Team Infidel
Forum Spin Doctor
CBS
October 23, 2008
CBS Evening News, 6:30 PM
KATIE COURIC: The next president will face enormous challenges. Near the top of the list: Islamic extremism. Al Qaeda and the Taliban have regrouped in Afghanistan, new recruits are being trained in Pakistan, and Iran is moving ahead with its nuclear program. So what would the candidates do about Islamic extremism? David Martin tells us where they stand.
DAVID MARTIN: The driver of that orange and white car is a suicide bomber. Watch as he just misses an American convoy. The threat of Islamic extremists on the battlefield is so deadly the only way to deal with it is shoot first. But to Greg Mortenson, the real battlefield is here in the Hindu-Kush, where Muslim children have no schools. For him, the classroom is the best weapon against terrorists.
GREG MORTENSON: I think they fear education and literacy much more than they fear a good, you know, gun battle.
MARTIN: Since 1993, Mortenson has been building schools in mountains so dangerous you take your life in your hands just crossing a river.
MORTENSON: Fifteen years later, now we have 78 schools, about 28,000 students, and our primary focus is on girls’ education.
MARTIN: He’s competing against religious schools called madrassas, which teach jihad to young boys how graduate to terrorist training camps. His 78 schools are badly outgunned.
MORTENSON: Today there is about 25,000 extremist madrassas and about four million mostly boys going to school. They’re learning about militant ideology and extremist activity.
MARTIN: Twenty-five thousand madrassas – extremist madrassas, 78 schools for girls. It doesn’t sound like a fair contest.
MORTENSON: It’s just a drop in the bucket.
MARTIN: A drop in the bucket against a fanatic ideology that for a decade now has spawned monstrous attacks on Americans. There is no more visceral issue than the battle against Islamic extremism. And from the beginning, both candidates have put it at the center of their appeal to voters.
For both men it begins with hunting down Osama bin Laden and other top terrorists, wherever they are.
SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D-IL): We cannot tolerate a terrorist sanctuary, and as president I will not. And we must make it clear that if Pakistan cannot or will not act, we will take out high level terrorist targets like bin Laden if we have them in our sights.
MARTIN: Obama makes no bones about it. If he gets a shot at bin Laden, he’ll take it – with or without Pakistani permission.
McCain says it’s a mistake to be so explicit about violating another country’s territory, but leaves little doubt he would do exactly the same.
SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R-AZ): There’s a guy out there in Afghanistan or Pakistan. You know his name: Osama bin Laden. If I have to follow him to the gates of hell, I’ll get Osama bin Laden and bring him to justice. (Cheers.)
MARTIN: The battle against bin Laden and Islamic extremism began in Afghanistan. Seven years later, the U.S. has 32,000 troops there and it is still not clear which side is winning.
MCCAIN: Our commanders on the ground in Afghanistan say that they need at least three additional brigades, and our commanders in Afghanistan must get them.
MARTIN: Both candidates say they would send in more troops.
OBAMA: And as commander-in-chief I will have no greater priority than taking out these terrorists who threatened American and finishing the job against the Taliban. That’s why I’ve called for at least two additional U.S. combat brigades.
MARTIN: The U.S. military is already planning to send four more combat brigades, about 15,000 troops, and both candidates seem likely to approve.
Both also recognize that’s not enough. It will take what’s called soft power. Obama wants to give Pakistan $7 billion to build schools, roads, and health clinics. McCain also supports non-military aid, but has put no price tag on it.
MCCAIN: Our goal must be to win the hearts and minds of the vast majority of moderate Muslims who do not want their future controlled by a minority of violent extremists. In this struggle, scholarships will be far more important than smart bombs.
MARTIN: Since 9/11, the Pentagon has spend $160 billion fighting the war in Afghanistan, compared to $12 billion for the soft power of diplomacy and aid. Greg Mortenson says money invested in soft power goes a lot farther.
MORTENSON: If a Tomahawk cruise missile costs about $840,000 and for the comparable money we could build about 25 schools and over 20 years educate about 30,000 students.
MARTIN: It sounds simple, but Americans aren’t allowed in areas where Islamic extremists are strongest.
MORTENSON: I was kidnapped for eight days in Waziristan by the Taliban.
MARTIN: What do you see when you look the Taliban in the eye?
MORTENSON: I see ignorance, and I think ignorance breeds hatred.
MARTIN: Muslim children are literally begging for an education.
MAN: Please, build for us school (class ?).
MARTIN: Each candidate would no doubt like to start his term as commander-in-chief by hunting down bin Laden, but the battle against Islamic extremism won’t end there.
