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CNN Saturday Morning News

U.S. May be Entering Difficult Phase of Battle in Afghanistan

Aired November 17, 2001 - 10:16   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: Now, U.S. forces and Northern Alliance troops gaining ground and momentum against the Taliban in this war against Afghanistan. But now, the U.S.-led coalition may be entering a difficult phase of the battle. For some insight, let's check in with CNN military analyst General Wesley Clark.

Good morning, sir.

GEN. WESLEY CLARK (RET.), FMR. NATO SUPREME COMMANDER: Good morning, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Well, the Taliban is still hanging on in the south and I believe you -- or you believe, rather, that's a significant concern, correct?

CLARK: Well, it is a concern because what we want to see is we want to see the Taliban thrown out of the support at Kandahar. We want to see a lot of defections. We need the intelligence information, the defections. And we need to focus on al Qaeda.

The Taliban remaining in Kandahar blocks that focus on al Qaeda, so the quicker we get them out of there the better.

PHILLIPS: Now, what's going on in Kabul and how does that impact the military effort in southern Afghanistan, General?

CLARK: Well, the concern is that in Kabul, the Northern Alliance is moving rapidly to take control. What we would like to see is we'd like to see a regime throughout Afghanistan which wants to get rid of all the vestiges of the Taliban and al Qaeda. What we don't want to see is the North-South struggle there. So Pakistan is going to be very concerned as the regime in Kabul shapes up, if it doesn't have some of the Pashtun elements represented there.

So we've got diplomatic negotiations going on. We've got the Special Forces on the ground. We've got people calling air strikes, interdicting movements. It's a really flexible, fluid phase of the battle involving diplomacy and force on ground in Afghanistan.

PHILLIPS: Two questions, sir, before we let you go, regarding Osama Bin Laden. Well, of course, he's said to be on the run now. What's the U.S. forces best hope of capturing him?

CLARK: That someone will speak up quickly and the word will get to us where he's running to and we'll pick up that movement. We might get it from a defector. We might get it from an opponent. We might overhear a conversation. We just don't know. But his movement is what will give him away.

PHILLIPS: And you truly, truly believe that there is just absolutely no intelligence to where Osama Bin Laden is right now?

CLARK: Well, of course, we don't have any way of knowing that, Kyra, because we're not seeing the intelligence. And I hope there is information on where he is.

This is the best period of time we've had, to be able to get that information because when an organization like the Taliban and al Qaeda starts to collapse, the established secure channels of communication will break down. And in their haste to put something together or to escape, they're more likely to give away their position and intentions and strengths. And so, this is our best opportunity. We want to exploit that opportunity.

PHILLIPS: General Wesley Clark, thanks again.

CLARK: Thank you.

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