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CNN Live At Daybreak

Missing M1A1 Abrams Tank Recovered Sunday from Euphrates River

Aired April 01, 2003 - 05:00   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.


BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: A missing M1A1 Abrams tank recovered Sunday from the Euphrates River near Nasiriya. Crew of four all dead. U.S. military officials say the tank driver was shot while driving across a bridge on Tuesday. The tank then plunged into the river, drowning the rest of the crew.
Two Navy pilots rescued today when their jet fell overboard after landing on the USS Constellation. Both aviators said to be OK. The S-3B Viking is an in-flight refueled. It was the last jet to land when it suddenly veered off the deck, forcing the crew to eject.

Colin Powell heads to Turkey to conduct some wartime diplomacy. Turkey only recently allowed over flights by coalition planes, but refused to allow staging U.S. ground troops there. Powell will also go to Belgium in Brussels to meet with NATO leaders there.

More tension in Asia. The Pentagon confirms North Korea test fired a short range missile off its western coast today. Japanese official said the surface to ship missile did not appear to be aimed at them. Just days ago, Tokyo launched its first spy satellites to keep watch over North Korea's missile and nuclear programs.

We are bringing you various angles on the war in Iraq. Coming up this hour, a dramatic sea rescue. Swimmers from a rescue helicopter save American pilots after their jet slides off a flight deck. We'll have a full report on that.

Plus, we'll take you to the front lines again in the war in Iraq, our embedded reporters, the very latest developments today. And the Arab voices, we'll give you a look at the 24 hour news networks that the Arab world now tuning into in very large numbers for their view on the ongoing war.

Hello again. Two o'clock in Baghdad, one o'clock here in Kuwait, 5:00 a.m. on the East Coast of the U.S.

I'm Bill Hemmer live in Kuwait City.

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Carol Costello at CNN's global headquarters in Atlanta.

Today is Tuesday, April 1st, and you are now looking at a live picture of downtown Baghdad, as Operation Iraqi Freedom enters day 13.

Time now for an early briefing on stories that will be news later today. Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson visits the CDC this afternoon for an update on the deadly pneumonia like virus known as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, or SARS. Also this afternoon, Senate Republicans plan to add about $2 billion in airline assistance to President Bush's $75 billion war budget. And the House Armed Services Committee will hear testimony on the U.S. Air Force report on sexual assault issues at the Air Force Academy.

Now to the war. We want to give you a visual sense of where coalition forces are in Iraq right now. As we put this map into motion, you see coalition ground forces are about 50 miles south of Baghdad. Now, throughout that area, Iraqi Republican Guard units are being pounded by coalition air attacks. And in the north, the Iraqi forces are also being hit by air strikes. That's while key ground battles are still under way in cities throughout Iraq.

And you can hear it. Some of the fiercest fighting has been around Najaf. But the U.S. Army's 101st Airborne Division has seized an air field on the outskirts of town without a fight.

Moving north now to Mosul, here's a look at the damage on a ridge where Iraqi troops have been entrenched. The Kurdish militia says about 1,000 Iraqi soldiers have surrendered along the border separating Kurdish areas and those controlled by the Iraqi regime.

And that is the sound of battle in Basra. British forces there have secured the western part of the city, but they say in other parts of the city, Iraqi paramilitary forces are randomly firing mortar shells.

HEMMER: Carol, back here in Kuwait, you get a decidedly different opinion right now and a different viewpoint from members of the British military and the U.S. military. If you'd listened to the tone of their voice over the past 24 to 36 hours, they say there has been, in some cases, a decided turn on the battlefield in Iraq. The members of the military that come by here and talk with us in Kuwait City, you can note in the tone of their voice that they do believe that the upper hand right now is shifting. And if you look at the battlefield, they insist, again, that the Medina division, the Baghdad division, the highly specialized units of the Republican Guard are continue to be hammered away, indicating yet again that things like the Medina division may be reduced right now by about 50 percent of its capacity.

We've heard this word now for about two days running. Interesting to see if Central Command follows through on a similar theme. They're going to brief in about two hours time. And John Fynes from the British military also will be our guest in a few minutes here on CNN.

In the meantime, a lot's happened yet again, no surprise there, with the ongoing war.

Renay San Miguel now has a look back over the past 12 hours.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RENAY SAN MIGUEL, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): 10:43 a.m., Iraqi TV shows video of Saddam Hussein and his two sons. The state run network says the pictures are new today. But there has been no independent verification of this.

2:32 p.m....

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There was an explosion in Tehran...

SAN MIGUEL: CNN Aiser Zod Bozagamir (ph) reports that a car bomb exploded near a gate at the British Embassy in Tehran. So far no group has claimed responsibility.

2:46 p.m., speaking at a Coast Guard installation, President Bush said by acting today in Iraq, the U.S. is saving countless lives in the future.

4:39 p.m., according to CENTCOM, U.S. troops fired today at a van carrying 13 women and children when the van failed to stop at a checkpoint. The Pentagon later stated that the troops were operating under the rules of engagement in place to protect troops against car bombs.

6:20 p.m....

RYAN CHILCOTE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: A busy day for the 101st Airborne.

SAN MIGUEL: Ryan Chilcote reports that soldiers of the 101st Airborne seized an air field about 100 miles south of Baghdad without a fight and without casualties. The U.S. military says it would like to use the air strip to begin moving in humanitarian aid.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HEMMER: Let's get to Chris Plante right now standing by at the Pentagon this morning -- Chris, let's get more on that checkpoint and also possibly what happened on board the USS Constellation earlier today.

Good morning.

Back to you in Washington.

CHRIS PLANTE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Bill.

First of all, there was an incident involving U.S. Marines at a checkpoint near the town of Shatra. And that involved Marines manning a checkpoint. A vehicle was approaching. It was instructed to stop. The driver of the vehicle apparently failed to stop. Marines fired on it. The driver was killed. Another man was injured. It turned out that they were unarmed. They were civilians. The, apparently, at least, the vehicle was not, from what they could tell, an explosive laden car bomb. An unfortunate incident. Apparently a civilian killed due to a lack of understanding there.

