Area residents debrief admiral on war effort

A Hillsborough group gets a chance to question a major military figure in the battle against terrorism.

By DONG-PHUONG NGUYEN, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published January 18, 2002

PLANT CITY -- Like members of the Pentagon press corps, some Hillsborough residents got the chance to pose questions Thursday to a high-ranking military official with inside knowledge on the war on terrorism.

About 50 people sat inside the National Guard Armory on Airport Road to ask Rear Adm. Craig Quigley questions on such subjects as MacDill Air Force Base's air space and Iran's involvement in the war.

Quigley is based at the Pentagon and has worked with Gen. Tommy Franks at U.S. Central Command at MacDill since the Sept. 11 attacks. The war in Afghanistan is being directed at Centcom, the nerve center of Operation Enduring Freedom.

Appearing at the invitation of U.S. Rep. Adam Putnam, R-Bartow, Quigley used props and maps to offer a Pentagon-style briefing. With a new government already in place in Afghanistan and more than 400 Taliban and al-Qaida detainees under U.S. guard, the war effort is going as planned, he said.

"This is going to be a lengthy effort, but worth it," Quigley said.

Anticipating a prolonged war, top U.S. officials will rotate personnel, both active and reservists, he said.

Asked about Iran's role in the conflict, Quigley said Iran has neither provided assistance to the United States nor obstructed the war effort in any way.

"That's appreciated," he said.

He was also asked why the U.S. government has a policy forcing female soldiers to wear traditional Muslim dress when walking the streets of Saudi Arabia.

"No matter where we are in the world . . . we try very hard to be sensitive to the culture in which we live," Quigley said. He added that the rule is also to protect the soldiers.

Questions were also raised about the defense of MacDill airspace, and it was suggested jet fighters should be stationed at the base. But Quigley said he's not certain fighter jets are the answer.

"Is it a risk not to have fighter jets? Yes it is," he said. "Can we completely close that (airspace)? I don't think we can."

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