Iowa Public Television

Narrator: FUNDING FOR "IOWA PRESS" WAS PROVIDED BY FRIENDS OF IOWA PUBLIC TELEVISION; AND BY THE IOWA BANKERS ASSOCIATION... FOR PERSONAL, BUSINESS, AND COMMERCIAL NEEDS, IOWA BANKS HELP IOWANS REACH THEIR FINANCIAL GOALS.

STATEWIDE IOWA PUBLIC TELEVISION IS CELEBRATING THE 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF "IOWA PRESS," NOW SERVING THE STATE AS IOWA'S LONGEST RUNNING PUBLIC AFFAIRS PROGRAM. THIS IS THE SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 23 EDITION OF "IOWA PRESS." HERE IS DEAN BORG.

Borg: SO JUST WHERE DOES AMERICA GO FROM HERE? TODAY, SOME TWELVE DAYS AFTER THAT HORRIFIC TERRORISM ON AMERICA'S CIVILIAN POPULATION, THE CALLS CONTINUE TO REGAIN THE STABILITY THAT WE ONCE HAD. IF THIS IS TO BE ATTAINED, PUBLIC FACILITIES SUCH AS AIRPORTS, SCHOOLS, PUBLIC UTILITIES, COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS, AND SPORTS VENUES SUCH AS STADIUMS AND ARENAS, WILL ALL HAVE A NEW LOOK AND A NEW FEEL TO THEM. OUR TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS AND OUR ENERGY SUPPLIES WILL NOW HAVE INCREASED SECURITY. AND JUST AS IMPORTANT, THE NATION AND THE WORLD'S FOOD SUPPLY MUST BE PROTECTED FROM TERRORIST ASSAULT. DR. KENNETH QUINN ATTAINED KNOWLEDGE OF TERRORISTIC TACTICS THE REAL HARD WAY, AS A MUCH-DECORATED OPERATIVE IN THE U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT AND IN THE U.S. FOREIGN SERVICE, WHERE HE SERVED AS U.S. AMBASSADOR TO CAMBODIA. TODAY DR. QUINN IS PRESIDENT, AS WE SAID, OF THE WORLD FOOD PRIZE FOUNDATION, AND HE'S WORKING ON THE IMPORTANT QUESTIONS THAT WE'VE RAISED AND THE ANSWERS CONCERNING THE SECURITY OF OUR FOOD SUPPLY. DR. QUINN, WELCOME BACK TO "IOWA PRESS."

Quinn: WELL, THANK YOU. IT'S GOOD TO BE BACK, ALTHOUGH I WISH IT WAS UNDER SOMEWHAT DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES.

Borg: AND WE CERTAINLY ALL DO, BUT WE'RE INTERESTED IN YOUR EXPERTISE ON THIS SUBJECT. ACROSS THE TABLE, REPORTERS DAVID YEPSEN OF "THE DES MOINES REGISTER" AND MIKE GLOVER OF "THE ASSOCIATED PRESS."

Glover: DR. QUINN, YOU'VE SPOKEN OFTEN ABOUT THE POTENTIAL THREAT TO THE WORLD'S FOOD SUPPLY. HOW REAL IS THAT THREAT, GIVEN WHAT'S HAPPENED HERE AND THE RETHINKING WE ALL ARE DOING ABOUT THREATS AGAINST VARIOUS TYPES OF SECURITY?

Quinn: I DON'T THINK, MIKE, THAT WE KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THE TERRORISTS ARE PLANNING NEXT. WE JUST KNOW THAT THEY'RE PLANNING SOMETHING. MY SENSE IS THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE PLANNING SOMETHING DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE'VE SEEN BEFORE, AND WE HAVE TO ASSESS WHAT ARE THOSE POTENTIALITIES AND WHAT'S THE DANGER. I KNOW THAT THE CIA HAS INDICATED A YEAR OR TWO AGO THAT OSAMA BIN LADEN AND HIS OPERATIVES HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT TRYING TO ATTAIN CHEMICAL, BIOLOGICAL, NUCLEAR MATERIALS TO USE. SO WE HAVE TO CONSIDER THE THREAT AND THE POSSIBILITY OF BIOTERRORISM AND AGROTERRORISM REAL, EVEN THOUGH WE DON'T KNOW FOR SURE EXACTLY WHAT THE TERRORISTS HAVE PLANNED.

Glover: HOW COULD THAT WORK? HOW COULD SOMEONE ATTACK THE WORLD'S FOOD SUPPLY?