A similar and larger scale incident also occurred yesterday afternoon Eastern Time, this near the town of Najaf, where U.S. Army troops manning a checkpoint saw a vehicle approaching, a van. They couldn't tell whether it was loaded with people, apparently couldn't see inside the vehicle. Instructed the vehicle to stop and then the details get a little bit sketchy. It's unclear whether a warning shot was fired, whether a shot was fired through the grill of the car. But according to the report from the scene, the vehicle continued coming toward the checkpoint and, again, U.S. Army troops opened fire and at least seven civilians killed in that incident, two more severely injured. Four people apparently survived the incident relatively intact.

But a soldier's worst nightmare. It's the kind of thing that sticks with you for the rest of your life. Certainly an awful incident all the way around -- Bill.

HEMMER: And they're also indicating that their attention was quite high in that part of Iraq given the suicide bombing that took place on Saturday afternoon, killing four U.S. soldiers.

Chris, a different topic. What happened on the USS Constellation with this Navy jet?

PLANTE: Well, it was an s3 Viking, Bill, which in this particular case was an in-flight refueling plane. The s3 has a number of different roles on aircraft carriers. It can be an in-flight refueling plane. It can be an electronic warfare plane. And it was originally designed as an anti-submarine warfare plane.

It was the last airplane on the aircraft carrier to be coming back after day long flight operations. It landed safely, caught the cable with its tail hook, as it's supposed to do, and then when they went to taxi over to the right side of the plane, the plane, instead, went to the left, apparently because of a mechanical or a brake failure, and it went off the left side of the plane.

The two pilots ejected and almost immediately were scooped up by swimmers in the water because the Navy keeps an SH-60 Sea Hawk helicopter, a search and rescue helicopter, airborne around the aircraft carrier at all times while flight operations are going on.

So the swimmer was in the water very, very quickly and they were able to successfully and safely recover the two pilots. We're told that they're both in good condition. Nothing but bumps and bruises from ejecting from the airplane and all things considered, it went about as well as it possibly could -- Bill.

HEMMER: Chris, thanks.

Chris Plante at the Pentagon.

We'll be in touch a bit later this morning.

Now Carol again at the CNN Center -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Thanks, Bill.

You mentioned that press briefing at CENTCOM that's coming our way in just a few hours. Well, at that press briefing there will likely be questions about the checkpoint shooting in Najaf yesterday. U.S. soldiers fired on a van carrying war against Iraq, killing at least seven people.

We want to check in now with CNN's Rym Brahimi.

She's in Amman, Jordan with Arab reaction to the incident -- what is it, Rym?

RYM BRAHIMI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Carol, interestingly enough, that incident didn't actually make it into the main newspapers. It could have happened too late for that. So none of the main newspapers that I've seen this morning have actually been able to bring out a picture or something about that incident.

What's more interesting is the broadcasts on the Arabic channels. Well, they are mentioning the event at this time. Now it's almost 1:00 p.m. here in Amman. Those events are mentioned on the broadcasts, but they're by no means the headlines. Essentially not making a huge fuss for an event that would, in normal circumstances, trigger huge emotions in the region. That's typically the kind of event that people were afraid of, that people were concerned about and that people are really concerned might happen again -- Carol.

COSTELLO: There have been things in the Arab press about civilian casualties and I want to ask you this, the fact that the Iraqis are using civilians as tools of war, some Americans might think that contrasts sharply with their laments about civilian casualties. Tell us how that is playing in the Arab world.

BRAHIMI: Well, that's very difficult to tell, really, first of all, because there isn't necessarily a sense in the Arab world that that is definitely the case that the Iraqi regime is using civilians. What there seems to be a sense of, rather, is the fact that -- or, as seen by a lot of the people in the Arab world, is that civilians are actually really keen to defend their land. And many people you talk to will say people are going back, Iraqis don't like Saddam Hussein, maybe, but they do want to defend their land.

So there doesn't seem to be this issue of civilians or soldiers dressed in civilian clothing. It's also very confusing because, as you know, there are also the Baath Party members. They are civilians, if you will. They belong to the Baath Party. But they are armed and they are also enrolled to defend Iraq or to defend the regime, rather.

So there are a lot of different things here. But basically I think the main thing that's important in the region is that a lot of people do see Iraqis as now wanting -- they see a picture of Iraqis who maybe weren't willing to support the regime but who now are willing to just keep quiet, at best stay at home and at most even fight to defend their country after the U.S.-led attack -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Thanks for bringing us the insight.

Rym Brahimi live from Amman, Jordan.

Now back to Kuwait and Bill.

HEMMER: Carol, thank you. We know weather wise it continues to heat up day by day and we do anticipate toward the end of this week temperatures being well above 90, not just here in Kuwait, but over a large portion of Iraq. And certainly that could create a change of condition there for the U.S. and British military fighting.

Walt Rodgers has been there for weeks now. He's live with the 7th Cavalry somewhere southwest of Baghdad, maybe 50, possibly 60 miles -- Walt, good afternoon there.

WALTER RODGERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Bill.

The temperature you're referring to is just another straw in the wind, another telltale sign that the focus of the

Land war may be about to change. As you know, for the past week or so, it has been along the Euphrates River defense lines starting in Basra to al-Nasiriya to al-Samawah to al-Najaf. But that line was breached about a week ago and what we're seeing now are increasing indications both here on the ground and in other news reports that the focus of the land war will soon be Baghdad.

Here's how we come to that conclusions. First, there's that continuous pounding of the Medina division by the Air Force south of Baghdad. The Medina division, according to some sources, Air Force sources, has now been downgraded by Air Force bombing by at least 50, perhaps upwards of 70 percent. That means the southern defenses of Baghdad have been weakened.

Again, gradually, the U.S. Army's Third Infantry Division has pushed northward. It crossed the Euphrates River yesterday, below al- Hillah and the 7th Cavalry, again, as well as the Third Infantry Division, is now within 50 to 60 miles of the southern suburbs of Baghdad.

Again, all signs focus, especially with more and more U.S. troops coming ashore in Kuwait, the Fourth Infantry Division, that there's going to be a major push toward Baghdad in the not too distant future. The reason, of course, being you can see all those troops coming ashore. They'll be pouring into Iraq and it, again, the Air Force bombing around Baghdad, everything hints to a change in focus coming in the coming days and weeks on Baghdad. It will be the entire focus of the war. Baghdad will be the end game -- Bill.

HEMMER: Yes, Walt, quickly here. It's mid-afternoon. Last night, overnight, into the early morning hours, how much bombing did you observe?

