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American Morning
Are Polish, Bulgarian Troops in Control of Parts of Iraq up to the Task?
Aired September 02, 2003 - 08:02 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: Back to Iraq. Two U.S. soldiers killed earlier today in Iraq. Their Humvee hit an explosive device in southern Baghdad. And yet another car bombing. An Iraqi police station appears to be the target there.
To the Pentagon and Barbara Starr for more on what's being said there -- Barbara, good morning.
BARBARA STARR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Bill.
Indeed, another car bomb attack in Baghdad earlier today. This time the police station in Baghdad, where cadets are being trained to become part of the new Iraqi police force. Now, this attack not as deadly as some of the recent ones we've seen. According to local authorities, there were several injuries, but no deaths. But clearly a message to the Iraqis from the attackers about their cooperation with the U.S. forces.
Now, General Ricardo Sanchez, the top commander in Iraq, said the recent violence is not forcing the U.S. to change its position and focus just on protecting itself. He said that would be a false notion.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LT. GEN. RICARDO SANCHEZ, COMMANDER, COALITION GROUND FORCES: We are conducting raids at a very intense pace. We continue to conduct offensive operations. We're very focused on going after these anti- coalition elements that are operating out there. We're having some great successes in handing over responsibility for certain parts of cities, and, in fact, some areas have been handed over to the Iraqi people.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
STARR: But, Bill, as you say, there was deadly violence for U.S. forces in Iraq earlier today. Two U.S. soldiers killed south of Baghdad when their vehicle struck an explosive device in the road -- Bill.
HEMMER: Barbara Starr from the Pentagon.
A multinational force poised to take a leading role in securing south central Iraq. U.S. Marines will keep patrolling the City of Najaf, scene of Friday's giant car bombing. Still, the formal transfer of authority to Polish troops is scheduled for tomorrow, September 3. Last week in Karbala, American Marines handed over security duties there to Bulgarian peacekeepers.
Are these troops up to the task? One of the many questions out there.
From D.C., CNN security analyst Kelly McCann is our guest now.
Kelly, good to see you.
Good morning.
J. KELLY MCCANN, CNN SECURITY ANALYST: Hi, Bill.
HEMMER: How do you know when it's OK to make this transfer of power?
MCCANN: Well, you know, it's a funny situation because the current commander very rarely wants to let go of something before, in his estimation, it's done. No one wants the reputation for leaving someone else holding the bag. So the outgoing commander usually wants to hold onto it longer and a lot of times the incoming commander wants it sooner so he can put his fingerprint on it.
The situation that happened with the Bulgarians, unfortunately, was the scope of the mission. When the Marines turned it over, the Bulgarian commanding officer had thought that it was just about security and then later he found out that it was also about running the police academy and also keeping an eye on the local government officials, which went outside the scope he believed he was there to actually deploy against.
So it's a difficult situation.
HEMMER: Tell me this, in Najaf, a town that was relatively quiet, relatively calm for many, many weeks, then you have this massive car bombing at the end of last week. How do you know at what point things have settled back down? Or is it the unknown right now that keeps patrols vigilant now 24 hours a day?
MCCANN: It's the unknown. And the other thing that you've got to realize is there can't really be a terror-free state anywhere in the world, let alone in Iraq. I mean with so many interlopers who are now in the country coming from outside, with former Ba'athists who have an axe to grind, with the former military members, the criminal element, it's just a very unstable situation.
So people shouldn't expect that suddenly a blanket of security is going to be thrown against this and get it under control that quickly. It just won't happen that fast.
HEMMER: All right, Kelly, I want to tick through four points that you think are quite critical right now. Let's explain them, if we could. Fractured policy and procedure. What do you mean by that?
MCCANN: Well, if you look at the list, Bill, of all the people that are going to deploy against this mission, a lot of the countries are very small. The average contingent is about two rifle companies, maybe 180 to 200 people to a rifle company, for a total of 400 from these small countries.
There has to be a unifying element. And the more countries that you bring in, small as they are, the harder it is to maintain a good, strong policy that's effectively put out throughout the country.
HEMMER: The way you explain that kind of goes to point number two, communication and the lack thereof. It is extremely critical.
How do you make sure it stays uniform?
MCCANN: Well, combined operations where different countries operate together are always challenging anyway. But now add to that the difficulty in communicating because you don't have the same equipment, the obvious language problems, the cultural issues. It's very difficult. Normally what you'll see is the Americans will leave several liaison officers with interpreters to be deployed with those countries.
HEMMER: And chain of command. I have to think at this point, you alluded to it, who gives the orders, who follows them a critical issue in the military, especially when people are dying every day.
MCCANN: Succumbency (ph), too. I mean A type personalities don't take very readily to being told that they're going to report to someone who is from another country and outside their normal chain of command. There are issues with that and we've seen it before.
HEMMER: What about international experience? I mentioned at the outset of this interview Bulgarian peacekeepers, Polish peacekeepers, they have some experience, but not to the degree that you find on the American side.
How critical do you see that?
MCCANN: Very. If you look at the different lines of the military, a lot of these countries are not first line military entities. So if you take people from Fiji, from Macedonia, from places like Bulgaria, where the normal deployment routine, Bill, doesn't take them to foreign countries to experience these different cultures and different religion, you know, entities, religious entities and all that, they are going to have a tough road.
HEMMER: Twenty-eight thousand being trained in Hungary as the future Iraqi police force. I know you see that as key, too, going forward.
Thanks, Kelly.
MCCANN: Absolutely, Bill.
HEMMER: We'll talk about it again next time, out of time today.
