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Gen. Tommy Franks and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld take their Pentagon briefing on the road.
By KATHRYN WEXLER and PAUL DE LA GARZA
© St. Petersburg Times, published November 28, 2001
TAMPA -- Judging from the sterile dark curtain behind them, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and Army Gen. Tommy R. Franks might have been standing in, say, Boise. Or even Timbuktu, for that matter.
In fact, they were holding forth in a ballroom at Tampa's Marriott Waterside Hotel, the military's first Tampa-based news conference on the war in Afghanistan. Tuesday brought another first as well: Rumsfeld's visit to the Central Command, the war's nerve center at MacDill Air Force Base.
Holding the briefing in Tampa may have made a few waves among military ranks. But Tampa residents hardly seemed to notice.
More men in dark suits and microphones in their ears were milling about than curious spectators. The hotel valet crew was decidedly unimpressed, hoping more for a glimpse of actor Liv Tyler, daughter of Aerosmith lead singer Steven Tyler and holder of reservations Tuesday night, than of the men directing the war.
Standing in the lobby beneath a towering palm tree, hotel manager Nabil Salloum was sufficiently blase. Frankly, he noted, this event just didn't stack up to a big deal.
Not considering visitors in the past.
"We had ex-president Bush," Salloum let drop. "We had (Gen. Norman) Schwarzkopf last week."
During the hour that Rumsfeld and Franks fielded questions from several dozen reporters, sitting beneath a heavy chandelier, it seemed the biggest news was that the briefing was taking place in Tampa at all.
Until now, daily briefings have been held exclusively at the Pentagon if top military brass wasn't overseas. But since Franks, who runs Central Command, is based here, officials are hoping to make it easier for him to reach the press, as well as carve out his own profile.
"Thanks to all of you from Washington for coming down," began Franks. "To the Tampa community, thanks for the support you continue to give all of our soldiers."
Then, getting personal: "How 'bout those Buccaneers?" asked Franks, getting a round of laughs. His wife, Cathy, who was in attendance, says he's a football fanatic.
During the briefing, Franks and Rumsfeld broke little new ground.
They reiterated that the United States was evaluating a series of sites in Afghanistan to check for weapons of mass destruction, that U.S. intelligence had narrowed the location of the Taliban and al-Qaida leadership, and that with the war moving from cities to caves, the fight would be getting even more dangerous.
"Let there be no doubt, this campaign is far from over," Rumsfeld said. "Indeed, the toughest work may very well lie ahead."
Rumsfeld again took the opportunity to praise Franks, who early on came under attack in Washington for the way he was running the war.
Critics, including people in the Bush administration, argued he was holding back.
On Tuesday, however, Rumsfeld said the war was going according to plan all along.
"The conditions were being set for what needed to be done," he said. "It looked like nothing was happening. Indeed it looked like we were in a, all together now, quagmire. But in fact we were not.
"It now looks like things are going along quite well, superficially. And I would submit what we have said from the outset is correct, that this is going to be a very difficult period. Those cities are not safe.
"There are people in those cities who are hiding and who are perfectly willing to tie grenades to their bodies and blow up themselves and whoever else happens to be standing around."
At a Pentagon briefing a few weeks ago, Franks revealed the discovery of several sites that may be linked to the manufacture of weapons of mass destruction, including chemical, biological or nuclear weapons. On Tuesday, he said U.S. forces had taken samples and documents from more than 40 sites and tests are under way.
"What we have found in a variety of laboratories is laboratory-type sorts of paraphernalia," he said. "We have found a variety of chemical compositions and these sorts of things, but one would also be able to associate that with the making of fertilizer or with the making of any other sort of product.
"When I said it would take some time, that is what I am talking about."
He added, "We have not found something that we believe is a specific" weapon.
Franks also noted that U.S. intelligence, boosted by a $25-million reward for Osama bin Laden and a top lieutenant, had managed to narrow down the location of the Taliban and al-Qaida leadership to two regions of Afghanistan: Kandahar and Jalalabad.
"Now, for me to say, "Well, yes, one is Osama bin Laden and the other is the leadership of the Taliban,' well, I wouldn't do that because I don't think ... I wanna tell you."
Franks attributed the progress in pinning down the leadership to good intelligence work, including help from coalition countries, satellites and spies. Rumsfeld added that the reward, which has been promoted through leaflets and radio broadcasts, has helped.
"The intelligence information is coming in in large volumes... ," he said. "There is no question but that there are people who have found that reward money is an incentive and are busily engaged in trying to earn it."
Still, Franks said it was possible for Taliban and al-Qaida leaders to slip out of Afghanistan. But, he added, they won't get very far.
"What I will say is to simply repeat what Secretary Rumsfeld said, "There is no place to go. There is no place to hide.' If this leadership does (leave) Afghanistan, it's simply a matter of continuing wherever they go until we find them."
Rumsfeld, meanwhile, said he wouldn't be making a habit of attending news briefings in Tampa.
"You can be certain they'll not be frequent for me," he said. "I have a full life elsewhere."
At least two local residents would hope otherwise. Debbie and Brian Donushi, of Clearwater, were in Tampa for an appointment and continued on to the Marriott, hoping for a glimpse.
"I love his press conferences because he's so down to earth and funny," said Mrs. Donushi, "and he seems to be winning the war."
They were turned away at the ballroom, where military personnel waved a metal wand over reporters' bodies and searched their bags.
So they staked out the lobby instead. And although Mrs. Donushi didn't get to shake hands with the defense secretary, she did get her glimpse.
"We saw him," she said. "I thought it was really awesome, and seeing the general, too, I have the most respect for people doing this. I felt proud it was right here in Tampa. It was well worth the wait."