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CNN Sunday Morning
Interview With Eric Haney
Aired October 14, 2001 - 08:21 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.
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR: What is next for the U.S. led attacks on Afghanistan? Will Special Operations Forces be sent in to do their job? Retired U.S. Army Commander Sergeant Major Eric Haney joins us to talk more about Special Op Forces. Thank you sir. Good morning.
CMD. SGT. MAJ. ERIC HANEY, U.S. ARMY (RET.): Good morning.
SAVIDGE: Nice to see you this morning.
HANEY: Thank you.
SAVIDGE: Most Americans seem to be waiting for some sort of pause in the action as an indication. Does it have to come that way?
HANEY: Well, there's no pause in the action. This is going to be a seamless operation, as actually all operations are Martin.
SAVIDGE: And, what would be an indication? Obviously this is something going to take place outside of the view of the television media. But what's an indication that the timing has come or that action may be on the way? Is there anything you look for?
HANEY: Well, action is always underway, whether it's producing the ultimate results of the objective or not. We can't see right now. However, we will see that by the results.
But, I think if we'll just watch, see how the bombing campaign goes along. When we see a large torrent of defections from the Taliban military over to the other side, our side, that's going to be an indicator that Special Operations forces are working, because they're going to start working with those forces.
SAVIDGE: I know we want to be very careful not to tip the military hand here...
HANEY: Extremely so.
SAVIDGE: ... but in general terms, what sort of things could Special Ops do?
HANEY: This war, the prosecution of it and the ultimate objective of it which is changing the government in Afghanistan so that it no longer supports the al Qaeda network, is going to be conducted principally by the Afghan peoples themselves. And by saying that, we're saying the armed portions of it, the Taliban military.
Special Operations forces are going to work with those people to help them take their country back.
SAVIDGE: One of the things that have been spoken about is how hostile the territory is geographically and, of course, with the Taliban. How do these forces prepare themselves? How do they get ready to insert themselves and instantly be ready to take out whatever comes their way?
HANEY: Well, they're always ready for a very simple reason, that they train in all conditions of the world. They're just not based in the United States and sit around in a base waiting for something to happen.
SAVIDGE: So they've trained for Afghanistan? They know the region and the language, I presume?
HANEY: Oh certainly, especially the U.S. Army Special Forces groups, the Green Berets, the group that is targeted to that area, who -- that part of the world falls in their area of operations, studies it continually.
They know the people. They know the language, the demographics, the geographics. For them, for those men, that's home.
SAVIDGE: This is not spying per se. I mean, they aren't assuming...
HANEY: No, most certainly not. However, the gathering of battlefield intelligence is always a soldier's task.
SAVIDGE: Would they anticipate heavy losses?
HANEY: No, they would not anticipate heavy losses. You're always prepared for losses because it's the nature of the beast, and they know that's part of their business.
SAVIDGE: And these aren't large forces that are inserted?
HANEY: No, they're not. The Special Operations Forces of the United States military is a small part of it. It's a minority, and then within those forces that are called Special Operations Forces, the men who actually go on the ground to conduct missions are a minority event.
SAVIDGE: And are they also involved in an effort to win the hearts and minds of people there as well, civilians that are caught up in this?
HANEY: They always are, and that's one of the principal tools that they're going to use and we're using overall in this campaign.
Right now we're applying pressure, combat pressure, to convince the Taliban military it's just not in your best interest to stick around and affiliate yourself with that bunch of thugs who have stolen your country and your government.
Come on over. Be a part of what's going to take place in the future of Afghanistan, a good future for you, and we're going to help you do that, and our Special Operations Forces are the principal agents to bring that change about, or to help them bring that change about.
SAVIDGE: Sergeant Major, I know it's a difficult dance for both of us as we try not to reveal too much, and yet try to gain some insight into a special breed of officer and soldier. Thank you very much for joining us this morning.
HANEY: Thank you sir. It's a pleasure.
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