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CNN Live Today

Tensions Build in Middle East

Aired July 14, 2006 - 10:29   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Let's keep this military discussion going. Our next guest is a military veteran who operated in Lebanon in the 1980s. David Grange, a retired Brigadier General with the U.S. Army. He joins us as a CNN military analyst.
General, good morning.

BRIG. GEN. DAVID GRANGE, U.S. ARMY (RET.): Good morning.

KAGAN: Let me pick up with Barbara Starr's story. What do you think of the idea of using the U.S. military to go in and get American civilians out of Lebanon?

GRANGE: Well, that's who would do it. It comes under the leadership of the department of state. But every country in the world has what they call a neo plan, Noncombatant Evacuation Operations plan. And they have one, of course, for Lebanon. And people assemble according to a State Department plan, in coordination with the military and they're extracted from a crisis site, like let's say Lebanon in this case. But there's several options that can be used and personally I'm very confident that one of those options would work in Lebanon.

KAGAN: Let's get to the battle on the ground right now. Now you have an extensive experience in Lebanon. You yourself have been involved in operations where you fought Hezbollah. How big of a threat do you think they are at this time?

GRANGE: Well, the Hezbollah is a threat. You know, we've kind of ignored it. And I don't mean we've ignored it overtly. Covertly we may not have, you know, avoided it, but the Hezbollah is a threat. It's grown in its proudness (ph) over the years. It was a tough force. In the '80s, with the support from Syria and Iran in particular, it's grown stronger. That's why you have all these rockets missiles that are being fired into Israel out of southern Lebanon. Those were provided to the Hezbollah by their -- by Iranian and Syrian supporters. So they're a tough force.

KAGAN: Which also, by the way, these rockets appear to have a longer range than they have in the past. They're going farther south into Israel than what we've seen.

GRANGE: Right. Correct. So they've increased their capability from let's say 10, 20 years ago. And that's why the Israelis are so concerned about pushing into southern Lebanon and establishing a buffer to negate the distance capabilities of these rockets. So, in other words, they're going in as deep as they have to in order to negate the firing positions of the Hezbollah.

KAGAN: What about Israeli tactics at this time? The military tactics?

GRANGE: Well, the tactics are that they have to somehow isolate to the best of their ability and then neutralize the capabilities of the Hezbollah. In this case, rocket missile fire. The other options they have, of course, is terrorism. Whether it be IEDs, suicide bombers. Suicide bombers mainly the favorite in this part of the world. And, of course, propaganda, disinformation on the use of the military.

They have to try to keep the Hezbollah from using that. And they do that -- the Beirut airport is really the only way Iran can get anything into Lebanon to support the Hezbollah, because otherwise they have to go through northern Iraq or go through Turkey. And I don't think either of those countries are going to allow that.

And so the other option, of course, is support through Syria but that's already in place. So they have to try to isolate any kind of roads or the air bridge or waterway, water approach, which they're doing with the blockade to isolate the Hezbollah.

KAGAN: And then finally we talked about the U.S. role, possibly, of going in and getting out American citizens. Can you see any other role for the U.S. military or other -- another international force in trying to calm things down in this region?

GRANGE: Well, there may be some kind of a deal worked out where there is a peace keeping force of some sort under the U.N. That's being worked. The main role, though, of the U.S. military is not to be pulled into the fight but to protect our citizens, protect our facilities. Like the embassy, as an example. And ensure that -- ensure that safety.

But I think that's really -- and also maybe to keep other countries from influencing the area. Like, for instance Syria and Iran. But not a direct -- I don't think a direct involvement.

KAGAN: Retired Brigadier General David grange, thank you for your time, sir.

GRANGE: My pleasure.

KAGAN: Good to talk with you.

Let's move the story forward as fighting in the Mideast is raging for a third day, Israel and Hezbollah trading more attacks across the Lebanese border. Here's what we know at the half hour.

Israel targeting the Beirut airport again today, but the U.S. helped broker a deal that allowed some planes to take off before the bombs fell. Hezbollah launched more rockets into northern Israel. Police now say five towns were hit in less than an hour.

And President Bush spoke by phone with Lebanon's prime minister about the crisis. The prime minister wants the U.S. to help push for a cease-fire. The fighting erupted on Wednesday when Hezbollah captured two Israeli soldiers.

It is called the ring of fire, Israel's strategy to isolate Hezbollah in this latest round of attacks. We're going for show you how it works coming up on CNN, the most trusted name in news.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: As we continue our coverage, let's go to the United Nations. This is a representative of the Lebanese foreign ministry speaking to the U.N. Security Council.

NOUHAD MAHMOUD, LEBANESE FOREIGN MINISTRY REPRESENTATIVE TO U.N.: (through translator): the Lebanese government in its statement of July 13, 2006, stressed its responsibility for the protection of the nation and its citizens, its responsibility for their safety and security. It also affirms its right and duty to exercise its sovereignty on its entire territory and to determine its national decisions freely, both internally and externally.

