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American Morning

British Troops Deployed Near Pakistani Border

Aired May 29, 2002 - 07:52   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: There is new military action in Afghanistan this morning. U.S. and British officials are saying that British troops have been deployed near the Pakistani border to stop Al Qaeda and Taliban fighters who might be trying to re-enter Afghanistan. It's called Operation Buzzard. It will involve British troops in a mission that will last longer than previous sweeps in the region.

All this coming amid reports that Al Qaeda wants to increase tension between India and Pakistan, in effect taking pressure off Al Qaeda members hiding out in the western part of Pakistan. And in the bargain, they might even destabilize Pakistan's president, a key ally in the current war on terror.

How does it all add up? To Little Rock, Arkansas, CNN military analyst, General Wesley Clark, is our guest this morning.

General, good to see you again. Good morning.

GEN. WESLEY CLARK, CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Good morning, Bill.

HEMMER: The net effect here if Pakistan takes a substantial amount, if not all of its soldiers, away from the border in Afghanistan essentially moves it out of the region. What is the effect there, general, in the current war on terror?

CLARK: Well, Bill, it is an adverse effect, because the United States needs those Pakistani troops in western Pakistan. There are means of pressuring Al Qaeda there. There are means of preventing the formation of large groups. They collect intelligence. They assist the United States and British and other forces on the Afghanistan side of the border. And in some cases, these Pakistani troops are cooperating with some of the elite U.S. forces who have penetrated into Pakistan previously.

HEMMER: And, General, I think there is a diplomatic question in all of this too. The U.S. and the White House has aligned itself with General Musharraf in Pakistan from the very beginning going back to the month of September. How does the U.S. politically, diplomatically walk this fine line between support for the general in Pakistan and also support for India.

CLARK: Well, both states are engaged in coercive diplomacy. And so it's a matter of keeping both states from escalating to the actual use of force. And so the United States is dialoguing with both sides. It is encouraging other leaders to keep the pressure on the Indians not to further escalate militarily, while we are pressuring the Pakistanis to cut off the flow of militants going across the dividing line in Kashmir.

HEMMER: What is your assessment of how effective Al Qaeda could be in Kashmir?

CLARK: Well, Al Qaeda, there is no doubt that the extremists there have been associated with Al Qaeda. They are effective. They have moved into Kashmir, and their activities have carried across into India.

For the Al Qaeda forces, this is both a direct aim they would gain from any progress made in taking Indian control down and Kashmir. But they will also gain by distracting Pakistani President Musharraf from focusing on the Al Qaeda activities in western Pakistan. So Al Qaeda is in a position where it has much to gain her, and not so much to lose.

HEMMER: What is your assessment, too, of the potential for all- out war between India and Pakistan, knowing the conflict, knowing the history, knowing that about a million troops are now assigned to that region in the northern part of the subcontinent.

CLARK: I think there is a measurable risk, but I think that that risk right now is relatively low. These forces on both sides are firmly under the control of the political leaders in both countries. Both political leaders are using the forces to pressure, but they are not going to escalate to violence and take the risk of nuclear confrontation under the present circumstances.

Something is going to have to change, and if they do go to the use of force, it's not going to be by accident. It's going to be the result of cold calculation. And that's why you are hearing (UNINTELLIGIBLE) statements on both sides. Musharraf warning that he will respond with force. The Indians warning that time is running out. They are both juggling domestic constituencies and other problems and trying to achieve their diplomatic goals and security goals in Kashmir.

HEMMER: General, to our viewers, what you are watching is the first sign of videotape we have seen from what we mentioned is Operation Buzzard. Again, we do not have a number of British troops, but we do know they are now being deployed to the eastern part of Afghanistan, again, to cut off any Al Qaeda or Taliban members who might be lurking still there, and also the possibility that they may return to Afghanistan.

General, thanks -- General Wesley Clark live in Little Rock, Arkansas with us this morning. More on that throughout the morning as we get it.

Thank you, General.

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