RODGERS: Well, there wasn't that much, Bill. I have to confess and be perfectly honest, I try to get some sleep at night. We heard a fair amount of bombing, but it wasn't as bad as the previous night. Again, the bombing is in Baghdad, 50 miles away. We can't hear that. So I really can't comment on that except for the continuing reports of the hammering of that Medina division.

The object of that bombing below Baghdad, the Air Force bombing, is entirely to degrade that division and make it incapable of putting up a very strong defense along the southern suburbs of Baghdad. But that's what we're seeing across this front, that plus the fact that you have so many troops coming ashore in Kuwait. They will be coming northward in the next week or two weeks. That means reinforcements for the Third Infantry Division, 7th Cavalry, already here.

Again, all the arrows are moving towards that bull's eye and that bull's eye is Baghdad and it will be the total focus of this war probably within another week or so -- Bill.

HEMMER: Walt, thanks.

Walter Rodgers with the 7th Cav. Rest well needed, I'm certain, overnight last night.

Thank you, Walt.

In a moment here, trying to communicate now with the Iraqis. Not only are the U.S. and the British trying to bring food and water, but a message, as well. We will check in on that with Christiane Amanpour when our coverage continues right after this.

COMMERCIAL

COSTELLO: 5:17 on the East Coast.

We want to bring you up to date on the latest casualty numbers now. U.S. and British officials say 68 coalition troops have died in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Of those, 35 are Americans who were killed in combat. Eight other Americans were killed by friendly fire or in accidents. Five British troops were killed by hostile fire, 18 outside combat and the cause of two deaths still unknown.

Iraqi officials are not divulging figures on military casualties, but they say 420 civilians have been killed and about 4,000 injured.

HEMMER: Carol, we know throughout the history of conflict the United States has tried to communicate with various populations in the world. You think of Radio Free Europe during the cold war. You think of Radio Marti right now with the Cubans off the southern tip of Florida.

You may call something right now in Iraq, something similar to Radio Free Iraq because Christiane Amanpour now reports they're trying to reach and trying to shape public opinion inside that country.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

03311803.v54

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COMMERCIAL

HEMMER: Back here live in Kuwait City, the British military now saying they have secured the western portion of the city of Basra and also getting these reports again, a disturbing moment yesterday when seven people -- women and children -- were gunned down in Najaf after, apparently, the U.S. Army says, a vehicle was warned to stop and it did not. There are conflicting reports as to what exactly happened. Perhaps more from Central Command 90 minutes away.

In the meantime, RAF Spokesman John Fynes is back with us here from Kuwait and this afternoon.

Good to see you again.

JON FYNES, RAF SPOKESMAN: Hi.

HEMMER: Regarding Najaf, I know this was an American operation, not a British operation. But knowing that a suicide bomber was there on Saturday, knowing that this truckload of -- Toyota truckload was loaded with women and children, is there a way that you can engage the Iraqi civilians in a way that can prevent tragedies like these from happening?

FYNES: It's techniques and the procedures. Unfortunately, you can't always guarantee that there will not be tragedies such as this. We're in a war zone and it's extremely difficult and the soldiers are operating in very difficult conditions.

HEMMER: What about speaking Arabic? What about putting up Arabic signs along the road? What about better indications to the civilian population when they approach a checkpoint to say listen, you know, this is an area the U.S. military, the British military is operating in and you need to be more careful?

FYNES: Absolutely, and that all become part of the process. But as each road is opened, it takes a while to set up that roadblock, set up that checkpoint. It is education. It's the word traveling within the villages themselves of what to expect and how to react. But it's also experience for the soldiers. And talking for the British, we've been encountering this sort of problem for many, many years and we've become very good at it.

It's a disaster. It's a real shame when it happens. But it is a very, very difficult environment.

HEMMER: Let's shift our focus to Basra. You now say you've secured the western part of that city. Define secured.

FYNES: Secure is trying to bring normality back to it. The soldiers, most of the resistance in that area has been reduced to basically zero. So the population are beginning to see now that we're taking off our helmets, we're wearing our berets, we're turning into friends of the people. And that will spread. That message will get inside the cities.

HEMMER: Does that mean no more paramilitaries are operating in the western part of the city? Does that mean they've gone underground or have they been chased out?

FYNES: I think I'd be foolish to say that they can't come back in and provide a risk. But we've got to the stage now that the security is such that that risk is very, very much reduced and will be reduced even further. And we've now got to do our bit, which is persuade the people we're there to stay.

HEMMER: So, if it's been reduced in the western half of the city, what does that mean for the eastern half? How much of a threat is it still?

FYNES: There's still a threat. There's still paramilitaries in there. But the word will spread to the people, and that's what we're trying to do. We want them to see that we can take out these paramilitaries in our own time scale, that when we've done it, we can give them the humanitarian aid and succor they require. That word will spread and our job will become easier.

HEMMER: We heard from Central Command yesterday that a number of Iraqi civilians, people living in that country are giving them valuable information as to the whereabouts of Baath Party members.

How much do you know about this and how often is that happening?

FYNES: I think the real message to get from this is it's the people again. They want to speak to us. They want to get rid of the Baath Party and the people in the city that are terrorizing them. So I'm not at all surprised that they're giving us that information. I'd do the same.

HEMMER: Do you expect that to continue? And, if so, where's the evidence?

FYNES: The evidence is that we are finding the Baath Party. We're targeting the Baath Party and that resistance is being taken away piece by piece.

HEMMER: Right, John Fynes, thanks, RAF spokesman.

We'll talk again tomorrow.

I appreciate your stopping by today to give us a bit of a preview of what's happening there on the ground and in the air in Iraq.

FYNES: Thank you.

HEMMER: thank you, sir.

Let's get a break here quickly. When we come back, Chris Burns is live in Washington. There are movements again by the president yesterday, talking in Philadelphia about terrorism on the U.S. front and homeland security.

Back with Chris's live report and more of Carol at the CNN Center right after this.

COMMERCIAL

COSTELLO: 5:28 Eastern time. Welcome back.

President Bush in Pennsylvania yesterday saying victory in Iraq is getting closer day by day.

We want to get an update now from White House correspondent Chris Burns -- good morning.

CHRIS BURNS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.

