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CNN Live At Daybreak
U.N. Says Baghdad Destroyed Six Missiles Yesterday
Aired March 04, 2003 - 05:31 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.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: We want to check now on the latest developments in the showdown with Iraq. Iraq says it is destroying more of those banned missiles today. The U.N. says Baghdad destroyed six al-Samoud 2 missiles yesterday. And CNN has learned that Secretary of State Colin Powell has met secretly with Mexico's foreign minister in the hopes of winning support for a second U.N. resolution against Iraq. One source says the meeting, quoting here, "did not produce results." And on Friday, U.N. chief weapons inspector Hans Blix reports to the Security Council on Iraq.
As I said, more missiles are being destroyed there. Blix's report is due on Friday. We have a lot to consider this morning.
So let's return now to Baghdad and our Nic Robertson for more from this global hotspot -- good morning, Nic.
So, more missiles are being destroyed today?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Indeed, they are. Iraqi officials say between two and three missiles are being destroyed today. They also say that parts of a missile launcher will be destroyed today, as well. That's the first time they've set about destroying one of the parts of one of the launcher systems. Also, a casting chamber that helps make solid rocket propellant, another thing the U.N. has said Iraq has to get rid of. That's being destroyed today, as well.
The pace on the al-Samouds slipping a little bit over previous days. That apparently, according to Iraqi officials, this is a holiday here, they say. It is the Islamic new year and, indeed, President Saddam Hussein had a speech for the Iraqi people read by a news anchor a few hours ago, very much quoting a lot of passages from the Quran, but also saying to the Iraqi people in an apparent reference to the possibility of war that armed with their faith, they will be victorious and that the despots will be defeated, that their arrogance will not get them anything -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Nic Robertson reporting live from Baghdad this morning.
We'll talk more about this at the top of the next hour when we place a wake up call to Elise Labott, our trusty State Department producer. And stay with CNN later this morning on AMERICAN MORNING. Another in their series on the questions of war. This morning they'll take a closer look at the cost of a war with Iraq. AMERICAN MORNING WITH PAULA ZAHN starts at 7:00 a.m. Eastern. That's, oh, just about 90 minutes from now here on CNN. 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 March 4, 2003 - 05:31 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: We want to check now on the latest developments in the showdown with Iraq. Iraq says it is destroying more of those banned missiles today. The U.N. says Baghdad destroyed six al-Samoud 2 missiles yesterday. And CNN has learned that Secretary of State Colin Powell has met secretly with Mexico's foreign minister in the hopes of winning support for a second U.N. resolution against Iraq. One source says the meeting, quoting here, "did not produce results." And on Friday, U.N. chief weapons inspector Hans Blix reports to the Security Council on Iraq.
As I said, more missiles are being destroyed there. Blix's report is due on Friday. We have a lot to consider this morning.
So let's return now to Baghdad and our Nic Robertson for more from this global hotspot -- good morning, Nic.
So, more missiles are being destroyed today?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Indeed, they are. Iraqi officials say between two and three missiles are being destroyed today. They also say that parts of a missile launcher will be destroyed today, as well. That's the first time they've set about destroying one of the parts of one of the launcher systems. Also, a casting chamber that helps make solid rocket propellant, another thing the U.N. has said Iraq has to get rid of. That's being destroyed today, as well.
The pace on the al-Samouds slipping a little bit over previous days. That apparently, according to Iraqi officials, this is a holiday here, they say. It is the Islamic new year and, indeed, President Saddam Hussein had a speech for the Iraqi people read by a news anchor a few hours ago, very much quoting a lot of passages from the Quran, but also saying to the Iraqi people in an apparent reference to the possibility of war that armed with their faith, they will be victorious and that the despots will be defeated, that their arrogance will not get them anything -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Nic Robertson reporting live from Baghdad this morning.
We'll talk more about this at the top of the next hour when we place a wake up call to Elise Labott, our trusty State Department producer. And stay with CNN later this morning on AMERICAN MORNING. Another in their series on the questions of war. This morning they'll take a closer look at the cost of a war with Iraq. AMERICAN MORNING WITH PAULA ZAHN starts at 7:00 a.m. Eastern. That's, oh, just about 90 minutes from now here on CNN. TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
