Report from North Korea Visit; Terrorists Targeting Food?
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Also, details of a chilling tactic considered by al Qaeda supporters: targeting the food we eat. A horrifying on-stage accident brings the most expensive show in Broadway history to a halt, and leaves an actor critically hurt. We want to welcome our viewers in the United States and around the world, breaking news, political headlines and Jeanne Moos all straight ahead. I'm Wolf Blitzer. You are in THE SITUATION ROOM. I'm back in New York today just back from an exclusive assignment to North Korea accompanying the New Mexico governor, Bill Richardson, on a private mission to try to ease tension and avert all-out war on the Korean Peninsula. This hour, we are taking you inside those high-stakes talks and behind the scenes in one of the world's most isolated and secretive countries. The White House is also very eager to hear what Governor Richardson saw. Officials there will be debriefing him soon, but, right now, they are fairly skeptical of the North Korean promises to resume six-party talks, saying the country first needs to stop belligerent actions and live up to its obligations. Let's get some inside information on all of this. We are joined by Jack Pritchard of the Korea Economic Institute, and international security analyst Jim Walsh with MIT. Guys, thanks very much. As you know, I just came back. I covered Governor Richardson's visit there. I spent six days. The situation was a lot more tense in the early part, but after these exercises and the lack of a military response from the North Koreans, it has calmed down. But it could easily escalate once again. Mr. Pritchard, what do you think? Are we at a turning point right now, or is this going to go back to the bad old days?</s>JACK PRITCHARD, PRESIDENT, KOREA ECONOMIC INSTITUTE: Well, Wolf, this is one of the things you can't really predict. The North Koreans, as you well know, they tend to military hyperbole and a lot of times nothing comes from it. But in this particular case, as you well know, over the last year, we have seen two very deadly incidents of North Korean provocative behavior. So you can't assume it is going to end up with the North Koreans backing up. What we don't know, as an example, is what role the Chinese played behind the scenes. We know they weren't very constructive in the U.N. Security Council discussions. The Russians were. Perhaps the U.S. and the South Koreans chose to send some type of military signal to the North Koreans to suggest that if the North Koreans were to react to these drills, that the United States would be prepared, along with South Korea, to ratchet up the response. None of these things we know for sure, but it was a tense situation.</s>BLITZER: You know, Jim, I was pretty surprised. After the North Koreans said going into the live-fire exercise that the South Koreans planned, that they would respond with brutal consequences, in their words, beyond imagination. For the military and North Korea to make that declaration and then after the exercise which lasted an hour-and-a-half, for them to say, you know, it really wasn't worth the response, how extraordinary was that, for them to back down?</s>JIM WALSH, INTERNATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST, MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY: Well, I agree with you, Wolf, that it was very scary. You know, on any given day, war is unlikely, but the risk was rising every day during this process. Sometimes, the North Koreans, as Jack points out, will make bold statements that are not really followed through, but sometimes they do follow through on them. And no one knows in advance which it is. But I think one of the clues here was the fact that the North Koreans did invite Governor Richardson and yourself to come to North Korea. And I think that made it less likely that they were going to do something in the middle of that visit. And, more importantly, as I understand it, Governor Richardson got some important pledges from the North Korean government, not the least of which would be to allow international atomic inspectors back into North Korea. I would call that a tremendous achievement if that in fact happens and would point to the fact that perhaps North Korea is -- that we have a moment here, a moment that would should take advantage of to try to put things on a different path.</s>BLITZER: On that issue of the inspections, the resumption of IAEA monitors, Mr. Pritchard, you were just in North Korea yourself. A lot of experts are skeptical. They say, well, maybe the IAEA will go back and inspect Yongbyon, their main nuclear facility, but there may be another secret facility that we don't know about. Do you think there is a secret facility where they're developing nuclear weapons?</s>PRITCHARD: I am reasonably certain that there is. The good news, as Jim points out, is a willingness to bring back the IAEA inspectors. When I was there on the 5th of November at Yongbyon, and first learned of the uranium enrichment facility, when I went back to Pyongyang that evening, met with people that you have now met with and tried to convince them that if they were serious about this being a facility for peaceful nuclear energy use, then they need to be on a path towards transparency. I encouraged them to invite the IAEA back in or at the very least to allow Dr. Hecker, as you know, who went into the facility the following week. So, I'm encouraged that they're going to do this. I do believe this specific facility is as advertised for a fuel fabrication for a light water reactor and it is not their main facility for producing what would be enriched uranium for an atomic bomb. That is probably someplace else.