Quinn: WELL, THE TERRORISTS HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT, FOR THE PAST DECADE, TRYING TO DESTROY AMERICA'S ECONOMIC STRENGTH. THEY STARTED OUT BY TRYING TO DESTROY OUR MONEY SUPPLY. IT WAS MORE THAN TEN YEARS AGO THAT, WHEN I WAS DEPUTY AMBASSADOR IN THE PHILIPPINES, THAT WE DISCOVERED THE FIRST ATTEMPTS TO COUNTERFEIT OUR CURRENCY. WE JUST CHANGED ALL OUR CURRENCY. THE REASON IS BECAUSE TERRORISTS WERE MAKING NEW HUNDRED DOLLAR BILLS THAT WERE PERFECT. THEY COULD NOT BE DETECTED SO WE HAD TO CHANGE OUR MONEY SUPPLY. THEY ALSO, I THINK, WANT TO GET AT OUR ECONOMIC STRENGTH. HITTING THE WORLD TRADE CENTER WAS PART OF THAT. AND THEY COULD VERY WELL BE LOOKING TO COME AND TAINT OUR ANIMALS AND OUR CROPS. IF YOU CAN ONCE PLANT THE FEAR IN A COUNTRY THAT ITS PLANTS HAVE BECOME DISEASED, THAT ITS ANIMALS ARE DISEASED, JUST AS WE SAW A YEAR AGO WITH THE STARLINK CONTROVERSY, SUDDENLY THERE'S A GREAT FEAR AND A REACTION ABROAD, AND AMERICAN AGRICULTURAL EXPORTS COULD BECOME SEVERELY STYMIED.

Glover: WHAT DO WE DO ABOUT IT?

Quinn: WELL, I THINK WHAT WE DO ABOUT IT IS WE HAVE TO BE READY. WE HAVE TO BE PREPARED FOR ANYTHING THAT CAN COME NEXT, AND THAT MEANS PUTTING IN PLACE MECHANISMS FOR MONITORING AND FOR RESPONSE AND PRACTICING THEM. I KNOW THAT PROBABLY A MONTH OR TWO AGO THAT SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE PATTY JUDGE HAD SUCH AN EXERCISE LIKE THAT. THERE'S MONEY IN THE BUDGET FOR THE FIRST TIME, THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, TO DEAL WITH AGROTERRORISM, I THINK ABOUT $40 MILLION. BUT IT HAS TO BE ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE STATE LEVEL, THE COUNTY LEVEL, AND AND EVEN DOWN TO THE FARM COOPERATIVE LEVEL, THAT WE'RE AWARE OF THIS AND THAT IF THE REPORTS GET OUT THAT YOU CAN ISOLATE CONTAMINANTS TO THE EXTENT THAT THAT'S POSSIBLE AND TO DEAL WITH IT. GREAT BRITAIN, OF COURSE, HAS JUST HAD A TERRIBLE AMOUNT OF EXPERIENCE WITH DISEASES AFFECTING THEIR ANIMALS. WE'VE GOT, COMING TO OUR WORLD FOOD PRIZE SYMPOSIUM IN OCTOBER, ONE OF THE LEADING EXPERTS, DR. MICHAEL SHANNON FROM GREAT BRITAIN, WHO WILL BE COMING TO TELL US ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCE.

Borg: COULD THE LARGER CONCENTRATION OF LIVESTOCK ENTITIES NOW, JUST THE VERY EVOLUTION OF THE WAY WE GROW OUR FOOD SUPPLY, MAKE US MORE VULNERABLE?

Quinn: I, OF COURSE, HAVE TO HAVE A DISCLAIMER THAT I'M NOT AN AGRICULTURAL OR A VETERINARY SCIENTIST. BUT AS I UNDERSTAND IT, FROM HAVING TALKED TO SOME OF THE EXPERTS AND AGAIN DR. PETER CHALK FROM THE RAND CORPORATION, WHO STUDIED THIS, AND FLOYD HORN FROM THE USDA WILL BE COMING HERE, BUT THEY MAKE EXACTLY THAT POINT... THAT THE WAY AMERICAN ANIMALS HAVE BEEN RAISED, THEY MAY BE SUSCEPTIBLE TO MORE DISEASE; THAT THERE ARE DIFFERENT AGENTS NOW THAT -- THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT AGENTS THAT COULD BE USED TO INFECT ANIMALS AND PLANTS. AND THE FACT THAT THERE ARE SO MANY OF THEM EITHER RAISED TOGETHER OR AT OTHER PARTS OF THE FOOD PROCESSING SYSTEM AND CHAIN, THAT THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PLACES WHERE SOMEBODY COULD PUT IN A CONTAMINANT OR DISEASE THAT COULD SPREAD.

Yepsen: AMBASSADOR QUINN, I WANT TO BROADEN THE DISCUSSION HERE A LITTLE BIT AND ASK YOU A QUESTION THAT DEAN POSED IN THE OPENING: JUST WHERE DOES AMERICA GO FROM HERE?

Quinn: THERE'S A PROCESS THAT'S HAPPENED -- I'VE GONE THROUGH IT NOW A COUPLE OF TIMES -- AND AT FIRST YOU'RE KIND OF RUNNING ON ADRENALINE, REACTING TO EVENTS. AND THEN THERE WILL BE A PERIOD NOW WHERE I THINK THE COUNTRY WILL FEEL SOMEWHAT DEPRESSED. THE ADRENALINE HAS RUN OUT, THE REALITY IS SETTING IN. BUT AT THE END OF THAT PROCESS, WE WILL FIND THAT WE ARE STRONGER AND MORE RESILIENT PEOPLE THAN WE EVER IMAGINED AND THAT WE WILL BE PREPARED PSYCHOLOGICALLY AND PHYSICALLY SO THAT WHEN THE NEXT TIME AN INCIDENT HAPPENS, WE'LL BE ABLE TO REACT TO THAT.

Yepsen: WHAT IS YOUR REACTION TO PRESIDENT BUSH'S SPEECH LAST WEEK?

