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SCHIEFFER: And good morning again. Just how dangerous and fragile the situation in Pakistan and Afghanistan is was underscored this weekend when the Taliban forces who had taken over Pakistan’s army headquarters were finally ousted by government troops.
Order has now been restored; hostages who were taken have been rescued, but there was a bloody battle. All this as President Obama reconsiders our strategy in this part of the world and whether more troops will have to be sent there.
To discuss it all, we turn to the Republican leader in the Senate, Mitch McConnell -- he is in Kentucky this morning -- and one of the key Democrats on the Armed Services Committee, Jack Reed , who is in Rhode Island.
And we go first to Senator McConnell. Senator, there are all kinds of leaks coming out of the administration this week about where we go from here, including one that, apparently, one thing being considered is whether we now seek to find some way to find an accommodation with the Taliban in order to focus more attention on Al Qaida and that terrorist organization.
In light of this new violence, do you think it is wise for the United States to be looking for some sort of an accommodation with the Taliban?
MCCONNELL: Yes, Bob, I would say, to the extent that there is anything to those rumors, it is certainly troubling because, as you just indicated in the opening of this show, the Taliban attack in Pakistan underscores the danger of the Taliban, not only in Afghanistan but in Pakistan as well.
And you do get the impression the administration is -- at least some in the administration are trying to distinguish between Al Qaida and the Taliban.
Well, they are different. But they are inter-connected. We know that, when the Taliban was in charge in Afghanistan, Al Qaida was allowed to operate freely. We know they launched the 9/11 attack from there, planned it and launched it from there.
I think the smart thing to do here -- and I hope this is what the president’s going to do, and if he does, I think he’ll have broad support -- is to listen to General Petraeus and General McChrystal. They were highly successful with the counterinsurgency strategy in Iraq.
Most people think that that’s the best chance to succeed in Afghanistan and, of course, in Pakistan. You can’t completely separate the two. They’re interconnected in terms of the threat the Taliban poses in both countries.
SCHIEFFER: Well, as you well know, apparently General McChrystal has come back and said, in order to stave off failure, he may need 40,000 more American troops. Do you think there are the votes in the Senate to approve that, Senator McConnell?
MCCONNELL: Well, I would hope so, if that is in fact what the general has recommended, and we believe that it is. Because, look, this is not just about nation-building. People use the term “nation- building.” This is about protecting the United States of America.
We know that we can’t have a haven over there for the reconstitution of Al Qaida and attacks against the United States. We also know that Pakistan has nuclear weapons. The Taliban taking over a country like Pakistan would be completely and totally unacceptable, destabilizing not only in that area of the world but all around.
SCHIEFFER: Do you actually think that is a possibility? I mean, how much urgency and how dangerous do you think this situation is right now?
MCCONNELL: Well, I think it’s very dangerous. And our generals have told us the situation in Afghanistan has deteriorated. We know, over in Pakistan, the Taliban has been a problem there as well, as illustrated by the attack yesterday. And I think we need to take this very, very seriously.
SCHIEFFER: Well, if, in fact, the president comes to the Congress and says, “I’m going to need 40,000 more American troops,” you would support that and you think that the Senate would support that?
MCCONNELL: If that is the recommendation of General Petraeus and General McChrystal who got it right in Iraq, I think Republicans almost overwhelmingly will support the president if that is his request.
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