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U.S./Turkey/Israel Participate in Joint Military Exercise
Aired January 02, 2003 - 14:24 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: Israeli troops, backed by helicopters, bulldozers and tanks, rolled into central and southern Gaza. The Israeli army says it's searching for militants.
The Palestinians are strongly condemning the incursions. A Palestinian and two Israeli soldiers were hurt. Palestinians say 27 homes were destroyed, and 19 Palestinians were arrested in the West Bank overnight.
The Israeli human rights group B'Tselem also reported that more than 1,000 Palestinians are now being held by Israel without charges or trial. That is the largest number in 12 years.
Israel is stepping up efforts to prepare for any possible led U.S.-war against Iraq. CNN has learned that Israel and the United States will begin a series of joint exercises next week.
In the meantime, exercise Reliant Mermaid gets underway for the fifth year. CNN's Kelly Wallace has more on that. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KELLY WALLACE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It is all business aboard one of Israel's most sophisticated warships, the Hanit, the start of a day-long practice mission.
Two Israeli divers simulate being stranded in the Mediterranean Sea off the Israeli coast.
An Israeli Black Hawk helicopter, with the help of two war ships from Turkey, eventually locate and save the divers.
It is all part of a joint training exercise by Israel, Turkey and the United States. Business as usual, according to the three nations, but in unusual times.
The three countries describe these exercises as routine, saying they take place every year and they were planned a long time ago.
The Israelis, for their part, say they went ahead with the exercises despite the ongoing tensions with Iraq and not because of them.
CAPT. RON BEN YEHUDA, ISRAEL'S 2ND FLOTILLA: They have good relationship that we do exercise from time to time. And we don't want to change our schedule because of events in the area.
WALLACE: The United States sent one ship but did not allow reporters to travel on board.
The commander downplays any suggestion the exercise was flexing the military muscle for Iraq.
CMDR. MARK HAGEROTT, USS KAUFMAN: We've been on deployment for five months; we've done numerous exercises, so this is just yet another exercise, this time, you know, with the Turks, the Israelis and the Americans and, you know, it's pretty routine, actually.
WALLACE: But analysts say the flying of the three flags sends a political message. Israel is fully backing any U.S. military action against Iraq, while Turkey is expected to allow the U.S. use of its bases for an attack.
GERALD STEINBERG, BAR-ILAN UNIVERSITY: For the short-term, this is also, I think, a political symbol for the region that says that we are working together and the noose around Iraq is closing. And this is just another example of that.
WALLACE: And another, more robust example, will come next week when Israel and the U.S. conduct joint exercises to test Israel's new Arrow anti-missile system, teamed up with upgraded U.S. Patriot missile batteries.
The old Patriots, used during the 1991 Gulf War, failed to prevent 39 Iraqi SCUDs from hitting Israel.
Back on the Hanit, the Israeli commander, along with the American and Turkish officers, monitors the operations, while Israeli officers share radar information with the two other navies.
And as the day comes to a close, the three countries prepare to do it all over again. A routine training mission at a time when things are anything but routine in the region. (END VIDEOTAPE)
WALLACE: And after the mission, the Israeli commander said everything went off without a hitch and some of the naval officers we talked to said one of the goals of this training exercise is improving the coordination between three different navies, all with a different language -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: All right, Kelly. Now let's look ahead to next week and these joint exercises taking place. Let's talk about the significance of those and what can you tell us about them?
WALLACE: Well, very significant, Kyra, because it will be the first time you're having a test of Israel's Arrow system with these upgraded and improved American Patriots.
No one knows, quite frankly, if everything will work. The hope is the two systems together will prevent any missile from ever reaching Israel if there is a war with Iraq and if Iraq decides to attack Israel.
The stakes are high, Kyra. Obviously, concern about protecting Israelis and also, the Americans want to prevent Israel from ever stepping into any war. Israel has said it possibly will retaliate if Iraq sends any missiles to Israel -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Our Kelly Wallace. Thanks, Kelly.