Quinn: I THOUGHT -- HIS SPEECH TO THE CONGRESS I THOUGHT WAS RIGHT ON POINT. IT WAS POWERFUL. I THOUGHT HE SAID ALL THE RIGHT THINGS. BUT I THINK THE MOST POWERFUL MOMENT OF THE EVENING FOR ME WAS AS THE PRESIDENT CAME DOWN FROM THE ROSTRUM WHERE HE HAD BEEN SPEAKING AND HE MET THE SENATE MAJORITY LEADER, TOM DASCHLE -- AND THEY HAD BEEN POLITICAL ADVERSARIES, CLEARLY -- AND THEY EMBRACED ON THE FLOOR. I THOUGHT THAT MESSAGE TO OUR COUNTRY AND TO THE WORLD COULD BE MORE POWERFUL THAN ALMOST ANYTHING ELSE THAT OUR COUNTRY AND OUR POLITICAL PROCESS HAS COME TOGETHER.

Yepsen: ARE YOU SATISFIED WITH THE WAY HE'S MANAGING THIS CRISIS?

Quinn: I THINK SO, YES, YES.

Borg: IN THAT SPEECH, DR. QUINN, HE SAID HE'S CREATING THAT OFFICE CABINET LEVEL OF HOMELAND SECURITY. HOW DO YOU ENVISION THAT WORKING?

Quinn: WELL, I'M NOT SURE. I HAD EXACTLY THAT QUESTION. THERE ARE TWO APPROACHES THAT WE'VE TAKEN IN THE PAST. ONE ANALOGOUS MIGHT BE IN THE NARCOTICS AREA, WHERE YOU HAVE A CZAR THAT OVERSEES OPERATIONS BUT DOESN'T REALLY GET INTO THE DAY-TO-DAY BUSINESS OF ASSESSING INTELLIGENCE AND DIRECTING AGENTS AGAINST TERRORISTS. AND THAT COULD BE THEN DONE FROM A FAIRLY SMALL OFFICE WITH NOT A HUGE STAFF. ON THE OTHER HAND, IF YOU ARE GOING TO CREATE AN ENTIRE NEW BUREAUCRACY THAT'S GOING TO BE DOING INTELLIGENCE ASSESSMENTS, THAT WOULD BE A BIG ORGANIZATION TO PUT TOGETHER.

Borg: DO YOU THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA?

Quinn: WELL, BOTH CAN BE EFFECTIVE. IT'S JUST A QUESTION OF HOW THE PRESIDENT SEES THAT ROLE BEING PLAYED BY GOVERNOR RIDGE. IF IT'S TO BE A NEW OFFICE THAT IS ACTUALLY GOING TO DO ITS OWN ASSESSMENTS AND HAVE ALL THE INTELLIGENCE FLOW THERE SO THAT IT'S MINUTE-BY-MINUTE, HOUR-BY-HOUR ALERTING AND COORDINATING MECHANISM, THAT WILL TAKE A BIG OPERATION WITH A LOT OF PEOPLE.

Glover: DR. QUINN, YOU MENTIONED THAT AMERICANS ARE MAD RIGHT NOW. THERE'S NO QUESTION AT THIS MOMENT AMERICANS HAVE THE RESOLVE TO FIGHT THIS BATTLE, BUT THIS IS NOT GOING TO BE A SHORT BATTLE. CAN THIS RESOLVE LAST OVER THE LONG TERM? IS IT INEVITABLE THAT IT WILL FADE AND WE'LL MOVE ON TO OTHER THINGS?

Quinn: THAT'S A TOUGH QUESTION. I THINK THAT WHAT HAPPENED IN NEW YORK AND THOSE PICTURES OF THE PLANES HITTING THE BUILDINGS AND OF THE BUILDINGS COMING DOWN ARE SEARED IN EVERYONE'S MEMORY. I THINK IT WOULD BE A LONG TIME BEFORE OUR RESOLVE WERE TO BE DIMINISHED. THE DESIRE TO BOTH MAKE OURSELVES SAFE AND TO BRING THOSE WHO DID IT TO JUSTICE WILL BE THERE. THE QUESTION WILL BE ABOUT TACTICS. THAT'S WHERE THE POTENTIAL FOR DISAGREEMENT AND FOR QUESTIONS -- WILL WE BE AS UNITED ABOUT THE TACTICS, ABOUT THE SACRIFICES, ABOUT THE COSTS?

Glover: LET'S TALK ABOUT THE NATION'S POLITICAL WILL, AS WELL. AS YOU MENTIONED, TOM DASCHLE AND THE PRESIDENT EMBRACED LAST NIGHT. IN THE RESPONSE TO THIS SPEECH, DASCHLE AND TRENT LOTT SHARED THE RESPONSE. THERE'S A VERY STRONG BIPARTISAN THING HAPPENING OUT THERE, BUT THERE'S AN ELECTION NEXT YEAR. HOW LONG CAN THIS BIPARTISANSHIP LAST?