David Martin, CBS News, the Pentagon.
October 23, 2008
CBS Evening News, 6:30 PM
KATIE COURIC: The next president will face enormous challenges. Near the top of the list: Islamic extremism. Al Qaeda and the Taliban have regrouped in Afghanistan, new recruits are being trained in Pakistan, and Iran is moving ahead with its nuclear program. So what would the candidates do about Islamic extremism? David Martin tells us where they stand.
DAVID MARTIN: The driver of that orange and white car is a suicide bomber. Watch as he just misses an American convoy. The threat of Islamic extremists on the battlefield is so deadly the only way to deal with it is shoot first. But to Greg Mortenson, the real battlefield is here in the Hindu-Kush, where Muslim children have no schools. For him, the classroom is the best weapon against terrorists.
GREG MORTENSON: I think they fear education and literacy much more than they fear a good, you know, gun battle.
MARTIN: Since 1993, Mortenson has been building schools in mountains so dangerous you take your life in your hands just crossing a river.
MORTENSON: Fifteen years later, now we have 78 schools, about 28,000 students, and our primary focus is on girls’ education.
MARTIN: He’s competing against religious schools called madrassas, which teach jihad to young boys how graduate to terrorist training camps. His 78 schools are badly outgunned.
MORTENSON: Today there is about 25,000 extremist madrassas and about four million mostly boys going to school. They’re learning about militant ideology and extremist activity.
MARTIN: Twenty-five thousand madrassas – extremist madrassas, 78 schools for girls. It doesn’t sound like a fair contest.
MORTENSON: It’s just a drop in the bucket.
MARTIN: A drop in the bucket against a fanatic ideology that for a decade now has spawned monstrous attacks on Americans. There is no more visceral issue than the battle against Islamic extremism. And from the beginning, both candidates have put it at the center of their appeal to voters.
For both men it begins with hunting down Osama bin Laden and other top terrorists, wherever they are.
SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D-IL): We cannot tolerate a terrorist sanctuary, and as president I will not. And we must make it clear that if Pakistan cannot or will not act, we will take out high level terrorist targets like bin Laden if we have them in our sights.
MARTIN: Obama makes no bones about it. If he gets a shot at bin Laden, he’ll take it – with or without Pakistani permission.
McCain says it’s a mistake to be so explicit about violating another country’s territory, but leaves little doubt he would do exactly the same.
SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R-AZ): There’s a guy out there in Afghanistan or Pakistan. You know his name: Osama bin Laden. If I have to follow him to the gates of hell, I’ll get Osama bin Laden and bring him to justice. (Cheers.)
MARTIN: The battle against bin Laden and Islamic extremism began in Afghanistan. Seven years later, the U.S. has 32,000 troops there and it is still not clear which side is winning.
MCCAIN: Our commanders on the ground in Afghanistan say that they need at least three additional brigades, and our commanders in Afghanistan must get them.
MARTIN: Both candidates say they would send in more troops.
OBAMA: And as commander-in-chief I will have no greater priority than taking out these terrorists who threatened American and finishing the job against the Taliban. That’s why I’ve called for at least two additional U.S. combat brigades.
MARTIN: The U.S. military is already planning to send four more combat brigades, about 15,000 troops, and both candidates seem likely to approve.
Both also recognize that’s not enough. It will take what’s called soft power. Obama wants to give Pakistan $7 billion to build schools, roads, and health clinics. McCain also supports non-military aid, but has put no price tag on it.
MCCAIN: Our goal must be to win the hearts and minds of the vast majority of moderate Muslims who do not want their future controlled by a minority of violent extremists. In this struggle, scholarships will be far more important than smart bombs.
MARTIN: Since 9/11, the Pentagon has spend $160 billion fighting the war in Afghanistan, compared to $12 billion for the soft power of diplomacy and aid. Greg Mortenson says money invested in soft power goes a lot farther.
MORTENSON: If a Tomahawk cruise missile costs about $840,000 and for the comparable money we could build about 25 schools and over 20 years educate about 30,000 students.
MARTIN: It sounds simple, but Americans aren’t allowed in areas where Islamic extremists are strongest.
MORTENSON: I was kidnapped for eight days in Waziristan by the Taliban.
MARTIN: What do you see when you look the Taliban in the eye?
MORTENSON: I see ignorance, and I think ignorance breeds hatred.
MARTIN: Muslim children are literally begging for an education.
MAN: Please, build for us school (class ?).
MARTIN: Each candidate would no doubt like to start his term as commander-in-chief by hunting down bin Laden, but the battle against Islamic extremism won’t end there.
David Martin, CBS News, the Pentagon.