EXCLUSIVE: General Tommy Franks

CBS News correspondent Cami McCormick conducted an exclusive interview with coalition forces leader General Tommy Franks at Central Command in Doha, Qatar on Thursday March 27th, 2003. The interview was conducted for Infinity Radio Stations. Here is full-text of that exclusive interview:

MCCORMICK: General, thank you for taking the time to be with us.

GENERAL FRANKS: Hey, it's great to be here with you this afternoon.

MCCORMICK: Everyone wants to know about Baghdad.

GENERAL FRANKS: Uh-huh (AFFIRM).

MCCORMICK: How close are we? The weather's cleared now. Are we--

GENERAL FRANKS: Right.

MCCORMICK: --moving? What will happen in Baghdad?

GENERAL FRANKS: Well, the weather has cleared-- a little bit. We have our forces continuing to move, continuing to posture themselves, and set conditions to do what we said we were gonna do, which is take down this regime, and -- do away with the weapons of mass destruction that -- we all absolutely know are in that country. And so-- as I think many people have said, we're on the plan. And -- probably wouldn't -- wouldn't serve me well to describe exactly where each of these formations are. But they're -- they're in positions that are pleasing to me.

MCCORMICK: Will coalition forces circle Baghdad? Will we surround it?

GENERAL FRANKS: One never knows. Coalition forces -- will posture themselves both on the ground, and in the air, and -- in terms of special operations forces, and in terms of-- paratroopers, in a way that -- in a way that brings down the regime, and-- liberates the Iraqi people.

MCCORMICK: There have been some reports from some of the correspondents still in Baghdad that it would appear as if the people there are preparing for urban warfare. Now, I had a marine tell me one time at Quantico that the enemy knows that may be the only way it can defeat U.S. forces. Can the coalition forces avoid that?

GENERAL FRANKS: Well, I think one never knows what -- what'll happen around -- around Baghdad -- or within Baghdad. But you know, it doesn't make any difference. Because -- at the end of the day, we'll accomplish the objectives that we have set out for ourselves to accomplish. And -- in the even that that -- that that requires us to undertake military actions – in -- in that capital city, then -- those military actions will-- will be taken.

I think one should never speculate. You know? I've seen an awful lot of snippets, some of them well-informed. Others, not so well-informed, that indicate -- how things might take place in-- in a number of places in-- inside Iraq. And -- I think one of the -- one of the bits of evidence of a good plan is the flexibility to -- to respond to -- to what we find.
We know this. We know that the most capable armed forces in the world are a part of this coalition. And -- if you take the most capable forces in the world you equip them with the right kind of equipment -- and you put them in motion, with a very flexible plan that -- the outcome is not -- the outcome's not in doubt.

MCCORMICK: Will Iraq —

GENERAL FRANKS: Has not been a doubt. Is not in doubt.

MCCORMICK: Will Iraqi television be on the air when coalition forces arrive?

GENERAL FRANKS: One never knows. One would think that -- that as an organ – of – of – of -- an illegitimate government that is the target of-- of our military operations, and as a fount – of -- or let me say it this way. As one of the elements of -- leadership, command and control, it -- it might not be.

Once -- once again, one -- one never knows. But you know, that command and control and leadership targets are valid targets. And so, what we choose to do with them, at what point in time will depend on -- on our read on -- on what we see.

MCCORMICK: There were reports that the Republican Guard was moving south out of Baghdad. Can you comment on that?

GENERAL FRANKS: I -- I think that there have been an awful lot of reports over the last week or so. And some of 'em have been exactly right, Cami. And some of 'em haven't been.

There is with – it -- I mean, it is certainly true that there is repositioning -- going on in -- in a number of places with the Republican Guards, with some of the-- some of the regular army units. And – it -- so, it -- it's hard to say whether I'd characterize it as moving, or whether I'd characterize it as repositioning. Suffice to say that we pay attention to -- to what -- to what these enemy formations are doing.

MCCORMICK: Is it a large number of troops on the move?

GENERAL FRANKS: It -- it is not larger -- it is not larger than we have seen on a number of occasions, in terms of -- the way the units move around, the way they disperse, they way they -- occupy positions. And so, it's just -- it's just another day of enemy activity, as he-- subjects himself to the most powerful air forces in the world.

MCCORMICK: You mentioned, too that the command and control is-- is there an indication that the resistance forces elsewhere in Iraq are still receiving orders from Baghdad? Is -- is that communication flow still happening?

GENERAL FRANKS: I – I -- I suspect -- all the way through the war -- subordinate units will continue to receive instructions. There -- there just is a big difference between whether they receive them – by -- telephone, or by communications, or whether they receive 'em by courier. And it works best for us when they receive their instructions by courier.

