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CNN Live At Daybreak

United States Making Preparations For War

Aired September 13, 2002 - 05:30   ET

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

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: And now to the looming showdown with Iraq. While President Bush makes his case for a possible military strike, the Pentagon insists no decision has yet been made. Still, the United States is making preparations if war with Iraq becomes a reality.
CNN senior Pentagon correspondent Jamie McIntyre has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Qatar's al-Udeid air base is shaping up as the linchpin of U.S. military planning for war against Iraq. That's where the U.S. military will construct a portable headquarters for 600 key people from the U.S. central command, who will move there in November in what the Pentagon claims is an exercise.

al-Udeid is already the site of a high tech U.S. command center, hardened shelters for 100 aircraft and the longest runway in the Persian Gulf.

The Qatari foreign minister, who meets with Pentagon officials Friday, publicly maintains his country has not given the U.S. permission to use the base to strike Iraq.

SHEIKH HAMAD, QATARI FOREIGN MINISTER: And if they ask us, we will look at this seriously. But at the moment, there is no decision because there is nobody who asked us about this.

MCINTYRE: But while Qatar holds out hope U.N. inspections will avert war, the U.S. is moving ahead with low profile preparations, everything from building up ammunition stocks to slowly sending more equipment to the region. And the Pentagon says it is fully capable of waging war against Iraq even while fighting continues in Afghanistan.

MICHAEL O'HANLON, BROOKINGS INSTITUTION: There is skimpily no doubt that a U.S. military of 1.4 million active duty troops can find 250,000 for Iraq at the same time that we devote 20,000 or 30,000 to Afghanistan. This is doable, even if there may be some strains here and there.

MCINTYRE: Two things in short supply -- unmanned spy planes and U.S. special operations troops.

(on camera): And just this week, sources say U.S. center commander General Tommy Franks briefed the joint chiefs of staff on his latest war planning for Iraq, including an updated target list. But the major military buildup has yet to begin and for now it appears war is months away.

Jamie McIntyre, CNN, the Pentagon.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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