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CNN Live At Daybreak

Pentagon Confirms Troops Will Be Sent to Republic of Georgia

Aired February 28, 2002 - 05:05   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.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: U.S. officials are confirming plans to send troops to the former Soviet republic of Georgia as part of the anti-terror war.

As CNN's Jamie McIntyre reports, Chechen rebels in Georgia are being helped by al Qaeda fighters.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Pentagon sources say the U.S. plans to send between 45 and 200 U.S. Army and Air Force special forces to Georgia in the next few weeks to provide training and equipment to Georgian forces battling Chechen guerrillas. The U.S. says some of those Chechen guerrillas have been joined by al Qaeda fighters who traveled from Afghanistan both before and after September 11.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: And so long as there's al Qaeda influence anywhere, we will help the host countries rout them out and bring them justice.

MCINTYRE: Pentagon sources say Georgian President Eduard Shevardnadze asked for the American military trainers when he met with President Bush last year and that with both governments in agreement the Pentagon is likely to approve the mission within two weeks.

The U.S. already has some 600 troops in the Philippines helping government forces battle the rebel group Abu Sayyaf. But the Pentagon says plans for Georgia are different.

VICTORIA CLARKE, PENTAGON SPOKESWOMAN: As we said all along, it is such an unconventional war, and we will do different things in different parts of the world depending on the circumstances.

MCINTYRE: In the Philippines, U.S. special forces often operate close to the frontlines. In Georgia, the troops would remain near the capital of Tbilisi, far from the battle zone in the Pankisi Gorge where some al Qaeda fighters are believed to have joined Chechen rebels.

Late last year, the U.S. delivered 10 unarmed Huey helicopters to Georgia to give their forces more mobility. It's all considered part of the anti-terrorism war effort. GEN. PETER PACE, JOINT CHIEFS CHAIRMAN: As we help our friends increase their own security capability, we are helping them in the global war on terrorism and against other internal threats that they may have.

MCINTYRE (on camera): Keeping U.S. troops out of direct combat in Georgia is a nod to Russia, which while a key ally in the war against terrorism, has also publicly objected to U.S. military involvement in the former Soviet republic. And the next front in the war may be Yemen, another country which has requested and will likely soon get military trainers.

Jamie McIntyre, CNN, the Pentagon.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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