Dick Cheney: "The Vice President" | 60 Minutes Archive

Taliban Situation - The Taliban is in terrible shape, having lost control over most of Afghanistan, which they previously controlled 90% of a couple of months ago [2][3] - The US air campaign was devastating to the Taliban, leading to their collapse and making them a far less formidable force [4] - The Taliban is in headlong retreat, demonstrating the Bush doctrine that harboring terrorists will have consequences [5][6] Military Operations & Objectives - The US objective in Afghanistan is to target Osama bin Laden and the al-Qaeda network, with the Taliban becoming a target for refusing to produce bin Laden [9][10] - The US is prepared to do whatever is necessary to achieve its objectives, but does not want to signal future military plans in advance [11][12] - The US has not had to put a large force on the ground to achieve these results [12] Osama bin Laden & Al-Qaeda - If one were Osama bin Laden or Moola Omar, one would be very nervous, having seen their organizations pounded and suffered significant casualties [13][14] - Osama bin Laden is likely on the run within Afghanistan, moving dramatically to stay ahead of advancing forces [18] - If the US kills Osama bin Laden, retaliation is a possibility [31] Security Measures & Threat Levels - The US government separates the President and Vice President, especially when the threat level goes up, to ensure continuity of government [25][27] - The threat level has clearly gone up in recent weeks, leading the US to believe there is a likelihood of an additional attack [30] - The US assumes there are still unknown al-Qaeda cells operating within the United States [33] Military Tribunals - The US President has approved special military tribunals for foreigners accused of terrorism, following the precedent set by FDR in World War II [18][19] - These tribunals are for non-American citizens who conspire to support attacks designed to kill thousands of Americans [20] Saddam Hussein & 9/11 - The US is interested in pursuing and exploring whether Saddam Hussein had anything to do with the attacks, but cannot say with certainty [21][22] - The meeting between Muhammad Ada and an Iraqi intelligence official is an interesting piece of information [22][23]