MCCORMICK:Why is that?

GENERAL FRANKS:Well -- well, cause it takes a long time for couriers to move in formation from one place to another. And as those courier -- couriers move, it gives us the opportunity to interdict their movement. It also gives us the opportunity to undertake the actions that we undertake inside the decision cycle of the enemy.

In other words, from the time a decision may be made to tell a unit to move to do something, excuse me. From the time a decision may be made to tell a unit to – to -- to move and do something, until that unit is actually able to make that move is a long time, if that message has to be carried by -- by courier. And so, what we want to do is disrupt the ability of -- the regime to communicate with it's subordinate forces. And we certainly have done that.

MCCORMICK: Has the resistance – around -- Nasariyah and Basra, has it been organized resistance?

GENERAL FRANKS: Sure, it's organized. It's organized – in -- in some -- in some cases -- in very small squads. And in other cases, in larger -- in larger groups.

And so, sure it's organized. And it exists -- in a number of places that we have gone through. As you know, we moved our forces through there very, very quickly. Because that's -- that was our intent.

That's what we wanted to do. And we see these -- we see these groups of oh, gosh, I don't know what you'd call 'em, terrorist squads -- some people call 'em paramilitary, some are small. Some are a little bit larger. Some are not well-equipped. Some — are well-equipped. Some have a few tanks. And of course, each time they have met our forces -- it's been good for us. And not good for them.

MCCORMICK: But they are using some tactics that …

GENERAL FRANKS: Absolutely. Absolutely.

MCCORMICK: … may have caught us by surprise?

GENERAL FRANKS: Oh, I don't know they catches you by surprise. It -- I mean, I suppose if I were -- if I were a young trooper -- out there, and someone walked up to me carrying a white flag, with their -- with the -- with his arms raised to surrender, or if someone walked up to me in the company of children with a white flag -- wearing civilian clothes, and -- then about the time that I was willing to take and care for this person as a prisoner of war -- his buddies opened up on me with RPG's and machine guns, and so forth, I think at the -- at the level where I would operate as a trooper, yeah, I'd be a little bit -- I'd be a little bit shocked by that behavior.

Because it doesn't -- it doesn't comport with any behavior that I think -- we've ever seen as acceptable on the battlefield. But you know -- American soldiers, and Brits and Aussies have a -- have a -- marvelous way of adapting. And so, the troops are adapting to these kinds of conditions. Excuse me.

And every day turns out to be -- turns out to be a -- a day that is better informed. Our troops-- are battle-hardened. And-- they respond to these kinds of situations -- in a very -- in a very effective way.

MCCORMICK: In talking to some of the embedded reporters -- there was a group of marines, I believe overnight slept in their full Chem suits (SIC), anticipating a possible Republican Guard attack at any moment. Obviously, didn't get much sleep. What would you say to those troops right now?

GENERAL FRANKS: Well, I -- what I'd say to them is the same thing that I suspect the embedded reporter would say. And that is, my God, I'm proud of you. I mean, I think-- I think that that's the experience.

These reporters have an opportunity to see first hand what -- what it's like to be out on that battlefield. We have -- young people performing at – in -- incredibly high levels of -- competency. Their training is excellent. Their performance is absolutely -- is absolutely excellent.

And so, when they put up with the rigors of combat, you know, I think what all of us do is we say, "Thanks a lot. Thanks a lot for being -- for being a patriot. Thanks a lot for -- for being over here protecting -- a way of life that – has – has -- has been a characteristic of our country for more than 200 years." Yeah, we're proud of 'em.

MCCORMICK: Is there some danger that the -- the sandstorms, particularly, because the Iraqis are accustomed to them, might use them to their advantage, while they would be obviously, a disadvantage to coalition troops?

GENERAL FRANKS: I don't -- I don't think so. I think – that – that – the -- the characteristics of weather effect different functions on a battlefield-- on-- for both sides. I'll give you an example.

When you have a lot of cover by something – when -- when you have visibility obscured, for example – it -- movement is -- is easier. So, you will see -- you'll see opportunities to move. And of course, we took advantage of -- of that, the coalition forces. As well as I'm sure the Iraqis, took advantage of that. You see -- you see disadvantages -- in the application of air power, in certain respects for example.

And so – and -- and so, of course, in the application of air power over a period of -- 48 hours or so -- certain types of our munitions were not used. Because -- they require a line of sight. Other of our munitions were used in great abundance, because they do not require line of sight. And so, I -- I sure don't say – I -- I don't believe I would say that -- the Iraqis had an advantage as a result of -- the weather. I -- I simply don't believe it.

MCCORMICK: What about the heat? The coming heat?

