Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live At Daybreak

Operation Anaconda Uses "Hammer and Anvil" Strategy

Aired March 06, 2002 - 06:31   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.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Well, just a short time ago CNN brought to you a live news conference from Bagram Air Base, the command center for Operation Anaconda. The man in charge of the operation discussed the assault. Our Brian Palmer is there now with the latest -- Brian.

BRIAN PALMER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning Kyra. Well, Maj. Gen. F.L. Buster Hagenbeck started his press conference with condolences to the families of service members who have lost their lives in this operation. He went on to describe the operation, saying that since day one -- excuse me, al Qaeda and Taliban forces have been boxed in since day one.

MAJ. GEN. F.L. HAGENBECK, CUTF MOUNTAIN COMMANDER: The battle continues. General Zian (ph) and his forces are back in the fight as are the other Afghan generals down south from here. I will tell you that in the last 24 hours we have killed lots, lots of al Qaeda and Taliban.

PALMER: Now the Major General called this a "hammer and anvil" operation, the hammer being the Afghan forces who struck first, the anvil being the U.S. coalition and Afghan forces who are supposed to form this impenetrable resistance against which the hammer would strike.

Now the General acknowledged that the first strike didn't exactly go as planned. There was one Afghan unit that did not make it into place. The General saying that that was for logistical reasons, the transport did not get them into that position in time. Martin Savidge, who has actually been in the combat zone with U.S. forces will have some more details on this operation.

Now earlier today in Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, just about 30 miles south of us, the Chairman of the Interim Administration, Hamid Karzai, gave a briefing about the progress of the fight against al Qaeda and the Taliban. This is really the start of a two-day meeting -- a series of meetings he's having with his top military commanders.

He essentially characterized the operation that's gone on over the past three months as a victory. When we asked the Major General whether or not he felt it was time to declare victory, he did not characterize it as such. He said that forces -- there are still al Qaeda and Taliban forces still operating in the eastern Afghanistan region, but he did say that the U.S. operation to date has been largely a success -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Brian, back to that news conference with General Hagenbeck, I -- one thing I noticed he made the point to talk about the heroism of these young soldiers that were pinned in the landing zone in southern Afghanistan, talking about the enemy just coming 50 meters from these soldiers. Have you had a chance to meet some of these young heroes yet? I know he made the point that he wanted reporters to talk with them.

PALMER: I think you're going to have to ask Martin that question. We've spoken to some soldiers here on the ground, but Martin has spent the most time with these soldiers. We've spoken to a lot of support people. We've spoken to commanders and a few people who have actually been in what they call "the box", but Martin has spent about three days with these forces and much more time with them up in Kandahar -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Well it's good to hear that hundreds of Taliban and al Qaeda fighters have been taken out amidst those U.S. deaths. Brian Palmer following Operation Anaconda. Thank you so much.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com