Fall of Kabul: Bush and Other World Leaders Pressing for Transitional Government as Soon as Possible
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: We will explore the Palestinian side of the issue right here about the same time tomorrow morning. Now we move onto the issue of Afghanistan. As you know, Kabul has fallen and while Northern Alliance troops are in the city, there is no new government yet. President Bush and other world leaders are pressing for a transitional government as soon as possible. Let's talk about that now with Richard Butler, the Council on Foreign Relations, our ambassador and resident. Good morning.</s>AMBASSADOR RICHARD BUTLER, COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS: Good morning Paula.</s>ZAHN: How are you doing this morning?</s>BUTLER: I'm fine.</s>ZAHN: Very quickly, walk us through the diplomatic dance going on and trying to create a transitional government there.</s>BUTLER: The secretary general of the U.N. has a special envoy for Afghanistan</s>ZAHN: Let's move onto the issue of President Bush's meetings with President Putin and I wanted you to explore some of what we heard yesterday from the two leaders. I'm going to quote President Bush here. He said "we are transforming a relationship from one of hostility and suspicion to one based on cooperation and trust". Do you buy it?</s>BUTLER: Not entirely. I noted that the atmosphere was a little bit tense, a little bit formal, but let's try and put first of all the best face we can on it. That they have met so frequently, I think four times in the last few months, is great. That they're in deep agreement on terrorism, on the international narcotics traffic, and organized crime that supports terrorism is great. Really strong moves are being made there, and of course what Shimon Paris just said is fascinating. The idea that what is being put together is a new alignment of great powers - United States, Russia, China ...</s>ZAHN: He mentioned China.</s>BUTLER: India, remember at the end of the second World War, we got the five cities, five permanent members in the security council now. It seems we might finally after 10 years - the Cold War ended 10 years ago, be getting the end of the Cold War set up. But the things that worry me about what happened yesterday, the missile and nuclear weapons business.</s>ZAHN: Yes, can you explain something to me? You have President Putin saying we intended dismantle conclusively, the vestiges of Cold War. Now how does that square with the fact that these two nations have 6,000 strategic weapons, missiles, you know aimed at each other.</s>BUTLER: Great question - it doesn't square entirely. Putin is the one who said those words, dismantle the vestiges of the Cold War. Paula, the whole market to Cold War was a hideous thing called mutual assured disfaction (ph), mutely (ph) deterrence. United we got to 80,000 nuclear weapons. Today the number is much smaller. The numbers that were announced yesterday would bring the 6,000 or 7,000 that each side have pointed at them now, at each other now, would bring them down considerably. But I'm worried about the business of treaties. President Bush said the way he wants to do it, I'll shake the guy's hand and trust me. The Russians have made very clear that's not good enough. You need it written down. You need means of verification. You need to check. This hostility of the Bush administration to treaties worries me quite frankly, and then of course, the big treaty - the Anti- Ballistic Missile Treaty. That is still a big unresolved issue with Putin saying we want to keep that treaty. This is not one of those things from the Cold War that he wants to dismantle. So it's going to be an interesting time down there at Crawford (ph). There is still a long way to go.</s>ZAHN: Bet you want to be there with the two presidents.</s>BUTLER: To get my cowboy boots.</s>ZAHN: Yes exactly. And your Stetson too.</s>ZAHN: Ambassador and resident Richard Butler, as always ...</s>BUTLER: Good to see you.</s>ZAHN: ... thank you for your insights.