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CNN Live Sunday

Bush to Deliver Speech Outlining Next Steps in War on Terror

Aired March 10, 2002 - 18:01   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.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Tomorrow marks six months since the terrorist attacks on the United States, and as the nation looks back, President Bush will be looking ahead. Tomorrow morning, he delivers a speech outlining what's next in the war on terrorism. We get more details from CNN White House correspondent Major Garrett.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MAJOR GARRETT, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Six months after the terrorists murdered thousands and changed the course of world history, President Bush on Monday will applaud America's resolve, praise coalition partners, and chart the next steps in the war on terror.

Senior officials tell CNN a crucial part of the six-month commemoration will be to highlight specific contributions made by nations in Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East. Top Bush advisers say future anti-terror missions could put even more pressure on the coalition.

CONDOLEEZZA RICE, NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: Obviously, Afghanistan is not the only story. The President is also determined to find pockets of al Qaeda and global terrorist networks outside of Afghanistan.

GARRETT: But the President will also describe the new national mood, one where a more vigilant citizenry reacquaints itself with old habits and hobbies, while the Office of Homeland Security catalogs daily terror threats.

TOM RIDGE, DIRECTOR OF HOMELAND SECURITY: We are in a general alert right now. We're still at war with al Qaeda, Osama bin Laden. We still remain concerned about the presence of terrorists within the United States.

GARRETT: And as he did in his State of the Union speech, the President will warn of even greater horrors than those unleashed on September 11th, terrorists using weapons of mass destruction. And to avoid such a calamity, the Bush White House says it reserves the option of nuclear retaliation.

RICE: We all want to make the use of weapons of mass destruction less likely. The way that you do that is to send a very strong signal to anyone who might try to use weapons of mass destruction against the United States that would be met with a devastating response.

GARRETT (on camera): For the first time, top Bush aides now concede the President's "axis of evil" speech unintentionally aggravated key coalition partners. Many felt they'd been kept out of the loop as the President opened a perilous new front in the war on terror and mending those fences has now become a top priority as the White House marks six months since September 11th.

Major Garrett, CNN, the White House.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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