For more than a year the Lebanese have worked tirelessly to complete efforts aimed at regaining independence and rebuilding national institutions in cooperation with the international community and with the full commitment to the resolutions of the Security Council. Israel's aggression hampers the efforts made towards fostering democracy. It undermines Lebanon's sovereignty and endeavors -- as it endeavors to exercise its authority over its entire territory.

Mr. President, my government welcomes the initiative of the secretary-general of the United Nations to dispatch a high level delegation that will work to reduce tensions, re-establish stability, and call for the respect of international humanitarian laws and the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructures, as well as to take up the current conflict by its roots and causes.

Israel's disregards of the cause made by the Lebanese government, expressing its complete willingness to negotiate through the United Nations and other parties to resolve the developments which have taken place, the results of such developments, and the reasons that led to them is incontrovertible evidence of the intentions of the Israelis to escalate.

The international community is called upon, as represented by the Security Council, to take an immediate clear decision calling for comprehensive immediate cease-fire and lifting of the air and sea blockade imposed upon Lebanon. And calling for an end of Israeli aggression. Your august council is called upon to take up the current crisis along the blue line, as well as its root causes and results.

I thank you, Mr. President.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): I thank the representative of Lebanon for his statement. I shall now give the floor to the representative of Israel. Thank you, Mr. President.

DAN GILLERMAN, ISRAEL AMBASSADOR TO U.N.: Mr. President, let me take you back to a warm summer's day in Beirut 32 years ago, exactly this very significant day for you and your people, the 14th of July, 1974. I want to describe the scene to you and to my Lebanese colleague.

Cafes and bars bustling with young people, beaches filled with happy holiday makers, the Switzerland of the Middle East. How different this scene is from the one on Beirut's streets today 32 years later. But this difference did not start this week or last year. The difference started only one year after the scene I just described, in 1975, when the Lebanese began their long descent into oppression, depression and terror.

This is a country that has been held hostage for more than 32 years by tyrants from the north and terrorists in the south. A country whose fun loving, business minded, entrepreneurial, and liberal population has been tormented by decades of oppression, sectarian strife, fundamentalist violence, religious conflict, Syrian control, political assassinations, terror, and full-fledged civil war.

In May 2000, Israel took the painful and politically difficult decision to fully withdraw from Southern Lebanon, having been compelled a few years earlier to establish a security zone there in order to prevent terrorist attacks and rocket shelling from Lebanon into Israeli towns and villages. This council acknowledged Israel's complete withdrawal from Southern Lebanon and its full compliance with Security Council Resolution 425 in a presidential statement on June 18, 2000.

This was Lebanon's moment of truth. Would its government look inward and free its people from the stranglehold of terror? Or would it allow its territory to become a base from which Hezbollah terrorists would launch attacks against Israeli civilians? Tragically, Mr. President, the Lebanese government chose the latter.

The Lebanese government got a second chance after the partial implementation of Security Council Resolution 1559, which resulted in the withdrawal of most Syrian forces from Lebanese territory. Again, this council and the entire world were waiting to see how Lebanon would respond to this historic opportunity.

Yet again, unfortunately, the Lebanese government chose to succumb to terror rather than vanquish it, to let the southern region be occupied by terrorism rather than disarm it, and to relinquish control over its country rather than exercise its full sovereignty.

Seldom before has the description of a people as never missing an opportunity to miss an opportunity been so apt. Lebanon sadly did not heed the demands of the international community and did not obey the repeated resolutions of this august council. Today, sadly, the Lebanese people are bearing the cost of this inaction and ineptitude.

Mr. President, two days ago Hezbollah terrorists operating with impunity in Southern Lebanon, unleashed a sudden and unprovoked attack into Israeli territory. Scores of Katyusha rockets rained down on Israeli towns and villages, causing many civilian casualties.

In the midst of this horrific assault, Hezbollah terrorists infiltrated Israel, killing a number of soldiers and kidnapping two more, who were taken deep into the terrorist stronghold of Southern Lebanon.

Israel had no choice but to react, as would indeed any other responsible democratic government. Having shown unparalleled restraint for six years while bearing the brunt of countless attacks, Israel had to respond to this absolutely unprovoked assault whose scale and depth was unprecedented in recent years.

Let me emphasize this indisputable fact: Israel's actions were in direct response to an act of war from Lebanon. Although Israel holds the government of Lebanon responsible, it is concentrating its response carefully, mainly on Hezbollah's strong holds, positions and infrastructure.

The hundreds of Katyusha rockets fired from Lebanon in the last few days demonstrate the magnitude of the immense arsenal of rockets and weapons that Hezbollah has amassed over the last few years. A danger we have repeatedly warned against. Many of the long-range missiles that they hit Israeli towns including Nahariya, Safed, Rosh Pina and the port city of Haifa, were launched from private homes with families residing inside, where a special room was designated as a launching pad, with a family playing host to the missile.

This is yet another example of the cynical and brutal way the Hezbollah organization uses civilians as human shields with complete disregard for human life.

Mr. President, over the last 48 hours more than 500 Katyushas and mortar shells were fired into the northern part of Israel, killing two civilians and wounding hundreds more, among them women and children. Israeli civilians and eight soldiers have been killed; hundreds have been wounded.

