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American Morning

America Strikes Back: Look at a Possible Ground War in Afghanistan

Aired October 15, 2001 - 10:36   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.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: As the U.S.-led airstrikes hit Afghan targets from above, the next phase of Operation Enduring Freedom may be the deployment of U.S. ground troops into Afghanistan to roust out Osama bin Laden and his followers there. "Time" magazine takes a look at a possible ground war in the issue out today. And "Time's" Mitch Frank joins us live this morning from our New York bureau.

Mitch, good morning to you.

MITCH FRANK, "TIME" MAGAZINE: Good morning, Bill. How are you doing?

HEMMER: I'm doing just fine, thank you very much. Nice to see you on a Monday.

Your article points out a number of thing, including how little or no training for Afghanistan training right now is included in the U.S. military, and you quoted an official as saying we are going to figure out this cave business as we go along. Where does the military start when it comes to the cave business, Mitch?

FRANK: Well, it's true. Our special operations forces have been mostly training for an urban war in recent years, especially in the aftermath of what happened in Mogadishu and Somalia, so they are not really prepared fa or desert war or for these caves, but they are kind of learning new tactics. Afghanistan is full of caves, and they know this is where the terrorist are hiding. And so the next phase of the war really is through helicopters bringing in these special force teams, mostly delta force commandos, and having them observe caves, look for signs of the terrorists, and then either call in airstrikes on these caves, or basically have to go in there themselves. They have a few weapons to use, these bunker-buster bombs that can be dropped from planes that we've seen. They can spray this aerosol fuel into the caves and start a fire that could suffocate everyone inside. But sometimes, they'll have to actually go in themselves. And there are very dangerous booby-trapped caves.

HEMMER: Mitch, I want to show our viewers an image, a satellite image of one of the entrances to these tunnels or caves that we are talking about. And as we look at this image right here, you know, you mentioned the work is almost beyond dangerous, have the airstrikes at this point helped pave the way in any manner toward this? FRANK: Well, the Pentagon has been aiming at some of the larger caves that they can actually see from satellite, like this cave, that you're showing, and they've actually been very excited because some of the bunker-buster bombs on the larger caves, there have been secondary explosions that have continued for hour, kind of a sign that there is fuel and terrorist inside that keeps exploding, but the smaller caves, there is no sign of, the type of cave that bin Laden would be hiding in.

HEMMER: As we continue to continue with the air war basically, is there a danger from the military standpoint when we are talking about these caves, about letting possibly the Taliban, or troops or Al Qaeda getting better dug in at this point?

FRANK: Well, sure, and that's part of the problem is the initial airstrikes were there to take out air defenses, but it's also allowed in the initial airstrikes, the Taliban immediately started loading up pickup trucks and leaving the cities and heading for mountains. So it has allowed them to dig in their positions and wait for the U.S. to have to come and get them.

HEMMER: And do you know, Mitch, has there been much intelligence gathered on this at this point?

FRANK: There hasn't been much. I mean, obviously, we know that there are Delta Force and CIA agents already in Pakistan, as we -- Afghanistan, excuse me, already there on the ground, observing and looking for signs. And if they see anything, they can call an airstrike, so there is some, but there is a lot of work that has to be done.

HEMMER: And, quickly, Mitch, and I know this is a broad question here, but if you could be succinct as possible, the reports are that the military campaign is well ahead of the political campaign. How is it that the military folks can go ahead and coordinate their continued operations, knowing that the political chess match still has to fall in place? What kind of difficulties can be presented there?

FRANK: Well, the difficulty is they haven't hit the Taliban frontlines near the Northern Alliance. So they don't want to upset Pakistan and let the Northern Alliance takeover. But the question is, how do you topple the Taliban without the Northern Alliance's help.

HEMMER: That is an outstanding question, one that we can't answer right now.

Mitch, thanks. Mitch Frank from "Time" magazine. Nice article, too.

FRANK: Thank you.

HEMMER: And thanks for talking with us.

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