Quinn: I WOULD THINK THE BIPARTISANSHIP COULD LAST A LONG TIME. I WOULD EXPECT, NOT KNOWING WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN BETWEEN NOW AND THEN, THAT WE MIGHT HAVE ELECTIONS THAT ARE -- HAVE MUCH LESS POLITICAL RANCOR THAN BEFORE. YOU, OF COURSE, ARE GOING TO HAVE CANDIDATES SAYING, "I'M THE BEST ONE FOR THE JOB" OR "I CAN BRING THIS TO THE PROCESS THAT MY OPPONENT CAN'T," BUT I WOULD LIKE TO THINK THAT THE REALLY HARSH, BITTER ATTACKS THAT HAVE BEEN HEARD BY PARTIES GOING AT EACH OTHER MIGHT BE VERY, VERY MUCH DIMINISHED.

Yepsen: WHAT MAKES YOU THINK THE BABY-BOOM GENERATION IS UP TO THIS TASK? I MEAN, OUR PARENTS AND GRANDPARENTS WENT THROUGH A DEPRESSION AND FOUGHT A WAR. BABY-BOOMERS, GEN X'ERS, GEN Y'ERS HAVE NEVER HAD TO SACRIFICE LIKE THAT. WHAT MAKES YOU THINK WE'LL HAVE ANY RESOLVE WHEN THE BODY BAGS START AND THAT SORT OF THING?

Quinn: I THINK THAT'S THE REAL QUESTION THAT WE ALL NEED TO ANSWER BEFORE WE GO TOO FAR DOWN ANY ROAD ABOUT WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IS: WHAT PRICE IS OUR COUNTRY PREPARED TO PAY IN THIS -- IN THIS STRUGGLE, IN THIS WAR?

Yepsen: WHAT'S YOUR ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION?

Quinn: I DON'T KNOW THAT I HAVE THE ANSWER, OTHER THAN IT'S IMPORTANT TO ASK THE QUESTION. OUR COUNTRY IS IN SOME WAYS THE SAME AS WHEN PEARL HARBOR OCCURRED... IN THE SENSE OF OUTRAGE, THE SENSE OF VIOLATION, THE DESIRE FOR RETRIBUTION AND FOR JUSTICE AND TO DEFEND OURSELVES. ON THE OTHER HAND, WE'VE BEEN THROUGH A DIVISIVE POLITICAL PERIOD. WE ALSO HAVE SMALLER FAMILIES NOW, AND THE QUESTION WILL BE: HOW DO FAMILIES -- HOW DOES THE BABY-BOOM GENERATION FEEL AS IT SENDS ITS CHILDREN OFF? I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT IF THE PRESIDENT WERE TO CALL AND SAY "I NEED PEOPLE FROM OUR GENERATION TO GO" THAT THEY'D BE READY TO GO. THE QUESTION IS HOW MANY OF OUR CHILDREN ARE WE PREPARED TO HAVE GO.

Yepsen: ONE OF THE TACTICS THAT WE HAVE TO CONSIDER IN THIS COUNTRY IS GREATER SECURITY. WILL AMERICANS WANT TO SACRIFICE THEIR FREEDOM FOR ALL OF THE POTENTIAL SECURITY HASSLES AND INCONVENIENCES AND, SOME SAY, THREATS TO OUR CIVIL LIBERTIES ARE WE PREPARED TO PUT UP WITH?

Quinn: I THINK IN THE SHORT TERM PEOPLE WILL BE PREPARED TO PUT UP WITH THAT AND THEY WILL WELCOME THAT. WHEN YOU'RE AFRAID OF FLYING, AS MANY PEOPLE IN OUR COUNTRY NOW ARE HESITANT ABOUT FLYING, THERE'S NOTHING MORE REASSURING THAN GETTING TO THE AIRPORT AND SEEING GOOD SECURITY PROCEDURES IN PLACE. WHEN I TRAVELED INTERNATIONALLY THROUGH COUNTRIES WHERE THERE IS A HIGH TERRORISM THREAT, YOU KNOW YOU HAVE TO GET TO THE AIRPORT SEVERAL HOURS AHEAD OF TIME, AND YOU ARE CLOSELY QUESTIONED AND THE BAGS ARE REALLY CLOSELY LOOKED AT. IT NEVER BOTHERED ME TO DO THAT BECAUSE I CAME TO UNDERSTAND IT. BUT AS TIME GOES ON, AND IF THERE'S NOT, GOD WILLING, NOT ANOTHER INCIDENT WITH PLANES AND WITH AIRCRAFTS, THEN SOME OF THAT QUESTIONING WILL BEGIN TO CHAFE A LITTLE BIT AND THERE WILL BE SOME RESISTANCE TO IT. I THINK THAT'S INEVITABLE.

Glover: THE REACTION OF THE ECONOMY TO THIS EVENT HAS NOT BEEN VERY HAPPY IN THE FIRST FEW DAYS. THE ECONOMY WASN'T DOING THAT WELL WHEN THIS TERRORIST ATTACK HAPPENED. THE STOCK MARKET SINCE THEN HAS GONE DOWN BADLY. A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT PUSHING THE NATION INTO RECESSION. WHAT'S YOUR ASSESSMENT OF WHAT THIS WILL DO TO OUR ECONOMY AND WHAT THAT WILL DO TO THE NATION'S POLITICAL RESOLVE?