</s>BLITZER: Jim, I woke up this morning in Pyongyang. We flew on Air China from Pyongyang to Beijing. I was with Governor Richardson. When we go to Beijing, I had a little interview with him. And I want to play this little clip on his bottom-line assessment. Listen to this.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): It is my first time to see you after I saw you in</s>CNN. BLITZER: Thank you very much. Thank you for letting me come here with Governor Richardson to North Korea.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): I'm personally very happy to be able to meet with you, Mr. Wolf, who I presume have the same power as the American president.</s>BLITZER: Thank you very much for that compliment, but I don't think it is true. But it was very nice to hear from you.</s>BLITZER: What will be your message to the Obama administration back in Washington?</s>GOV. BILL RICHARDSON (D), NEW MEXICO: Well, my message will be that I will be very pleased to take their phone calls, but that I think it's important that a new effort at re-engagement take place among the six-party countries. I think this incident provides an opportunity for a dialogue for a resumption of talks. There haven't been any talks. There has been acrimony, tension on the peninsula. I think all sides, including North Korea, need to come back to the negotiating table in a serious way.</s>BLITZER: What is the most serious issue to discuss right now?</s>RICHARDSON: Right now, what needs to happen I believe is North Korea needs to abide by the 2005 declaration that says they are going to de-nuclearize, get rid of their nuclear weapons. And that needs to be a framework for new negotiations.</s>BLITZER: Do you think that is going to happen, Jim?</s>WALSH: Well, I think Bill Richardson is right. There is a real opportunity here. And it is an opportunity that shouldn't be wasted. I was a little disappointed in Robert Gibbs' reaction to all of this today, saying, well, we just don't want to talk for the sake of talking. But it was President Obama who when he took office said we need to talk to our adversaries. It is in our national self-interest to communicate, particularly at a time when North Korea is undergoing a political transition, where the old leader is going to be moving on and a new inexperienced leader is coming in. There could be no more important time to talk than this. But let me conclude, quickly, Wolf, by saying I can't believe you were in Pyongyang this morning and now you're broadcasting at night. And, by the way, when I met with in Kim Kye-Gwan in Pyongyang across a big table, the first thing he said to me when we started talking was: "Dr. Walsh, I see you on CNN all the time. I hope you come back and have a positive message." So they are watching.</s>BLITZER: It is true. I discovered they knew a lot about what is going on. Mr. Pritchard, I'm sure you discovered that when you were there. This notion that they are isolated and they're living in the Dark Ages, they really don't have a clue on what is happening in the outside world, I simply didn't discover that. In the six days I was there, they seemed to have a pretty good sense of what is going on. And when they asked me questions about what is going on in the White House in the Obama administration, they asked some pretty good questions, as individuals who are fluent obviously in English, were watching what was going on and were curious. Was that your impression as well?</s>PRITCHARD: It is, Wolf. Let me just relate one story. When I was there, it was during the midterm elections. And when I sat down with Ambassador Li Gun, whom you also met, I believe, he is the one that said to me, he said: In the Foreign Ministry here up on the third floor, in our situation room, we are watching CNN, and we will be glad to tell you the results of the midterm election as we find them out.</s>PRITCHARD: So, it was amusing that I am getting U.S. election results from the North Koreans in Pyongyang.</s>BLITZER: You know, the thing, the other point that really struck me was the lack of electricity, the lack of power. They keep saying they need these nuclear reactors because they need nuclear power. You go into these big buildings, there may be one room that is heated, but everything else is cold. The kids are in school wearing their overcoats. You don't see lights anyplace. You have all seen that dramatic satellite picture, South Korea at night well-lit North Korea, they got one light basically in Pyongyang. How much is this economic condition, Jim, driving the North Koreans right now?</s>WALSH: Oh, I think it is central. It is very, very important. We are just about to go into the winter months. They have traditionally had problems raising enough food to feed their population. And you were in the capital city, Wolf. If there is any city that gets resources amongst the whole country, it is the capital city. So, when you see that there, you know there is a problem. When I was there, there was a big storm one night. And we all -- my driver was driving me out the next day. And you could see out in the street little old ladies and men in uniform out collecting sticks and bundling them as fast as they could. Why? For firewood, because electricity and lack of energy is a huge issue there.</s>BLITZER: And the other point that struck home at me, Mr. Pritchard -- and I don't know if you discovered this -- they took me to the university, Kim Il-sung University, the main university. They took me to an elite high school where they teach foreign languages. The most popular language to learn in the university and in these high schools -- and the smartest kids go to them -- is English. They all want to learn English. And I was talking to these 16-year-olds. And they were -- you know, all of the sudden, they're using American slang. And they are saying, oh, that's pretty cool with an American accent. They really want to get a sense of what is going on. They don't want to be isolated. They want to learn about the United States. And they are learning English. And they're learning it quite well, I must say. I don't know if that is what you saw when you were there.