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American Morning

America's New War: Former Security Adviser Explains Roles of Certain Organizations and Countries in the War on Terrorism

Aired September 25, 2001 - 11:37   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.
JOHN KING, CNN ANCHOR: One of the big questions as the military build up continue is whether a goal of the Bush administration is not only to target Osama bin Laden in his camps in Afghanistan, his suspected terrorist base, but also to topple Afghanistan's Taliban militia.

For more help understanding this, we are joined at this hour by Robert McFarlane, who was national security adviser to President Ronald Reagan.

Sir, one of the great questions here, we have correspondence with Northern Alliance in northern Afghanistan who have reported in on intensifying military operations. The Taliban obviously preparing for the possibility -- you might say the probability of a U.S. military campaign.

Help our viewers understand, this is a nation more than 20 years of civil strive and war. Is there an alternative to the Taliban?

ROBERT MCFARLANE, FMR. NATL. SECURITY ADVISER: Yes. It is a complex issue, but, John, there are commanders, former (UNINTELLIGIBLE) throughout the country, in the north, obviously, but also in the south in pushdune (ph) areas, that have no admiration or loyalty to the Taliban. And indeed, within the Taliban there are a number of pushdune commanders who would like to defect, if there is an alternative government to which they could rally. And it's that that's changed recently. The king in Rome who is the only moral authority, with respect throughout Afghanistan...

KING: Exiled for more than 20 years now.

MCFARLANE: That's true. But while in Rome he has maintained contacts with (UNINTELLIGIBLE), pushdune leaders throughout the country. And in the past few weeks has been putting together designees to convene a national assembly, what they call a (UNINTELLIGIBLE), so as to fashion a government that would be representative of all of the people after the Taliban is removed from the grass-roots.

KING: Have there been communications? You mention this organizing an the effort, is the United States government directly encouraging and assisting these efforts, or just watching them with interest? MCFARLANE: Only watching up until now. They have had a running dialogue over the past couple of weeks, however, with key figures, both in the north and with, for example, Abdul Haak (ph), a leading heroic figure from the pushdune commander community. So they are beginning to understand that while it is an inchoate movement right now, that it is a very plausible alternative, and, in any event, it makes good sense for the United States to give it a try for these grass-roots Afghan commanders to bring down the Taliban, form a government, kick out bin Laden, before the United States tries on its own, and we would have a much more difficult time of doing it with no intelligence and the risk of not only missing the target, but alienating much of the Muslim world in the process.

KING: What is the Russian role in this? In recent days President Putin publicly promising to help and support the United States effort, also indications they are increasing their cooperation, perhaps even their even supplying of the Northern Alliance in the north? Is there a Russian role in this, and is that in conjunction with the United States, or are they at cross purposes, perhaps?

MCFARLANE: The Russian support for the Northern Alliance has been significant and, in fact, critical, in enabling them to survive thus far. And I think that will remain a valuable constructive role.

What we need do, the United States, however, is focus on what is needed, not only in the north, but among pushdunes to organize a movement by commanders throughout the country. I think we can work cooperative with Russia. We have, and we ought to continue.

KING: And in the best-case scenario, you envision the United States toppling the Taliban and some other government takes place. Map that out for us, a role for the United Nations, peacekeeping troops. This is not the most stable region of the world.

It is, but historically in Afghanistan a process in which during a national crisis the king convenes a (UNINTELLIGIBLE) or grand national assembly, whose purpose is to bring together all of the ethnic divisions, form a government coalition, put it in place. At that point, they will turn out the bin Laden organization, they reject it, and the king has publicly rejected it last week. But that gets the head of the organization. Then we have to move toward the affiliates in 50 other countries. It as long struggle.

KING: And help me understand the role of Pakistan here. They have supported the Taliban over the years. There must a great deal of suspicious within the country and outside of the country, those who you say want it come back in and help organize a post Taliban government to Pakistan now saying it is now working with the United States.

MCFARLANE: Well, Pakistan basically wants a stable Afghanistan. And they have tolerated and indeed supported the Taliban because they thought it was the best option around. There is another game in town, however, now, and there are incentives for Pakistan to cooperate with us in installing a new government, according Afghan wishes. In the meantime, Pakistan can also be helped by both cutting off support to the Taliban and providing us with useful intelligence information.

KING: And one last question, sir: Help us, since you served in the White House, an the United States having no relations to speak of with the country of Iran because of the tragic events quite some time ago, the hostage crisis. What role can Iran play here?

MCFARLANE: Iran is quite bitterly anti-Taliban, and for that role, for that purpose they can be of help to us in terms of providing support and closing the border on the west.

I think, too, that while there are divisions within the Iranian government, this may, may offer an opportunity for us to restore a somewhat dialogue with a Iran with a view not only toward helping counter terrorism, but renew a more normal relationship with that government.

KING: Robert McFarlane, former national security adviser to President Reagan, thank you for helping us understand this more complicated, perhaps more complicated by the day, situation in Afghanistan.

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