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CNN Live At Daybreak
Saddam Hussein Marks Islamic New Year
Aired March 04, 2003 - 07:08 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.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: As the U.S. troop deployment moves forward, Iraq today plans to destroy more banned missiles. And Iraqi President Saddam Hussein marks the Islamic New Year with a message to the Iraqi people.
Let's check in with Nic Robertson, who has the very latest on that from Baghdad.
Good morning -- Nic.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Paula.
Well, Iraqi officials saying that two or three more of the Al Samoud 2 missiles will be destroyed today. They also say that an Al Samoud 2 missile launcher, or at least parts of the launcher, will be destroyed. That was called for by the U.N. weapons chief, Hans Blix. And they say a casting chamber that's linked to another missile system that will also be destroyed today.
However, the pace of the destruction perhaps a little slower, Iraqi officials say, because it is a holiday, the Islamic New Year.
President Saddam Hussein delivering through a televised announcement, a 12-minute message to the Iraqi people, many references to Islam's history. But the apparent message to the Iraqi people about the possibility of war, he said that if they are armed with their faith, they will be victorious, that the despots will be destroyed, and that their aggression will bring them nothing, that their arrogance will bring them nothing -- Paula.
ZAHN: Finally this morning, Nic, if the pace of destroying those missiles continues, how long will it take to destroy them all?
ROBERTSON: Well, let's see, it would be about 18 or 19 by the end of today. They have some 120 approximately to be destroyed. So, that's roughly 20 missiles or so in four days. So, let's see, that would be perhaps another two-and-a-half to three weeks. The U.N. said they believed that it could be done in about two weeks.
The caveat, the U.N. says, is that many of these missiles have already been deployed to the military, and it's up to the Iraqi officials to get them back to the point where they have to be observed for destruction. So very much, the U.N. saying, it is in Iraqi hands at this time -- Paula.
ZAHN: Thanks, Nic -- Nic Robertson reporting from Baghdad this morning.
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 - 07:08 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: As the U.S. troop deployment moves forward, Iraq today plans to destroy more banned missiles. And Iraqi President Saddam Hussein marks the Islamic New Year with a message to the Iraqi people.
Let's check in with Nic Robertson, who has the very latest on that from Baghdad.
Good morning -- Nic.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Paula.
Well, Iraqi officials saying that two or three more of the Al Samoud 2 missiles will be destroyed today. They also say that an Al Samoud 2 missile launcher, or at least parts of the launcher, will be destroyed. That was called for by the U.N. weapons chief, Hans Blix. And they say a casting chamber that's linked to another missile system that will also be destroyed today.
However, the pace of the destruction perhaps a little slower, Iraqi officials say, because it is a holiday, the Islamic New Year.
President Saddam Hussein delivering through a televised announcement, a 12-minute message to the Iraqi people, many references to Islam's history. But the apparent message to the Iraqi people about the possibility of war, he said that if they are armed with their faith, they will be victorious, that the despots will be destroyed, and that their aggression will bring them nothing, that their arrogance will bring them nothing -- Paula.
ZAHN: Finally this morning, Nic, if the pace of destroying those missiles continues, how long will it take to destroy them all?
ROBERTSON: Well, let's see, it would be about 18 or 19 by the end of today. They have some 120 approximately to be destroyed. So, that's roughly 20 missiles or so in four days. So, let's see, that would be perhaps another two-and-a-half to three weeks. The U.N. said they believed that it could be done in about two weeks.
The caveat, the U.N. says, is that many of these missiles have already been deployed to the military, and it's up to the Iraqi officials to get them back to the point where they have to be observed for destruction. So very much, the U.N. saying, it is in Iraqi hands at this time -- Paula.
ZAHN: Thanks, Nic -- Nic Robertson reporting from Baghdad this morning.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
