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CNN Live At Daybreak

Target: Terrorism - Homeland Security Insights

Aired October 04, 2001 - 07:53   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.
ZAHN: The U.S. government is fighting this war against terrorism on many fronts. The Bush administration continues building a strong international coalition while increasing homeland security.

For more insight now on national security, the former national security adviser to former Vice President Al Gore, Leon Fuerth, who joins us from Washington this morning. Welcome.

LEON FUERTH, FORMER GORE NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: Thank you.

ZAHN: We know your former boss has pledged his full support, that is, Vice President Al Gore, for the present president, President Bush. How do you think President Bush is doing?

FUERTH: I think by and large he's doing a good job.

ZAHN: By and large? What would you be doing differently?

FUERTH: One thing I don't think I can bring myself to do is to second guess the president or his advisers in this situation. I watch it and I have to wonder whether I would be free of all error myself under the pressure of events. I don't think so. He is accomplishing what he set out to do, which is the creation of a coalition. He's gotten a very important resolution through the security council and things are moving in the right direction.

ZAHN: There is some concern even among the president's friends about what role Saudi Arabia might ultimately play and Egypt. Do you have any concerns about those two countries in particular?

FUERTH: Sure. They're both in something of a difficult position. To the extent that either country lends itself to support the United States, they have a problem of dealing with opinion in the street, which may run contrary to what the government's policy is going to be. And although these governments are stable, they can only take so much heat without beginning to feel that they are endangering their popular base.

So a great deal depends upon the skill of American diplomacy in handling this and a lot also depends finally upon the manner in which the president uses military force, if that's the way we go.

ZAHN: Well, one thing that has made, been made abundantly clear to the American public is that the public should get prepared for a prolonged campaign, a campaign, as Donald Rumsfeld once said, will not be over in days or weeks or months, it will take years.

What do you think U.S. citizens should be prepared for?

FUERTH: I think they need to be prepared for, among other things, moral ambiguity. We are going to have to deal closely and cooperatively with countries whose human rights and political liberty records are not what we would want, but these are countries that share a common concern with us to deal with terrorism and we need that kind of collaboration now.

I'm also afraid that they need to expect that there will be casualties among American troops. We have been fortunate as a country to have a tremendous technological advantage which has allowed us to go through major combat with minimal casualties.

To the extent that our troops become engaged in any close up or hazardous action, our luck may break here and I think people will need to accept that sacrifice and to carry on.

ZAHN: Mr. Fuerth, thank you for your insights this morning.

FUERTH: You're welcome.

ZAHN: We had to have you get up so early to join us.

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