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CNN Live At Daybreak

America's New War: Military Action and Airline Security

Aired September 28, 2001 - 08:15   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: We now head back to my colleague John King who stands by in Washington getting ready for a visit by the King of Jordan there, King Abdullah, who, John, as you might remember in an interview I did with him about a week ago, suggested that had there been peace in the Middle East the United States may never have seen these terrorist attacks on their soil on September 11.

JOHN KING, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: That is certainly the view of many in the region that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is the trigger, if you will, for much of the anti-American sentiment in the region. That one of the issues likely to be discussed today -- certain to be discussed today when President Bush sits down with King Abdallah, progress or hope for progress, anyway, in Israeli-Palestinian negotiations. And remember also back at the time of the New Year, the millennium, the United States thwarted some attacks -- suspected attacks, anyway, by members of the bin Laden network based in part on intelligence that came from Jordan, so important discussions for the president at the White House today.

Also a debate in Washington even as the American people try to decide what should the U.S. military mission be overseas, a debate here at home as well as combat air patrols continue to patrol the skies over the United States, escorting domestic jetliners at -- on occasions.

For more on that debate now, we'd like to bring in our Bob Franken standing by at the Pentagon -- Bob.

BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: And, John, it's part of a debate about concerns that some expressed that the national reaction can become an overreaction. Case in point is concerns now that have been raised about the delegating of authority by President Bush to lower level generals in "extraordinary circumstance," to quote the Pentagon. If he cannot be reached and the decision has to be made to shoot down a commercial jetliner that is endangering the lives, that type of thing, the kind of situation that, of course, could have been encountered on a couple of weeks ago during the crashes at the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, extraordinary circumstances, the President for whatever reason cannot be reached when time is of the essence, the power to make the decision whether to shoot down could be delegated to mid level generals. Those who are regional generals, in effect, with military forces and that raises concern that perhaps they would make decisions that were premature -- decisions that were discussed during a Pentagon briefing by the outgoing Chief of Staff. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GENERAL HUGH SHELTON, JOIN CHIEFS CHAIRMAN: We have got a great Air Force, Navy, Marine Corp., Army, but specifically the pilots that fly. They're bright, they're dedicated and they're very, very good. They're the best in the world. The last thing in the world that one of them wants to do is engage a commercial aircraft, and so don't get the impression that anyone is flying around out there that has a loose trigger finger, that's not the case.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FRANKEN: The very fact, John, that this kind of debate goes on, of course, points out the fact that at the same time that members of the national administration are managing what most consider a national crisis, they also have to manage the severe anxiety that's enveloping the United States right now -- John.

KING: And, Bob, in the early days of this mission we saw the carriers leaving port, we saw our aircraft being deployed overseas. In recent days we have not heard or seen much about this overseas part of the deployment. I assume the Pentagon likes it that way?

FRANKEN: Well, they do like it that way, but of course, remember the big chunks that were visible are already been moving into place. We see little increments every day when announcements are made -- new announcements, about 600 plus reservists, for instance, yesterday, who have been called to active duty and, of course, there is a lot that we're not seeing. They're very candid when they say that not only in the military front but in the financial world, the cyber world, et cetera. And you're right, the Pentagon likes it, the less we see the better.

KING: National correspondent Bob Franken from the Pentagon this morning. Thank you very much, Bob.

And we can show you now I think a picture of the Capitol here in Washington this morning. It has been a time of remarkable bipartisan unity, but in the days ahead, look for a pointed debate in the Congress over the president's airline security proposals. Many saying it does not go far enough. They want the federal government to take over complete responsibility for those airport check ins.

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