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American Morning

America's New War: USS Roosevelt Deployed, Awaiting Orders from Bush Administration

Aired September 19, 2001 - 10:03   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: Time to focus in on now on some of the military efforts now under way.

Let's check in with Jeanne Meserve, who is on the USS Roosevelt as it pulls out its homebase in Norfolk. Also joining us this morning Bob Franken from Pentagon headquarters.

Jeanne, let's start with you first. Where are you on board?

JEANNE MESERVE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, I'm high up here, on one of the decks. They've just blasted the horn and raised the American flag at stern of the ship. They have cast off. And the USS Theodore Roosevelt, one of the nation's 12 aircraft carriers, is now on route. Below me, I can see sailors in dressed white standing at attention. This is a traditional departure ceremony they are going through.

I think just there you got a little sense of the reality of what is going on here, a loud blast of the ship's horn. The secretary of the Navy Gordon England came on board the Roosevelt this morning, and used the overhead address system to address the crew. He stated the obvious, which is that this is not a routine mission, though the exact nature is still unclear. He seemed to be preparing the men for action, men and women. Now is the time, he said, for us to pick up the mantle, end terrorism and destroy this canter.

The Roosevelt and its battle group do not know exactly where they are heading. They have to be ready for any mission, according to the officers in charge, any mission the president gives them. Rear admiral Mark Fitzgerald, the battle group commander said -- quote -- "We are ready, we are on the tip of the steer, ready to react." And the captain of the Roosevelt noted that his nickname is "The Big Stick," a play on the favorite saying, the namesake of course being Teddy Roosevelt. The saying meaning, think softly and carry a big stick.

Paula, that's the latest from here.

ZAHN: Jeanne, you had a chance to talk to some of the sailors before they got underway, before they began pulling out of port. How conflicted are they about this mission that may or may not await them?

MESERVE: Well, someone said to me that this is really a microcosm of American society. You have you a wide array of opinions here. There were some sailors I talked to who were clearly fearful of what lay ahead. They did not like the uncertainty that was before them. There were a few who would say they were scared. Some said they were mad, but all of them said they were ready. They were ready to go and do their jobs, and they fully expect that that job, in this instance, will entail playing a part in the war President Bush has declared against terrorism -- Paul.

ZAHN: All right, Jeanne, if you would stand by as we continue to look at stunning picture of you, along with the crew of some 5,500 onboard the Teddy Roosevelt, pulling out of homeport in Virginia.

Joining us right now is Bob Franken. I would like him to join in this discussion us to help us better understand how this fits into the overall larger military planning now under way.

Good morning, Bob.

BOB FRANKEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning. And the thing we have to know is this will mean the fourth battle group, a battle group being its carrier and support ships of varying types -- about 14 in this particular flotilla. There are now four at sea from the United States. Now three of them are going to be in what we can call the region -- Persian Gulf, the Arabian Sea, and now the this particular flotilla. This is the Theodore Roosevelt Group, which is now leaving port for what we were told is the Mediterranean. But of course that could change at any moment. Now this was a regularly scheduled departure, It had not been set up in response to what happened last week.

But what is difference is that a battle group that was going to be coming back is told to stay in the region. So in that part of the world, there will be three. A fourth unit is being set up in the Pacific, which of course also sets up a variety of possibilities. So the United States is certainly putting these ships in a position where they could participate in whatever action might be ordered. You should know that they are quite versatile. There are 15,000 crew members in this particular flotilla, this particular battle group of 14 ships -- 5,000 aboard the aircraft carrier alone the Roosevelt. It's included every variety almost of aircraft, including attack helicopters from a Marine contingent who's going. So this could be sort of the baits for my sort of attack they would do, short of any troop movement. This is certainly the Navy presence. The Navy, it's still being decided what role is going to be played. But it will be in the region fairly shortly, ready to in fact play that role.

ZAHN: Bob, we add report out of Fort Campbell, Kentucky early this morning, talking about the 101st airborne division being -- maybe it's too strong of a word, but called a state of alert, but certainly ready to be deployed within 36 hours if that call is made. Can you tell us about other branches of the military and their state of readiness to be deployed if that call is made?

FRANKEN: Well, they are in varying degrees. Of course, the Air Force would operate more quickly, so it doesn't require the same kind of warning. What happens is certain units got a preliminary warning -- be prepared, you might be called up. The ones that were the ones that you would traditionally see, the 101st, the 82nd. That type of thing paratrooper units who are always put in that position.

So there is a signal that's going out, and part of this probably is a signal, that the United States is preparing for this war, the word that is used by the administration, which is going to be conducted. There is no signal about exactly how it will be conducted militarily.

ZAHN: All right, Bob Franken, thanks so much for the update. We will be coming to you throughout the morning with any new elements that arise.

Right now, joining me on the telephone is Christiane Amanpour. She's joining me on the telephone now because of bad weather that's blown into Islamabad.

Christiane, any update of what is going on with the clerics that continue to meet In Afghanistan?

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, we understand that that meeting is underway, but we have absolutely no way of knowing what they have said, what decision, if any, yet they have come to. What we do know, however, is that the Pakistani delegation that was sent and met with them on Tuesday and Wednesday, basically came back empty handed. They went and they delivered a very strong message, personally delivered by the -- personally written, rather, by the president of Pakistan, and met with basic silence from the Taliban leadership and simply a promise they would come to a decision when they could convene this religious meeting in Afghanistan. Let's listen to the foreign ministry spokesman as he explained.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RIAZ M. KHAN, PAKISTAN FOREIGN MINISTRY: The delegation impressed upon the leadership the gravity of the situation and what the international community expected from the Afghan government and leadership.

The Afghan leadership listened to the point of view presented by our delegation with utmost attention and in seriousness.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

AMANPOUR: Now again, just to reiterate, the Pakistani leadership does not hold out much hope, we are hearing from officials, that in fact the Taliban will hand over Osama bin Laden, who has been named by the United States and other countries as the prime suspect from last week's devastating attack on the United States. Pakistan taking the decision to stand with the United States in what is being called this global war against terror. And to that end, the president of Pakistan is preparing to deliver an address to the nation tonight in which he will spell out specifically for his people to understand, what we are told, the Pakistani leadership logic of standing with the United States at this particular time. We might just add, that this storm that has blown through has basically knocked down our equipment for the moment, and we are certainly hoping that we will be able to bring you that speech live and it doesn't affect the transmission of that speech as we try to cover it tonight -- Paula.

ZAHN: Well, if we're not able to cover it life at 11:30, our time, as it is scheduled, we will certainly come to you to -- I know you'll be able to listen to it, at least it give us your assessment of what the president said.

I want to, Christiane, come back it something a German official said this morning, a member of NATO, saying it would be irresponsible for the United States and its allies to launch any immediate attacks on Osama bin Laden, now that he is, of course, declared the prime suspect. In Pakistan, do people believe that military action will be taken soon?

AMANPOUR: Well, soon I'm not sure we can characterize it as that. We in fact heard from the foreign ministry spokesman today, who said that Pakistan is not aware of any plans in the works right now anywhere. It has not been informed by the United States of anything. It has promised, as you know, to give the United States full logistical support. But it knows that this is an open-ended commitment, because it tells the leadership it has not heard from the United States about specific actions, or steps or support that the United States might want in a military action. What we do know, also, though is that most people in this region, including in Pakistan, do believe that there is a sort of inevitability to an eventual military response as part of the other response towards terrorism, which as you know, will include intelligence gathering, and sharing, and detective work, and diplomatic and political coalition.

ZAHN: Christiane Amanpour, thanks so much for that update.

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