Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live Today

U.S. Kills Canadian Soldiers, Pentagon Expresses Regret

Aired April 18, 2002 - 14:28   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.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: In Washington now, the Pentagon is expressing deep regret and sadness after four Canadian soldiers are killed in a U.S. bombing in Afghanistan. How did it happen? Officials are scrutinizing the actions of the U.S. pilot involved. Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr joins us with the details from the Pentagon -- Barbara.

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Fredricka. Well, yes, we have learned more details as the day has gone on. The Canadian military ground forces were conducting a nighttime live-fire training exercise south of Kandahar when a U.S. F-16 dropped a 500- pound laser-guided bomb on their position.

Four Canadian soldiers were killed. Eight were wounded, some seriously. And earlier today the Canadian government expressed its very deep concern about how this accident happened.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JEAN CHRETIEN, CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER: We have so many questions this morning. Extensive training for combat is meant to save lives. How does this happen that in this awful case it took so many lives? And I want to assure the families and the people of Canada that these questions will be answered.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STARR: Early reports now indicate that the F-16 pilot was patrolling overhead. He reported that he was taking ground fire. He was given permission to fly over what he thought was the target area and mark the target to possibly drop his weapon.

He then asked for permission to drop. That was initially denied. But when the pilot flew over again, he again reported that he thought he was taken hostile fire. He felt endangered and he invoked his right of self-defense and dropped his 500-pound laser-guided bomb.

Officials today do acknowledge, U.S. military officials, that the Canadian ground forces were operating in a marked-off, restricted training area. And so the joint U.S.-Canadian investigation is now expected to focus in large part on whether or not the U.S. pilot knew, was he informed, that this was a training area being used by friendly forces? Fredricka. WHITFIELD: And, Barbara, does military policy allow for the discretion of the pilot, in this case, to respond to what he believed to be a self-defensive move?

STARR: Right. Well, anywhere that U.S. pilots are flying there are what is called rules of engagement. But underlying all of that, always, is if a U.S. combat pilot feels he is in imminent danger, he has the absolute right of self-defense. In this case, the question is, did the pilot make a mistake? Did he not realize what he thought was imminent danger, what he thought was hostile fire? It may well have been Canadian armed forces -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right, thanks very much. Barbara Starr from the Pentagon.

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