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Hunt for Bin Laden
Aired June 24, 2003 - 15:01 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.
JUDY WOODRUFF, CNN ANCHOR: It was a diplomatic a pat on the back for a crucial U.S. ally in the war on terror. But today's meeting between President Bush and Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf also served as a reminder of a mission still not accomplished. And that is the total destruction of Osama bin Laden and his al Qaeda network.
Let's go quickly now to our White House correspondent, Dana Bash. Dana, what were the two leaders saying about all this?
DANA BASH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, on the issue of bin Laden, President Bush repeated what has been the White House line for some time, that the war on terror, as far as they're concerned, is about more than just about one person.
But the reason for inviting President Musharraf, a man who came to power by military coup four years ago, is certainly an unlikely ally of the United States, was to thank him for his help with the United States in trying to go after the Taliban and toppling the Taliban in Afghanistan. And also going after senior al Qaeda members or senior al Qaeda leaders.
But it did serve as a reminder that bin Laden, coming up on nearly two years after 9/11, has not been found. Now Mr. Bush's response was it may take time, but they're still looking.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Over 500 hundred al Qaeda and Taliban terrorists are detained. They're no long a problem. So slowly but surely we're dismantling the networks and we'll continue on the hunt.
It doesn't matter how long it takes. It could take a day or it could take a month or it could take years. It doesn't matter how long it takes, Mr. President. We will stay on the hunt.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BASH: Now as for the Pakistani President, who was the first staff leader to get the coveted invitation to the presidential retreat at Camp David, he also made clear he wasn't sure where bin Laden is, but he could be somewhere in the vast border area between Pakistan and Afghanistan. And it's an area that Mr. Musharraf has just sent his military in to look for the first time.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) PERVEZ MUSHARRAF, PAKISTANI PRESIDENT: Now if at all any al Qaeda operative is hiding in this region, we are after them. Now, whether Osama bin Laden is here or across the border, your guess, sir, would be as good as mine. So I wouldn't like to venture into a guess.
But the possibility of his maybe shifting sides on the border is very much there. But, as I said, we are fully inside the areas which are treacherous areas.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BASH: Now, in exchange for Pakistan's help with the war on terrorism, the U.S. decided and announced today that they were going to try to get Congress to give Pakistan some $3 billion over the next five years in economic aid and also try to start the road towards some kind of free trade agreement, signing what they called a free trade investment act today. A pact today is all in an effort to continue to build on the relationship that both presidents today called mutually beneficial -- Judy.
WOODRUFF: Obviously some reward for their cooperation.
BASH: For sure.
WOODRUFF: All right, Dana, at the White House, thanks very much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired June 24, 2003 - 15:01 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JUDY WOODRUFF, CNN ANCHOR: It was a diplomatic a pat on the back for a crucial U.S. ally in the war on terror. But today's meeting between President Bush and Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf also served as a reminder of a mission still not accomplished. And that is the total destruction of Osama bin Laden and his al Qaeda network.
Let's go quickly now to our White House correspondent, Dana Bash. Dana, what were the two leaders saying about all this?
DANA BASH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, on the issue of bin Laden, President Bush repeated what has been the White House line for some time, that the war on terror, as far as they're concerned, is about more than just about one person.
But the reason for inviting President Musharraf, a man who came to power by military coup four years ago, is certainly an unlikely ally of the United States, was to thank him for his help with the United States in trying to go after the Taliban and toppling the Taliban in Afghanistan. And also going after senior al Qaeda members or senior al Qaeda leaders.
But it did serve as a reminder that bin Laden, coming up on nearly two years after 9/11, has not been found. Now Mr. Bush's response was it may take time, but they're still looking.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Over 500 hundred al Qaeda and Taliban terrorists are detained. They're no long a problem. So slowly but surely we're dismantling the networks and we'll continue on the hunt.
It doesn't matter how long it takes. It could take a day or it could take a month or it could take years. It doesn't matter how long it takes, Mr. President. We will stay on the hunt.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BASH: Now as for the Pakistani President, who was the first staff leader to get the coveted invitation to the presidential retreat at Camp David, he also made clear he wasn't sure where bin Laden is, but he could be somewhere in the vast border area between Pakistan and Afghanistan. And it's an area that Mr. Musharraf has just sent his military in to look for the first time.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) PERVEZ MUSHARRAF, PAKISTANI PRESIDENT: Now if at all any al Qaeda operative is hiding in this region, we are after them. Now, whether Osama bin Laden is here or across the border, your guess, sir, would be as good as mine. So I wouldn't like to venture into a guess.
But the possibility of his maybe shifting sides on the border is very much there. But, as I said, we are fully inside the areas which are treacherous areas.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BASH: Now, in exchange for Pakistan's help with the war on terrorism, the U.S. decided and announced today that they were going to try to get Congress to give Pakistan some $3 billion over the next five years in economic aid and also try to start the road towards some kind of free trade agreement, signing what they called a free trade investment act today. A pact today is all in an effort to continue to build on the relationship that both presidents today called mutually beneficial -- Judy.
WOODRUFF: Obviously some reward for their cooperation.
BASH: For sure.
WOODRUFF: All right, Dana, at the White House, thanks very much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
