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CNN Live At Daybreak

Bombing in Afghanistan Facing Growing Skepticism

Aired October 29, 2001 - 06:06   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.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: All right six minutes after the hour now. Let's go check in at the Pentagon and get the latest on the U.S. military strategy in Afghanistan. Our Bob Franken checks in for the first time this morning.

Hi Bob.

BOB FRANKEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello Leon. And the strategy continues at the moment to be, as far as we know, a continued aerial bombardment. But the aerial bombardment, which once again, has set areas around Kabul and once again is supposed to be going after Taliban forces, although there are continuing complaints of casualties.

The aerial bombardment is now facing quite a bit of skepticism -- a growing skepticism in the United States from those who are saying that it has not been as effective as (A), anybody had hoped that it would be and (B), as effective as it often times is presented by the Pentagon.

As a matter of fact, we've seen quite a switch in attitude -- quite a switch in the type of skeptical questioning that's been coming in the last several days, quite a bit of growing concern that it has not really produced any results, but the Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld who appeared on several of the Sunday talk shows including CNN's "LATE EDITION", said this is not unexpected.

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DONALD RUMSFELD, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: This is going roughly the way we have said publicly that it would go. We've said it would be long. We've said it would be difficult. We've said it would be different and indeed it is.

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FRANKEN: And Rumsfeld made it clear that the United States does not really plan to take a pause during the holy month of Ramadan, which is coming up, sacred Muslim holiday. He pointed out that throughout history Muslim forces themselves have fought during that period -- Leon.

HARRIS: All right Bob Franken at the Pentagon. Thank you very much. We'll see you later -- Daryn. TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com