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CNN Live Today

How Will U.S. Adapt to Lack of Turkish Support?

Aired March 04, 2003 - 11:45   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.


MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Let's talk about plan A, and then plan B. And joining us to do that is one of our experts on military matters, retired Brigadier General David Grange of the United States Army, joining us from Chicago. David Grange -- excuse me -- General Grange, good to have you with us.
GEN. DAVID GRANGE, CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Good day.

O'BRIEN: All right. First of all, let's take a look at Incirlik, and talk about this air base that is at the center of the U.S. concern and issues here. As we look at some satellite imagery that was taken about a year ago, you can see that huge air base there. When you look at any sort of air campaign involving Iraq and surrounding regions, Incirlik is a linchpin, isn't it?

GRANGE: It is, and coalition forces have used this air base for quite some time to enforce the no-fly zone in the north, and also to conduct combat search and rescue missions out of this base. So it's a key base for any kind of an operation in Iraq.

O'BRIEN: So why is it key? Location, location, location.

Let's take a look at a map of the region. We'll fly you from Incirlik into Baghdad. As the crow flies, it's pretty short, but because of geopolitical concerns, you're not going to fly a direct route from there. You are going to fly over Turkish airspace and take a dog leg from Incirlik down into Baghdad. That is about a 700 statute mile run, which puts it well within the range of U.S. fighter aircraft.

The question is, General Grange, it's unclear to me what Turkey's disposition is on the use of Incirlik in all of this. In other words, will fighter planes be allowed to launch out of there, based on what happened in Parliament there?

GRANGE: You know, initially, Miles, the aircraft operations were OK, and the big issue was driving across the border with battle tanks and infantry fighting vehicles. So it's hard to say if this piece is still under negotiation or not. I would imagine that some sorties may be able to work out of Incirlik. For sure, the combat search and rescue, refuelers, but combat strike aircraft, I think, is still unknown at this time. And there's other options if this falls out, but it would be nice to at least get the air support because the distance of the legs you just mentioned.

O'BRIEN: All right. And one of the options would be to fly in planes from, say, Italy. Of course, that would presumably involve flights over Turkish air space. That's another issue. Would they allow the use of their air space, Incirlik not withstanding?

GRANGE: I believe air space would be allowed. But also you could fly over Jordan. I think that airspace would be allowed, and basing may come out of Italy, but it could come out of Bulgaria. It could come out of a lot of different states in the area because the fighters can also always refuel on refueling tracks if need be, if they can't get close.

O'BRIEN: All right. But it does, of course, make things a little more challenging. Let's talk a little bit about how this plan A was supposed to go. Essentially, what we're talking about here is getting some 60,000 troops into this northern region of Iraq, which is generally controlled -- with a few exceptions, some of the cities are not -- generally controlled by Kurdish separatists.

The idea was to bring the 4th Infantry in there and, as we said, about 60,000 troops. I guess, maybe not coincidentally, that's the latest deployment is about 60,000 troops to the region. Of course, it will take a long time to get them in place. The idea was to move them across this mountainous area into this northern part of Iraq, and then ultimately, they could sort of do what military planners call a pincer move on Baghdad. That's an important part of the puzzle, isn't it, General?

GRANGE: Very important. It is the heavy force that would be moving on the ground. Of course, that force is not anywhere near the 60,000. The 60,000 involves air and ground forces. It involves logistics and fighting units, but it is -- would have been a combat formation, mounted with tanks and heavy infantry fighting vehicles and artillery. That would have to be adjusted a little bit. They can still force Saddam's elements to look in two directions by putting in lighter forces up north that would still have quite an effect on operations in northern Iraq.

O'BRIEN: So what you're talking about, just briefly, is to put the 101st Airborne up in there, and perhaps use their lighter capabilities, if you will, to do the same trick. How much of a setback is that?

GRANGE: Well, it's just -- it is not optimum. In other words, you like to use heavy and light and special operating forces mixed is the optimum organization to have in a fight like this, where you may be in cities, you may cross rivers, you may be dealing with security of oil fields, or working in the mountains.

So it's nice to have the mix. What you would see probably is a combination of 101st air assault type, or 82nd Airborne dropping in, or Rangers hitting things, seizing some air fields, and then moving in heavier equipment, though it be limited, to help beef up that force in the area.

O'BRIEN: All right. It gets more complicated all the time, doesn't it? General David Grange joining us from Chicago. We appreciate your insights as always.

