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CNN Sunday Morning

What Role for U.S. Troops in Middle East?

Aired March 31, 2002 - 10:38   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.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: And we're going to go now to which location? Are we going to go to the Pentagon?

OK. I was just told we had the Pentagon, so General -- General David Grange, who is a Brigadier General, retired, who has been a military analyst through us since 9/11, and is joining us now to talk about a couple of things -- what's going on in Afghanistan, the war on terrorism in general, as well as what's going on in the Middle East.

General Grange, we've had a lot -- good to have you with us, by the way. Thanks for being with us ...

DAVID GRANGE, U.S. BRIGADIER GENERAL, (RET.), CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Good morning.

O'BRIEN: ... this Easter Sunday.

But, we've had a lot of e-mails from viewers talking about what role U.S. troops might play in the Middle East.

Do you see any scenario where U.S. troops might be actually on the ground in the Middle East?

GRANGE: Miles, when you're talking about the Middle East, are you -- if you're talking about the current situation in Israel, I would hope not.

We've had -- when I say we, the international community, the United Nations has had peacekeeping forces in Israel, in parts of the Jordan-Lebanon area since 1948.

And it's a very benign force with very little impact, except to observe and report. They really have not been able to deter or prevent anything.

I think if you send a force in, it becomes a magnet between -- to be manipulated by terrorist groups or others, and can become targets of Israelis, as well, just because of the location.

I would recommend not to do that.

O'BRIEN: Lest we forget Beirut and the Marine barracks there, and the situation there.

OK. I am very sorry to begin with you General, in fits and starts like this. We do, in fact, have the Pentagon ready.

I'm going to ask you to stand by. We're going to turn it over now to Mr. Constantini, who is manning the Pentagon post today, and has word of an injury involving some special forces soldiers in Afghanistan.

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