campuses, even our best campuses, such as Columbia, are not getting a full account of why we fight, why we're in this war. They're getting a rather -- very partial account, one that tends toward the left and liberal criticism of the president and policies. We're going with our group because we have a point-of-view about the war and we want to present it to the students.
But I must say even though we have a point-of-view, which we believe this war should be prosecuted to the full extent, it's a bipartisan panel. We have Jim Woolsey, who was Bill Clinton's CIA director, as well as Paul Bremmer who did counterintelligence -- the terrorism panel for Ronald Reagan. It's important for students to hear this point-of-view because as we have heard from many students, they're not getting the arguments for this point-of-view from their professors.
BLITZER: Those of us old enough like you and me, for example, remember Columbia University, '60s, '70s leading the way in the anti- Vietnam war protest. Do you expect any fireworks on campus tomorrow when you show up?
BENNETT: Well, I hope not. At least, I hope they're not aimed fireworks. I expect protests. I expect some exercise of First Amendment rights and that's fine. We just hope to be able to exercise ours.
You know, I'm an old philosophy professor, Wolf, from the 60's and 70's. There's a very interesting question, a fundamental question, out there. The students heard today Osama bin Laden, presumably, saying that we are evil and that we must be extirpated. And we have said that he is evil. And we have said the regime in Iraq is evil. Let's have a discussion about what the evidence is for what we say and the evidence -- with the evidences for what they say. I think we can make a pretty good case for our side. I'm not sure a lot of students have heard that case.
BLITZER: All right, let's get to another e-mail. This one from Mrs. Shawn Olsen in Lakewood, Washington. "North Korea is more threatening than Iraq and has nuclear weapons. Why are we not going there instead of the easy target, Iraq? Is it maybe because Iraq has oil?"
BENNETT: Well, it certainly isn't because Iraq has oil because this is a very complicated way to make a deal with Iraqis about oil. If we wanted the oil in Iraq, we should dispense with the war and just make a very advantageous deal as the French made with the Iraqis.
Oil isn't the point. This makes the oil in some ways more difficult for us to use. Obviously, if we were to just gobble up all the oil after an attack or a war, people would say, you see. So it really isn't a very smart way to go after it, if that's your motivation. It is clearly not the motivation because there are easier ways to do it.
I agree North Korea is a very serious matter. But that, I think, underscores one of the reasons we need to act in Iraq. We need to act in Iraq before it becomes another North Korea.
By the way, I would point out there's been an awful lot of ink about whether there are weapons of mass destruction in Iraq and inspectors and so on. Virtually everybody in the know knows there are. I noted that Madeleine Albright, the former secretary of state, said on news shows on Sunday -- this past Sunday, she said, of course there are weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. This is really not a plausible debate anymore on those grounds.
BLITZER: Bill Bennett, good luck tomorrow. Columbia University, we'll be covering that story. Bill Bennett and his group...
BENNETT: Great.
BLITZER: ... the name of the group, Americans For Victory Over Terrorism.
BENNETT: Yes, sir.
BLITZER: As usual, always good to have you on the program. Thanks very much.
BENNETT: Thank you, Wolf.
BLITZER: And despite Iraq's latest statements that it does not have banned weapons and does not want war, American officials say there are many signs Saddam Hussein is indeed preparing for battle. Our senior Pentagon correspondent, Jamie McIntyre, is joining us now live with details.
JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN SENIOR PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, as the U.S. is sending strong signals that war with Iraq is growing closer, Iraq is responding by taking measures that appear to be aimed at making any war as messy as possible.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) MCINTYRE (voice-over): The United States believes Iraq is hiding up to 20 SCUD missiles. And the latest U.S. intelligence indicates mobile missile launchers, though not the missiles themselves have been moved next to mosques and other civilian structures in an attempt to shield them from U.S. bombs. It's a standard Iraqi tactic, say Pentagon officials. This photo from the 1991 Persian Gulf War shows military aircraft moved to an historic site near Tahlil.
VICTORIA CLARKE, PENTAGON SPOKESWOMAN: Saddam Hussein will do what he's done in the past and he will use civilians in the most cynical fashion possible. He will put innocent men, women and children near military assets. He will put military assets near civilian populations.
MCINTYRE: And U.S. intelligence says it sees more signs Iraq might torch oil fields as it did in Kuwait. Pentagon sources tell CNN, railroad cars full of explosives have been moved into the south. And U.S. officials fear Iraqi troops will be ordered to dynamite their own oil fields in an attempt to complicate any invasion and create an environmental disaster.
CLARKE: And we have seen evidence that he may indeed try to do what he has done in the past, which is set oil fields on fire and destroy them so the Iraqi people have no assets left, nothing to get -- help them get their economy and their country back up on their feet again.
MCINTYRE: The U.S. is seeing a number of other indicators that Iraq is girding for war, including the dispersal of aircraft and the building of revetments, bunkers and other defenses.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MCINTYRE: And Pentagon sources say U.S. intelligence has determined that Saddam Hussein's best-trained and equipped troops, the Republican Guard, have set up two separate rings of defenses around Baghdad. The big question for U.S. military planners is will they fight or fold when faced with what the Pentagon believes is certain defeat -- Wolf.
BLITZER: Good question. We'll see the answer presumably not too far down the road. Jamie McIntyre, thanks very much for that report.
Time is running out for your turn to weigh in on our "Web Question of The Day." Do you believe Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden are working together?" Log onto CNN.com/Wolf. That's where you can vote. And we'll have the results immediately when we come back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Here's how you're weighing in our "Web Question of the Day." Remember we've been asking you this -- do you believe Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden are working together? Look at this, 39 percent of you say yes, 61 percent of you say no. You can find the exact vote tally, continue to vote, by the way, on our website, CNN.com/Wolf. This is not -- not -- a scientific poll. That's all the time we have today. Please join me again tomorrow at 5:00 p.m. Eastern, 2:00 p.m. Pacific and don't forget "SHOWDOWN: IRAQ" every weekday at noon Eastern. Until then, thanks very much for watching. I'm Wolf Blitzer in Los Angeles. "LOU DOBBS MONEYLINE" is up next.
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