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CNN Live At Daybreak
U.S. Advising U.N. Weapons Inspectors to Leave Iraq
Aired March 17, 2003 - 06:54 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: We've had breaking news all morning. That breaking news, the U.S. government advising U.N. weapons inspectors to get out of Iraq.
We want to talk to Brigadier General David Grange, our military analyst.
General Grange, are you there?
BRIG. GEN. DAVID GRANGE, U.S. ARMY (RET.): I'm there.
Good morning.
COSTELLO: OK, you're on the phone with us.
Tell us how this news affects military troops in the Persian Gulf.
GRANGE: Well, it's just, they probably get the feel that this is the initial warnings that combat's imminent. And so I think it's probably around the corner.
COSTELLO: So what...
GRANGE: They're going to give these people some warning and no time limit yet, but.
COSTELLO: What kinds of things are they doing to prepare now?
GRANGE: Well, they're continuing to test fly, test fire weaponry and test fly the helicopters. Final preparations, rehearsals on their part of the battle plan, the what, you know, working out the contingencies, like the what ifs, if Saddam attacks first, if there is a WMD incident, if inspectors are taken hostage, those type of contingencies that may be different than their deliberate planning.
COSTELLO: And they're also watching to see if Iraq will do anything before the United States declares war.
GRANGE: That's right. And see, the thing about this is as we look at all the preparations for the allied forces, sometimes you lose sight that the enemy has a vote. And he, the enemy has a say in this thing and they can score our planning just like we can mess with their planning.
So we have to be prepared for that, you know, the armed forces of both the United States and Great Britain. COSTELLO: I understand. I should have asked you this before, but does the United States suggestion that the weapons inspectors get out of Iraq, does this mean that there definitely will be a war?
GRANGE: No. It's not definite, but obviously the indication is that the United States is preparing for war. And it's just, you know, one of those safety precautions, giving people warning. They don't want to start the bombing if that's the case, with the inspectors still in there or other diplomats, as an example.
Now, if they don't leave, that's on them.
COSTELLO: That's true. But all indications are that they will leave if, of course, there is a war.
Let's talk about if there is a war and what the strategy will be. What will the first day look like, do you think?
GRANGE: Well, I think we're going to always have a mass of air attacks, mainly because those are pre-ground combat targeting that has to be done before ground troops go in. However, I don't think it'll be the same as the first war, where you waited for 39 days of air strikes before the first ground forces went in. I think you'll see more simultaneity between the ground and the air.
But the air will be massive up front.
COSTELLO: Yes, because we have better technology now in the first place. And the bombing will probably last two days, I've heard, and then the ground troops will move in.
GRANGE: Well, two days maybe of a surge. But it'll continue every day as the operations go on up until the end of the combat phase with the operation. Air will always be there as a force multiplier and the doctrine calls for air and ground that work together simultaneously all the time anyway.
COSTELLO: All right, General Grange, thanks for joining us on DAYBREAK this morning.
We sure appreciate it.
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 17, 2003 - 06:54 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: We've had breaking news all morning. That breaking news, the U.S. government advising U.N. weapons inspectors to get out of Iraq.
We want to talk to Brigadier General David Grange, our military analyst.
General Grange, are you there?
BRIG. GEN. DAVID GRANGE, U.S. ARMY (RET.): I'm there.
Good morning.
COSTELLO: OK, you're on the phone with us.
Tell us how this news affects military troops in the Persian Gulf.
GRANGE: Well, it's just, they probably get the feel that this is the initial warnings that combat's imminent. And so I think it's probably around the corner.
COSTELLO: So what...
GRANGE: They're going to give these people some warning and no time limit yet, but.
COSTELLO: What kinds of things are they doing to prepare now?
GRANGE: Well, they're continuing to test fly, test fire weaponry and test fly the helicopters. Final preparations, rehearsals on their part of the battle plan, the what, you know, working out the contingencies, like the what ifs, if Saddam attacks first, if there is a WMD incident, if inspectors are taken hostage, those type of contingencies that may be different than their deliberate planning.
COSTELLO: And they're also watching to see if Iraq will do anything before the United States declares war.
GRANGE: That's right. And see, the thing about this is as we look at all the preparations for the allied forces, sometimes you lose sight that the enemy has a vote. And he, the enemy has a say in this thing and they can score our planning just like we can mess with their planning.
So we have to be prepared for that, you know, the armed forces of both the United States and Great Britain. COSTELLO: I understand. I should have asked you this before, but does the United States suggestion that the weapons inspectors get out of Iraq, does this mean that there definitely will be a war?
GRANGE: No. It's not definite, but obviously the indication is that the United States is preparing for war. And it's just, you know, one of those safety precautions, giving people warning. They don't want to start the bombing if that's the case, with the inspectors still in there or other diplomats, as an example.
Now, if they don't leave, that's on them.
COSTELLO: That's true. But all indications are that they will leave if, of course, there is a war.
Let's talk about if there is a war and what the strategy will be. What will the first day look like, do you think?
GRANGE: Well, I think we're going to always have a mass of air attacks, mainly because those are pre-ground combat targeting that has to be done before ground troops go in. However, I don't think it'll be the same as the first war, where you waited for 39 days of air strikes before the first ground forces went in. I think you'll see more simultaneity between the ground and the air.
But the air will be massive up front.
COSTELLO: Yes, because we have better technology now in the first place. And the bombing will probably last two days, I've heard, and then the ground troops will move in.
GRANGE: Well, two days maybe of a surge. But it'll continue every day as the operations go on up until the end of the combat phase with the operation. Air will always be there as a force multiplier and the doctrine calls for air and ground that work together simultaneously all the time anyway.
COSTELLO: All right, General Grange, thanks for joining us on DAYBREAK this morning.
We sure appreciate it.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