Kelly McCann in D.C. TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
up to the Task?>
Aired September 2, 2003 - 08:02 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Back to Iraq. Two U.S. soldiers killed earlier today in Iraq. Their Humvee hit an explosive device in southern Baghdad. And yet another car bombing. An Iraqi police station appears to be the target there.
To the Pentagon and Barbara Starr for more on what's being said there -- Barbara, good morning.
BARBARA STARR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Bill.
Indeed, another car bomb attack in Baghdad earlier today. This time the police station in Baghdad, where cadets are being trained to become part of the new Iraqi police force. Now, this attack not as deadly as some of the recent ones we've seen. According to local authorities, there were several injuries, but no deaths. But clearly a message to the Iraqis from the attackers about their cooperation with the U.S. forces.
Now, General Ricardo Sanchez, the top commander in Iraq, said the recent violence is not forcing the U.S. to change its position and focus just on protecting itself. He said that would be a false notion.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LT. GEN. RICARDO SANCHEZ, COMMANDER, COALITION GROUND FORCES: We are conducting raids at a very intense pace. We continue to conduct offensive operations. We're very focused on going after these anti- coalition elements that are operating out there. We're having some great successes in handing over responsibility for certain parts of cities, and, in fact, some areas have been handed over to the Iraqi people.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
STARR: But, Bill, as you say, there was deadly violence for U.S. forces in Iraq earlier today. Two U.S. soldiers killed south of Baghdad when their vehicle struck an explosive device in the road -- Bill.
HEMMER: Barbara Starr from the Pentagon.
A multinational force poised to take a leading role in securing south central Iraq. U.S. Marines will keep patrolling the City of Najaf, scene of Friday's giant car bombing. Still, the formal transfer of authority to Polish troops is scheduled for tomorrow, September 3. Last week in Karbala, American Marines handed over security duties there to Bulgarian peacekeepers.
Are these troops up to the task? One of the many questions out there.
From D.C., CNN security analyst Kelly McCann is our guest now.
Kelly, good to see you.
Good morning.
J. KELLY MCCANN, CNN SECURITY ANALYST: Hi, Bill.
HEMMER: How do you know when it's OK to make this transfer of power?
MCCANN: Well, you know, it's a funny situation because the current commander very rarely wants to let go of something before, in his estimation, it's done. No one wants the reputation for leaving someone else holding the bag. So the outgoing commander usually wants to hold onto it longer and a lot of times the incoming commander wants it sooner so he can put his fingerprint on it.
The situation that happened with the Bulgarians, unfortunately, was the scope of the mission. When the Marines turned it over, the Bulgarian commanding officer had thought that it was just about security and then later he found out that it was also about running the police academy and also keeping an eye on the local government officials, which went outside the scope he believed he was there to actually deploy against.
So it's a difficult situation.
HEMMER: Tell me this, in Najaf, a town that was relatively quiet, relatively calm for many, many weeks, then you have this massive car bombing at the end of last week. How do you know at what point things have settled back down? Or is it the unknown right now that keeps patrols vigilant now 24 hours a day?
MCCANN: It's the unknown. And the other thing that you've got to realize is there can't really be a terror-free state anywhere in the world, let alone in Iraq. I mean with so many interlopers who are now in the country coming from outside, with former Ba'athists who have an axe to grind, with the former military members, the criminal element, it's just a very unstable situation.
So people shouldn't expect that suddenly a blanket of security is going to be thrown against this and get it under control that quickly. It just won't happen that fast.
HEMMER: All right, Kelly, I want to tick through four points that you think are quite critical right now. Let's explain them, if we could. Fractured policy and procedure. What do you mean by that?
MCCANN: Well, if you look at the list, Bill, of all the people that are going to deploy against this mission, a lot of the countries are very small. The average contingent is about two rifle companies, maybe 180 to 200 people to a rifle company, for a total of 400 from these small countries.
There has to be a unifying element. And the more countries that you bring in, small as they are, the harder it is to maintain a good, strong policy that's effectively put out throughout the country.
HEMMER: The way you explain that kind of goes to point number two, communication and the lack thereof. It is extremely critical.
How do you make sure it stays uniform?
MCCANN: Well, combined operations where different countries operate together are always challenging anyway. But now add to that the difficulty in communicating because you don't have the same equipment, the obvious language problems, the cultural issues. It's very difficult. Normally what you'll see is the Americans will leave several liaison officers with interpreters to be deployed with those countries.
HEMMER: And chain of command. I have to think at this point, you alluded to it, who gives the orders, who follows them a critical issue in the military, especially when people are dying every day.
MCCANN: Succumbency (ph), too. I mean A type personalities don't take very readily to being told that they're going to report to someone who is from another country and outside their normal chain of command. There are issues with that and we've seen it before.
HEMMER: What about international experience? I mentioned at the outset of this interview Bulgarian peacekeepers, Polish peacekeepers, they have some experience, but not to the degree that you find on the American side.
How critical do you see that?
MCCANN: Very. If you look at the different lines of the military, a lot of these countries are not first line military entities. So if you take people from Fiji, from Macedonia, from places like Bulgaria, where the normal deployment routine, Bill, doesn't take them to foreign countries to experience these different cultures and different religion, you know, entities, religious entities and all that, they are going to have a tough road.
HEMMER: Twenty-eight thousand being trained in Hungary as the future Iraqi police force. I know you see that as key, too, going forward.
Thanks, Kelly.
MCCANN: Absolutely, Bill.
HEMMER: We'll talk about it again next time, out of time today.
Kelly McCann in D.C. TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
up to the Task?>
