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CNN Saturday Morning News
Special Forces Troops Reportedly Strike Near Kandahar
Aired October 20, 2001 - 07:05 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.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Late Friday U.S. Special Forces troops carried out a hit-and-run mission in Afghanistan.
For more, we go to our expert, CNN's military analyst, retired Air Force major general Don Shepperd. He joins us this morning from Washington. Good morning, general.
MAJ. GEN. DONALD SHEPPERD (RET.), CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Good morning, Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Well, let's talk about these areas specifically the Special Forces went into around Kandahar. Why these spots?
SHEPPERD: Well, it's been reported they went around Kandahar. We're going to wait to see what the Department of Defense confirms. CNN wants to be very, very careful about speculating on any involvement. We've been very vague about what the Special Forces do and explaining concepts without explaining details. As things start to happen, we want to be even vaguer so as not to put our people in danger.
The Special Forces and other ground troops, when inserted, would be used against the obvious strongholds within the country, the Taliban strongholds, one of which is Kandahar, and that's what's being reported. We're waiting to see what the Pentagon says about it.
PHILLIPS: Well, let's talk about what these highly trained soldiers would be going after. I know there's a lot of classified information we can't talk about, but give us some possible concepts, general, and also, would it be to go in and make a capture, versus going in on a specific target and destroying it?
SHEPPERD: Well, think of the Rangers that have been mentioned in this as your commandos. I mean, just think of a traditional commando that you think of from the movies, from World War II, et cetera. These are people that go in harm's way behind enemy lines. They are tough. They are the really bad guys. If you're down and in trouble, you want U.S. Army Rangers and Special Forces come right after you.
Right out of the Department of Defense Web page, what these people do, basically, is ambush, reconnaissance, airborne and air assaults, and hasty defense. So they can come by land, they can come by sea, they can come by air, they can be dropped in, they can come in in helicopters. They have all sorts of ways of getting in. But basically, the idea is, it's a light infantry force. It's not meant to go in and stay a long time and fight and take territory. It goes in and does things and then gets back out or calls on follow- on forces.
So they are the -- they are to be dropped behind enemy lines, which is what we just saw, and then get out, Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Well, let's talk about how difficult a mission like this could be and what they could face. And you mentioned a little bit on how they would get in. We do have an animation that we can talk about that I'll bring up too. The possibility that they came in from a carrier is one scenario, say, the Kitty Hawk. This was used for Special Operation launches.
Let's talk about this, and, you know, what they could have faced.
SHEPPERD: Right. Again, what we want to do is be very careful. We're just showing a capability. It's been mentioned that the Midway is out there with -- with blank decks, if you will. There's other bases in the area that we've been told about that they could operate from. So they can come from north, south, east, west, above, below. We're not trying to do that.
They have the ability to take off in helicopters, refuel in the air from combat Shadow aircraft, C-130s, and go essentially unlimited range. So they have very, very good range, and the idea is to carry troops in, if they go by helicopter, which is only one of the ways they go, and then they can get out in helicopters as well.
PHILLIPS: General, let's talk a little history here and where these Army Rangers came from.
SHEPPERD: Yes, interesting history, long history. The French and Indian Wars, back in 1756, Rogers' Rangers of the New Hampshire Militia, which was the forerunner of our National Guard out there, is where they came from. And listen, if you will, to the standing orders from Rogers' Militia in 1756. "One, don't forget nothing. Two, have your musket clean as a whistle. Three, when you're on the march, act the way you would if you were sneaking up on a deer. See the enemy first."
That's what these people do. They are tough, bad people, and you want them on your side, Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Yes, that's true. I've seen them train. No doubt.
General Shepperd, thank you so much. We'll see you back here at 9:00 a.m.
SHEPPERD: My pleasure.
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