The president fighting the information war on several fronts. He chose as his backdrop in Philadelphia the Coast Guard, paying tribute to how they're defending the country, also asking for $4 billion from Congress at the same time, $500 million of that for the Coast Guard to do a better job.

The president also fighting on two other fronts where critics are contending that the war plan is not on track and also asking why so many Iraqis are not opening up their arms to the American-led coalition moving into Iraq. The president arguing that the war is, indeed, making steady progress.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: By quick and decisive action our troops are preventing Saddam Hussein from destroying the Iraqi people's oil fields. Our forces moved into Iraqi missile launch areas that threatened neighboring countries. Many dangers lie ahead, but day by day we are moving closer to Baghdad. Day by day we are moving closer to victory.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BURNS: And why aren't the Iraqis welcoming the U.S.-led forces? The president arguing that it's a repression and not restatement and making a pledge to the Iraqi people. In fact, it was broadcast on radio in Arabic later on, saying that the nightmare for the Iraqis is soon over.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: We are confident that when the people are free to speak and understand that the United States and its coalition partners have come in peace to provide them with a better life, images will flow from that that I think will make the case that the United States and its coalition partners came for a specific purpose.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BURNS: Those are the words from Secretary of State Powell, who the president is dispatching to Turkey today. He's going to be talking to the Turkish government, reassuring them that armed forces are moving into northern Iraq to stabilize the situation, concerns that perhaps the Turks might send troops into northern Iraq to try to stabilize the situation on their own. That could lead to some kind of a conflict with the Kurdish opposition up there in the north. Kurds on both sides of the border, the Turkish government having dealt with that for years.

Also, Secretary Powell going on later in the week to Europe to go to Brussels to talk to the European Union, as well as NATO, trying to rally support for help in rebuilding Iraq -- Carol.

COSTELLO: So diplomacy is heating up again.

I don't know if you can answer this question, but I was just wondering if the president would talk about the accidental killing of civilians in Iraq. I know other administration officials have done so.

BURNS: Well, certainly, it's a concern among the Bush administration about that. It certainly does not bode well for the information campaign, for the image of the U.S.-led forces in Iraq. However, no direct contention from that side. In fact, the Bush administration is arguing from the other side, blaming the Iraqi forces for putting the American forces in that kind of a situation.

COSTELLO: Chris Burns live from Washington.

We're going to take a short break.

We'll be right back.

COMMERCIAL

HEMMER: I'm Bill Hemmer live in Kuwait City again, checking the headlines right now at this hour.

According to Reuters News Agency, an unarmed Iraqi man was killed and another wounded today at a U.S. military checkpoint near Shatra. The men were shot after driving a pickup truck through a barbed wire barrier at a highway roadblock. In another incident, at least seven women and children were killed when a Bradley fighting vehicle opened up fire on a Toyota pickup truck that failed to stop near Jebba. U.S. military officials say the soldiers followed proper procedures. Make that the town of Najaf.

A Marine Corps Abrams tank was recovered Sunday from the Euphrates River in Nasiriya. It had fallen off a bridge Tuesday when the tank driver was shot and killed. The other crew members, we're told, drowned. All bodies so far have been recovered.

A speedy rescue probably saved the lives of two Navy pilots today. Their S-3B Viking jet had just landed on the USS Constellation when the plane suddenly veered off the deck. The pilots ejected and were later picked up, moments later after that. Both are said to be OK.

U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell headed for Turkey now. U.S. relations were strained with the NATO ally when it refused to allow U.S. troops to deploy on Turkish soil. The secretary of state says he will be making many such diplomatic trips in the months ahead as the focus shifts to rebuilding Iraq after the war.

More tension again in Asia. The Pentagon confirms that North Korea test fired a short range missile off its western coast today. Japan is now keeping an eye in the sky on North Korea with the help of two new satellites that watch for ballistic missiles.

Hong Kong now, health officials say that they are making headway in fighting an outbreak of SARS or Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome. Hong Kong now reports 610 cases of SARS, 185 of them from one apartment complex. Officials have quarantined the complex now for 10 days running.

We're bringing you various elements on the war in Iraq. Coming up in the hour here, a dramatic sea rescue, as I mentioned. Swimmers from a rescue helicopter save American pilots after the jet slides off a flight deck. A live report on that. Plus we'll take you live to the front lines of the war in Iraq. Our embedded reporters have the very latest today. And Arab voices, a look at the 24 hour news networks that the Arab world is now tuning in for their view on the current war.

Hello again and welcome.

I'm Bill Hemmer live in Kuwait City -- Carol, good afternoon from Kuwait City to you.

COSTELLO: And good afternoon to you, Bill.

I'm Carol Costello at CNN's global headquarters in Atlanta.

Today is Tuesday, April 1st, and you are looking right now at a live picture of downtown Baghdad as Operation Iraqi Freedom enters day 13.

Now, we want to give you a visual sense now of where coalition forces are in Iraq right now. As we put the map into motion -- you'll see it in a second here -- you can see coalition ground forces are about 50 moils south of Baghdad now. Now, throughout that area Iraqi Republican Guard units are being pounded by coalition air attacks and in the north Iraqi forces are also being hit by air strikes. That's while key ground battles are still under way in cities throughout Iraq.

U.S. military officials say four Marines were killed when the driver of their tank was shot dead as they crossed a bridge and then the tank plunged into the Euphrates River. The incident occurred a week ago northwest of Nasiriya. CENTCOM officials say the M1A1 Abrams tank went off the side of the bridge, landing upside down in the water of the Euphrates. The three other crew members drowned. Marines and Navy Seabees recovered the tank and its crew men on Sunday.

We want to go to Doha, Qatar now and Tom Mintier at Central Command headquarters there -- Tom, bring you up to date from your perspective.

TOM MINTIER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: In less than 90 minutes there'll be a briefing here at Central Command headquarters in Doha. Concern this morning for the possibility of suicide bombers once again. Central Command is saying that they are preparing leaflets to be dropped over Iraq warning people not to be pushed forward ahead of a fighting force by the Iraqi paramilitaries.

Concern raised overnight after a vehicle approached a checkpoint at a high rate of speed. Warning shots were reportedly fired. This, again, in the Third Infantry Division, where last weekend a suicide bomber detonated his vehicle at the checkpoint. So new rules of procedure for vehicles at the checkpoints.

