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CNN Live At Daybreak

America's New War: Most Americans Support Military Action

Aired September 18, 2001 - 08:55   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.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Let's right now share with you some of the latest polling that's been done on American attitudes towards potential military action. In the latest CNN/"USA Today"/Gallup poll here's what Americans have told the folks that do the interviews. Eighty-eight percent of those talked to on September 14 and 15 support the idea of retaliation. Eight percent oppose it.

Let's check in now with General Wesley Clarke, who was the former supreme allied commander. He joins us from Washington this morning. Good morning, sir.

GEN. WESLEY CLARKE (RET.), FORMER NATO SUPREME COMMANDER: Good morning, Paula.

ZAHN: Do you think the U.S. should retaliate for the attacks on U.S. soil?

CLARKE: Well, we have to take action. But Americans, although this is very reassuring to see these poll numbers, Americans have to also understand that the action has to be smart and well timed. And as we've said consistently, it's a matter of building a diplomatic coalition, it's a matter of exchanging information. It takes a lot of work in the domestic politics and domestic security areas in many different countries.

And then we have to ask whether there are appropriate targets and appropriate means to go after some of the terrorist support networks and whether doing so really advances the overall cause or not.

So there are a lot of big questions to be answered at this point.

ZAHN: Well, based on your understanding of what the U.S. and its allies faces, are there appropriate targets?

CLARKE: Well, there are facilities and there are camps and probably logistics facilities, for example, for the Taliban military. And no doubt that these have been watched for some time. There is no doubt that we've been trying to get a grip on Osama bin Laden for years. As you know, in 1998 we struck at some of his camps. And so these are clearly on whatever target planning lists may be developed.

The question will be what's the impact and then on him will it be disruptive and is that disruption sufficient to justify going ahead when we know that it will have, it will raise concerns among European allies and among some in the Middle East and elsewhere that maybe we've acted precipitously.

And so it'll be a trade off of a desire to take quick military action that may or may not be that important against the desire to build a very strong and cohesive coalition. There's going to be some tough calls made as the information continues to come in by our leadership.

ZAHN: And General Clarke, we're going to continue to rely on your expertise throughout the morning. Thanks so much for joining us and we'll chat with you probably in the next hour.

CLARKE: Right. Thank you, Paula.

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