Quinn: I THINK IT CAN'T HELP BUT HURT OUR ECONOMY. IT IS THE INTENT, AS I SAID EARLIER, THE INTENT OF THE TERRORISTS ARE TO DAMAGE AND WOUND OUR ECONOMY, DESTROY US IF POSSIBLE; THAT'S THEIR GOAL. AND TERRORIST INCIDENTS BRING THAT ABOUT. THERE'S NO DOUBT THAT THERE WILL BE AN ONGOING ECONOMIC IMPACT, AND THERE WILL BE A HESITANCY BY PEOPLE ABROAD TO HAVE THEIR MONEY HERE. PEOPLE MOVE IT TO SAFER LOCATIONS.

Glover: WHAT EFFECT DOES THAT HAVE ON THE ABILITY OF THE NATION TO FIGHT A PROTRACTED BATTLE LIKE THIS?

Quinn: WELL, IT'S -- EVERY KIND OF HESITATION LIKE THAT IS HARMFUL AND DAMAGING. IT HELPS THE TERRORISTS. IT GIVES THE TERRORISTS WHAT THEY WANT. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THERE'S ALSO THEN A RECOVERY PERIOD. ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS THAT WE AS A COUNTRY AND WE AS AMERICANS CAN DO NOW IS TO DEMONSTRATE THAT WE'VE TAKEN A BIG HIT, WE'VE TAKEN A BIG SUCKER PUNCH, BUT WE CAN GET UP AND WE CAN GO AHEAD AND THAT OUR COUNTRY IS STRONG ENOUGH TO TAKE A HIT LIKE THAT AND TO GO ON AND THAT OUR ECONOMIC SYSTEM AND OUR ECONOMY IS STRONG ENOUGH TO DO THAT. SO I'M OUT BOOKING FLIGHTS FOR MY FAMILY NOW.

Yepsen: MR. AMBASSADOR, PUT YOUR OLD STATE DEPARTMENT HAT ON FOR A MOMENT. WHAT DO WE HAVE TO PROVE TO THE WORLD HERE? WE KEEP POINTING FINGERS AT THE TALIBAN AND OSAMA BIN LADEN, AND SOME COUNTRIES ARE SAYING, "SHOW US THE PROOF, SHOW US THE EVIDENCE." IS THIS LIKE A COURTROOM PROCESS WITH WORLD LEADERS WHERE WE HAVE TO PRESENT A WHOLE BUNCH OF EVIDENCE, OR ARE THE WARTIME THRESHOLDS A LITTLE LOWER?

Quinn: I THINK THE WARTIME THRESHOLDS ARE LOWER. I DON'T THINK THAT YOU HAVE TO HAVE PROOF THAT WOULD STAND UP IN OUR COURTROOM PROCESS, BUT YOU DO HAVE TO HAVE EVIDENCE AND YOU DO HAVE TO HAVE INFORMATION THAT WE SHARE, NOT NECESSARILY IN PUBLIC BUT IN PRIVATE, WITH GOVERNMENTS, TO SHOW THAT OUR ACTIONS ARE JUSTIFIED. BUT WE SHOULD KEEP IN MIND THAT IT ISN'T ALWAYS THE CASE THAT POLITICAL LEADERS IN OTHER COUNTRIES WHO MAY NOT BE 100-PERCENT FORTHCOMING IN PUBLIC ARE NOT BEING 100-PERCENT FORTHCOMING IN PRIVATE. FOR MANY POLITICAL LEADERS, IT'S A DIFFICULT SITUATION TO DEAL WITH AND IT'S DIFFICULT FOR THEM TO BE VOCIFEROUS IN PUBLIC IN THEIR COUNTRY IN SUPPORT OF THE UNITED STATES. AS HARD AS IT IS FOR US TO UNDERSTAND, WE HAVE TO RECOGNIZE THAT'S THE CASE. BUT BEHIND THE SCENES IS WHAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT. IF THEY ARE THERE WORKING WITH US AND MAKING THEIR INTELLIGENCE SERVICES AVAILABLE TO US, THAT'S THE MOST VALUABLE THING WE CAN HAVE.

Yepsen: CAN WE EVER WIN THIS WAR? WORLD WAR II... CLEAR ENEMY. IT ENDED IN -- BERLIN WAS A RUBBLE; JAPAN WAS A RUBBLE. BUT HOW DO WE WIN THIS? HOW WILL WE KNOW THAT IT'S DONE?

Quinn: WHEN I WENT TO CAMBODIA, THERE WAS A TERRORIST ORGANIZATION THERE OF 15,000 PEOPLE, WHICH WAS GETTING STRONGER, AND I SET OUT TO WORK WITH THE GOVERNMENT TO DESTROY IT. WHEN I LEFT AT THE END, THERE WAS ALMOST NOTHING LEFT OF THE ORGANIZATION AND WE HAD CAPTURED ALL THE SENIOR PEOPLE, SO IT CAN BE DONE. THIS IS A TOUGHER CHALLENGE THAN THE ONE THAT I FACED BECAUSE THIS IS CONNECTED TO ISLAMIC BELIEFS. THOSE WHO ARE AGAINST US ARE SAYING THAT THEY'RE ON THE SIDE WITH RELIGIOUS FERVOR. SO THIS IS TOUGH TO WIN COMPLETELY, BUT IT CERTAINLY CAN BE THAT WE CAN BADLY DAMAGE THESE ORGANIZATIONS, WE CAN DETER THEM, AND WE CAN DO THINGS TO HAVE THEM BECOME LESS AND LESS EFFECTIVE.