GENERAL FRANKS: Well, I think I said once -- I think I said once maybe a couple of months ago that it -- it becomes hot on both sides, just as it becomes dark on both sides. And I believe our soldiers probably operate better in the heat than – than -- perhaps anyone in the world. And I know for a fact that our soldiers operate better during darkness than-- any other force in the world.

MCCORMICK: What about the supply lines? There has been a lot of talk that perhaps the supplies are not getting to the forces, because, partly because the forces advanced so quickly.

GENERAL FRANKS: Sure.

MCCORMICK: I mean, also again talking to an embedded reporter -- said they hadn't had bathing water in a week. And were just being given two bags of food …

GENERAL FRANKS: Right.

MCCORMICK: … a day.

GENERAL FRANKS: Oh, I -- I think that's -- I think that's absolutely right. And that's why I said that-- that I'm so proud of the troops. I think when you -- when you run -- somewhere between 200 and 300 miles behind enemy lines, which essentially is what we're talking about -- then you create a – a -- a tail behind you.

And in some cases, it's a heck of a lot easier for the -- for the youngsters in the front, who are moving to contact with the enemy than it is for those who are, as we say bringing up the rear -- bringing up the -- bringing up the chow, and bringing up the water, and bringing up the fuel and so forth. And so -- difficulties? Of course.

To be expected. Absolutely. But – I -- we won't see anyone run out of water. We won't see anyone run out of ammunition. We won't see anyone run out of fuel.

MCCORMICK: How dangerous are those supply routes? Though I've heard them referred to as ambush alleys (SIC).

GENERAL FRANKS: They -- they are very, very dangerous. They're very, very dangerous. Because along -- along the routes -- our troops have encountered what I described to you a minute — a -- a minute ago, people wearing civilian clothing, people acting – as – they -- as if they were civilians.

And then -- calling in artillery fire on our -- on our people. Or -- in fact, setting our people up for ambushes and so forth. And so, the – the -- the routes are difficult. The lines of communications are difficult.

But it probably wouldn't surprise you that in spite of that difficulty -- those supplies have moved through, as they did it reminds me of the old stories of World War II, with the Red Ball Express (SIC), and all of that. Well, there's a hell of a Red Ball Express happening out there. And -- what needs to get through is getting through.

MCCORMICK: Will the resistance to the rear delay the advance on Baghdad?

GENERAL FRANKS: Absolutely not. Absolutely not. That's one of the blessings of having a -- reasonably large, and competent force. The force is able to do several things at the same time.

They're -- they're keeping these lines of communication-- open. They're in fact, moving the supplies that need to be moved. And-- as you probably noticed last – last -- night, and -- and in the 24 hour period before that, our forces closed with and destroyed – these -- several of these groups of gosh, I don't once again, know if you-- if you call 'em terrorist squads, or if you call 'em paramilitary.

I'm -- I'm not exactly sure. But I do know that each time our forces come in contact with those forces -- it's been good for us. And bad for them.

MCCORMICK: Were they -- larger in number than you were expecting?

GENERAL FRANKS: I don't think so. You know, the – the -- the Iraqi regime -- has built itself based on -- terror. Based on fear.

And when you take numbers of -- people from the inner elite in Baghdad -- several thousand of them, and you put them in groups-- to terrorize the citizens, the – the – in -- in these -- in these towns, and -- and cities, and villages -- all over Iraq, then it should come as no surprise to any of us that -- people who -- who would welcome -- and who do welcome -- coalition forces, will become reticent to do so when they watch -- a tribal elder -- executed, or when they watch members of the regular army executed.

Then they become -- they become fearful. And so -- and so, they stand to the side. And –- these -- these groups of -- people who terrorize the lines of communication get out there and -- and do so.

But -- but what we have found, and what we continue to find is that once we engage these forces, kill them, route them, destroy them, then all of a sudden -- the people in the villages, and the people in the towns come up, and in fact -- they're very, very grateful that -- that they're being liberated from -- the regime.

MCCORMICK: I wanted to ask you personally how you felt when you saw the images of the POWs broadcast.

GENERAL FRANKS: Oh, I think -- I think I probably felt -- like, not only Americans, but I -- I felt like most people around the world. No – no -- I-- maybe I will describe it as no great surprise. But it's -- I mean, it's -- it's revolting.

I -- and I -- and I wouldn't -- and I wouldn't take it beyond that. I think that – that -- that all of us have expectations of -- appropriate treatment of -- of people, who become prisoners of war. Perhaps-- the best example would be the -- somewhere between four and 5,000 -- enemy prisoners that we hold right now, and the way they're being cared for -- as opposed to the ones that we have seen -- you know, brought onto -- Iraqi television, and so forth like that.

