NEWSMEN SEATED IN PENTAGON PRESS BRIEFING ROOM
CHATTING, WAITING FOR RUMSFELD , MYERS.

RUMSFELD: "WE ARE CLEARLY IN THIS FOR THE LONG HAUL,
WE HAVE TO FIND THE LEADERSHIP OF AL QAEDA".

RUMSFELD SAYS TALIBAN HAVE SEVERAL CHOICES, "THEY CAN
FLEE, ORGANIZE IN THE SOUTH, FLEE AND MELT IN THE
COUNTRYSIDE, OR THEY CAN DEFECT". "IF THEY DECIDE TO
FLEE, I DOUBT IF THEY FIND PEACE WHEREVER THEY
SELECT". THEY CAN FLEE TO IRAN OR SOMALIA, PAKISTAN.

"THEY TRAFFIC IN OPIUM, WORSENING THE POSITIONS OF
MUSLIMS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD", SAYS RUMSFELD. PAINTS
A HORRENDOUS PICTURE OF TALIBAN SUPPRESSION OF ITS
PEOPLE.

GENERAL MYERS GIVES BATTLE ASSESSMENT FOR "NOW THE
38TH DAY OF COALITION COMBAT OPERATIONS". "LAST WEEK
THE NORTHERN ALLIANCE CONTROLLED 15% OF AFGHANISTAN,
YESTERDAY THEY HAVE FORCES IN 1/2 OF THE COUNTRY".
"THEY HAVE REACHED HE OUTSKIRTS OF KABUL".

MYERS TELLS OF YESTERDAY'S BATTLE ACTIONS.

MONTAGE MYERS SHOWS SEVERAL GRAPHIC GUN CAMERA
VIDEOS OF MILITARY TARGETS BEING HIT, EXPLODED.

REPORTER ASKS IF THERE IS SANCTUARY FOR TALIBAN IN
KANDAHAR? GOOD ABOVE VIEW OF RUMSFELD, MYERS AND THE
PRESS CORP IN THE ROOM WITH RUMSFELD SPEAKING.

NEWSMAN ASKS RUMSFELD HOW CONFIDENT HE IS THAT "OSAMA
BIN LADEN IS STILL IN AFGHANISTAN?"

CU PRETTY ORIENTAL NEWS REPORTER LISTENING TO
RUMSFELD.

FEMALE REPORTER ASKS RUMSFELD ABOUT REPORTS THAT
NORTHERN ALLIANCE FORCES HAVE COMMITTED ATROCITIES
AGAINST ITS OWN PEOPLE. RUMSFELD ASKS WHO IS MAKING
THESE REPORTS?

RUMSFELD: "I'LL GUESS THAT WHEN THIS IS OVER, THIS
PROBABLY WILL PROVE TO HAVE BEEN THE CHANGE OF HANDS
WITH THE LEAST LOSS OF LIFE OF ANY TIME IN MODERN
MEMORY IN THAT COUNTRY".

RUMSFELD RESPONDS TO QUESTION, "ARE WE WORRIED THAT
AL QAEDA AND OSAMA BIN LADEN WILL MAKE A LAST GASP
TERRORIST ATTACK ON THE U.S.?

RUMSFELD: "THE PRESIDENT SAID, THE ONLY WAY TO DEAL
WITH THIS PROBLEM IS TO FIND THOSE TERRORISTS AND TO
"DRAIN THE SWAMP"

"THE ONLY PRESSURE THE PEOPLE SAW IS THE BOMBING".
THE WORLD HAS GOT TO MAKE IT INHOSPITABLE TO"

END BRIEFING.

RUMSFELD TAKES PODIUM WITH GENERAL TOMMY FRANKS TELLS
PRESS HE IS THERE ON THEIR REQUEST. MAKES JOKES.

GENERAL TOMMY FRANKS TELLS OF MISSION, GIVES WAR
ASSESSMENTS TO DATE, INCLUDING HUMANITARIAN AID. SAYS
WE HAVE THE INITIATIVE AND WE ARE ON OUR "TIME LINE".

FRANKS GIVES LENGTHY REPLY TO QUESTION OF IT BEING
SAFE FOR INTERNATIONAL HUMANITARIAN AID ORGANIZATIONS
ON GROUND IN LIBERATED NORTHER AFGHANISTAN.

NEWSMAN ASKS GENERAL FRANKS IF HE FEELS EXONERATED
ABOUT CRITICISM OF HIS CAMPAIGN AS BEING "TOO
TIMID?", AND "IS TALIBAN DESTROYED AS AN EFFECTIVE
FIGHTING FORCE?", FRANKS SAYS, "I DON'T FEEL
EXONERATED NOR DO I FEEL VILIFIED".

NEWSMAN ASKS GENERAL FRANKS, "HOW FAR HAS THE
MILITARY OBJECTIVE HAS IN DESTROYING AL QAEDA?"
FRANKS GIVES LENGTHY ANSWER. "WE ARE TIGHTENING THE
NOOSE, IT'S A MATTER OF TIME".

REPORTER ASKS IF FRANKS THINKS WE WILL BE FIGHTING A
GUERRILLA WAR IN AFGHANISTAN?

NEWSMAN ASKS RUMSFELD HOW RELIEF WORKERS GAINED THEIR
FREEDOM FROM TALIBAN PRISON?

NEWSMAN ASKS RUMSFELD IF TALIBAN HAS OFFERED UP OSAMA
BIN LADEN TO NEGOTIATE THEMSELVES OUT OF THE WAR, AND
IS THE U.S. WILLING TO NEGOTIATE?"