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CNN Live At Daybreak

Misfortunes of War

Aired March 31, 2003 - 06:45   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: Now last Friday, you may recall a British Marine was killed in a so-called friendly fire incident. Well Britain's Press Association, citing some defense sources, says that a U.S. A-10 tank buster aircraft mistakenly fired on two British armored vehicles near Basra. The survivors from that incident are being treated aboard the British ship Argus in the Persian Gulf. And one of those survivors talked to reporters about the harrowing experience.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHRIS FINNEY, BRITISH HOUSEHOLD CAVALRY: I seen his face (UNINTELLIGIBLE). Noticed it was an American plane, but I sort of -- I didn't want to believe it was because it's friendly, isn't it (ph). I was feeling scared and then signaling to them, too, that we were in fact friendly and not Iraqis (UNINTELLIGIBLE) but and then I just -- there's just a sense of helplessness (UNINTELLIGIBLE) nothing I could do about it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: Two other British soldiers have died as a result of friendly fire in the Iraq conflict -- Bill.

BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Yes, Leon, you got to feel so defenseless in something like that when he was hoping that it was not an American aircraft. The A-10s, by the way, Leon, according to our embedded reporters like Gary Tuchman and Bob Franken, say they are getting significant activity right now. The A-10 is the tank killer. It's known for flying slower than most fighter jets, but it's very agile, very quick in getting into those nooks and crannies. And as we have pointed out many times, the intent of the A-10 is to use it as a tank killer. In that case, though, clearly the wrong object on the ground.

HARRIS: Absolutely.

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 31, 2003 - 06:45   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Now last Friday, you may recall a British Marine was killed in a so-called friendly fire incident. Well Britain's Press Association, citing some defense sources, says that a U.S. A-10 tank buster aircraft mistakenly fired on two British armored vehicles near Basra. The survivors from that incident are being treated aboard the British ship Argus in the Persian Gulf. And one of those survivors talked to reporters about the harrowing experience.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHRIS FINNEY, BRITISH HOUSEHOLD CAVALRY: I seen his face (UNINTELLIGIBLE). Noticed it was an American plane, but I sort of -- I didn't want to believe it was because it's friendly, isn't it (ph). I was feeling scared and then signaling to them, too, that we were in fact friendly and not Iraqis (UNINTELLIGIBLE) but and then I just -- there's just a sense of helplessness (UNINTELLIGIBLE) nothing I could do about it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: Two other British soldiers have died as a result of friendly fire in the Iraq conflict -- Bill.

BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Yes, Leon, you got to feel so defenseless in something like that when he was hoping that it was not an American aircraft. The A-10s, by the way, Leon, according to our embedded reporters like Gary Tuchman and Bob Franken, say they are getting significant activity right now. The A-10 is the tank killer. It's known for flying slower than most fighter jets, but it's very agile, very quick in getting into those nooks and crannies. And as we have pointed out many times, the intent of the A-10 is to use it as a tank killer. In that case, though, clearly the wrong object on the ground.

HARRIS: Absolutely.

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