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American Morning

Iraqi Forces Holed Up South of Baghdad

Aired March 31, 2003 - 9:01   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: Good morning. Welcome to a brand new week here. I'm Paula Zahn in New York. Glad to have you with us this morning.
Artillery and airstrikes are hitting Baghdad this morning. One of the explosions has reportedly hit a palace used by President Saddam Hussein's son Qusay.

Reuters reports seeing a cloud of white smoke over that complex. And an intense artillery barrage is also being reported in the southern outskirts of the city. Qusay Hussein's palace complex was hit overnight as well, as U.S. warplanes intensified their bombardment of the Iraqi capital in a military first. Never before have B-1, B-2, and B-52 bombers hit the same target at the same time on a single mission.

Meanwhile, in southern Iraq, British paratroopers are conducting an air assault north of the Ramallah fields. Witnesses say they have seen tanks firing and have civilians have been hurt.

Right now, it's time to check in with my colleague, Bill Hemmer, who is standing by in Kuwait City. Good morning again, Bill.

BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, Paula. Some very interesting developments and words from Central Command earlier today. CENTCOM is now saying that U.S. Special Forces are relying on information from local Iraqis to target regime complexes and to find Baath Party headquarters and members of the Baath Party. General Brooks said that Republican Guard units still a very key target for the coalition.

Northern Iraq now, CNN's Kevin Sites now saying that, again, heavy air attacks near Kirkuk. Iraqi troops appear to have pulled back from front line positions there. Kevin also says there are reports that Iraqis are getting rid of their uniforms and now mixing in with civilians. Similar reports in the south, as well.

Jason Bellini, embedded with the Marines near Nasiriya, reports on a change in tactics there. He says that Marines now going door to door trying to root out irregulars. The Marines originally said they wanted to avoid such close contact. A bit of a change in strategy.

And also, the other thing, Paula, that Jason mentioned was the reception the Marines got as they moved north into Nasiriya. Quite a different change from what we had heard about a week ago.

Back to you now in New York. ZAHN: Thanks so much, Bill. From the front we'll be getting news in a few minutes from our embedded reporters. Walt Rodgers is with the 7th Cav south of Baghdad. Alessio Vinci is with the Marines near Nasiriya. And Ryan Chilcote is with the 101st Airborne near Najaf.

We're going to check in with Walt Rodgers right now, who joins us from central Iraq, embedded, as we said, with the 3-7th Cav south of Baghdad. He filed this report a short time ago.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WALTER RODGERS, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Across the horizon behind me there's a thick ribbon of black smoke. Not a test to some of the heavy fighting just to the east-northeast of us, where the U.S. Army's 2nd Brigade of the 3rd Infantry Division is trying to take an objective which is now being strongly resisted by the Iraqis.

Closer to us, along the horizon over there, the U.S. Army's 7th Cavalry is fanned out on the outskirts of an Iraqi city about 50 miles south of Baghdad. The 7th Cavalry has had some artillery fired at it from the Iraqis, which they've taken sanctuary inside the city. They have, according to army sources, set up artillery pieces in the sanctuary of the city and have been firing outward. They also say that the Iraqis have set up surface-to-air missiles.

The U.S. Army has heavy air cover above. But because the Iraqis have sought refuge in the city, the Navy's F-14 Tomcats and the F-15 Eagles of the Air Force are not firing on the Iraqi positions inside the city.

Again, we have this situation where the Iraqis are daring the United States Army to attack the city just off to our east -- northeast of us. The Iraqis are saying, come on in. We'll teach you what fighting is about. That's because it would be extraordinarily bloody street fighting if the Army took the bait.

The Army, on the other hand, is offering the bait to the Iraqis, saying we're out here in the desert, come on out and fight. The Iraqis have learned from a bitter experience around An Najaf about a week ago that whenever they come out of their entrenched positions in the cities the Air Force pounds them. So it's a bit of a stalemate at this point, but there is anything but a pause in the action, judging by the artillery pounding we're hearing just to the east-northeast of us from the Army's 2nd Brigade of the 3rd Division.