Overnight this vehicle apparently approached, shots were fired into the air, men tried to disable the vehicle. It still did not stop and CENTCOM officials say they then fired into the vehicle. At the end of it all, seven civilians were killed, all women and children in the vehicle.

But what we hear from CENTCOM officials, there is a concern that these types of things are going to be promoted by the regime.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CAPT. FRANK THORP, CENTCOM SPOKESMAN: We have reports that that kind of thing may be used and what drives that home the strongest is when the Iraqi vice president came on air and rewarded the suicide bombers from the other day, proclaimed that there would be thousands more and that suicide bombers would, in fact, be rewarded. So what we're seeing is that as far as the Iraqi regime goes, anything goes on the battlefield.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MINTIER: There is also another incident being reported by Reuters of a similar incident at a checkpoint where a civilian went through the barbed wire barricade and was fired on by soldiers at the checkpoint. But CENTCOM still has not confirmed that story. We're waiting to hear from them, possibly at the briefing in less than an hour and a half -- back to you, Carol.

COSTELLO: Tom, you talked about a change in rules at checkpoints. Can you get into at all what those changes are?

MINTIER: Well, I think it's quite obvious what we heard at the briefing yesterday, that Brigadier General Vincent Brooks saying that they will approach civilian vehicles in a different way as far as the operational instructions to the units, telling the vehicles to stop and hold in an area, have all the civilians exit the vehicle so it can be looked at from a safe distance.

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Aired April 1, 2003 - 05:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: A missing M1A1 Abrams tank recovered Sunday from the Euphrates River near Nasiriya. Crew of four all dead. U.S. military officials say the tank driver was shot while driving across a bridge on Tuesday. The tank then plunged into the river, drowning the rest of the crew.
Two Navy pilots rescued today when their jet fell overboard after landing on the USS Constellation. Both aviators said to be OK. The S-3B Viking is an in-flight refueled. It was the last jet to land when it suddenly veered off the deck, forcing the crew to eject.

Colin Powell heads to Turkey to conduct some wartime diplomacy. Turkey only recently allowed over flights by coalition planes, but refused to allow staging U.S. ground troops there. Powell will also go to Belgium in Brussels to meet with NATO leaders there.

More tension in Asia. The Pentagon confirms North Korea test fired a short range missile off its western coast today. Japanese official said the surface to ship missile did not appear to be aimed at them. Just days ago, Tokyo launched its first spy satellites to keep watch over North Korea's missile and nuclear programs.

We are bringing you various angles on the war in Iraq. Coming up this hour, a dramatic sea rescue. Swimmers from a rescue helicopter save American pilots after their jet slides off a flight deck. We'll have a full report on that.

Plus, we'll take you to the front lines again in the war in Iraq, our embedded reporters, the very latest developments today. And the Arab voices, we'll give you a look at the 24 hour news networks that the Arab world now tuning into in very large numbers for their view on the ongoing war.

Hello again. Two o'clock in Baghdad, one o'clock here in Kuwait, 5:00 a.m. on the East Coast of the U.S.

I'm Bill Hemmer live in Kuwait City.

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Carol Costello at CNN's global headquarters in Atlanta.

Today is Tuesday, April 1st, and you are now looking at a live picture of downtown Baghdad, as Operation Iraqi Freedom enters day 13.

Time now for an early briefing on stories that will be news later today. Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson visits the CDC this afternoon for an update on the deadly pneumonia like virus known as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, or SARS. Also this afternoon, Senate Republicans plan to add about $2 billion in airline assistance to President Bush's $75 billion war budget. And the House Armed Services Committee will hear testimony on the U.S. Air Force report on sexual assault issues at the Air Force Academy.

Now to the war. We want to give you a visual sense of where coalition forces are in Iraq right now. As we put this map into motion, you see coalition ground forces are about 50 miles south of Baghdad. Now, throughout that area, Iraqi Republican Guard units are being pounded by coalition air attacks. And in the north, the Iraqi forces are also being hit by air strikes. That's while key ground battles are still under way in cities throughout Iraq.

And you can hear it. Some of the fiercest fighting has been around Najaf. But the U.S. Army's 101st Airborne Division has seized an air field on the outskirts of town without a fight.

Moving north now to Mosul, here's a look at the damage on a ridge where Iraqi troops have been entrenched. The Kurdish militia says about 1,000 Iraqi soldiers have surrendered along the border separating Kurdish areas and those controlled by the Iraqi regime.

And that is the sound of battle in Basra. British forces there have secured the western part of the city, but they say in other parts of the city, Iraqi paramilitary forces are randomly firing mortar shells.

HEMMER: Carol, back here in Kuwait, you get a decidedly different opinion right now and a different viewpoint from members of the British military and the U.S. military. If you'd listened to the tone of their voice over the past 24 to 36 hours, they say there has been, in some cases, a decided turn on the battlefield in Iraq. The members of the military that come by here and talk with us in Kuwait City, you can note in the tone of their voice that they do believe that the upper hand right now is shifting. And if you look at the battlefield, they insist, again, that the Medina division, the Baghdad division, the highly specialized units of the Republican Guard are continue to be hammered away, indicating yet again that things like the Medina division may be reduced right now by about 50 percent of its capacity.

We've heard this word now for about two days running. Interesting to see if Central Command follows through on a similar theme. They're going to brief in about two hours time. And John Fynes from the British military also will be our guest in a few minutes here on CNN.

In the meantime, a lot's happened yet again, no surprise there, with the ongoing war.

Renay San Miguel now has a look back over the past 12 hours.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RENAY SAN MIGUEL, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): 10:43 a.m., Iraqi TV shows video of Saddam Hussein and his two sons. The state run network says the pictures are new today. But there has been no independent verification of this.

2:32 p.m....

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There was an explosion in Tehran...

SAN MIGUEL: CNN Aiser Zod Bozagamir (ph) reports that a car bomb exploded near a gate at the British Embassy in Tehran. So far no group has claimed responsibility.

2:46 p.m., speaking at a Coast Guard installation, President Bush said by acting today in Iraq, the U.S. is saving countless lives in the future.

4:39 p.m., according to CENTCOM, U.S. troops fired today at a van carrying 13 women and children when the van failed to stop at a checkpoint. The Pentagon later stated that the troops were operating under the rules of engagement in place to protect troops against car bombs.

