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American Morning

How Can Our Ground Troops Distinguish Taliban Fighters from Northern Alliance or Other Afghans?

Aired November 21, 2001 - 09:57   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.
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UNIDENTIFIED CNN CORRESPONDENT: Kathy Newcomb from Newport, Washington asks: "How can our ground troops distinguish the Taliban fighters from the Northern Alliance or other Afghans?"

MAJ. GEN. DON SHEPPERD, (RET.) CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Kathy, this is a classic question of military action, how do you keep from shooting the wrong people, either your own troops or innocent civilians? It all starts with intelligence and knowing the disposition of enemy forces. Then coming up with a plan for the attack, and then command and control of your own forces, as they move in fluid battle. In every battle, mistakes are made. The wrong people are hit sometimes, and it's especially difficult when you integrate air power, when you integrate airpower, especially close to troops on the ground, you have to mark targets. It's very, very difficult. It comes from training, it comes from expertise.

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