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CNN Live Today

Bush to Address Troops From MacDill

Aired June 16, 2004 - 10:30   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.


DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Daryn Kagan. Let's check the top stories "At This Hour." President Bush is at MacDill Air Force Base in Florida, the home of U.S. Central Command. Besides getting a briefing from military officials, the president plans to thank troops for their effort in Iraq and Afghanistan. U.S. forces still in those countries will watch the president's speech via satellite.
Iraqi oil exports have been stopped after insurgents attacked pipelines in the north and the south. It could take at least a week for repairs to made and complete capacity restored. OPEC's president says he will ask major oil producing nations who don't belong to the cartel to increase output.

Another hit for the Iraqi oil industry today. The security chief of the Northern Oil Company was shot dead in Kirkuk. It was the fourth killing of a leading Kirkuk resident in the last few days. Insurgents are focusing attacks on members of the new Iraqi Government ahead of the handover on June 30.

And law enforcement sources tell CNN the FBI is holding a Pakistani American on suspicion of terrorism. Authorities believe that Mohammed Babar (ph) is connected to al Qaeda and was allegedly plotting an attack. No other details have been revealed. Sources say Babar was arrested in April and has been cooperating with investigators.

A Somalia accused of plotting to blow up a shopping mall in Columbus, Ohio has a detention hearing this afternoon. Nuradin Abdi has pleaded not guilty to charging material support to al Qaeda and to fraud. He has not been charged in the bomb plot.

A number of al Qaeda-linked cases are prosecuted under the material support to terrorists statute. That's what it's called. The government says the law has saved American lives but critics question its effectiveness. Our Kelli Arena has that story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KELLI ARENA, CNN JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Hammad Abdur-Raheem and two others were sentenced to lengthy prison terms in a Virginia court, the last three members of an alleged Virginia jihadist group, the Justice Department winning convictions or guilty pleas against nine out of 11 men. They were found guilty of providing material support to Lashkar e-Taiba, the Pakistani-based terror group.

Prosecutors have been very successful in prosecuting individuals using the material support for terrorism statute. In Portland, Oregon, the government won six guilty pleas against an alleged terror cell. In Lackawanna, near Buffalo, New York, six men who trained at terror camps pled guilty. And in Detroit, two terror-related convictions.

JOHN ASHCROFT, ATTORNEY GENERAL: The most tangible measure of our success is found in a fact for which we are grateful to God and citizens of this country and law enforcement officials. We have not experienced a major terrorist attack on U.S. soil.

ARENA: But the government's successes are often met with skepticism.

NEAL KATAYAL, GEORGETOWN LAW CENTER: This administration, at least sometimes, has over claimed its successes. And there's a deep question given the excessive secrecy of this administration, whether the successes that we do know about are really true successes or not.

ARENA: Take for example the allegations against Jose Padilla, designated an enemy combatant and currently in military custody. When he was arrested, Attorney General John Ashcroft definitively said that he was involved in a plot to set off a dirty bomb in the United States. Now prosecutors say he may have been here to blow up apartment buildings.

The Justice Department's newest terror case, just a day old, against an Ohio man allegedly involved in a plot to blow up a shopping mall is already being scrutinized for what critics call a lack of hard evidence. But government supporters argue law enforcement has a mandate to prevent terrorist acts before they happen, which often will not result in the same kind of evidence that's available after the fact.

VIET DINH, ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL: You don't have to wait until the brink of death and destruction in order to establish the evidence of criminal wrongdoing. Nor do we -- need we wait until after lives have been lost for us to pick up the pieces and prosecute for terrorism.

ARENA (on camera): Still, even some on the bench are having trouble adjusting. In the Virginia jihadist case, the judge called the mandatory sentences she imposed Draconian, and went on to say at times the law and justice need to be in tune.

Kelli Arena, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: And as you can see by the live picture we went to at the end of Kelli's piece, that's President Bush arrived at MacDill Air Force Base in Florida. He is there to address the troops, to address the people at MacDill. But also this speech is being broadcast via satellite to troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Our Suzanne Malveaux is standing by at MacDill with a quick preview as the president walks up to begin his speech. SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Daryn, we've been told by White House officials that there are at least 10,000 people in this crowd alone who are going to be watching the president.

But not only here. He is going it be speaking directly to U.S. troops in Afghanistan and Iraq. It's going to be carried on Armed Forces Radio and Television.

And this is a clear sign that this is message, this is a speech that is very important to this White House. As you know, we are just two weeks away from transferring power to the Iraqi people. The president, the White House, is making the case, as they have been for the last couple of weeks, that they are ready. That they feel the Iraqis are ready as they can be to, at least in the interim, have power turned back over to them.

