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American Morning

Update on Operations in Afghanistan

Aired January 03, 2002 - 07:04   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.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Let's get more on America's new war.

Let's check in now with Bill Hemmer. He is standing by in Kandahar, as we saw him moments ago. He's got the latest now on this nearing slowdown with a large Taliban force on the hunt for the Taliban leader, Mullah Omar -- Bill, what's going on there?

BILL HEMMER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Leon, good evening again.

Here's the situation right now with what we understand on Mullah Mohammad Omar. Apparently according to reports, and nothing confirmed here, there was nothing positive here. But, indeed, in the town of Baghran in northern Helmand Province, they believe, many people believe that Mullah Mohammad Omar may be surrounded by as many as 1,500 Taliban fighters.

We're told a deadline has been set there but again it is difficult to ascertain whether or not he, indeed, is there.

On a different front, Leon, we've been told about pockets of resistance for some time here and last night in central Kandahar, four Taliban fighters were spotted inside of a building there and apparently anti-Taliban troops surrounded that building. A stand-off ensued and in the early morning hours a firefight erupted. We're told that all four are in police custody and they're being questioned about their role, another indication of just how unstable and insecure things can be here in Afghanistan.

Back here at the base, though, now, the transition at this base continues and we have seen it on a daily basis. In fact, in the last three days we have seen many more soldiers from the U.S. Army and a whole lot more folks from the air force come into this base.

In fact, the air force folks brought along a contingent known as the CID. This is the criminal investigation division. In wars the army handles prisoners and at this point with the detainees here in Kandahar, the U.S. Army eventually will take over full control of that matters once the marines hand over this base to them.

Essentially, what that CID unit does is they're responsible for criminal investigations in the event that there is any evidence found about these detainees and about terrorist activity that may be related against the United States or against Americans, certainly that will be investigated on the ground here. On the detainee front now, the numbers continue to grow, now at 225 after 25 more were brought in last night. Again, this group from Pakistan. Late last week we were given word as many as 150 suspected al Qaeda fighters were being held and detained there. Twenty-five more came in last night and we continue to get just a bit more evidence about what's happening behind that walled structure that no people can go there because -- at least members of the media, anyway.

One source indicates the prisoners here run the gamut, in his words. He says these are Russian, French, German languages. He also says there are a lot of cats and dogs in there.

On another front, we're hearing a bit more about the marine mission from two nights ago. You might remember they went into Helmand Province two nights ago and they did acquire some intelligence information. But they're still going through that matter at this time, some computer disks.

It does not appear that a substantial amount was obtained there, described by some as a modest amount of evidence. One marine says he is not even sure Osama bin Laden had ever been there in that camp.

On another front now, a short time ago the marines honored one of their own. There is a firing range here at the south end of the runway. There was a lance corporal, T.C. Chandler, who lost his left foot after he stepped on a land mine back in early December. The marines revealed a plaque and dedicated that firing range to him earlier today. He was treated in Germany, now being treated in Washington, D.C. We are told that he is still recovering at this time.

Also, as if Afghanistan did not have enough to worry about, apparently there was an earthquake near Kabul today. Our CNN crew heard it, felt it up there. They asked us if we felt it. We did not. But again, Leon, there's a whole lot of rocks between Kabul and Kandahar. No impact here.

See you again next hour, Leon. Back to you.

HARRIS: All right, good deal. You've got it, Bill. Thanks very much.

Bill Hemmer reporting live for us from Kandahar this morning.

Now let's turn to one of our military analysts to chew on one of our big questions this morning, that being where is Mullah Omar?

Retired Air Force Major General Don Shepperd is with us again from Washington. Good to see you again. Good morning, sir.

MAJ. GEN. DON SHEPPERD (RET.), U.S. AIR FORCE, CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Good morning, Leon.

HARRIS: Well, what do you make now of what they're saying now about the search for Mullah Omar? SHEPPERD: Well, again, I think just like bin Laden, we don't know specifically where Mullah Omar is. But indications are he's in this northwestern Helmand Province and, indeed, being protected by around 1,500 fighters.

Now, what is obviously taking place is the governor of Kandahar, Governor Gul Agha Sherzai, with his fighters, 3,000 to 5,000 fighters, is trying to negotiate a surrender.

Now, the problem with it is when you negotiate a surrender, it gives people time to escape, make other plans, etc. So lots to be pursued in the Helmand area as we continue to look for Mullah Omar and bin Laden also, if he's in that area, Leon.

HARRIS: But aren't we approaching a deadline that was set on the handover of weapons in that area?

SHEPPERD: Yes, it's one of these murky deadlines. We've heard two days, then we heard five days, and that's been over six days ago. So we're not sure right now when the deadline is. But quite frankly it makes sense to negotiate for the surrender rather than lurch in there and start shooting when you don't know where he might be. You'd have to shoot up the whole province, for goodness sakes.

So we'll probably need more and more information to zero in on him.

HARRIS: All right, speaking of information, you know, that's our job. We're supposed to be going in there and trying to dig it up, even though the Pentagon is trying to keep most of the information it has close to its vest right now. And something of a bit of a controversy arose yesterday, the media thinking that the Pentagon wasn't as forthcoming as it should have been on that marine raid that we've been covering for the last couple of days. What do you make of that flap?

SHEPPERD: Well, I think what happened is somebody made a mistake. Now, the Pentagon very carefully controls information and who can officially talk to the press, and it's for very good reason. The reason is when the press goes out and talks to somebody in the chain of command, that person will tell them what they know. But they may not know everything that's going on.

In this case, one of -- a high ranking person within the chain of command basically said there is no operation going on in Kandahar when clearly there was. These kind of mistakes take place and you have to sort them out. But nobody in the military and nobody in the chain of command in the Pentagon ever intentionally lies to the press or intentionally misleads them.

You may refuse to answer a question or you may even provide an answer to a different question to let the reporter pursue it and sort it out. But you don't intentionally lie. These are the kind of things that go on in ongoing operations you've got to sort out, Leon.

HARRIS: Yes, anyone who's watched our coverage of any of the Pentagon briefings understands or sees how that dance is played out.

What about the al Qaeda, the threat of al Qaeda actually breaking up and regrouping in pockets around the country? Is that the general thinking right now about what's happening there?

SHEPPERD: Yes, I think that's happening with Taliban and al Qaeda. They'll attempt to do it for a long time. Afghanistan's going to be a very dangerous place not just for months, but maybe even for a couple of years, as the interim government tries to establish law and order and disarm the population and then form an Afghan military, all of which are steps that are necessary to go through.

But it's really, really dangerous. These people have weapons stored. They have weapons hidden. They can get together over a period of time. Even in downtown Kandahar, as you just reported, there was an outbreak last night in downtown Kandahar right by the marine base.

So this is going to be the way of life, a dangerous place for a long, long time.

HARRIS: All right, but, you know, saying that, how long is a long, long time for the U.S. troops that'll be there? Do you think they'll be there, I mean is it expected that the U.S. troops will be there on the ground conducting this process for years to come, as you just said?

SHEPPERD: I'm not sure if years is the right answer, but I think we'll be there assisting the international security assistance force for a significant period of time. Remember, this is a two year interim government and then supposedly national elections. I think we'll be there assisting that and providing on call military response around the country for a good period of time. We cannot abandon Afghanistan and let it go back to the basket case it was. We really need to help and the military is not the solution. The final political solution of a stable and peaceful nation is what we're all after.

HARRIS: Well, thanks for your help this morning.

Major General Don Shepperd, thanks so much, and we'll talk with you later on next hour.

SHEPPERD: You bet.

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