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






Aired March 4, 2003 - 11:45   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Let's talk about plan A, and then plan B. And joining us to do that is one of our experts on military matters, retired Brigadier General David Grange of the United States Army, joining us from Chicago. David Grange -- excuse me -- General Grange, good to have you with us.
GEN. DAVID GRANGE, CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Good day.

O'BRIEN: All right. First of all, let's take a look at Incirlik, and talk about this air base that is at the center of the U.S. concern and issues here. As we look at some satellite imagery that was taken about a year ago, you can see that huge air base there. When you look at any sort of air campaign involving Iraq and surrounding regions, Incirlik is a linchpin, isn't it?

GRANGE: It is, and coalition forces have used this air base for quite some time to enforce the no-fly zone in the north, and also to conduct combat search and rescue missions out of this base. So it's a key base for any kind of an operation in Iraq.

O'BRIEN: So why is it key? Location, location, location.

Let's take a look at a map of the region. We'll fly you from Incirlik into Baghdad. As the crow flies, it's pretty short, but because of geopolitical concerns, you're not going to fly a direct route from there. You are going to fly over Turkish airspace and take a dog leg from Incirlik down into Baghdad. That is about a 700 statute mile run, which puts it well within the range of U.S. fighter aircraft.

The question is, General Grange, it's unclear to me what Turkey's disposition is on the use of Incirlik in all of this. In other words, will fighter planes be allowed to launch out of there, based on what happened in Parliament there?

GRANGE: You know, initially, Miles, the aircraft operations were OK, and the big issue was driving across the border with battle tanks and infantry fighting vehicles. So it's hard to say if this piece is still under negotiation or not. I would imagine that some sorties may be able to work out of Incirlik. For sure, the combat search and rescue, refuelers, but combat strike aircraft, I think, is still unknown at this time. And there's other options if this falls out, but it would be nice to at least get the air support because the distance of the legs you just mentioned.

O'BRIEN: All right. And one of the options would be to fly in planes from, say, Italy. Of course, that would presumably involve flights over Turkish air space. That's another issue. Would they allow the use of their air space, Incirlik not withstanding?

GRANGE: I believe air space would be allowed. But also you could fly over Jordan. I think that airspace would be allowed, and basing may come out of Italy, but it could come out of Bulgaria. It could come out of a lot of different states in the area because the fighters can also always refuel on refueling tracks if need be, if they can't get close.

O'BRIEN: All right. But it does, of course, make things a little more challenging. Let's talk a little bit about how this plan A was supposed to go. Essentially, what we're talking about here is getting some 60,000 troops into this northern region of Iraq, which is generally controlled -- with a few exceptions, some of the cities are not -- generally controlled by Kurdish separatists.

The idea was to bring the 4th Infantry in there and, as we said, about 60,000 troops. I guess, maybe not coincidentally, that's the latest deployment is about 60,000 troops to the region. Of course, it will take a long time to get them in place. The idea was to move them across this mountainous area into this northern part of Iraq, and then ultimately, they could sort of do what military planners call a pincer move on Baghdad. That's an important part of the puzzle, isn't it, General?

GRANGE: Very important. It is the heavy force that would be moving on the ground. Of course, that force is not anywhere near the 60,000. The 60,000 involves air and ground forces. It involves logistics and fighting units, but it is -- would have been a combat formation, mounted with tanks and heavy infantry fighting vehicles and artillery. That would have to be adjusted a little bit. They can still force Saddam's elements to look in two directions by putting in lighter forces up north that would still have quite an effect on operations in northern Iraq.

O'BRIEN: So what you're talking about, just briefly, is to put the 101st Airborne up in there, and perhaps use their lighter capabilities, if you will, to do the same trick. How much of a setback is that?

GRANGE: Well, it's just -- it is not optimum. In other words, you like to use heavy and light and special operating forces mixed is the optimum organization to have in a fight like this, where you may be in cities, you may cross rivers, you may be dealing with security of oil fields, or working in the mountains.

So it's nice to have the mix. What you would see probably is a combination of 101st air assault type, or 82nd Airborne dropping in, or Rangers hitting things, seizing some air fields, and then moving in heavier equipment, though it be limited, to help beef up that force in the area.

O'BRIEN: All right. It gets more complicated all the time, doesn't it? General David Grange joining us from Chicago. We appreciate your insights as always.

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