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CNN Live At Daybreak

Are French Still Planning Veto on Any Possible New Resolution?

Aired March 17, 2003 - 06:20   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: So we have to talk about the French in light of what happened this morning. Are they still planning a veto on any possible new U.N. resolution?
Jim Bittermann is in Paris with that -- Jim, before we begin with the resolution, what do you think the French reaction will be to the U.S. suggestion that weapons inspectors leave Iraq?

JIM BITTERMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: My guess is that they would react saying that the inspectors should stay, because that's what they've said all along. Basically, after the Azores summit yesterday, Dominique de Villepin said this morning that Great Britain, Spain and the United States should ask themselves whether or not this war is really necessary.

De Villepin called it a war of choice because they believe the inspections process is working. De Villepin said he was struck by the fact that in that Azores meeting, afterwards in the news conference afterwards, that the word inspection never came up. And this is hard for the French to accept because they believe that this conflict with Iraq is about disarming Iraq and if it's about disarming Iraq and disarmament is proceeding on a daily basis, then why stop the inspections?

However, they will not accept the idea if this is about government overthrow in Iraq, because they believe that's against international law -- Carol.

COSTELLO: About that U.N. resolution, that, there's word that the French may introduce yet another resolution. Or do I have that wrong? Tell me.

BITTERMAN: No, you've got it absolutely right. Basically the resolution that's on the table, if it is moved to a vote by the United States, and it's up to the United States to do that, the French have said they will veto the resolution as it's presently constituted. However, they really don't believe the United States can get the nine votes it needs. They feel that here, here they say well, listen, if the United States had the nine votes, they should go ahead and move it. We'll veto it and then we'll be the scapegoats, because we'll have ruined this resolution.

So they don't believe the nine votes, the United States has the nine votes necessary.

The second resolution they're talking about or the second at least paper they're talking about to the present to the Security Council tomorrow is one that would call for a 30 to 609 day extension of inspections with a very specific list of tasks that the inspectors have to be successful at over the next 30 to 60 days to keep the inspection process going.

Now, that's something that the United States has already said is a non-starter -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Yes, I was just going to say, and we know what the United States will say about that second resolution.

Jim Bittermann live from Paris, thanks so much.

U.S. Marines training for combat in the Kuwaiti desert need to know what it's like to get hit. But how do they make the combat situation appear real without using live fire?

CNN's Martin Savidge is with the Marine First Division in northern Kuwait -- good morning, Martin.

MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you again, Carol.

It's an interesting predicament you can get into being a journalist out here with the Marines at times. Obviously the Marines out here don't have access to a lot of information like we do. So they're constantly wanting to know. And the only information they get is from their officers. So they come up to us and ask well, what's the latest? What have you heard? What do you know that's going on right now?

And we, of course, have access to the Internet and CNN directly. So you feel at times somewhat like the town crier filling them in.

There is more training that has been going on. Training took place this morning that we witnessed as close to real as it can get, at least from the mind set point of view. Here, take a look at this.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SAVIDGE (voice-over): A building in the middle of the desert, innocent looking enough, but under war conditions, potentially lethal. A platoon of Marines has the task of checking it out. There has not been a lot of time to plan. The first teams in have to cover open ground. As they move, their concerns are confirmed. Shots come from inside. A Marine goes down.

The ammunition the Marines are using is a kind of paint ball. If they're hit, they'll feel and see it. It is the closest thing to actually getting shot at. The teams close on the objective using outbuildings for cover. Inside, another team of Marine snipers and mortar men play the role of the enemy. The defense has the advantage of good cover.

It is early in the assault and already the casualties have begun to mount. Another two man team moves on an enemy position, a quick look around the corner is costly. The Marine is shot in the head. Soon his partner falls.

(on camera): So here's the scenario now. The Marines have come up on what appears to be like a house, maybe a farmhouse. It has enemy forces inside. It may also have civilians. Their job is to go in and clear the enemy and keep the civilians alive and try to keep themselves alive at the same time.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hey, support up.

SAVIDGE (voice-over): The attack on the main building is hard. Within just a few minutes, 90 percent of the initial assault team is down. When the Marines finally make it inside, the simulated fighting is close and chaotic.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Help! Help!

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Also casualties.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Most are casualties.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, did you get hit?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: On my hat.

SAVIDGE: The raid eventually lasts about half an hour. Nearly half of the platoon, 14 of 34 Marines, lie dying or dead. The debrief isn't pretty.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Did you get him?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That was the biggest freaking thing here was no communications, all right? You had three guys that got shot in the back because no one said anything.

SAVIDGE: In the end, the dead will walk again, but lessons have been learned.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You know, mortality comes into play. The Marines realize all of a sudden I'm, hey, this means something and what we're being taught, you know, actually means that hey, I could be a casualty at any given time.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SAVIDGE: Here's something else interesting we wanted to show you. This is what we call a wireless microphone. We took one of these and placed it on the back of one of the Marines that was involved in that assault. We were trying to figure out what would be the safest place so it wouldn't get struck by one of those paint balls. So we clipped it directly to the back of his vest. When it was all over, we went and claimed it. Take a look at that. The red spot right there? He was nailed directly in the back right on the microphone.

COSTELLO: Oh, no.

SAVIDGE: The microphone is still ticking and so is the Marine. But as we say, they're learning lessons out here -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Oh, and they'd better learn so quickly.

Martin Savidge reporting live from Kuwait.

Stay with CNN for live coverage all day from the front lines in the Persian Gulf.

