Return to Transcripts main page

American Morning

Target: Terrorism - Threat of More Attacks

Aired October 05, 2001 - 10:20   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.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Yesterday we saw a very busy, very public President Bush.

Let's check in now in Washington with CNN's John King, who is watching from the steps of the White House once again, and throughout Washington.

John, good morning to you.

JOHN KING, CNN SR. WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning again to you, Bill. We want to get quickly to a developing story at this hour.

Very rare public criticism from the Bush White House. The United States's government criticizing the prime minister of Israel for remarks he made yesterday about the United States' effort to build this international coalition for the war on terrorism.

For the very latest, let me turn to my colleague over at the White House, Kelly Wallace. Kelly?

KELLY WALLACE, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: John, very rare criticism indeed. Ari Fleischer, the president's spokesman, calling Israeli Prime Minister Sharon's comments -- quote -- "unacceptable."

Now yesterday, the prime minister comparing the current situation, the U.S. assembling this coalition, to the situation back in 1938 when the west did nothing to prevent Nazi Germany's invasion of Czechoslovakia.

Well here first is what Prime Minister Sharon had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ARIEL SHARON, PRIME MINISTER OF ISRAEL: I call on the western democracies, and primarily the leader of the free world, the United States, do not repeat the dreadful mistake of 1938, when enlightened European democracies decided to sacrifice Czechoslovakia for a convenient temporary solution.

Do not try to appease the Arabs at our expense. This is unacceptable to us. Israel will not be Czechoslovakia.

(END VIDEOTAPE) WALLACE: Again, those comments getting a very strong reaction from the White House. Ari Fleischer calling them unacceptable. The president calling them unacceptable. Fleischer also saying the United States is not doing anything to appease Arabs at Israel's expense.

John, we understand that message has been communicated to the government of Israel through the U.S. embassy in Israel, and also through the National Security Council.

These comments from the prime minister come certainly a few days, John as you know, earlier this week when President Bush, for the first time indicated that it is the sort of the vision of the United States to see the creation of a Palestinian state. Not clear if he is responding to those comments. But clearly, concern on the part of Israel as the U.S. reaches out to moderate Arab nations. And of course concern in the U.S. about the comments made by the prime minister. John?

KING: Kelly, they come at a time we have just seen in the past 72 hours, the Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld visiting those nations you were just referencing, moderate Arab nations: Oman, Saudi Arabia, Egypt. At each stop, the Defense Secretary saying he believes it is inevitable that there will ultimately be a military response to this.

As he makes that case overseas, bring us up to speed on the developments here at home. We know the administration for the past three weeks has been telling the Congress that it believes there is still a threat of terrorist attacks here in the United States; especially so, the administration officials tell Congress, if there are U.S. military actions, they believe there might be retaliatory strikes here at home.

What is the latest from the administration on that?

WALLACE: The latest, John, is the administration saying this is a message that President Bush, his top advisors, officials throughout the White House have been continuing to put out there. That the threats continue to exist. That Americans should be on alert and be vigilant. But the government is doing everything it possibly can to protect Americans.

We of course saw Attorney General John Ashcroft just last weekend saying there is substantial risk out there, and that those risks definitely to increase if the U.S. retaliates.

At the same time, John, Ari Fleischer, the president's spokesman, saying Americans pretty much get it. He thinks that the American know that the threats are out there, but that they are still going about their normal business. But you see the administration trying to put out 2 messages: Encourage people that there are still some threats, but they also want to return to some normalcy.

So, Ari Fleischer feels like the American people get it, and the administration, again, doing everything thing it possibly can to protect people here in this country, and of course fight the terrorists overseas. John? KING: All right. Kelly Wallace at the White House. Thank you for that very much.

We also know from a substantive standpoint, the administration has restricted more air space, not only over key installations here in Washington, but over nuclear power plants, over dams, over key industrial facilities that it believes could be, emphasis on "could be," the potential targets if there are another wave of terrorist strikes or attempted strikes here in the United States.

Bill?

HEMMER: John quickly, we know Reagan National opened yesterday. About ten days ago we still saw some shots and video tape of F-16s patrolling up and down the mall there in Washington.

Is that still the case or not?

KING: We do -- I have not personally heard or seen any in several days, Bill, but we do know that they are on -- combat patrols are on stand by at locations around the country, on 5 minute notice to 15 minute notice if the government decides to scramble them. And the Pentagon has said that it would have in place plans to patrol the skies, not only over Washington, but over major U.S. cities as well.

I have not seen that level of security here as often in recent days. Although, we do know when the president travels, when is he on a helicopter or an airplane, that is one time when we do see very increased, visible security measures.

HEMMER: Nonetheless, it is still tense. John, thanks. We will be back a bit later.

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