Of course, there's been a lot of questions about the fate of Saddam Hussein, whether or not they're ready in terms of security, in terms of -- having other infrastructures in place to actually hold a fair trial for Saddam Hussein.

But you can see the president here, of course, shaking hands and being greeted very warmly by this group. He wants to send a message that their support for the mission and that he believes his transfer of power will be successful.

As you know, of course, this is a president running on his record as commander in chief -- Daryn.

KAGAN: And, Suzanne, as you mention, as we can see behind with the sign, this is the head of U.S. Central Command. If you could talk a little about the significance of that in terms of the fights in Afghanistan and Iraq.

MALVEAUX: Well, absolutely, because the Central Command here, really, it is very heart of the mission in Iraq. This is a place where you have thousands of soldiers who served in the war in terror in Afghanistan and Iraq. Many have returned. Many, of course, who are still out there in the fields and in active duty.

The president, after making his remarks, is going to meet privately with about a dozen families of fallen soldiers. This is something that he does on occasion when he visits military installations to let them know in his private time how much he appreciates their service.

KAGAN: And, of course, the speech taking place at the same time the 9/11 Commission holding its final two days of hearings and coming out with reports saying that they feel there is no link between al Qaeda and Iraq. Do we expect the president to go in that direction with this speech?

MALVEAUX: We don't necessarily expect that he is going to be that specific about it. What we do expect, however, is that he is going to paint a broad picture about the five-point plan that he has outlined before about how it is that the transfer of power to the Iraqis is going to work, how the U.S. and the international community will be supporting them in the future, the need for the multi-national force to remain in place.

And also the acknowledgment that it is still going to be a very difficult mission ahead and will require a very strong commitment, a long-term commitment from the U.S. military.

KAGAN: Suzanne Malveauz at MacDill Air Force Base. That's Deputy Commander Lance Smith introducing the president of the United States. Let's listen in.

(INTERRUPTED BY LIVE EVENT)

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

DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Daryn Kagan. Let's check the top stories "At This Hour." President Bush is at MacDill Air Force Base in Florida, the home of U.S. Central Command. Besides getting a briefing from military officials, the president plans to thank troops for their effort in Iraq and Afghanistan. U.S. forces still in those countries will watch the president's speech via satellite.>


Aired June 16, 2004 - 10:30   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Daryn Kagan. Let's check the top stories "At This Hour." President Bush is at MacDill Air Force Base in Florida, the home of U.S. Central Command. Besides getting a briefing from military officials, the president plans to thank troops for their effort in Iraq and Afghanistan. U.S. forces still in those countries will watch the president's speech via satellite.
Iraqi oil exports have been stopped after insurgents attacked pipelines in the north and the south. It could take at least a week for repairs to made and complete capacity restored. OPEC's president says he will ask major oil producing nations who don't belong to the cartel to increase output.

Another hit for the Iraqi oil industry today. The security chief of the Northern Oil Company was shot dead in Kirkuk. It was the fourth killing of a leading Kirkuk resident in the last few days. Insurgents are focusing attacks on members of the new Iraqi Government ahead of the handover on June 30.

And law enforcement sources tell CNN the FBI is holding a Pakistani American on suspicion of terrorism. Authorities believe that Mohammed Babar (ph) is connected to al Qaeda and was allegedly plotting an attack. No other details have been revealed. Sources say Babar was arrested in April and has been cooperating with investigators.

A Somalia accused of plotting to blow up a shopping mall in Columbus, Ohio has a detention hearing this afternoon. Nuradin Abdi has pleaded not guilty to charging material support to al Qaeda and to fraud. He has not been charged in the bomb plot.

A number of al Qaeda-linked cases are prosecuted under the material support to terrorists statute. That's what it's called. The government says the law has saved American lives but critics question its effectiveness. Our Kelli Arena has that story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KELLI ARENA, CNN JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Hammad Abdur-Raheem and two others were sentenced to lengthy prison terms in a Virginia court, the last three members of an alleged Virginia jihadist group, the Justice Department winning convictions or guilty pleas against nine out of 11 men. They were found guilty of providing material support to Lashkar e-Taiba, the Pakistani-based terror group.

Prosecutors have been very successful in prosecuting individuals using the material support for terrorism statute. In Portland, Oregon, the government won six guilty pleas against an alleged terror cell. In Lackawanna, near Buffalo, New York, six men who trained at terror camps pled guilty. And in Detroit, two terror-related convictions.

