RAND BEERS
Interview....w/ Rand Beers Cont'd
Sat Jun 28 20:49:26 2003
208.152.73.39

1]23:54:23 RAND BEERS (FORMER BUSH COUNTER-TERRORISM ADVISER)

It's certainly a fair question. And my answer to the question is that I have been part of a number of administrations, which I have served -loyally under my oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States. I came to the conclusion that I could not continue to serve but I wanted to remain in the public arena. And rather than operate as an individual, I decided that it was more important to become part of another team and help that team achieve what it would like to achieve, in terms of winning the presidency.

[1]23:54:59 TED KOPPEL (ABC NEWS)

(OC) Just for the sake of argument, let's say that your candidate becomes President of the United States. What is it that he's going to do or be able to do, facing the same economic imperatives that now face President Bush, that this Administration has not done? The amount of money is still going to be the same. If the economy doesn't turn around, the problems are going to be the same. They're still gonna have to clean up the mess in Iraq. They're still gonna have to clean up the mess in Afghanistan. And they're still gonna face all the same threats here at home. What's going to be different?

[1]23:55:32 RAND BEERS (FORMER BUSH COUNTER-TERRORISM ADVISER)

Well, I certainly think that John Kerry can speak for himself on that issue.

[1]23:55:36 TED KOPPEL (ABC NEWS)

(OC) But you're his adviser.

[1]23:55:38 RAND BEERS (FORMER BUSH COUNTER-TERRORISM ADVISER)

From the things I know he has said and the things that I have talked to him about is that, instead of proceeding as a lone wolf in the international arena, I think you'll see a Kerry presidency that would be much more willing to work with and find friends and allies and keep them on board, in pursuing our goals and objectives. I think that you would find an administration that was more willing to use persuasion, as well as power, and not just rely upon the use of force to solve particular problems. I think you would find an administration that would pay a whole lot more attention and be prepared to devote more resources to homeland security. And on the broader budget issue, I think you would see an administration that is prepared to look at choices and make those choices in different ways than this Administration is making them.

[1]23:56:35 TED KOPPEL (ABC NEWS)

(OC) As we go through some of these items, on a scale of one to ten, what would you say the security preparations are at our ports?

[1]23:56:44 RAND BEERS (FORMER BUSH COUNTER-TERRORISM ADVISER)

I think ...

[1]23:56:44 TED KOPPEL (ABC NEWS)

(OC) One being the least and ten being the most effective.

[1]23:56:46 RAND BEERS (FORMER BUSH COUNTER-TERRORISM ADVISER)

I understand. I think that the security preparations in our ports are a two or a three.

[1]23:56:50 TED KOPPEL (ABC NEWS)

(OC) Really?

[1]23:56:51 RAND BEERS (FORMER BUSH COUNTER-TERRORISM ADVISER)

Yes.

[1]23:56:52 TED KOPPEL (ABC NEWS)

(OC) So, you think the likelihood that we may be attacked at one of our ports, I mean, given that it's that vulnerable, or is it your view that some of the other items that you listed, our chemical industry for example, on a scale of one to ten.

[1]23:57:05 RAND BEERS (FORMER BUSH COUNTER-TERRORISM ADVISER)

The vulnerabilities that exist at our ports and the knowledge that terrorists have used container cargos to move items of concern, mean that we have to be far more watchful than we are. So, yes, I'm concerned. Will they do it? I can't tell you today that that's exactly how they're going to run an operation. With respect to the chemical industries, my concern is that we have a number of chemical industries in this country that are highly vulnerable to an attack and could have significant to catastrophic results. We need to work with the chemical industry in order to rectify that situation so our population isn't at risk.

[1]23:57:49 TED KOPPEL (ABC NEWS)

(OC) There is the appearance, with the airline industry at least, that there, something has been done. That things are significantly better now than they were on September 11th, 2001. True or false?

