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CNN LIVE EVENT/SPECIAL

CNN HOTLINE: America's New War

Aired September 20, 2001 - 01:31   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.
JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back to the final half-hour of CNN's hotline. We begin with a roundup of the latest news from our friend, Garrick Utley.

Hi Garrick.

GARRICK UTLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi Jack. First of all it seems now as we look at the news relating to this disaster, that we're moving from one phase to one another. Of course, the first phase was the grieving phase. That still goes on for so many people.

But now we're also in the waiting phase. What happens next? Well, let's look at the military side of that ledger, so to speak, right now because dozens of war planes are now on the move from the United States going eastwards moving this -- part of the initial buildup for forces for Operation Infinite Justice. That's the Pentagon's name for it.

There's no official word on where they're headed, but sources say it's the Persian Gulf -- no real surprise there. So, apparently underway there is the USS Theodore Roosevelt, the aircraft carrier. It'll put three aircraft within striking distance of targets in Afghanistan.

Well, President Bush plans to explain those movements to the nation and Congress on Thursday night. But National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice says don't expect him to announce any military action coming up. She says he just wants to prepare everyone for the long road ahead.

(BEGIN VIDEOCLIP)

CONDOLEEZZA RICE, NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: This is not something that is going to be over in a matter of months and so, the president feels, I think, an obligation to bring the American people along with him in his thinking, to bring them along with them -- with him in his deepening understanding of what it is we face, to understand that there may be sacrifice along the way.

(END VIDEOCLIP)

UTLEY: In New York City, it's now been a full week since rescue workers pulled a survivor from the rubble there. The operation, however, is still classified as a search and rescue mission, but hope obviously has to be growing very, very slim. Not far from the debris on Wall Street, a late rally managed to save the markets from a second staggering loss this week. The Dow, which was down more than 400 points were in the day, managed to come back and close with a loss of just 144 points.

There are other signs of economic shocks that Pan American and United Airlines -- each announce they're going to lay off 20,000 employees. Both airlines have reduced their flight schedule since last week's attacks and so, we have these layoffs climbing up there.

The industry as a whole is waiting for some financial help, a bailout from Congress. Lawmakers are considering a package that could reach 15 to $20 billion to help the airlines keep flying there.

One other note, a piece of news we want to pass on to you regarding the search in lower Manhattan at the trade site there -- you may go back to the live pictures there. As the rescue workers, the firemen and the others who are digging down there -- they call it actually the big dig at the site of the World Trade Center.

They're running into hazardous materials, according to city officials. And if these hazardous materials grow as the diggers go deeper, well then officials are considering to, frankly, call off the rescue effort and just make it a recovery effort and get on with that job. They don't want to endanger the firemen and the other people down there.

Jack.

CAFFERTY: Garrick, I read that -- you know the Trade Center below ground went down for, I think, a distance of 80 or 90 feet and there were eight or 10 levels down below ground and on one or two of the levels, they stored something in the neighborhood of 12 tons of gold and 1,000 tons of silver. So, some sort of repository the Federal Banking system there in the basement of the World Trade Center.

UTLEY: I think they have pretty good security around for that...

CAFFERTY: Yes, probably -- Yes, when the digging gets to that part, you'll see an increased presence of security people.

(CROSSTALK)

UTLEY: Probably a lot of people volunteering to help out.

CAFFERTY: Yes, when it gets to that phase, right? We could maybe go down when we get off and try and pick up a spare bar or two.

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