Walter Rodgers, CNN, with the U.S. Army's 7th Cavalry, about 50 miles south-southwest of Baghdad.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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 - 9:01   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. Welcome to a brand new week here. I'm Paula Zahn in New York. Glad to have you with us this morning.
Artillery and airstrikes are hitting Baghdad this morning. One of the explosions has reportedly hit a palace used by President Saddam Hussein's son Qusay.

Reuters reports seeing a cloud of white smoke over that complex. And an intense artillery barrage is also being reported in the southern outskirts of the city. Qusay Hussein's palace complex was hit overnight as well, as U.S. warplanes intensified their bombardment of the Iraqi capital in a military first. Never before have B-1, B-2, and B-52 bombers hit the same target at the same time on a single mission.

Meanwhile, in southern Iraq, British paratroopers are conducting an air assault north of the Ramallah fields. Witnesses say they have seen tanks firing and have civilians have been hurt.

Right now, it's time to check in with my colleague, Bill Hemmer, who is standing by in Kuwait City. Good morning again, Bill.

BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, Paula. Some very interesting developments and words from Central Command earlier today. CENTCOM is now saying that U.S. Special Forces are relying on information from local Iraqis to target regime complexes and to find Baath Party headquarters and members of the Baath Party. General Brooks said that Republican Guard units still a very key target for the coalition.

Northern Iraq now, CNN's Kevin Sites now saying that, again, heavy air attacks near Kirkuk. Iraqi troops appear to have pulled back from front line positions there. Kevin also says there are reports that Iraqis are getting rid of their uniforms and now mixing in with civilians. Similar reports in the south, as well.

Jason Bellini, embedded with the Marines near Nasiriya, reports on a change in tactics there. He says that Marines now going door to door trying to root out irregulars. The Marines originally said they wanted to avoid such close contact. A bit of a change in strategy.

And also, the other thing, Paula, that Jason mentioned was the reception the Marines got as they moved north into Nasiriya. Quite a different change from what we had heard about a week ago.

Back to you now in New York. ZAHN: Thanks so much, Bill. From the front we'll be getting news in a few minutes from our embedded reporters. Walt Rodgers is with the 7th Cav south of Baghdad. Alessio Vinci is with the Marines near Nasiriya. And Ryan Chilcote is with the 101st Airborne near Najaf.

We're going to check in with Walt Rodgers right now, who joins us from central Iraq, embedded, as we said, with the 3-7th Cav south of Baghdad. He filed this report a short time ago.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WALTER RODGERS, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Across the horizon behind me there's a thick ribbon of black smoke. Not a test to some of the heavy fighting just to the east-northeast of us, where the U.S. Army's 2nd Brigade of the 3rd Infantry Division is trying to take an objective which is now being strongly resisted by the Iraqis.

Closer to us, along the horizon over there, the U.S. Army's 7th Cavalry is fanned out on the outskirts of an Iraqi city about 50 miles south of Baghdad. The 7th Cavalry has had some artillery fired at it from the Iraqis, which they've taken sanctuary inside the city. They have, according to army sources, set up artillery pieces in the sanctuary of the city and have been firing outward. They also say that the Iraqis have set up surface-to-air missiles.

The U.S. Army has heavy air cover above. But because the Iraqis have sought refuge in the city, the Navy's F-14 Tomcats and the F-15 Eagles of the Air Force are not firing on the Iraqi positions inside the city.

Again, we have this situation where the Iraqis are daring the United States Army to attack the city just off to our east -- northeast of us. The Iraqis are saying, come on in. We'll teach you what fighting is about. That's because it would be extraordinarily bloody street fighting if the Army took the bait.

The Army, on the other hand, is offering the bait to the Iraqis, saying we're out here in the desert, come on out and fight. The Iraqis have learned from a bitter experience around An Najaf about a week ago that whenever they come out of their entrenched positions in the cities the Air Force pounds them. So it's a bit of a stalemate at this point, but there is anything but a pause in the action, judging by the artillery pounding we're hearing just to the east-northeast of us from the Army's 2nd Brigade of the 3rd Division.

Walter Rodgers, CNN, with the U.S. Army's 7th Cavalry, about 50 miles south-southwest of Baghdad.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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