Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live Saturday

Operation Internal Look Gets Under Way Monday

Aired December 07, 2002 - 14:17   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: U.S. troops are quietly getting in place to surround Iraq in case of war. The head of the U.S. Central Command is in Qatar to monitor what the Pentagon calls Operation Internal Look. General Tommy Franks led a pre-dawn drill near Doha today in preparation. Operation Internal Look starts Monday. The simulated war game takes place regularly, but this time it's anything but routine. Find out more about what it is supposed to accomplish. Let's check in with CNN military analyst, retired Major General Shepperd. He's in Doha. Good to see you, general.
MAJ. GEN. DONALD SHEPPERD, CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Hi, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: All right, let's talk about all the pre-dawn preps going on and the war games about to take place, and talk about combat readiness for a little bit.

SHEPPERD: Well, the troops are getting ready. But that's not what this is about. This exercise Internal Look is a headquarters exercise designed to test a new, deployable command post for Central Command. Basically it is going to test General Franks' capability to communicate, command and control his forces throughout the region.

It's never been used before. This is brand new, put together by Raytheon, assembled and shipped here. And so what they are going to do is start not a traditional exercise that we're used to with a lot of shooting and a lot of flying, but rather a lot of electrons flying. And they're going to test the ability to talk and manipulate and be ready if and when they're needed.

PHILLIPS: Now, obviously there is a lot of classified information you can't talk to us about. But what can you tell us, what sorts of insights can you tell us about new technology and just how fast he will be able to communicate with his commanders?

SHEPPERD: Well, basically what this is about is using state-of- the-art technology, and I'm talking about fast computers, I'm talking about secure computers, I'm talking about large pieces of bandwidth, that enable you to videoteleconference, see real-time imagery,from things like the Predator -- the things that we watched in Afghanistan, plus.

All of that is being tested to make sure that there aren't any holes if this nation, if our troops have to go to war. General Franks has to know that he can talk, he can communicate, he can move, and he wants to be closer to the action. Also there is a diplomatic message here in that we have to have an alternate command post because there is questions about where we will be able to use bases and where we will be able to use airspace. So we have an alternate. And for the Qataris here in the area, it's important to know that in a very, very tough neighborhood you have a big brother that can be very, very helpful if worse comes to worse.

PHILLIPS: Let's talk about security. What type of protection is in place? Everybody is concerned about hackers, and especially when you have something new like this, you want to know what is in place with regard to security.

SHEPPERD: Hackers are always a problem. It's something everybody deals with. And something that General Franks is very concerned with. He has experts working that problem, the best experts that the military and the nation can find.

On the other hand, physical security is just as important. In the back of everyone's mind, is the Marine barracks in Beirut, Khobar Towers, things going on in Afghanistan, the recent shootings in Kuwait. So physical security is just as important as electronic security, but both are being -- being looked after here, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Now, also, we have been talking about warning signs, warning signs that will come about if indeed the U.S. is getting ready to attack Iraq. Is this any type of warning sign, the fact that the general is getting -- going on his communications system?

SHEPPERD: Well, depending on who you are, it could be a warning sign. But it's just a prudent step to have an alternate headquarters and to make sure it works and to make sure in this new world that it is deployable.

So those are warning signs. The warning signs we watch for as far as going to war are the United Nations inspectors leaving Iraq in disgust because they can't accomplish their mission; also the alert of guard and reserve forces, and of course movement of U.S. forces to the area. All of those things have to be done before you -- before you really start any kind of combat. So we're not on the edge of combat, but clearly these are all steps and warning steps depending on who you are and what you are looking at, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Retired Major General Don Shepard live from Doha. Thank you so much. Great talking to you.

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 December 7, 2002 - 14:17   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: U.S. troops are quietly getting in place to surround Iraq in case of war. The head of the U.S. Central Command is in Qatar to monitor what the Pentagon calls Operation Internal Look. General Tommy Franks led a pre-dawn drill near Doha today in preparation. Operation Internal Look starts Monday. The simulated war game takes place regularly, but this time it's anything but routine. Find out more about what it is supposed to accomplish. Let's check in with CNN military analyst, retired Major General Shepperd. He's in Doha. Good to see you, general.
MAJ. GEN. DONALD SHEPPERD, CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Hi, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: All right, let's talk about all the pre-dawn preps going on and the war games about to take place, and talk about combat readiness for a little bit.

SHEPPERD: Well, the troops are getting ready. But that's not what this is about. This exercise Internal Look is a headquarters exercise designed to test a new, deployable command post for Central Command. Basically it is going to test General Franks' capability to communicate, command and control his forces throughout the region.

It's never been used before. This is brand new, put together by Raytheon, assembled and shipped here. And so what they are going to do is start not a traditional exercise that we're used to with a lot of shooting and a lot of flying, but rather a lot of electrons flying. And they're going to test the ability to talk and manipulate and be ready if and when they're needed.

PHILLIPS: Now, obviously there is a lot of classified information you can't talk to us about. But what can you tell us, what sorts of insights can you tell us about new technology and just how fast he will be able to communicate with his commanders?

SHEPPERD: Well, basically what this is about is using state-of- the-art technology, and I'm talking about fast computers, I'm talking about secure computers, I'm talking about large pieces of bandwidth, that enable you to videoteleconference, see real-time imagery,from things like the Predator -- the things that we watched in Afghanistan, plus.

All of that is being tested to make sure that there aren't any holes if this nation, if our troops have to go to war. General Franks has to know that he can talk, he can communicate, he can move, and he wants to be closer to the action. Also there is a diplomatic message here in that we have to have an alternate command post because there is questions about where we will be able to use bases and where we will be able to use airspace. So we have an alternate. And for the Qataris here in the area, it's important to know that in a very, very tough neighborhood you have a big brother that can be very, very helpful if worse comes to worse.

PHILLIPS: Let's talk about security. What type of protection is in place? Everybody is concerned about hackers, and especially when you have something new like this, you want to know what is in place with regard to security.

SHEPPERD: Hackers are always a problem. It's something everybody deals with. And something that General Franks is very concerned with. He has experts working that problem, the best experts that the military and the nation can find.

On the other hand, physical security is just as important. In the back of everyone's mind, is the Marine barracks in Beirut, Khobar Towers, things going on in Afghanistan, the recent shootings in Kuwait. So physical security is just as important as electronic security, but both are being -- being looked after here, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Now, also, we have been talking about warning signs, warning signs that will come about if indeed the U.S. is getting ready to attack Iraq. Is this any type of warning sign, the fact that the general is getting -- going on his communications system?

SHEPPERD: Well, depending on who you are, it could be a warning sign. But it's just a prudent step to have an alternate headquarters and to make sure it works and to make sure in this new world that it is deployable.

So those are warning signs. The warning signs we watch for as far as going to war are the United Nations inspectors leaving Iraq in disgust because they can't accomplish their mission; also the alert of guard and reserve forces, and of course movement of U.S. forces to the area. All of those things have to be done before you -- before you really start any kind of combat. So we're not on the edge of combat, but clearly these are all steps and warning steps depending on who you are and what you are looking at, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Retired Major General Don Shepard live from Doha. Thank you so much. Great talking to you.

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