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CNN Live At Daybreak
From Front Lines: Dealing with Desert
Aired March 19, 2003 - 06:39 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.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Right now money isn't the problem; it's the weather. Sand storms are one big problem that coalition troops are encountering as they prepare for battle. There is one today that's raging right now over the Kuwaiti desert, and it has cut visibility now to just a few feet.
Our Ryan Chilcote is out there in the desert with the Army's elite 101st Airborne Division. Let's check in with him and see how things look.
Well, how do things look -- Ryan?
RYAN CHILCOTE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, the sand is indeed blowing, Leon. I think you can probably see here it's making it a bit difficult to even look at the camera; also not helping out the troops with a little bit -- just a little more than 12 hours left before President Bush's ultimatum to the Iraqi leader and his sons expires. It's promising to complicate things here for the troops.
Just a short while ago, we spoke with Major General David Petraeus, the commanding general of the 101st Airborne. He talked about some of those complications.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAJ. GEN. DAVID PETRAEUS, U.S. ARMY: Well, even activities as simple as driving from one point to another can be challenging. You have to use GPS devices to do that. You have to slow down your speeds. It has some safety challenges. But again, at the end of the day, we'll accomplish what's necessary.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHILCOTE: The general also pointed out that this is a problem. These sand storms are not just a problem for U.S. soldiers; they are a problem for the Iraqi soldiers as well. So, it's a bit of an equalizing thing, if you will, Mother Nature helping neither of the two sides.
Leon, all of the training is now over here for the 101st Airborne. Yesterday, the artillerymen had the run of the ranges. They brought out their 101 millimeter Howitzers, making sure everything is working, making sure everything is in running order.
But today, the soldiers are focusing on what they called "pre- combat inspections," making sure they have all of their ammo, making sure their communications equipment is working and making sure that all of their vehicles are loaded up and ready to go -- Leon.
HARRIS: All right, Ryan Chilcote out there in the desert, there in the Kuwaiti desert with the 101st Airborne. We'll let you get out of the sand storm right now to go take some cover. We'll check back with you later on.
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 19, 2003 - 06:39 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Right now money isn't the problem; it's the weather. Sand storms are one big problem that coalition troops are encountering as they prepare for battle. There is one today that's raging right now over the Kuwaiti desert, and it has cut visibility now to just a few feet.
Our Ryan Chilcote is out there in the desert with the Army's elite 101st Airborne Division. Let's check in with him and see how things look.
Well, how do things look -- Ryan?
RYAN CHILCOTE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, the sand is indeed blowing, Leon. I think you can probably see here it's making it a bit difficult to even look at the camera; also not helping out the troops with a little bit -- just a little more than 12 hours left before President Bush's ultimatum to the Iraqi leader and his sons expires. It's promising to complicate things here for the troops.
Just a short while ago, we spoke with Major General David Petraeus, the commanding general of the 101st Airborne. He talked about some of those complications.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAJ. GEN. DAVID PETRAEUS, U.S. ARMY: Well, even activities as simple as driving from one point to another can be challenging. You have to use GPS devices to do that. You have to slow down your speeds. It has some safety challenges. But again, at the end of the day, we'll accomplish what's necessary.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHILCOTE: The general also pointed out that this is a problem. These sand storms are not just a problem for U.S. soldiers; they are a problem for the Iraqi soldiers as well. So, it's a bit of an equalizing thing, if you will, Mother Nature helping neither of the two sides.
Leon, all of the training is now over here for the 101st Airborne. Yesterday, the artillerymen had the run of the ranges. They brought out their 101 millimeter Howitzers, making sure everything is working, making sure everything is in running order.
But today, the soldiers are focusing on what they called "pre- combat inspections," making sure they have all of their ammo, making sure their communications equipment is working and making sure that all of their vehicles are loaded up and ready to go -- Leon.
HARRIS: All right, Ryan Chilcote out there in the desert, there in the Kuwaiti desert with the 101st Airborne. We'll let you get out of the sand storm right now to go take some cover. We'll check back with you later on.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