6:20 p.m....

RYAN CHILCOTE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: A busy day for the 101st Airborne.

SAN MIGUEL: Ryan Chilcote reports that soldiers of the 101st Airborne seized an air field about 100 miles south of Baghdad without a fight and without casualties. The U.S. military says it would like to use the air strip to begin moving in humanitarian aid.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HEMMER: Let's get to Chris Plante right now standing by at the Pentagon this morning -- Chris, let's get more on that checkpoint and also possibly what happened on board the USS Constellation earlier today.

Good morning.

Back to you in Washington.

CHRIS PLANTE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Bill.

First of all, there was an incident involving U.S. Marines at a checkpoint near the town of Shatra. And that involved Marines manning a checkpoint. A vehicle was approaching. It was instructed to stop. The driver of the vehicle apparently failed to stop. Marines fired on it. The driver was killed. Another man was injured. It turned out that they were unarmed. They were civilians. The, apparently, at least, the vehicle was not, from what they could tell, an explosive laden car bomb. An unfortunate incident. Apparently a civilian killed due to a lack of understanding there.

A similar and larger scale incident also occurred yesterday afternoon Eastern Time, this near the town of Najaf, where U.S. Army troops manning a checkpoint saw a vehicle approaching, a van. They couldn't tell whether it was loaded with people, apparently couldn't see inside the vehicle. Instructed the vehicle to stop and then the details get a little bit sketchy. It's unclear whether a warning shot was fired, whether a shot was fired through the grill of the car. But according to the report from the scene, the vehicle continued coming toward the checkpoint and, again, U.S. Army troops opened fire and at least seven civilians killed in that incident, two more severely injured. Four people apparently survived the incident relatively intact.

But a soldier's worst nightmare. It's the kind of thing that sticks with you for the rest of your life. Certainly an awful incident all the way around -- Bill.

HEMMER: And they're also indicating that their attention was quite high in that part of Iraq given the suicide bombing that took place on Saturday afternoon, killing four U.S. soldiers.

Chris, a different topic. What happened on the USS Constellation with this Navy jet?

PLANTE: Well, it was an s3 Viking, Bill, which in this particular case was an in-flight refueling plane. The s3 has a number of different roles on aircraft carriers. It can be an in-flight refueling plane. It can be an electronic warfare plane. And it was originally designed as an anti-submarine warfare plane.

It was the last airplane on the aircraft carrier to be coming back after day long flight operations. It landed safely, caught the cable with its tail hook, as it's supposed to do, and then when they went to taxi over to the right side of the plane, the plane, instead, went to the left, apparently because of a mechanical or a brake failure, and it went off the left side of the plane.

The two pilots ejected and almost immediately were scooped up by swimmers in the water because the Navy keeps an SH-60 Sea Hawk helicopter, a search and rescue helicopter, airborne around the aircraft carrier at all times while flight operations are going on.

So the swimmer was in the water very, very quickly and they were able to successfully and safely recover the two pilots. We're told that they're both in good condition. Nothing but bumps and bruises from ejecting from the airplane and all things considered, it went about as well as it possibly could -- Bill.

HEMMER: Chris, thanks.

Chris Plante at the Pentagon.

We'll be in touch a bit later this morning.

Now Carol again at the CNN Center -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Thanks, Bill.

You mentioned that press briefing at CENTCOM that's coming our way in just a few hours. Well, at that press briefing there will likely be questions about the checkpoint shooting in Najaf yesterday. U.S. soldiers fired on a van carrying war against Iraq, killing at least seven people.

We want to check in now with CNN's Rym Brahimi.

She's in Amman, Jordan with Arab reaction to the incident -- what is it, Rym?

RYM BRAHIMI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Carol, interestingly enough, that incident didn't actually make it into the main newspapers. It could have happened too late for that. So none of the main newspapers that I've seen this morning have actually been able to bring out a picture or something about that incident.

What's more interesting is the broadcasts on the Arabic channels. Well, they are mentioning the event at this time. Now it's almost 1:00 p.m. here in Amman. Those events are mentioned on the broadcasts, but they're by no means the headlines. Essentially not making a huge fuss for an event that would, in normal circumstances, trigger huge emotions in the region. That's typically the kind of event that people were afraid of, that people were concerned about and that people are really concerned might happen again -- Carol.

COSTELLO: There have been things in the Arab press about civilian casualties and I want to ask you this, the fact that the Iraqis are using civilians as tools of war, some Americans might think that contrasts sharply with their laments about civilian casualties. Tell us how that is playing in the Arab world.

BRAHIMI: Well, that's very difficult to tell, really, first of all, because there isn't necessarily a sense in the Arab world that that is definitely the case that the Iraqi regime is using civilians. What there seems to be a sense of, rather, is the fact that -- or, as seen by a lot of the people in the Arab world, is that civilians are actually really keen to defend their land. And many people you talk to will say people are going back, Iraqis don't like Saddam Hussein, maybe, but they do want to defend their land.

So there doesn't seem to be this issue of civilians or soldiers dressed in civilian clothing. It's also very confusing because, as you know, there are also the Baath Party members. They are civilians, if you will. They belong to the Baath Party. But they are armed and they are also enrolled to defend Iraq or to defend the regime, rather.

So there are a lot of different things here. But basically I think the main thing that's important in the region is that a lot of people do see Iraqis as now wanting -- they see a picture of Iraqis who maybe weren't willing to support the regime but who now are willing to just keep quiet, at best stay at home and at most even fight to defend their country after the U.S.-led attack -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Thanks for bringing us the insight.

Rym Brahimi live from Amman, Jordan.

Now back to Kuwait and Bill.

HEMMER: Carol, thank you. We know weather wise it continues to heat up day by day and we do anticipate toward the end of this week temperatures being well above 90, not just here in Kuwait, but over a large portion of Iraq. And certainly that could create a change of condition there for the U.S. and British military fighting.

Walt Rodgers has been there for weeks now. He's live with the 7th Cavalry somewhere southwest of Baghdad, maybe 50, possibly 60 miles -- Walt, good afternoon there.

WALTER RODGERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Bill.

The temperature you're referring to is just another straw in the wind, another telltale sign that the focus of the

Land war may be about to change. As you know, for the past week or so, it has been along the Euphrates River defense lines starting in Basra to al-Nasiriya to al-Samawah to al-Najaf. But that line was breached about a week ago and what we're seeing now are increasing indications both here on the ground and in other news reports that the focus of the land war will soon be Baghdad.