</s>PRITCHARD: I have -- I had an opportunity to go to their middle schools, Kim Il-sung University, and, on this trip, the Pyongyang University for Foreign Studies, where they specialize in foreign language. And I was amazed at the quality of the instruction and the conversant capability what really would be high school students. They are really very good. And they have got their heart set on learning English, which is to our advantage.</s>BLITZER: Yes. I was under enormous restrictions together with a "New York Times" reporter who was there and our photographer from our Beijing bureau. We couldn't go certain place. We had to be watched at all times, and I stress at all times. But, all in all, I must say that I emerged with a very different sense of North Korea than I went in with. And we will get into some specifics on that in the coming days. We have got a lot of video, a lot of still pictures we will show our viewers, much more coming up. Guys, thanks very much, a very important subject at a critical time right now. And don't forget, you can check out my blog on the entire visit, including several anecdotes about life for everyday North Koreans. You don't want to miss it. It is up right now at CNNPolitics.com. I am writing another one, a reporter's notebook. In fact, I have just finished it, about 1,400 words, some of the insights that I had. That is going to be posted fairly soon at CNN.com as well. We will post a lot of the pictures, some of the video. We have got a lot to show you about what is going on in North Korea. Meanwhile, we are learning more about a very disturbing terror development. U.S. officials tell CNN al Qaeda associates considered a tactic to poison salad bars and buffets at American hotels and restaurants. Brian Todd is digging deeper for us. Brian, what are you finding out?</s>BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, some alarming information on a possible method of attack on a sector of the U.S. economy that is very vulnerable.</s>TODD (voice-over): U.S. officials tells CNN people associated with one of al Qaeda's most dangerous branches have contemplated an unconventional, but potentially lethal attack, spreading poison on salad bars and buffets at American hotels and restaurants. Homeland security officials tell us people connected with al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula considered placing ricin and cyanide poisons into food supplies. This is the same group that launched failed attempts to bomb cargo planes this year and a Christmas Day passenger flight last year. U.S. officials downplay this recent disclosure, saying there is no imminent threat, that discussions of that tactic came into the threat stream months ago. But it's method of attack that has been on the general radar longer than that. (on camera): A concern that experts have always had is the openness of the American food supply in delis like this with salad bars right out in the open. I'm joined now by Colonel Randy Larsen, a homeland security expert. He is the CEO of the WMD Center. He worked with the USDA after 9/11 to help secure the American food supply. Colonel, just how easy is it to spray a deadly agent into something like this?</s>RANDY LARSEN, CEO, WMD CENTER: Well, you see how easy it is. They put up these cough shields just so you don't cough into it. So you can imagine how easy it would be to have a small spray bottle, which has been done before in certain cases.</s>TODD: Is it odorless, colorless, tasteless?</s>LARSEN: There's many different things you could use, most of them you would never know that have been sprayed on there.</s>TODD (voice-over): Larsen doesn't believe this would be a weapon of mass destruction, and he points out thousands of people die every year of naturally occurring food poisoning. But U.S. officials were concerned enough about what they heard that they met through regular channels with leaders in the hotel and restaurant industries to discuss the tactic and to make sure they took steps to protect against it. CNN national security contributor Fran Townsend says there is another potential safeguard.</s>FRANCES TOWNSEND, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY CONTRIBUTOR: The other thing you want to do is alert public health officials to be on the lookout for an increase, a spike in what may appear to be food poisoning, and that they ought to question and be suspicious and do further testing, so that we can get an early warning if such an attack is under way and limit the amount of damage it can do.</s>TODD: This story was first reported by CBS News. In a statement to CNN on this latest information, a Homeland Security spokesman said -- quote -- "We are not going to comment on reports of specific terrorist planning. Al Qaeda has publicly stated its intention to carry out unconventional attacks for well over a decade. And AQAP" -- that's al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula -- "propaganda in the past year has made similar reference. We get reports about the different kinds of attacks terrorists would like to carry out that frequently are beyond their means." But, Wolf, as we said, experts say routinely that these kinds of attacks are not necessarily beyond the means of terrorist groups that know what they're doing.</s>BLITZER: All right, Brian, thanks very much -- Brian Todd reporting. We are combing through new numbers from the U.S. census. They could have a huge impact of President Obama's reelection campaign in 2012. Are the numbers on his side? Stand by. Plus, the vote in Washington that could change how you use the Internet.