Yepsen: SO MAYBE IT'S NEVER DONE; WE'RE IN NO PERMANENT CHANGE IN THE WAY WE LIVE.

Quinn: I THINK PROBABLY FOR THE NEXT 25 TO 30 YEARS, THIS IS NOT GOING TO BE GONE FROM THE SCENE.

Glover: DR. QUINN, STEP BACK FOR A SECOND... AFGHANISTAN: MOUNTAINOUS, DESOLATE, STONE-AGE COUNTRY, FERVENT ENEMY, LONG HISTORY OF DEFEATING INVADING ARMIES. DOES ALL OF THAT MAKE YOU NERVOUS?

Quinn: OF COURSE IT DOES. YOU COULDN'T IMAGINE A MORE DIFFICULT ENVIRONMENT. I REMEMBER READING ABOUT THE BRITISH RETREAT FROM KABUL AND HOW THEY WERE SLAUGHTERED. THE BIGGEST, STRONGEST ARMY IN THE WORLD AT THE TIME WAS BROKEN APART AND THE TROOPS DECIMATED AS THEY WERE RETREATING TOWARDS THE KHYBER PASS AND ACROSS. I'VE BEEN THERE. I'VE BEEN TO THE BORDER AND TO THE KHYBER PASS, AND IT IS DAUNTING. BUT IT'S NOT IMPOSSIBLE TO DO THINGS THERE. IT'S JUST THAT YOU DON'T WANT TO PUT YOURSELF IN THE POSITION WHERE YOU ARE GIVING YOUR ADVERSARY THE ADVANTAGE, SO YOU HAVE TO BE THERE, YOU HAVE TO KNOW WHAT YOUR TARGET IT, YOU HAVE TO GO IN, AND YOU HAVE TO BE READY TO COME BACK OUT AND NOT LEAVE YOURSELF EXPOSED. TOUGH JOB.

Borg: ISN'T ONE OF THE MORE EFFECTIVE TACTICS IN THIS, IS NOT THE UNITED STATES GOING IT ALONE... IN A COALITION, NOT JUST GETTING SUPPORT WITH WHAT THE U.S. WANTS TO DO BUT ACTUALLY GETTING NATIONS TO ROOT OUT TERRORISM WITHIN THEIR OWN COUNTRIES?

Quinn: ABSOLUTELY. THIS IS A TERRORIST ORGANIZATION THAT HAS BASES ALL OVER THE WORLD IN MANY, MANY COUNTRIES AND THERE ARE -- IT'S NOT NECESSARILY ONE ORGANIZATION. THERE ARE COOPERATING ELEMENTS. THERE ARE LYBIAN-RUN ORGANIZATIONS IN SOUTHEAST ASIA. THERE ARE ISLAMIC FUNDAMENTALIST ORGANIZATIONS IN EUROPE. SO IT HAS TO BE A COORDINATED EFFORT IN MANY PLACES.

Borg: AND DO WE HAVE THE DIPLOMATIC POWER TO BE ABLE TO EFFECT THAT?

Quinn: I THINK THAT WE DO. I THINK THAT OUR DIPLOMATIC POWER IS ONE OF THE STRONGEST ELEMENTS THAT WE HAVE BETWEEN THE RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY WITH OTHER INTELLIGENCE SERVICES, OUR POLICE-TO-POLICE RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE FBI, AND ON THE DIPLOMATIC SIDE.

Glover: IS THE THREAT ONLY TO THE UNITED STATES, OR DO OUR ALLIES NEED TO WORRY ABOUT STRIKES AGAINST THEM IF THEY JOIN THIS COALITION?

Quinn: OUR ALLIES NEED TO WORRY ABOUT STRIKES ABOUT THEM. YOU KNOW, THERE WERE ISLAMIC FUNDAMENTALISTS WHO WERE CAUGHT IN FRANCE WITH A PLAN TO ATTACK DOWNTOWN PARIS. TODAY THERE WAS AN EXPLOSION IN A CHEMICAL PLANT IN THE SOUTH OF FRANCE. I HAVE NO IDEA WHETHER IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS DONE BY A TERRORIST OR IT'S JUST AN ACCIDENT, BUT THAT QUESTION WILL BE ASKED IN FRANCE.

Glover: SOMETHING THAT PUZZLES A LOT OF AMERICANS AS THIS WHOLE THING HAS PLAYED OUT -- YOU'VE BEEN OVERSEAS; MAYBE YOU COULD ANSWER THIS. WHY IS AMERICA SO HATED IN SO MANY PARTS OF THE WORLD?