Here's how we come to that conclusions. First, there's that continuous pounding of the Medina division by the Air Force south of Baghdad. The Medina division, according to some sources, Air Force sources, has now been downgraded by Air Force bombing by at least 50, perhaps upwards of 70 percent. That means the southern defenses of Baghdad have been weakened.

Again, gradually, the U.S. Army's Third Infantry Division has pushed northward. It crossed the Euphrates River yesterday, below al- Hillah and the 7th Cavalry, again, as well as the Third Infantry Division, is now within 50 to 60 miles of the southern suburbs of Baghdad.

Again, all signs focus, especially with more and more U.S. troops coming ashore in Kuwait, the Fourth Infantry Division, that there's going to be a major push toward Baghdad in the not too distant future. The reason, of course, being you can see all those troops coming ashore. They'll be pouring into Iraq and it, again, the Air Force bombing around Baghdad, everything hints to a change in focus coming in the coming days and weeks on Baghdad. It will be the entire focus of the war. Baghdad will be the end game -- Bill.

HEMMER: Yes, Walt, quickly here. It's mid-afternoon. Last night, overnight, into the early morning hours, how much bombing did you observe?

RODGERS: Well, there wasn't that much, Bill. I have to confess and be perfectly honest, I try to get some sleep at night. We heard a fair amount of bombing, but it wasn't as bad as the previous night. Again, the bombing is in Baghdad, 50 miles away. We can't hear that. So I really can't comment on that except for the continuing reports of the hammering of that Medina division.

The object of that bombing below Baghdad, the Air Force bombing, is entirely to degrade that division and make it incapable of putting up a very strong defense along the southern suburbs of Baghdad. But that's what we're seeing across this front, that plus the fact that you have so many troops coming ashore in Kuwait. They will be coming northward in the next week or two weeks. That means reinforcements for the Third Infantry Division, 7th Cavalry, already here.

Again, all the arrows are moving towards that bull's eye and that bull's eye is Baghdad and it will be the total focus of this war probably within another week or so -- Bill.

HEMMER: Walt, thanks.

Walter Rodgers with the 7th Cav. Rest well needed, I'm certain, overnight last night.

Thank you, Walt.

In a moment here, trying to communicate now with the Iraqis. Not only are the U.S. and the British trying to bring food and water, but a message, as well. We will check in on that with Christiane Amanpour when our coverage continues right after this.

COMMERCIAL

COSTELLO: 5:17 on the East Coast.

We want to bring you up to date on the latest casualty numbers now. U.S. and British officials say 68 coalition troops have died in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Of those, 35 are Americans who were killed in combat. Eight other Americans were killed by friendly fire or in accidents. Five British troops were killed by hostile fire, 18 outside combat and the cause of two deaths still unknown.

Iraqi officials are not divulging figures on military casualties, but they say 420 civilians have been killed and about 4,000 injured.

HEMMER: Carol, we know throughout the history of conflict the United States has tried to communicate with various populations in the world. You think of Radio Free Europe during the cold war. You think of Radio Marti right now with the Cubans off the southern tip of Florida.

You may call something right now in Iraq, something similar to Radio Free Iraq because Christiane Amanpour now reports they're trying to reach and trying to shape public opinion inside that country.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

03311803.v54

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COMMERCIAL

HEMMER: Back here live in Kuwait City, the British military now saying they have secured the western portion of the city of Basra and also getting these reports again, a disturbing moment yesterday when seven people -- women and children -- were gunned down in Najaf after, apparently, the U.S. Army says, a vehicle was warned to stop and it did not. There are conflicting reports as to what exactly happened. Perhaps more from Central Command 90 minutes away.

In the meantime, RAF Spokesman John Fynes is back with us here from Kuwait and this afternoon.

Good to see you again.

JON FYNES, RAF SPOKESMAN: Hi.

HEMMER: Regarding Najaf, I know this was an American operation, not a British operation. But knowing that a suicide bomber was there on Saturday, knowing that this truckload of -- Toyota truckload was loaded with women and children, is there a way that you can engage the Iraqi civilians in a way that can prevent tragedies like these from happening?

FYNES: It's techniques and the procedures. Unfortunately, you can't always guarantee that there will not be tragedies such as this. We're in a war zone and it's extremely difficult and the soldiers are operating in very difficult conditions.

HEMMER: What about speaking Arabic? What about putting up Arabic signs along the road? What about better indications to the civilian population when they approach a checkpoint to say listen, you know, this is an area the U.S. military, the British military is operating in and you need to be more careful?

FYNES: Absolutely, and that all become part of the process. But as each road is opened, it takes a while to set up that roadblock, set up that checkpoint. It is education. It's the word traveling within the villages themselves of what to expect and how to react. But it's also experience for the soldiers. And talking for the British, we've been encountering this sort of problem for many, many years and we've become very good at it.

It's a disaster. It's a real shame when it happens. But it is a very, very difficult environment.

HEMMER: Let's shift our focus to Basra. You now say you've secured the western part of that city. Define secured.

FYNES: Secure is trying to bring normality back to it. The soldiers, most of the resistance in that area has been reduced to basically zero. So the population are beginning to see now that we're taking off our helmets, we're wearing our berets, we're turning into friends of the people. And that will spread. That message will get inside the cities.

HEMMER: Does that mean no more paramilitaries are operating in the western part of the city? Does that mean they've gone underground or have they been chased out?

FYNES: I think I'd be foolish to say that they can't come back in and provide a risk. But we've got to the stage now that the security is such that that risk is very, very much reduced and will be reduced even further. And we've now got to do our bit, which is persuade the people we're there to stay.

HEMMER: So, if it's been reduced in the western half of the city, what does that mean for the eastern half? How much of a threat is it still?

FYNES: There's still a threat. There's still paramilitaries in there. But the word will spread to the people, and that's what we're trying to do. We want them to see that we can take out these paramilitaries in our own time scale, that when we've done it, we can give them the humanitarian aid and succor they require. That word will spread and our job will become easier.

HEMMER: We heard from Central Command yesterday that a number of Iraqi civilians, people living in that country are giving them valuable information as to the whereabouts of Baath Party members.