It is very important for the international community to understand that, while Hezbollah execute this vicious terrorism, it is merely the finger on the blood-stained, long-reaching arms of Syria and Iran. Hezbollah, together with Hamas, Syria and Iran, comprise the world's new and ominous axis of terror, an infamous club, infamous club, the entry fee to witch is the blood of innocence and the terrorizing of the entire world. Membership to this club requires an unfathomable capacity for evil.

The president of Iran has repeatedly denied the Holocaust while gleefully preparing the next one. Many of the long-range missiles fired into Israel in recent days were Iranian missiles, made by the same regime that is now trying to possess nuclear weapons, the same regime that is funding Hezbollah to the sum of $100 million a year.

Do we dare to ask ourselves how many families in Lebanon today are being prepared to house dirty bombs and other weapons of mass destruction, courtesy of Iran?

Syria, another member of this club, is a well-known protector and financier of terrorist organizations, playing host to them in its capital, Damascus. The Syrian government, which still regards Lebanon as Southern Syria, works ceaselessly to undermine all efforts towards a peaceful future in the region.

Lebanon is today occupied by terror. Whether in the south, where it is directed at Israel, or in Beirut, where it kills opponents of Syria and former prime ministers. The real occupying power in Lebanon is terror. Terror instigated by Hezbollah but initiated, funded and perpetrated by Syria and Iran.

The Lebanese government, having missed so many chances in the past at such a horrendous cost to its people, today has another chance to free itself from the stranglehold of terror. Another chance, Mr. President, to release itself from the evil control of Syria and the deadly influence of Iran and deploy its forces in the south, exercising its sovereignty over a free Lebanon.

Mr. President, there are words that speak far louder and clearer than anything I can voice today. These are voices of Lebanese. Brave, patriotic Lebanese parliamentarians and ministers who just over the last two days have cried out to all of us from the brink of the abyss in their beloved country.

Let me quote some of these courageous statements to you. The words of Lebanon's communication minister, Mr. Marwan Hamada (ph), only yesterday saying that, and I quote, "Damascus gives the orders. Iran supplies the equipment. Israel reacts, and Lebanon is the victim."

Or the words of Elias Attala (ph), a Lebanese politician representing the majority of its parliamentary members, and I quote, "We welcome any Arab and international support but strong -- but strongly oppose any enforced involvement of Lebanon by regional players, considerations," a reference to Syria and Iran, "that are not within the interests of the Lebanese people for the sole attempt to achieve opportunistic benefits at the expense of the Lebanese people.

"The Syrian regime indulges itself teaching Lebanon and Palestinian lessons according to its own interests through these peoples. Why do those who always protect their regime express understanding of its reasons and preferences and do not express any understanding of Lebanon's reasons and preferences?"

Or the words of an unnamed Lebanese minister who said, again only yesterday, and I quote, "The Hezbollah has not only kidnapped two Israeli soldiers; it has taken the whole of Lebanon hostage," end quote.

KAGAN: We have been listening in at the United Nations, representatives of both Lebanon and Israel having their say. Lebanon wanting and asking for international help in coming up with a ceasefire. The Israeli representative saying that this has been a direct response to what they say was an unprovoked attack from Lebanon into Israel.

We're going live to Jerusalem in just a little bit after this break to find out more what the Israeli government has to say about all this. We are live on both sides of the Israeli-Lebanese border.

We're back after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: Wanted to let you know the comments will continue at the U.N. right now. In fact it's a representative from Russia who's having his say right now. If you'd like to continue to listen in on that, please go to CNN.com/pipeline. They will continue to have a stream of coverage from there at the United Nations.

Meanwhile, fighting in the Mideast rages for a third day, Israel and Hezbollah trading more attacks across the Lebanese border. Here is what we know at this hour. Israel targeted the Beirut airport again today. But the U.S. helped broker a deal that allowed some planes to take off before the bombs fell. Hezbollah launched more rockets into northern Israel. Police say now that five towns were hit in less than an hour.

And President Bush spoke by phone with Lebanon's prime minister about the crisis. The prime minister wants the U.S. to help push for a ceasefire.

The fighting erupted on Wednesday when Hezbollah captured two Israeli soldiers.

Let's go live now to Israel. Our Paula Newton standing by there, bringing us the latest from Jerusalem. Paula, what can you tell us?

I just lost her. We might have -- Paula, can you hear us right now? All right. We will get back to Jerusalem and Paula Newton.

A side effect of this story has been the price of oil, which has continued to skyrocket and that has a ripple effect onto the stock market. Let's go to the New York Stock Exchange. Our Susan Lisovicz standing by there for that -- Susan.

(STOCK REPORT)

KAGAN: Susan, thank you.

Following big developing stories on different sides of the globe right now. In the Middle East we are live in Beirut. We're live in Jerusalem and also live at the United Nations.

And then in California, two huge wild fires, as feared, have now merged into one. What does that mean as people try to fight for their homes? We'll go live to Southern California just ahead.

You're watching CNN, the most trusted name in news.

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