Quinn: WHEN I WAS HERE ABOUT A YEAR AGO, WE TALKED ABOUT THIS. I MENTIONED THE PERCEPTION OF US AS AN ARROGANT COUNTRY, THAT THERE WAS A LOT OF HOSTILITY GROWING TOWARDS THE UNITED STATES, WHICH GREATLY SADDENED ME. I THINK IT'S A COMBINATION OF THAT WE'RE PROSPEROUS. AND IF YOU'RE IN COUNTRIES THAT ARE LESS PROSPEROUS, THERE'S AN ANTIPATHY TOWARDS THOSE WHO ARE RICH AND WELL-OFF. WE HAVE THAT WITHIN OUR OWN COUNTRY. BEYOND THAT, I THINK THERE IS A SENSE THAT WE MAY PARTNER WITH COUNTRIES THAT ARE ADVERSARIES. CERTAINLY OUR SUPPORT FOR ISRAEL GENERATES CERTAIN ANTIPATHY TOWARDS US IN THE MIDDLE EAST. THERE ARE SOME WHO ARE OFFENDED BY THE MERE PRESENCE OF AMERICANS IN SAUDI ARABIA, THE ISLAMIC HOLY LAND. ALL OF THIS HAS COMBINED TOGETHER ONE ELEMENT REINFORCING THE OTHER, AND IT HAS BUILT UP OVER THE LAST 15 YEARS. JUST REMEMBER, IT'S A NEW GENERATION. IT'S NOT THE GENERATION THAT REMEMBERS WORLD WAR II, THAT REMEMBERS AMERICA AS THE LIBERATOR. IT'S A NEW GENERATION OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE THIS DIFFERENT POINT OF VIEW ABOUT US.

Yepsen: FOLLOWING UP ON MIKE'S QUESTION, WHAT'S THE CAUSE OF TERRORISM?

Quinn: I THINK TERRORISM IS SEEN AS AN EFFECTIVE WEAPON THAT'S HARD TO COUNTER AND THAT IT ATTACKS THE VULNERABILITY OF THE UNITED STATES AND OTHER WESTERN COUNTRIES. WE HAVE ARMIES THAT ARE VERY POWERFUL THAT IF ANYONE TAKES US ON IN A CONVENTIONAL SENSE. PROBABLY GUERRILLA WARFARE IN SOUTHEAST ASIA, IN VIETNAM, DEMONSTRATED TO SOME THAT THERE WAS A VULNERABILITY FROM UNCONVENTIONAL ATTACK, AND TERRORISM SEEMED TO -- HITS AT THE WILL OF A COUNTRY. YOU CAN'T DEFEAT US MILITARILY ON THE BATTLE FIELD, BUT CAN WE BE DEFEATED IN TERMS OF OUR WILL? CAN WE BE MADE TO SAY WE WON'T DO IT ANYMORE?

Glover: AND THE ANSWER FROM VIETNAM WAS, YES, WE CAN BE. HAVE WE LEARNED THAT LESSON?

Quinn: THAT'S THE QUESTION, ISN'T IT?

Yepsen: HOW DO WE GET AT THE CAUSE? HOW DO WE ATTACK THIS PROBLEM? WE'VE TALKED ABOUT WHY WE'RE HATED AND WHAT THE CAUSES ARE. NOW, HOW DO WE GET AT THAT? IS IT MILITARY OR DOES VIETNAM PRECLUDE THAT? IS IT ECONOMIC? IS IT LAW ENFORCEMENT? WHAT --

Quinn: I THINK THE WAY THAT WE CAN BEST GET AT THE CAUSES OF THAT IS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PICTURE OF THE -- THE REAL PICTURE OF AMERICA IS AVAILABLE TO AS MANY PEOPLE IN THE WORLD AS POSSIBLE. WE'RE THE BEST AT TELEVISION. WE'RE THE BEST AT PUBLIC RELATIONS AND, YET, OUTSIDE OWN COUNTRY, WE DON'T USE THAT VERY WELL AT ALL IN GETTING OUT THE IMAGE OF THAT. THE OTHER IS PEOPLE-TO-PEOPLE RELATIONSHIPS. I'M SURE THAT THERE IS A SENSE IN OUR COUNTRY THAT WE SHOULD LIMIT THE NUMBER OF FOREIGNERS COMING HERE. NOW, I SAY THERE'S NEVER BEEN A TIME WHEN IT'S MORE IMPORTANT TO BE BRINGING PEOPLE HERE FROM THE COUNTRIES WHERE WE THINK THERE IS AN ANTIPATHY TOWARDS US. WE SHOULD WANT THEM TO GO TO OUR SCHOOLS, TO KNOW US, AND TO KNOW OUR PEOPLE, BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT 99.9 PERCENT OF EVERYONE WHO COMES AND SEES OUR COUNTRY, MEETS OUR PEOPLE, AND LIVES HERE AND GOES BACK HOME WILL BE A FRIEND OF AMERICA, NOT AN ENEMY.

Glover: DR. QUINN, AS YOU KNOW, THERE'S BEEN A BIG DEBATE ABOUT IMMIGRATION IN THIS STATE. ISN'T THIS GOING TO HAVE A HUGE AND DAMAGING EFFECT ON THAT DEBATE?

Quinn: I THINK IT WOULD BE INEVITABLE THAT THERE WOULD BE AN IMMEDIATE REACTION IN THAT REGARD ABOUT WE NEED TO TIGHTEN UP IMMIGRATION CONTROLS. AND OF COURSE WE SHOULD HAVE STRONG IMMIGRATION CONTROLS ABOUT WHO ENTERS OUR COUNTRY AND WHO DOESN'T SO THAT WE CAN CHECK AND FIND ANY PEOPLE WHO ARE ASSOCIATED WITH TERRORISM. AT THE SAME TIME, I THINK IT WOULD BE A MISTAKE TO TURN AWAY FROM HAVING -- INVITING FOREIGNERS HERE AND HAVING THEM STUDY HERE.