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 January 2, 2003 - 14:24 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Israeli troops, backed by helicopters, bulldozers and tanks, rolled into central and southern Gaza. The Israeli army says it's searching for militants.
The Palestinians are strongly condemning the incursions. A Palestinian and two Israeli soldiers were hurt. Palestinians say 27 homes were destroyed, and 19 Palestinians were arrested in the West Bank overnight.
The Israeli human rights group B'Tselem also reported that more than 1,000 Palestinians are now being held by Israel without charges or trial. That is the largest number in 12 years.
Israel is stepping up efforts to prepare for any possible led U.S.-war against Iraq. CNN has learned that Israel and the United States will begin a series of joint exercises next week.
In the meantime, exercise Reliant Mermaid gets underway for the fifth year. CNN's Kelly Wallace has more on that. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KELLY WALLACE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It is all business aboard one of Israel's most sophisticated warships, the Hanit, the start of a day-long practice mission.
Two Israeli divers simulate being stranded in the Mediterranean Sea off the Israeli coast.
An Israeli Black Hawk helicopter, with the help of two war ships from Turkey, eventually locate and save the divers.
It is all part of a joint training exercise by Israel, Turkey and the United States. Business as usual, according to the three nations, but in unusual times.
The three countries describe these exercises as routine, saying they take place every year and they were planned a long time ago.
The Israelis, for their part, say they went ahead with the exercises despite the ongoing tensions with Iraq and not because of them.
CAPT. RON BEN YEHUDA, ISRAEL'S 2ND FLOTILLA: They have good relationship that we do exercise from time to time. And we don't want to change our schedule because of events in the area.
WALLACE: The United States sent one ship but did not allow reporters to travel on board.
The commander downplays any suggestion the exercise was flexing the military muscle for Iraq.
CMDR. MARK HAGEROTT, USS KAUFMAN: We've been on deployment for five months; we've done numerous exercises, so this is just yet another exercise, this time, you know, with the Turks, the Israelis and the Americans and, you know, it's pretty routine, actually.
WALLACE: But analysts say the flying of the three flags sends a political message. Israel is fully backing any U.S. military action against Iraq, while Turkey is expected to allow the U.S. use of its bases for an attack.
GERALD STEINBERG, BAR-ILAN UNIVERSITY: For the short-term, this is also, I think, a political symbol for the region that says that we are working together and the noose around Iraq is closing. And this is just another example of that.
WALLACE: And another, more robust example, will come next week when Israel and the U.S. conduct joint exercises to test Israel's new Arrow anti-missile system, teamed up with upgraded U.S. Patriot missile batteries.
The old Patriots, used during the 1991 Gulf War, failed to prevent 39 Iraqi SCUDs from hitting Israel.
Back on the Hanit, the Israeli commander, along with the American and Turkish officers, monitors the operations, while Israeli officers share radar information with the two other navies.
And as the day comes to a close, the three countries prepare to do it all over again. A routine training mission at a time when things are anything but routine in the region. (END VIDEOTAPE)
WALLACE: And after the mission, the Israeli commander said everything went off without a hitch and some of the naval officers we talked to said one of the goals of this training exercise is improving the coordination between three different navies, all with a different language -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: All right, Kelly. Now let's look ahead to next week and these joint exercises taking place. Let's talk about the significance of those and what can you tell us about them?
WALLACE: Well, very significant, Kyra, because it will be the first time you're having a test of Israel's Arrow system with these upgraded and improved American Patriots.
No one knows, quite frankly, if everything will work. The hope is the two systems together will prevent any missile from ever reaching Israel if there is a war with Iraq and if Iraq decides to attack Israel.
The stakes are high, Kyra. Obviously, concern about protecting Israelis and also, the Americans want to prevent Israel from ever stepping into any war. Israel has said it possibly will retaliate if Iraq sends any missiles to Israel -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Our Kelly Wallace. Thanks, Kelly.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
