Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live At Daybreak

America's New War: U.S. Plans May Include Overthrowing Taliban

Aired September 21, 2001 - 08:05   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Right now, it's time to head back to Washington where John King is standing by.

John, I think what struck my ear about what Christiane just reported is the interpretation of the president's speech last night by the Taliban that somewhere implicit in there, there was notice that the United States planned to overthrow the government of Afghanistan.

JOHN KING, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, certainly that is the reaction the administration was expecting, and it not a surprising one, because Mr. Bush did make clear in that speech in a direct ultimatum to the Taliban majority in Afghanistan -- the Taliban militia -- excuse me. What the president said is you will either surrender the terrorists or suffer their fate. So the president making clear he will direct military strikes against the Taliban if they do not meet his ultimatum.

Already, Paula, this morning the White House rejecting this call that it turn over evidence in this case against Osama bin Laden. The White House saying the president meant it when he said his demand was non-negotiable.

But at the same time, the president very sensitive to the reaction in the Arab world and among Muslims here in the United States and around the world. You just saw those pictures, the demonstrations in Christiane Amanpour's report. The president in his speech to Congress and the American people last night knowing full well it was being watched around the world narrowly defined the enemy as he sees it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The terrorists are traitors to their own faith trying in effect to hijack Islam itself. The enemy of America is not our many Muslim friends. It is not our many Arab friends. Our enemy is a radical network of terrorists and every government that supports them.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: Now, for more on the reaction this morning to the Taliban comments, let's bring in my colleague over at the White House, Kelly Wallace.

Kelly, the White House responding quickly, and also a pretty important day ahead for the president.

KELLY WALLACE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely, John.

The White House very quick response saying that the Taliban statements today -- just really they rejected them, as you noted. The administration saying the president made it amazing clear in his speech last night that his demands, he expects them to be met, that they are not open for negotiation, that they are not open for debate. And obviously making it clear, while he didn't specify in that speech last night a timetable for any military campaign, he made it clear to the military to be ready, and he also made it clear saying that the hour when the U.S. will act is coming.

A big day, though, on the diplomatic front, John, as you noted, the president meeting with the foreign minister of China on this day. Washington and Beijing have had tense relations over these past nine months of the Bush administration. But it's another example of how the United States is reaching out to traditional and nontraditional allies to try to build this international coalition against terrorism. So Mr. Bush meeting with the foreign minister of China; just another one of the face-to-face meetings we've seen this week. The president trying to look other leaders in the eye to see exactly what they're willing to do to help the U.S. in this fight against terrorism -- John.

KING: Part of that fight, Kelly, will be waged here at home. Help me here understand. Governor Tom Ridge of Pennsylvania will become the anti-terrorism czar, if you will, the director of what the White House calls the Office of Homeland Security.

What are his responsibilities?

WALLACE: Right. And that seemed to be a very important message, John, for the president to send to the American people last night to reassure them that he is taking many steps to try to protect the United States.

What he will do: Governor Ridge announcing that he will step down from the governorship on October 5 and take over this position. He will coordinate federal, state and local efforts to try to deal with any threats in the United States -- any terrorism threat in the U.S. There has been concern that there really hasn't been very good coordination between the federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. Also he'll focus on airline security, focus on other transportation areas that could be vulnerable to any terrorist attacks. So clearly, he has a big challenge ahead, John.

I thought it was interesting also Governor Ridge announcing that he would take this position. When he went back to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania last night, he said he was almost saddened, though. While he will do everything possible for this challenge, he felt he was saddened that even such a post had to be created -- John, back to you.

KING: All right, Kelly Wallace at the White House. Thank you very much for that. And also on the president's agenda today, keeping track of the negotiations in Congress on the multi-billion dollar plan to bail out the airline industry obviously struggling in the wake of these terrorist strikes. Tracking the economic impact of all of this is something we've been trying to do over the past 10 days, and for more on that, now back to Paula Zahn in New York.

ZAHN: OK. Thanks, John.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.