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American Morning

U.S. Uses `Long Stick' Bombing in Afghanistan

Aired November 01, 2001 - 11:10   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: We want to take our viewers back overseas. CNN's Nic Robertson one of about two dozen journalists now traveling throughout certain areas -- specific areas in the southern part of Afghanistan. Last hour Nic reported that Al Jazeera had been given a faxed copy of a letter it says, indeed, was given to them and sent to them by Osama bin Laden.

Nic Robertson filed this report on that faxed letter just a few moments ago.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That letter delivered to Al Jazeera's news office in Kabul. The letter was delivered by hand, and it was signed by Osama bin Laden. Now, Al Jazeera believes that signature to be authentic. They've seen it, they say, on letters from Osama bin Laden before. And it is also matched by letters and documents used in the World Trade Center bombing trial.

Now, the letter says that Afghan -- that Muslims are being killed in Afghanistan, and that Pakistan is siding under the Christian banner. And it -- the letter goes on to say that President Bush is heading that Christian banner.

Now it says -- the letter goes on to say that this is a costly affair, the killing of Muslims. It is dividing the world into two communities. One community, it says, under President Bush, and the other under the banner of Islam. Now, the letter also quotes from the Koran. It calls on unity in Muslims. It says that Muslims are brothers and that brothers should stand by one another. And it says that Pakistan, at this time, is standing under the Christian banner headed by President Bush.

The letter is authentic, as far as Al Jazeera is concerned, because of Osama bin Laden's signature. Al Jazeera, the Qatar-based news organization, has had letters and videotapes through the al Qaeda organization of Osama bin Laden before.

Nic Robertson, CNN, Kandahar, Afghanistan.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HEMMER: Again, Nic Robertson reporting just a few moments ago there in Afghanistan. On the military front, now, it appears the U.S. continues to step-up airstrikes again the Taliban front lines.

And CNN's Joie Chen now watching that angle of the story.

Joie, good morning again.

JOIE CHEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning again to you, Bill.

There are some signals about how the campaign is progressing, now using tactics beyond the notion of precision-guided missiles -- those smart bombs, as it were. The terms now being thrown around: "carpet bombing," "cluster bombing" heard around a Pentagon briefing.

With his perspective now, CNN military analyst and retired Army General David Grange joining us from Chicago at this hour.

General, thanks very much for being with us. You know, the thing that brought up this whole notion of carpet bombing was that video that we started to see on the air yesterday morning. It comes from around Bagram, the air base there, if we can look at that. It's within about 25 miles north of Kabul. What seems to be a B-52 flying in, dropping a series of bombs and then the mountainside, as you see there, seems to explode.

Now the Pentagon -- Admiral Stufflebeem really didn't like this term, "carpet bombing" being thrown around. He said it was an old term. They call it "long stick bombing" now, I guess. But in this case, one aircraft seen -- I guess it's more like a rug bomb than a carpet bombing.

What does this say? What sort of tactic is this?

GEN. DAVID GRANGE (RET.), CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Well, what it is -- carpet bombing does lead you to believe that it's just munitions throw out there in an area, and that's not the case. Usually it's a strip of targeted land and positions longer than it is wide. It's very detailed in its location. And it's very accurate, even though it looks like it takes very large area of explosions, it is very accurate.

Now, these were used in Vietnam. I've gone in the areas after they've been used. We're much more accurate than we were then. So the "carpet bombing" does lead you to believe it's not accurate but, in fact, it is.

CHEN: And what does it do for region? I mean, what is it aimed at?

GRANGE: It's mainly to eliminate personnel; to take out enemy personnel and soft targets.

CHEN: So these would be personnel on the move, I presume, otherwise you would precision attack them if you knew exactly where they were sitting. GRANGE: Well, not necessarily, because if it's enemy in a long -- let's say they're spread out over several kilometers in dug-in trenches spread and bunkers, it's excellent for long, fixed enemy positions that cover a lot of area. So not necessarily moving targets. And so it's very good against eliminating enemy positions and soft targets like trucks and unarmored vehicles.

CHEN: Now, we mentioned Bagram, the air base up in this area. It is north of Kabul, as I said, about 25 miles distance between the two of them. Bagram Air Base was apparently very important to the Soviets during their invasion of Afghanistan. We also know that there has been very heavy bombing around Mazar-e Sharif. Up here in the north as well, of course, as down at Kandahar -- not pictured on this map -- and, of course at Kabul as well we had seen cluster bombing.

Cluster bombs, carpet bombs, what does that tell us about the nature of the conflict underway?

GRANGE: Well, the three areas that have been hit are all three key terrain areas. Mazar-e Sharif is key because of the airfield at that location for, possibly, future operations. Plus it's connectivity to Uzbekistan and to the Northern Alliance for supplies.

Kabul is a political objective. It would be great for anti- Taliban to occupy that city sometime in the near future. Of course Kandahar is the rat nest of the hard-core terrorist, and the headquarters of al Qaeda and the rest of the shock brigade -- the Arab shock brigade from the legions of bin Laden. So those targets have to be continually hit for the -- to keep the pressure up.

Now, what's going to happen -- this cluster bombing is just a type of munitions (sic) that's put out by B-52 aircraft or other bombing aircraft. And it's musicians -- a munition, again, that's designed for enemy personnel. It can be designed for enemy armored vehicles, however, but I think this is enemy personnel.

CHEN: CNN military analyst retired Army General David Grange joining us from Chicago this morning. A little bit of insight there; appreciate that.

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