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CNN Live Event/Special

U.S. Military on Alert

Aired September 11, 2002 - 08:28   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: The military is going forward, increasing its diligence, as well. The central command, which is responsible for much of the Middle East, including Afghanistan, having gone to threat level Delta. Delta, the highest level alert for the military.
Let's bring in an expert on this, the retired supreme allied commander, the retired NATO commander, General Wesley Clark, is joining me here at the Pentagon.

First of all, before we talk about what this ceremony will mean for the men and women of the U.S. armed forces, Delta. When you were the NATO commander, the supreme allied commander of U.S. forces in Europe, did you ever go up to Delta?

GEN. WESLEY CLARK (RET.), FORMER NATO SUPREME COMMANDER: We never went to Delta. Delta is what you go to, it's the highest possible state of readiness before you're actually engaged in operations. So you're ready. And I think based on the information that we believe they've received and certainly that the whole state of affairs in the area, it's warranted.

BLITZER: So when General Tommy Franks, the commander of the central command, says let's go to Delta, that potentially could mean some sort of threat was almost imminent?

CLARK: It could mean that he either has specific intelligence of a specific threat or he needs to as a precautionary measure bring the troops to such a level of readiness that they could respond instantly to a threat if it appears.

BLITZER: As we're seeing, the bagpipers at ground zero begin to march in.

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