Yepsen: MR. AMBASSADOR, WE'VE JUST GOT ABOUT A MINUTE LEFT. DURING YOUR CAREER IN THE STATE DEPARTMENT, YOU SPENT A TOUR OF DUTY RIGHT HERE IN YOUR HOME STATE WORKING FOR GOVERNOR RAY, MANAGING DISASTERS AND A WHOLE HOST OF PROBLEMS. WHAT SHOULD WE BE DOING HERE IN IOWA TO PREPARE FOR THIS WAR ON TERRORISM, TO COMBAT THE TERRORISTS, TO BE READY? ARE THERE THINGS WE OUGHT TO BE DOING IN THIS STATE?

Quinn: I THINK GOVERNOR VILSACK HAS ALREADY TAKEN SOME INITIAL STEPS ABOUT ENHANCING SECURITY IN OUR FACILITIES. I WOULD THINK IT WOULD BE A VERY GOOD IDEA TO PUT TOGETHER A GROUP, A COMMISSION THAT WOULD LOOK AT ALL OF THESE ISSUES ABOUT SAFETY AND DEFENSE, THAT WE PRACTICE AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'VE GOT A DISASTER COORDINATING MECHANISM THAT COULD DEAL WITH EVERY EVENTUALITY, TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS A REDUNDANCY IN OUR TELEVISION SYSTEM. I DON'T KNOW WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF THE VARIOUS TELEVISION TOWERS WERE KNOCKED DOWN EITHER BY NATURAL DISASTER OR SOME KIND OF TERRORIST ATTACK, BUT IT'S CRUCIAL. AS WE LEARNED FROM NEW YORK, IT'S CRUCIAL TO BE ABLE TO HAVE TV. I THINK IT'S THE TV STATIONS THAT KEPT OUR COUNTRY FROM PANICKING DURING THOSE FIRST HOURS OF THE NEW YORK ATTACK.

Borg: AMBASSADOR QUINN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR INSIGHTS.

Quinn: THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

Borg: THIS PROGRAMMING NOTE: BEGINNING NEXT WEEKEND, "IOWA PRESS" WILL HAVE TWO AIR DATES HERE ON STATEWIDE IOWA PUBLIC TELEVISION. AND WEEKLY, WE'LL BE AIRING ON BOTH FRIDAY AND SUNDAY. COMING UP THIS FRIDAY AT 6:30, THIRD DISTRICT CONGRESSMAN LEONARD BOSWELL JOINS US TO DISCUSS THE EVENTS OF THIS PAST TWO WEEKS, FOCUSING ON SECURITY, IN PARTICULAR AIRPORT AND AIRLINE SECURITY. THAT'S NEXT FRIDAY AT 6:30 ON STATEWIDE IOWA PUBLIC TELEVISION. AS YOU MIGHT KNOW, IPTV IS RECOGNIZING THE 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF "IOWA PRESS" NOW, THE STATE'S LONGEST RUNNING PUBLIC AFFAIRS PROGRAM. AND EACH WEEK WE CLOSE WITH A SNAPSHOT FROM OUR "IOWA PRESS" PAST. THIS WEEK CANDIDATE TERRY BRANSTAD DISCUSSES HIS RUN TO JOIN GOVERNOR ROBERT RAY ON THE TICKET AS A CANDIDATE FOR LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR. I'M DEAN BORG. THANKS FOR JOINING US TODAY.

Branstad: I'M TRYING TO REPRESENT MY CONSTITUENTS, AND I THINK THAT'S THE REASON WHY I'VE BEEN ABLE TO CARRY EVERY PRECINCT IN MY DISTRICT, BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN INDEPENDENT. AND SOMETIMES I'VE DISAGREED WITH THE GOVERNOR WHEN I FELT THAT THE MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE IN MY AREA OR THE MAJORITY PEOPLE IN THE STATE OF IOWA WANTED ME TO VOTE A DIFFERENT WAY. GOVERNOR RAY HAS STATED THAT HE IS OPPOSED TO A MAJOR TAX INCREASE. I FEEL THAT MY CAREFUL AND CONSERVATIVE VOTING RECORD WITH THE TAXPAYERS' DOLLARS IS THE KIND OF LEADERSHIP THAT WE NEED IN THE OFFICE OF LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR. I ALSO FEEL THAT MY ABILITY TO STAND ON MY OWN TWO FEET, TO MAKE INDEPENDENT JUDGMENTS, AND TO REPRESENT MY CONSTITUENTS SHOWS THAT I CAN HANDLE THE JOB AS GOVERNOR.

Narrator: FUNDING FOR "IOWA PRESS" WAS PROVIDED BY FRIENDS OF IOWA PUBLIC TELEVISION; AND BY THE IOWA BANKERS ASSOCIATION... FOR PERSONAL, BUSINESS, AND COMMERCIAL NEEDS, IOWA BANKS HELP IOWANS REACH THEIR FINANCIAL GOALS.