Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live At Daybreak

Rumsfeld Gains U.S. Access to Air Bases in Tajikistan

Aired November 05, 2001 - 06:07   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.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Let's bring our Bob Franken in at the Pentagon. Bob, four nations, one weekend. What was accomplished with this trip?

BOB FRANKEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, first of all, he got double miles for his flight over Afghanistan. The point there, by the way, was to show that the air defenses of the Taliban have been wiped out to the point that he could successfully fly over there. I will point out that he had switched planes and was flying in one that is especially equipped in case there was some surfaced air missiles to fly and avoid those surface air missiles, but of course that was a bit of symbolism, he accomplished that.

He also - probably yet his biggest accomplishment with Tajikistan, which is now said that, according to defense officials, that U.S. Army and military engineers can go into various airports in Tajikistan and to survey them to see exactly how they could best be used.

Of course, that is an airport that has close proximity to the northern part of Afghanistan and that could become such an important staging area for the U.S. Special Forces that both Rumsfeld and his generals are saying over the weekend will be increased - that they're going to increase maybe put well in the 200-range, 300-range, the number of Special Forces operators on the ground.

They've been quite happy with the improvement in the bombing accuracy once U.S. special operations troops were on the ground instead of relying on the Northern Alliance spotters to try and get more precise locations for the bombs that were flying in. So that was probably the most important part of the trip and of course that excludes the discussions in Moscow that started it out and the discussion about the ABM Treaty, which is going to be such an important preliminary talk leading up to the summit soon between the U.S. and Russian leaders.

But anyway Rumsfeld is on his way back. He is saying that this military operation that should go not just through Ramadan, but into the winter, saying that that might give rather than the disadvantage of many people thought it might be an advantage to those allies of the United States who could receive all the warm weather equipment they needed while the Taliban could be frozen out. Rumsfeld is on his way back.

Daryn.

KAGAN: That's to the air bases in Tajikistan. That's one problem solved, but the condition of these bases, I guess, is a whole other problem. They're not exactly pristine.

FRANKEN: Well, no, not exactly pristine, but certainly well located and you remember the real estate maxim what's most important location, location, location.

KAGAN: Absolutely, bring your fixer uppers offers in after that. Bob Franken at the Pentagon. Appreciate it, good to see you early on this Monday morning.

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