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CNN Sunday Morning

Military Buildup in Persian Gulf Continues

Aired January 19, 2003 - 10:11   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.


HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: The massive military buildup brings more troops to the Persian Gulf region every day. Forces already on the ground in Kuwait are practicing one of the most dangerous forms of combat, urban warfare. Martin Savidge is in Kuwait City now with the latest.
Hello, Martin.

MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Heidi. As soon as those U.S. troops arrive in Kuwait they are risked off to the northwest corner of the country, very near the border with Iraq and that is all desert territory out there. They set up camp and then they set about the training program, an extensive training it is. Several times a week they hold live fire exercises, everything from tanks down to small weapons.

But as you point out, there is some very specific and very interesting training going on. We're talking first about urban warfare training. And they've even gone so far as to create sort of Hollywood back lots up there, re-creating what they think Iraqi villages and towns may look like, from huts all the way up to full- size buildings even getting down to the minutia of street lights. And the reason they get into that sort of detail is because the U.S. Army likes to fight at night. Street lights play havoc with your night vision glasses or goggles so they want to make sure that the soldiers are fully prepared. The U.S. already knows about the very dark time it had in Somalia when it had to face real urban combat there. They are not going to face those problems again. And to be sure of that, they go through the training.

And then, the other thing they are rehearsing is trench warfare. Now, you might think trench warfare was something that went out with World War I. It certainly did not. If you remember the Gulf War of 12 years ago, the Iraqis used trenches in much of their defensive tactics. And there again, the United States preparing for that possibility. Even with all the modern weaponry that soldiers have in the United States, it boils down to the basic. A soldier has to be the first over the top into the trench and it can be very gritty and very nasty hand-to-hand combat. It's all to make sure that if U.S. forces are called upon, they are ready for anything that may come their way.

COLLINS: Martin, you mentioned it, but they really do have to prepare for the worst-case scenarios obviously. In fact, I know that they've gotten all kinds of new equipment and have been training very hard. Is it true -- I read somewhere that they actually like to fight now in the dark because of that new equipment?

SAVIDGE: Well, obviously. The United States believes that it is the owner of the dark because of the tremendous advances it has with military equipment, an extreme advantage, they believe, obviously, over Iraqi forces who aren't as well equipped. The United States is designed to use every modern aspect of warfare. And as we've already been told by military leaders, if you think that this is going to be a replay of the Gulf War from 12 years ago, if it comes down to combat, you are totally wrong -- Heidi.

COLLINS: All right, Martin Savidge live from Kuwait City. Thank you.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com






Aired January 19, 2003 - 10:11   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: The massive military buildup brings more troops to the Persian Gulf region every day. Forces already on the ground in Kuwait are practicing one of the most dangerous forms of combat, urban warfare. Martin Savidge is in Kuwait City now with the latest.
Hello, Martin.

MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Heidi. As soon as those U.S. troops arrive in Kuwait they are risked off to the northwest corner of the country, very near the border with Iraq and that is all desert territory out there. They set up camp and then they set about the training program, an extensive training it is. Several times a week they hold live fire exercises, everything from tanks down to small weapons.

But as you point out, there is some very specific and very interesting training going on. We're talking first about urban warfare training. And they've even gone so far as to create sort of Hollywood back lots up there, re-creating what they think Iraqi villages and towns may look like, from huts all the way up to full- size buildings even getting down to the minutia of street lights. And the reason they get into that sort of detail is because the U.S. Army likes to fight at night. Street lights play havoc with your night vision glasses or goggles so they want to make sure that the soldiers are fully prepared. The U.S. already knows about the very dark time it had in Somalia when it had to face real urban combat there. They are not going to face those problems again. And to be sure of that, they go through the training.

And then, the other thing they are rehearsing is trench warfare. Now, you might think trench warfare was something that went out with World War I. It certainly did not. If you remember the Gulf War of 12 years ago, the Iraqis used trenches in much of their defensive tactics. And there again, the United States preparing for that possibility. Even with all the modern weaponry that soldiers have in the United States, it boils down to the basic. A soldier has to be the first over the top into the trench and it can be very gritty and very nasty hand-to-hand combat. It's all to make sure that if U.S. forces are called upon, they are ready for anything that may come their way.

COLLINS: Martin, you mentioned it, but they really do have to prepare for the worst-case scenarios obviously. In fact, I know that they've gotten all kinds of new equipment and have been training very hard. Is it true -- I read somewhere that they actually like to fight now in the dark because of that new equipment?

SAVIDGE: Well, obviously. The United States believes that it is the owner of the dark because of the tremendous advances it has with military equipment, an extreme advantage, they believe, obviously, over Iraqi forces who aren't as well equipped. The United States is designed to use every modern aspect of warfare. And as we've already been told by military leaders, if you think that this is going to be a replay of the Gulf War from 12 years ago, if it comes down to combat, you are totally wrong -- Heidi.

COLLINS: All right, Martin Savidge live from Kuwait City. Thank you.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com