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Brutal Month in Iraq

Aired December 01, 2003 - 13:31   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: Now back to Iraq, where a brutal month has ended with what may have been the bloodiest fire fight since the fall of Baghdad more than six months ago. Still not entirely clear whether yesterday's attackers in Samarra, between Baghdad and Tikrit, were targeting U.S. troops, the new Iraqi currency or both.
CNN military analyst and retired Army Brigadier General David Grange joins us from Chicago with some insights.

Great to see you, general.

BRIG. GEN. DAVID GRANGE, CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Same.

PHILLIPS: Well, let me get you to the question I guess straightforward. What do you think? I mean, is this about the currency? Is this about the economy? Is this about tearing down coalition forces, international help?

GRANGE: What I think happened here is that they had, the insurgents had very good intelligence on the movement of the convoys carrying the currency, with an understanding there was some security forces with the convoy, but they knew the time, they knew the place, and they thought they assembled enough force they could really have a tremendous blow against the coalition forces, U.S. in this case, and then almost make a Mogadishu-type situation out of it, in other words, really have just a sensational attack and, it didn't work out that way. The security force responded with effective fire that destroyed most of the insurgent forces.

PHILLIPS: General, you've led the troops. You were a part of special forces, and you mentioned intelligence more than likely led to this. So you know the U.S. military. There's got to be a mole within the system, yes? Could it be someone operating side by side with the U.S. troops and no one knows who this mole is?

GRANGE: I think there's a lot of moles. I think that as you transitioned, the institutions in Iraq transitioned, a new police force, civil defense force, and military forces that you're going to get agents in that mix. No matter how intricate and detailed your screening process is, you're getting to get some agents that support the insurgents. And in this case, I think this is a good example of that, where they gave the information. They had enough information from the coalition forces to set up a very large scale ambush and two simultaneous locations in the city, and I don't think it would have happened that way unless they had this intelligence.

PHILLIPS: So how do you start weeding out these moles? Do you start looking around your shoulder, and, OK, f you're not with me, I need check you out? And I would imagine soldiers might be becoming a little paranoid about who they're working with.

GRANGE: Well, you always have some doubt. It can't be helped, especially with other nationalities. I mean, you have some allies that are very reliable through just working throughout history. The Brits are a good example for the U.S., depending on which countries have been working with each other. When you're working with indigenous personnel, the nationals of Iraq, for instance, again, there's this vetting process. And until you really work with people closely, and certain things happen where you start to gain a lot of trust, it really is hard to tell, and you mistrust people until that's gained. And even then, you still don't know 100 percent that someone is on your side or not. I mean, we have traitors within the United States of America that have been agents for other countries.

PHILLIPS: And let's talk about international help here. Other countries now, Spaniards, are getting attacked now in this guerrilla warfare. Do you foresee other countries saying, you know what, you're going to have to do this on your own, we're out of here?

GRANGE: Well, you know, when some of the other countries were right on the fenceline about sending troops, and there was -- that's right when the Italian troops were killed, they started having second thoughts, and you know, I mean, it is a war. If have you a military and going to send them to a combat area, I mean, people get hurt, and so to use it as an excuse not to send anybody I don't think is correct. I mean, either you agree with the cause and you participate as an ally or why even have a military to send? And so it will affect it a little bit. I think a lot of allies now are showing resolve, that they're going to go the distance with the United States, with great Britain until this thing is completed. The strategy of the insurgents, one of their objectives is to attack the alliances of the United States, and the Spanish, the Poles, Colombians, Italians, are great examples of that. To include the U.N., and the Red Cross and other international institutions.

PHILLIPS: General David Grange, thanks so much for your time today. I know we'll be talking again soon.

GRANGE: My pleasure.

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 1, 2003 - 13:31   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Now back to Iraq, where a brutal month has ended with what may have been the bloodiest fire fight since the fall of Baghdad more than six months ago. Still not entirely clear whether yesterday's attackers in Samarra, between Baghdad and Tikrit, were targeting U.S. troops, the new Iraqi currency or both.
CNN military analyst and retired Army Brigadier General David Grange joins us from Chicago with some insights.

Great to see you, general.

BRIG. GEN. DAVID GRANGE, CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Same.

PHILLIPS: Well, let me get you to the question I guess straightforward. What do you think? I mean, is this about the currency? Is this about the economy? Is this about tearing down coalition forces, international help?

GRANGE: What I think happened here is that they had, the insurgents had very good intelligence on the movement of the convoys carrying the currency, with an understanding there was some security forces with the convoy, but they knew the time, they knew the place, and they thought they assembled enough force they could really have a tremendous blow against the coalition forces, U.S. in this case, and then almost make a Mogadishu-type situation out of it, in other words, really have just a sensational attack and, it didn't work out that way. The security force responded with effective fire that destroyed most of the insurgent forces.

PHILLIPS: General, you've led the troops. You were a part of special forces, and you mentioned intelligence more than likely led to this. So you know the U.S. military. There's got to be a mole within the system, yes? Could it be someone operating side by side with the U.S. troops and no one knows who this mole is?

GRANGE: I think there's a lot of moles. I think that as you transitioned, the institutions in Iraq transitioned, a new police force, civil defense force, and military forces that you're going to get agents in that mix. No matter how intricate and detailed your screening process is, you're getting to get some agents that support the insurgents. And in this case, I think this is a good example of that, where they gave the information. They had enough information from the coalition forces to set up a very large scale ambush and two simultaneous locations in the city, and I don't think it would have happened that way unless they had this intelligence.

PHILLIPS: So how do you start weeding out these moles? Do you start looking around your shoulder, and, OK, f you're not with me, I need check you out? And I would imagine soldiers might be becoming a little paranoid about who they're working with.

GRANGE: Well, you always have some doubt. It can't be helped, especially with other nationalities. I mean, you have some allies that are very reliable through just working throughout history. The Brits are a good example for the U.S., depending on which countries have been working with each other. When you're working with indigenous personnel, the nationals of Iraq, for instance, again, there's this vetting process. And until you really work with people closely, and certain things happen where you start to gain a lot of trust, it really is hard to tell, and you mistrust people until that's gained. And even then, you still don't know 100 percent that someone is on your side or not. I mean, we have traitors within the United States of America that have been agents for other countries.

PHILLIPS: And let's talk about international help here. Other countries now, Spaniards, are getting attacked now in this guerrilla warfare. Do you foresee other countries saying, you know what, you're going to have to do this on your own, we're out of here?

GRANGE: Well, you know, when some of the other countries were right on the fenceline about sending troops, and there was -- that's right when the Italian troops were killed, they started having second thoughts, and you know, I mean, it is a war. If have you a military and going to send them to a combat area, I mean, people get hurt, and so to use it as an excuse not to send anybody I don't think is correct. I mean, either you agree with the cause and you participate as an ally or why even have a military to send? And so it will affect it a little bit. I think a lot of allies now are showing resolve, that they're going to go the distance with the United States, with great Britain until this thing is completed. The strategy of the insurgents, one of their objectives is to attack the alliances of the United States, and the Spanish, the Poles, Colombians, Italians, are great examples of that. To include the U.N., and the Red Cross and other international institutions.

PHILLIPS: General David Grange, thanks so much for your time today. I know we'll be talking again soon.

GRANGE: My pleasure.

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