JOHN ASHCROFT, ATTORNEY GENERAL: The most tangible measure of our success is found in a fact for which we are grateful to God and citizens of this country and law enforcement officials. We have not experienced a major terrorist attack on U.S. soil.

ARENA: But the government's successes are often met with skepticism.

NEAL KATAYAL, GEORGETOWN LAW CENTER: This administration, at least sometimes, has over claimed its successes. And there's a deep question given the excessive secrecy of this administration, whether the successes that we do know about are really true successes or not.

ARENA: Take for example the allegations against Jose Padilla, designated an enemy combatant and currently in military custody. When he was arrested, Attorney General John Ashcroft definitively said that he was involved in a plot to set off a dirty bomb in the United States. Now prosecutors say he may have been here to blow up apartment buildings.

The Justice Department's newest terror case, just a day old, against an Ohio man allegedly involved in a plot to blow up a shopping mall is already being scrutinized for what critics call a lack of hard evidence. But government supporters argue law enforcement has a mandate to prevent terrorist acts before they happen, which often will not result in the same kind of evidence that's available after the fact.

VIET DINH, ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL: You don't have to wait until the brink of death and destruction in order to establish the evidence of criminal wrongdoing. Nor do we -- need we wait until after lives have been lost for us to pick up the pieces and prosecute for terrorism.

ARENA (on camera): Still, even some on the bench are having trouble adjusting. In the Virginia jihadist case, the judge called the mandatory sentences she imposed Draconian, and went on to say at times the law and justice need to be in tune.

Kelli Arena, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: And as you can see by the live picture we went to at the end of Kelli's piece, that's President Bush arrived at MacDill Air Force Base in Florida. He is there to address the troops, to address the people at MacDill. But also this speech is being broadcast via satellite to troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Our Suzanne Malveaux is standing by at MacDill with a quick preview as the president walks up to begin his speech. SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Daryn, we've been told by White House officials that there are at least 10,000 people in this crowd alone who are going to be watching the president.

But not only here. He is going it be speaking directly to U.S. troops in Afghanistan and Iraq. It's going to be carried on Armed Forces Radio and Television.

And this is a clear sign that this is message, this is a speech that is very important to this White House. As you know, we are just two weeks away from transferring power to the Iraqi people. The president, the White House, is making the case, as they have been for the last couple of weeks, that they are ready. That they feel the Iraqis are ready as they can be to, at least in the interim, have power turned back over to them.

Of course, there's been a lot of questions about the fate of Saddam Hussein, whether or not they're ready in terms of security, in terms of -- having other infrastructures in place to actually hold a fair trial for Saddam Hussein.

But you can see the president here, of course, shaking hands and being greeted very warmly by this group. He wants to send a message that their support for the mission and that he believes his transfer of power will be successful.

As you know, of course, this is a president running on his record as commander in chief -- Daryn.

KAGAN: And, Suzanne, as you mention, as we can see behind with the sign, this is the head of U.S. Central Command. If you could talk a little about the significance of that in terms of the fights in Afghanistan and Iraq.

MALVEAUX: Well, absolutely, because the Central Command here, really, it is very heart of the mission in Iraq. This is a place where you have thousands of soldiers who served in the war in terror in Afghanistan and Iraq. Many have returned. Many, of course, who are still out there in the fields and in active duty.

The president, after making his remarks, is going to meet privately with about a dozen families of fallen soldiers. This is something that he does on occasion when he visits military installations to let them know in his private time how much he appreciates their service.

KAGAN: And, of course, the speech taking place at the same time the 9/11 Commission holding its final two days of hearings and coming out with reports saying that they feel there is no link between al Qaeda and Iraq. Do we expect the president to go in that direction with this speech?

MALVEAUX: We don't necessarily expect that he is going to be that specific about it. What we do expect, however, is that he is going to paint a broad picture about the five-point plan that he has outlined before about how it is that the transfer of power to the Iraqis is going to work, how the U.S. and the international community will be supporting them in the future, the need for the multi-national force to remain in place.

And also the acknowledgment that it is still going to be a very difficult mission ahead and will require a very strong commitment, a long-term commitment from the U.S. military.

KAGAN: Suzanne Malveauz at MacDill Air Force Base. That's Deputy Commander Lance Smith introducing the president of the United States. Let's listen in.

(INTERRUPTED BY LIVE EVENT)

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

DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Daryn Kagan. Let's check the top stories "At This Hour." President Bush is at MacDill Air Force Base in Florida, the home of U.S. Central Command. Besides getting a briefing from military officials, the president plans to thank troops for their effort in Iraq and Afghanistan. U.S. forces still in those countries will watch the president's speech via satellite.>