U.S. Forces in Bahrain, Qatar on Highest Possible State of Alert
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: U.S. military forces in two countries are on the highest possible state of alert this morning. American forces in Bahrain and Qatar are on heightened alert because of terrorist threats. CNN's Carl Rochelle joins us live now from the Pentagon with the latest. Carl, good morning.</s>CARL ROCHELLE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Daryn. Well, that is Threat Con Delta, Threat Con level Delta we are talking about. Officials here at the Pentagon say it is not that common, but it is not without precedent.</s>ROCHELLE (voice-over): Less than two weeks after the apparent terrorist attack on the USS Cole, Pentagon officials say U.S. forces in the Persian Gulf countries of Bahrain and Qatar have been put on the highest possible state of alert because of new threats linked to associates of accused terrorist mastermind Osama bin Laden. The highest state of alert is known as Threat Condition Delta, and officials say it is in response to threats considered specific and credible against U.S. citizens, troops and facilities. Threat Condition Delta is equal to a war footing, officials said, and normally is reserved for situations in which an attack is believed imminent. The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Pentagon planners are looking at the option of a preemptive strike against bin Laden's organization, including camps in Afghanistan. But they say that's only if a firm link can be established and if it is determined such a strike could be effective in disrupting bin Laden's ability to attack U.S. interests. One official cautioned: "We have been looking at that option since the strike on the Cole." Officials say the 1998 decision to strike bin Laden's terrorist training camps and at a pharmaceutical plant in Sudan was made in part because information at the time indicated he was about to strike U.S. interests again after terror bombings at two U.S. embassies in East Africa.</s>ROCHELLE: A senior official involved in national security discussions says that a discussion is under way about a new preemptive strike. And there will be a meeting of the president's national security advisers and defense advisers at the White House later today -- Daryn.</s>KAGAN: Carl, soon after this attack happened on the USS Cole -- are you still -- there you are -- happened on the USS Cole, Osama bin Laden spread the word that he had nothing to do with it. So why the refocusing on his possible involvement?</s>ROCHELLE: Well, intel sources have picked up some indications that he may in fact have been involved, or at least affiliates of his, and he would bear the responsibility for that. But they haven't completely closed the loop yet. One of the conditions of this alleged preemptive strike, the discussion of a preemptive strike, is that they are able to close the loop and effectively and firmly tie him to the threats, the threat conditions, and the attack on the Cole. That is something that they are trying to do. And we are told that some of these new threats came from Osama bin Laden's organization, but not all of them, that there were other organization involved with this. They're trying to close that link. If they do, then the discussions about a preemptive strike would go to a higher level. Right now, it's just a discussion, we're told.</s>KAGAN: Carl Rochelle at the Pentagon. Carl, thank you very much.