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American Morning
America's New War: IMF and World Bank Meetings in Washington Indefinitely Postponed
Aired September 17, 2001 - 10:57 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: Let's quickly go back to Washington D.C. where John has some news for us.
JOHN KING, CNN SR. WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Paula, one quick update. There was supposed to be at the end of this month meetings of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank here in Washington. That one set of meetings, like other recent global economic conferences that have drawn thousands of protesters, sometimes violent protesters here in Washington and around the world, the decision just made, now confirmed by CNN, to postpone those meetings indefinitely. IMF World Bank meeting scheduled for the 29th and 30th of this month here in Washington.
The administration had asked for those meetings to be postponed, simply because the District of Columbia Police Department, the Secret Service, the Capitol Police, all in close proximity to where those meetings would be held, but they simply did not have the resources right now to provide the necessary security for the expected protests, and they raised the concerns that if so many demonstrators and protesters were here if Washington, it would be more easier for individuals with other intentions to move about in locations near key government building -- Paula.
ZAHN: On the heals of that news, I'm wondering if you're getting any new information out of the White House this morning about the efforts to build a coalition, as the United States, along with its -- some of its friendlier allies ponder what to do about how to get whoever is responsible for these deadly attacks?
KING: More telephone calls from both the president and Secretary of State Powell we are told will be made today as this effort to build a coalition continues. I had a conversation with a very senior administration official earlier this morning, who said we are very encouraged right now. In public, you see the steps taken from the government of Pakistan. In private, the Saudi Arabian government has given strong promises to the United States, that it will do everything it can to crackdown. Mr. bin Laden is a Saudi dissident, and gets a great deal of funding from wealthy Saudi businessmen. The Saudi Arabian government promises to help as well. The Saudi ambassador to the United States held meetings over the weekend we are told, which representatives of other Arab and Middle Eastern nations, trying to get them to join the U.S. effort. At the same time, we are also told by sources that the government of Pakistan and Russia have a agreed to share their intelligence information about the bin Laden organization with the United States. That information, senior administration officials say is key as the president meets this morning at this hour with national security team, continuing to narrow down the potential military options for response here -- Paula.
ZAHN: Former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger was a guest earlier this morning. He said the role that Russia plays in this coalition, if it plays it -- and you just acknowledged that it probably will -- is critical. But he said, to a certain extent, that some of the Russian leaders might get a sense of enjoyment out of watching how the United States deals with this situation. Afghanistan certainly crisis that the Russians are intimately familiar with.
KING: Flashback in history, of course, the Soviet Union had what was a disastrous campaign against many of these same forces in Afghanistan. Many of the weapons supplied, much of the training done at the time, now believed to be in the hands among the allies of Mr. bin Laden. So yes, the history books would tell us the Soviet Union -- now collapsed of course -- the soviet union had disastrous experience when sent ground troops in to Afghanistan. That a lesson being studied by the Bush administration. Officials say, despite the history, saying the American people need to be prepared for the likelihood the strong possibility that there will be ground element, a commando element, of any U.S. military response.
ZAHN: One last question, you said the Russians have pledged help with intelligence. How helpful would their involvement be?
KING: Well, that is a question. It's very hard to get the specifics out of the administration right now given the sensitivity of the military planning and given the political sensitivity around the world. Some of these government will help publicly. Others perhaps would do so privately, because difficult for their own stability to do so in a public way. But we are told the Russians have had statements of support from President Putin and others. We are told as well, there has been some exchange of intelligence information about the bin Laden organization, the Pakistani government, and indeed the government of India we are told providing that information as well.
The administration officials very gratified so far by the response of almost everyone they have reached out for help here, although they do concede the true test comes days and weeks down the road, as the administration implements what the president and others say will be a sustained campaign that takes not days, not weeks, not months, but several years.
ZAHN: All right, see you in a little bit, John. Thanks so much.
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