CB: "There's any number of
wars currently under way in Afghanistan and
Pakistan..."
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Length: 4:43
LARGE (54.7 MB)
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SMALL (5.9 MB)
Campbell Brown talks to Michael about the latest
bombings in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
CAMPBELL
BROWN: In just a little bit, Secretary of State
Hillary Clinton begins the second day of her trip to
Pakistan. Her arrival today was followed by a massive
car bombing in a city about two hours away.
Pakistani TV ran pictures of the attack at the same
time that Clinton was speaking. The explosion, which
killed at least 100 people, is believed to be the
work of the Taliban. A Taliban attack today in
Afghanistan as well claimed 11 lives, including five
U.N. workers.
We have CNN's Michael Ware with us right now. We want
to bring him in.
Michael, so, give us your take on what happened
today. Was this a message to Hillary Clinton? What
were the terrorists trying to accomplish here?
MICHAEL WARE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Oh, I think -- I
don't think the timing was by coincidence. It
certainly makes it much more poignant to slaughter
more than 100 innocent civilians on the day that the
U.S. secretary of state is in country.
And just that visual image that you showed from
Pakistani TV, that juxtaposition of the secretary of
state and the slaughter on the same screen, achieves
the Taliban's end. But there's something very, very
important Americans need to bear in mind here,
Campbell.
We mentioned two attacks, one in Kabul that killed at
least five U.N. workers today, and the attack in
Pakistan in Peshawar, which is on the edge of
Afghanistan, on the Pakistani border, inside
Pakistan, that killed more than 100. Now, these were
carried out by Taliban, both attacks, but two
different kinds of Taliban.
One was carried out by the Pakistani Taliban, almost
certainly, the other one most certainly by the Afghan
Taliban. I mean, there's any number of wars currently
under way in Afghanistan and Pakistan where U.S.
troops are based in that theater.
There's currently a war against the Pakistani Taliban
being fought by the Pakistani military, which is most
likely the trigger for this devastating car bomb in
the marketplace in Pakistan that killed over 100.
Meanwhile, you have got the U.S. war and NATO in
Afghanistan. There, we see five U.N. workers
slaughtered in their guesthouse in the capital,
Kabul. That's most likely the work of the Afghan
Taliban.
So, there's any number of wars that America finds
itself involved with or tangentially associated with
in that region. It's very complicated, Campbell.
BROWN: Well, to that point, Michael, as the president
tries to decide what this new strategy is going to be
in Afghanistan, it's clear or seemingly clear that
the two countries are inextricably linked, and we
have to think about that in deciding how to go
forward.
WARE: Absolutely. There's absolutely no question
about that, either at the military or policy-maker
level.
If you remember, when Ambassador Holbrooke was named
as the president's envoy for that region, I mean, it
included Afghanistan and Pakistan. And to a degree,
it also includes India, whether you like it or not,
because that's the environment U.S. troops find
themselves fighting in.
Afghanistan is a battlefield for influence between
all the regional players, from Pakistan, to India, to
China, to Iran. So, I mean, it's a very layered
situation. And, as we all know, there's Pakistani
Taliban, and then there's Afghan Taliban, both of
whom are in Pakistan for two very different reasons.
And, as I said, it makes for a number of different
wars that America has to be involved with, one way or
another, whether you would like it or not --
Campbell.
BROWN: And, then, Michael, just focusing on Pakistan,
on the plane ride over, Secretary of State Clinton
told reporters how important it is to her to try to
strengthen our relationship with Pakistan. I mean,
can Pakistan be trusted right now as a reliable ally
in all of this?
WARE: Well, that's also what Pakistan asks about
America.
Now, let's not forget, Pakistan is looking after
Pakistan. America is looking after America. And no
one deludes themselves about that. Now, when the time
comes that America's and Pakistan's interests
collide, as they did so almost seamlessly during the
Russian occupation of Afghanistan in the 1980s, it
suited America and Pakistan to work together.
Today, it suits each side to work together on a level
and it doesn't suit each other on another level, so,
again, adding to further complication, Campbell.
BROWN: Michael Ware for us tonight -- Michael, as
always, thank you.
WARE: Thank you.