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CNN Live Saturday

What Are Military Differences Between Iraq, North Korea?

Aired March 15, 2003 - 14:15   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: The Bush administration insists the nuclear standoff with North Korea can be solved with diplomacy. But what if it can't? What would a war with North Korea be like versus a war with Iraq? Let's talk to our CNN military analyst, retired Brigadier General David Grange. He joins us from Oakbrook, Illinois. Good to see you, General.
BRIG. GEN. DAVID GRANGE (RET.), CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Good afternoon.

WHITFIELD: It seems as though North Korea and Iraq are like apples and oranges. How in the world do you try to draw comparisons between these two, which already have very different wills to fight, if you will?

GRANGE: Well, both repressive regimes, both have the same type of equipment, to the most extent. But I would say North Korea, you know, it's a very more motivated professional army, military than -- than Iraq. Iraq is kind of loose. It's all over the map. Where North Korea is definitely focused to the south, and their mind is set for war, if the word is given.

WHITFIELD: Do you see that North Korea respects and is eager by the words and the actions of Kim Jong-il, but Iraq may be motivated more by fear. Is it fear of Saddam Hussein or fear of going against someone like the U.S. forces?

GRANGE: I think fear of both. They know that the United States military is quite an awesome power. They know that from '91 and they just know that from television and from what they hear in the papers and everything else. And then of course, fear from Saddam if they don't fight. But if they're given a choice, I think a got part of them will surrender or leave the battlefield.

Not the case with North Korean soldiers. I think when they get the word to go, they're determined, relentless fighters. And they will follow the order until you kill a majority of them before any would surrender.

WHITFIELD: As we talk about their differences, let's talk about their training, the similarities and/or differences that there might be. Iraq, it seems as though, many experts have said they don't have really a regimented training program, whereas the North Koreans may be a lot more regimented.

GRANGE: North Korean military, very regimented with a leadership that's very professional. They are disciplined soldiers where the Iraqi military lacks discipline. So, again, it's quite a difference. The tougher of the two is definitely North Korea.

WHITFIELD: Weapons, do they have anything in common?

GRANGE: A lot of the same Soviet type equipment, some Chinese stuff, of course, with North Korea. I would say that the North Korean military takes care of their equipment much better than the Iraqi military takes care of it. They train with it more than the Iraqi military trains, and so their equipment -- and they have more, more combat equipment, to include chemical and biological weapons.

WHITFIELD: And the Iraqis, their equipment is much more anti- Kuwait, correct?

GRANGE: Yeah, anti-Kuwaiti -- and lack of maintenance. Lack of parts, the discipline to take care of their tanks, to take care of their infantry vehicles and airplanes. Whereas on the North Korean side, I would say the stuff is more ready do go.

WHITFIELD: Let's talk about deployment posturing. Already, many reports Iraqi forces are moving closer to the Kuwaiti border. But in terms of North Koreans, is it true they have beefed up or perhaps continue to refortify the DMZ zone?

GRANGE: The North Korean side has been fortified extensively since the Korean War armistice. So right across the Demilitarized Zone, they're dug into the mountains, the ridge lines with extravagant tunnels and caves and combat fighting positions. Two-thirds of their military is right across the Demilitarized Zone, much of it within artillery and rocket range within the city of Seoul. Whereas in Iraq the military is on the north side of Baghdad, it's south a little bit. To the west, the east is kind of all over the map. Not so with the North Korean army. They're poised and looking at South Korea.

WHITFIELD: General Grange, good to see you, thank you very much.

GRANGE: Thank 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 March 15, 2003 - 14:15   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: The Bush administration insists the nuclear standoff with North Korea can be solved with diplomacy. But what if it can't? What would a war with North Korea be like versus a war with Iraq? Let's talk to our CNN military analyst, retired Brigadier General David Grange. He joins us from Oakbrook, Illinois. Good to see you, General.
BRIG. GEN. DAVID GRANGE (RET.), CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Good afternoon.

WHITFIELD: It seems as though North Korea and Iraq are like apples and oranges. How in the world do you try to draw comparisons between these two, which already have very different wills to fight, if you will?

GRANGE: Well, both repressive regimes, both have the same type of equipment, to the most extent. But I would say North Korea, you know, it's a very more motivated professional army, military than -- than Iraq. Iraq is kind of loose. It's all over the map. Where North Korea is definitely focused to the south, and their mind is set for war, if the word is given.

WHITFIELD: Do you see that North Korea respects and is eager by the words and the actions of Kim Jong-il, but Iraq may be motivated more by fear. Is it fear of Saddam Hussein or fear of going against someone like the U.S. forces?

GRANGE: I think fear of both. They know that the United States military is quite an awesome power. They know that from '91 and they just know that from television and from what they hear in the papers and everything else. And then of course, fear from Saddam if they don't fight. But if they're given a choice, I think a got part of them will surrender or leave the battlefield.

Not the case with North Korean soldiers. I think when they get the word to go, they're determined, relentless fighters. And they will follow the order until you kill a majority of them before any would surrender.

WHITFIELD: As we talk about their differences, let's talk about their training, the similarities and/or differences that there might be. Iraq, it seems as though, many experts have said they don't have really a regimented training program, whereas the North Koreans may be a lot more regimented.

GRANGE: North Korean military, very regimented with a leadership that's very professional. They are disciplined soldiers where the Iraqi military lacks discipline. So, again, it's quite a difference. The tougher of the two is definitely North Korea.

WHITFIELD: Weapons, do they have anything in common?

GRANGE: A lot of the same Soviet type equipment, some Chinese stuff, of course, with North Korea. I would say that the North Korean military takes care of their equipment much better than the Iraqi military takes care of it. They train with it more than the Iraqi military trains, and so their equipment -- and they have more, more combat equipment, to include chemical and biological weapons.

WHITFIELD: And the Iraqis, their equipment is much more anti- Kuwait, correct?

GRANGE: Yeah, anti-Kuwaiti -- and lack of maintenance. Lack of parts, the discipline to take care of their tanks, to take care of their infantry vehicles and airplanes. Whereas on the North Korean side, I would say the stuff is more ready do go.

WHITFIELD: Let's talk about deployment posturing. Already, many reports Iraqi forces are moving closer to the Kuwaiti border. But in terms of North Koreans, is it true they have beefed up or perhaps continue to refortify the DMZ zone?

GRANGE: The North Korean side has been fortified extensively since the Korean War armistice. So right across the Demilitarized Zone, they're dug into the mountains, the ridge lines with extravagant tunnels and caves and combat fighting positions. Two-thirds of their military is right across the Demilitarized Zone, much of it within artillery and rocket range within the city of Seoul. Whereas in Iraq the military is on the north side of Baghdad, it's south a little bit. To the west, the east is kind of all over the map. Not so with the North Korean army. They're poised and looking at South Korea.

WHITFIELD: General Grange, good to see you, thank you very much.

GRANGE: Thank 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