And so, I won't -- I won't overstate it. I'll simply say, as President Bush said yesterday that -- we're gonna do our very best to take care of -- to take care of these people. And – I – and -- and I encourage -- all their families – to -- to keep their heads up. Continue to pray. And -- believe that – that -- at the end of all this, we're gonna do everything we can to get their loved ones home.

MCCORMICK: The soldiers that we saw killed – we -- we saw them dead, do you believe they were executed?

GENERAL FRANKS: I don't have any idea. I mean, I actually don't. We receive information that indicates that -- that the Iraqis – will – will -- certainly execute people. But I can't talk in this specific case -- because I don't know.

MCCORMICK: Okay. What about post war? The reconstruction.

GENERAL FRANKS: Well, I think post war -- reconstruction is -- is a commitment that -- that we've made. You know? We -- we have decided that we're going to help the Iraqi people – get -- get on their feet.

You know, Iraq is a – is -- is a wealthy country. It has tremendous potential. And so, all of us believe that -- with just a little bit of help, a little bit of support, a little bit of time, that -- Iraq can become a functioning member of the international community.

And so, that's how I think about it. I believe that-- that Iraq will-- that Iraq will bring herself around. And become a functioning member of the international community. And you know, when we look at -- when we look at just the beginning of this, what I guess this is -- maybe going on a week -- give or take a day – and -- in a place like -- Umm Qasr-- the little port city that-- gives Iraq her you know, opportunity to – to – to -- to use -- to use a naval port, we find that -- that local people in that -- in that town are just absolutely -- joyous.

They have already begun to organize themselves. They have already begun to -- to assist in port operations. They have already begun to look at all the civil structure inside their own town. And so, I think you're going to see that in one town after another, as the people in this country are liberated.

MCCORMICK: What about humanitarian assistance?

GENERAL FRANKS:You bet. And large -- and large quantities. I think one of our reps said -- earlier today that – we -- we started with – with -- several convoys of – food -- food stuffs, and water and so forth being brought from Kuwait into -- southern Iraq today.

I believe in the next day or two we probably will land a massive – shipment -- up the Kora Abdulla in -- Umm Qasr, which will provide additional support -- to the Iraqi people. I know that-- the Kuwaitis for example, have run a water line -- up to the border. And that water line's being extended into southern Iraq now, to provide additional -- water resources to -- to the people there. A -- something they haven't had in -- in years and years.

MCCORMICK:How long could it be before that humanitarian aid gets into a place like Basra?

GENERAL FRANKS: It's very difficult to say. I'm -- I'm pleased with the work that -- United Kingdom forces are doing-- in and around Basra. There are a great many people in that -- in that town, who are working hard to escape the yolk of this regime.

And how long it'll take? Not sure. But we're – you -- you can -- you can bet on this. You can bet that we're going to open it up-- just as quickly as we can.

MCCORMICK: Weapons of mass destruction. I know you -- you get this question …

GENERAL FRANKS: Sure.

MCCORMICK: … when you're at the briefing.

GENERAL FRANKS: Right.

MCCORMICK: Have you found any?

GENERAL FRANKS: We -- we have not found any yet. Excuse me. But then again, we have not been to the places -- where we believe these weapons may be -- may be located.

Each place that -- each place we liberate, where we think there's a possibility, then we exploit the sites, we ex -- exploit the documents. There is a great deal of information that's-- under study right now. But I -- but I can't sit here and tell you that -- that we have uncovered — the -- the smoking gun, so to speak. We're not in that particular point of this -- war fight yet. It'll come.

MCCORMICK: Can you tell me the areas?

GENERAL FRANKS: I could. But I won't. (LAUGHTER) You know, Cami, you know how that goes.

MCCORMICK: Thank you so much …

GENERAL FRANKS:You bet.

MCCORMICK: … for your time, General.

GENERAL FRANKS: Thanks a lot. Play a country western song. And I'll see y'all later.

MCCORMICK: Operation Iraqi Freedom is one week old. Coalition ground forces are poised to make the push into Baghdad. And the air campaign continues against Iraqi targets.

As we conduct this interview, more troops from the US are being called up to serve. There are questions about whether this military campaign will take weeks or months. And whether the level of resistance coalition forces have faced was greater than expected.

The man in charge of the coalition forces is General Tommy Franks. This is his first interview since the war began. It has been a week of very fast moving developments, with dramatic pictures and words from embedded reporters, who have also given us the chance to hear from soldiers on the front lines. It's so far been a war that Americans and people around the war have been watching unfold. Tragic moments and all. You've been listening to Infinity radio connect, America at war, an interview with General Tommy Franks from Central command here in Doha, Qatar, I'm Cami McCormick..

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