[1]23:58:00 RAND BEERS (FORMER BUSH COUNTER-TERRORISM ADVISER)

It's better than it was on 2001. You saw the article in "The Washington Post," the other day, suggesting that there are still concerns in that area. I think that they are being worked on and attended to. My concern in the airline area, however, is that I think we need to find some kind of a protective device that will reduce the likelihood that a surface-to-air missile, as in the attack, attempt against the Israeli airliner in Mombassa will, in fact, be thwarted.

[1]23:58:31 TED KOPPEL (ABC NEWS)

(OC) Is the Department of Homeland Security a significant step forward? Is the consolidation of all the previous government agencies that now come under that roof, is that a step in the right direction?

[1]23:58:43 RAND BEERS (FORMER BUSH COUNTER-TERRORISM ADVISER)

I think that the concept of a Department of Homeland Security is a step in the right direction.

[1]23:58:47 TED KOPPEL (ABC NEWS)

(OC) The execution?

[1]23:58:48 RAND BEERS (FORMER BUSH COUNTER-TERRORISM ADVISER)

The execution, I think, is, leaves a great deal to be desired. I don't think that the Administration has moved rapidly enough or forcefully enough to bring that together in an effective manner and fund the organization.

[1]23:59:03 TED KOPPEL (ABC NEWS)

(OC) In your conversation with the -reporter from "The Washington Post," you talked about some feelings that you had as you were looking at the sort of pile of files in your office just before you decided to quit. We're going to come back in just a moment. And I'd like you to tell that story just before we go. Back in a moment.

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[commercial break]

[1]00:02:16 TED KOPPEL (ABC NEWS)

(OC) And back with a final question for Rand Beers. It has to do with that climatic moment, I suppose, when you were in your office and you were looking at the files. And what was it about those files that sort of made you decide, "gotta go"?

[1]00:02:31 RAND BEERS (FORMER BUSH COUNTER-TERRORISM ADVISER)

I certainly was known throughout my government career as not having a neat desk. It was never clear. What happened on that particular day is, I came to work and I looked at the piles of files, some of which were current, that I needed to look at right away and some of which had accumulated. And I just realized I didn't have the fortitude, the will, to actually spend the time necessary to do the job that I thought was required in the position that I was in. And I walked away.

[1]00:03:08 TED KOPPEL (ABC NEWS)

(OC) When you talk about those files, though, I think it's necessary for you to tell us, not precisely but at least generically, what was in those files.

[1]00:03:15 RAND BEERS (FORMER BUSH COUNTER-TERRORISM ADVISER)

They were, almost everyone of them, classified documents, ranging from "confidential" to "top secret" and all kinds of special classifications associated with them.

[1]00:03:26 TED KOPPEL (ABC NEWS)

(OC) And every one of them indicating a threat to the United States?

[1]00:03:29 RAND BEERS (FORMER BUSH COUNTER-TERRORISM ADVISER)

And every one, in one way or another, concerning either a threat to the United States or a policy set that needed to be reviewed in order to try to deal with those threats.

[1]00:03:40 TED KOPPEL (ABC NEWS)

(OC) And your feeling at that point was, you weren't up to it or this team wasn't up to it, at least given their, I mean, I have to raise that because, if you walked out because you were tired, that's one thing. If you walked out because you felt the team couldn't handle it ...

[1]00:03:54 RAND BEERS (FORMER BUSH COUNTER-TERRORISM ADVISER)

I felt that the team wasn't handling it and I alone couldn't do what was necessary to try to change that.

[1]00:04:01 TED KOPPEL (ABC NEWS)

(OC) Mr. Beers, I thank you. It's good of you to join us.

[1]00:04:03 RAND BEERS (FORMER BUSH COUNTER-TERRORISM ADVISER)

Thank you very much. It was a pleasure to be here.

[1]00:04:06 TED KOPPEL (ABC NEWS)

(OC) That's our report for tonight. I'm Ted Koppel in Washington. For all of us here at ABC News, good night.

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