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




Resolution?>


Aired March 17, 2003 - 06:20   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: So we have to talk about the French in light of what happened this morning. Are they still planning a veto on any possible new U.N. resolution?
Jim Bittermann is in Paris with that -- Jim, before we begin with the resolution, what do you think the French reaction will be to the U.S. suggestion that weapons inspectors leave Iraq?

JIM BITTERMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: My guess is that they would react saying that the inspectors should stay, because that's what they've said all along. Basically, after the Azores summit yesterday, Dominique de Villepin said this morning that Great Britain, Spain and the United States should ask themselves whether or not this war is really necessary.

De Villepin called it a war of choice because they believe the inspections process is working. De Villepin said he was struck by the fact that in that Azores meeting, afterwards in the news conference afterwards, that the word inspection never came up. And this is hard for the French to accept because they believe that this conflict with Iraq is about disarming Iraq and if it's about disarming Iraq and disarmament is proceeding on a daily basis, then why stop the inspections?

However, they will not accept the idea if this is about government overthrow in Iraq, because they believe that's against international law -- Carol.

COSTELLO: About that U.N. resolution, that, there's word that the French may introduce yet another resolution. Or do I have that wrong? Tell me.

BITTERMAN: No, you've got it absolutely right. Basically the resolution that's on the table, if it is moved to a vote by the United States, and it's up to the United States to do that, the French have said they will veto the resolution as it's presently constituted. However, they really don't believe the United States can get the nine votes it needs. They feel that here, here they say well, listen, if the United States had the nine votes, they should go ahead and move it. We'll veto it and then we'll be the scapegoats, because we'll have ruined this resolution.

So they don't believe the nine votes, the United States has the nine votes necessary.

The second resolution they're talking about or the second at least paper they're talking about to the present to the Security Council tomorrow is one that would call for a 30 to 609 day extension of inspections with a very specific list of tasks that the inspectors have to be successful at over the next 30 to 60 days to keep the inspection process going.

Now, that's something that the United States has already said is a non-starter -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Yes, I was just going to say, and we know what the United States will say about that second resolution.

Jim Bittermann live from Paris, thanks so much.

U.S. Marines training for combat in the Kuwaiti desert need to know what it's like to get hit. But how do they make the combat situation appear real without using live fire?

CNN's Martin Savidge is with the Marine First Division in northern Kuwait -- good morning, Martin.

MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you again, Carol.

It's an interesting predicament you can get into being a journalist out here with the Marines at times. Obviously the Marines out here don't have access to a lot of information like we do. So they're constantly wanting to know. And the only information they get is from their officers. So they come up to us and ask well, what's the latest? What have you heard? What do you know that's going on right now?

And we, of course, have access to the Internet and CNN directly. So you feel at times somewhat like the town crier filling them in.

There is more training that has been going on. Training took place this morning that we witnessed as close to real as it can get, at least from the mind set point of view. Here, take a look at this.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SAVIDGE (voice-over): A building in the middle of the desert, innocent looking enough, but under war conditions, potentially lethal. A platoon of Marines has the task of checking it out. There has not been a lot of time to plan. The first teams in have to cover open ground. As they move, their concerns are confirmed. Shots come from inside. A Marine goes down.

The ammunition the Marines are using is a kind of paint ball. If they're hit, they'll feel and see it. It is the closest thing to actually getting shot at. The teams close on the objective using outbuildings for cover. Inside, another team of Marine snipers and mortar men play the role of the enemy. The defense has the advantage of good cover.

It is early in the assault and already the casualties have begun to mount. Another two man team moves on an enemy position, a quick look around the corner is costly. The Marine is shot in the head. Soon his partner falls.

(on camera): So here's the scenario now. The Marines have come up on what appears to be like a house, maybe a farmhouse. It has enemy forces inside. It may also have civilians. Their job is to go in and clear the enemy and keep the civilians alive and try to keep themselves alive at the same time.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hey, support up.

SAVIDGE (voice-over): The attack on the main building is hard. Within just a few minutes, 90 percent of the initial assault team is down. When the Marines finally make it inside, the simulated fighting is close and chaotic.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Help! Help!

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Also casualties.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Most are casualties.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, did you get hit?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: On my hat.

SAVIDGE: The raid eventually lasts about half an hour. Nearly half of the platoon, 14 of 34 Marines, lie dying or dead. The debrief isn't pretty.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Did you get him?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That was the biggest freaking thing here was no communications, all right? You had three guys that got shot in the back because no one said anything.

SAVIDGE: In the end, the dead will walk again, but lessons have been learned.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You know, mortality comes into play. The Marines realize all of a sudden I'm, hey, this means something and what we're being taught, you know, actually means that hey, I could be a casualty at any given time.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SAVIDGE: Here's something else interesting we wanted to show you. This is what we call a wireless microphone. We took one of these and placed it on the back of one of the Marines that was involved in that assault. We were trying to figure out what would be the safest place so it wouldn't get struck by one of those paint balls. So we clipped it directly to the back of his vest. When it was all over, we went and claimed it. Take a look at that. The red spot right there? He was nailed directly in the back right on the microphone.

COSTELLO: Oh, no.

SAVIDGE: The microphone is still ticking and so is the Marine. But as we say, they're learning lessons out here -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Oh, and they'd better learn so quickly.

Martin Savidge reporting live from Kuwait.

Stay with CNN for live coverage all day from the front lines in the Persian Gulf.

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




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