How much do you know about this and how often is that happening?

FYNES: I think the real message to get from this is it's the people again. They want to speak to us. They want to get rid of the Baath Party and the people in the city that are terrorizing them. So I'm not at all surprised that they're giving us that information. I'd do the same.

HEMMER: Do you expect that to continue? And, if so, where's the evidence?

FYNES: The evidence is that we are finding the Baath Party. We're targeting the Baath Party and that resistance is being taken away piece by piece.

HEMMER: Right, John Fynes, thanks, RAF spokesman.

We'll talk again tomorrow.

I appreciate your stopping by today to give us a bit of a preview of what's happening there on the ground and in the air in Iraq.

FYNES: Thank you.

HEMMER: thank you, sir.

Let's get a break here quickly. When we come back, Chris Burns is live in Washington. There are movements again by the president yesterday, talking in Philadelphia about terrorism on the U.S. front and homeland security.

Back with Chris's live report and more of Carol at the CNN Center right after this.

COMMERCIAL

COSTELLO: 5:28 Eastern time. Welcome back.

President Bush in Pennsylvania yesterday saying victory in Iraq is getting closer day by day.

We want to get an update now from White House correspondent Chris Burns -- good morning.

CHRIS BURNS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.

The president fighting the information war on several fronts. He chose as his backdrop in Philadelphia the Coast Guard, paying tribute to how they're defending the country, also asking for $4 billion from Congress at the same time, $500 million of that for the Coast Guard to do a better job.

The president also fighting on two other fronts where critics are contending that the war plan is not on track and also asking why so many Iraqis are not opening up their arms to the American-led coalition moving into Iraq. The president arguing that the war is, indeed, making steady progress.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: By quick and decisive action our troops are preventing Saddam Hussein from destroying the Iraqi people's oil fields. Our forces moved into Iraqi missile launch areas that threatened neighboring countries. Many dangers lie ahead, but day by day we are moving closer to Baghdad. Day by day we are moving closer to victory.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BURNS: And why aren't the Iraqis welcoming the U.S.-led forces? The president arguing that it's a repression and not restatement and making a pledge to the Iraqi people. In fact, it was broadcast on radio in Arabic later on, saying that the nightmare for the Iraqis is soon over.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: We are confident that when the people are free to speak and understand that the United States and its coalition partners have come in peace to provide them with a better life, images will flow from that that I think will make the case that the United States and its coalition partners came for a specific purpose.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BURNS: Those are the words from Secretary of State Powell, who the president is dispatching to Turkey today. He's going to be talking to the Turkish government, reassuring them that armed forces are moving into northern Iraq to stabilize the situation, concerns that perhaps the Turks might send troops into northern Iraq to try to stabilize the situation on their own. That could lead to some kind of a conflict with the Kurdish opposition up there in the north. Kurds on both sides of the border, the Turkish government having dealt with that for years.

Also, Secretary Powell going on later in the week to Europe to go to Brussels to talk to the European Union, as well as NATO, trying to rally support for help in rebuilding Iraq -- Carol.

COSTELLO: So diplomacy is heating up again.

I don't know if you can answer this question, but I was just wondering if the president would talk about the accidental killing of civilians in Iraq. I know other administration officials have done so.

BURNS: Well, certainly, it's a concern among the Bush administration about that. It certainly does not bode well for the information campaign, for the image of the U.S.-led forces in Iraq. However, no direct contention from that side. In fact, the Bush administration is arguing from the other side, blaming the Iraqi forces for putting the American forces in that kind of a situation.

COSTELLO: Chris Burns live from Washington.

We're going to take a short break.

We'll be right back.

COMMERCIAL

HEMMER: I'm Bill Hemmer live in Kuwait City again, checking the headlines right now at this hour.

According to Reuters News Agency, an unarmed Iraqi man was killed and another wounded today at a U.S. military checkpoint near Shatra. The men were shot after driving a pickup truck through a barbed wire barrier at a highway roadblock. In another incident, at least seven women and children were killed when a Bradley fighting vehicle opened up fire on a Toyota pickup truck that failed to stop near Jebba. U.S. military officials say the soldiers followed proper procedures. Make that the town of Najaf.

A Marine Corps Abrams tank was recovered Sunday from the Euphrates River in Nasiriya. It had fallen off a bridge Tuesday when the tank driver was shot and killed. The other crew members, we're told, drowned. All bodies so far have been recovered.

A speedy rescue probably saved the lives of two Navy pilots today. Their S-3B Viking jet had just landed on the USS Constellation when the plane suddenly veered off the deck. The pilots ejected and were later picked up, moments later after that. Both are said to be OK.

U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell headed for Turkey now. U.S. relations were strained with the NATO ally when it refused to allow U.S. troops to deploy on Turkish soil. The secretary of state says he will be making many such diplomatic trips in the months ahead as the focus shifts to rebuilding Iraq after the war.

More tension again in Asia. The Pentagon confirms that North Korea test fired a short range missile off its western coast today. Japan is now keeping an eye in the sky on North Korea with the help of two new satellites that watch for ballistic missiles.

Hong Kong now, health officials say that they are making headway in fighting an outbreak of SARS or Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome. Hong Kong now reports 610 cases of SARS, 185 of them from one apartment complex. Officials have quarantined the complex now for 10 days running.

We're bringing you various elements on the war in Iraq. Coming up in the hour here, a dramatic sea rescue, as I mentioned. Swimmers from a rescue helicopter save American pilots after the jet slides off a flight deck. A live report on that. Plus we'll take you live to the front lines of the war in Iraq. Our embedded reporters have the very latest today. And Arab voices, a look at the 24 hour news networks that the Arab world is now tuning in for their view on the current war.

Hello again and welcome.

I'm Bill Hemmer live in Kuwait City -- Carol, good afternoon from Kuwait City to you.

COSTELLO: And good afternoon to you, Bill.

I'm Carol Costello at CNN's global headquarters in Atlanta.

Today is Tuesday, April 1st, and you are looking right now at a live picture of downtown Baghdad as Operation Iraqi Freedom enters day 13.

Now, we want to give you a visual sense now of where coalition forces are in Iraq right now. As we put the map into motion -- you'll see it in a second here -- you can see coalition ground forces are about 50 moils south of Baghdad now. Now, throughout that area Iraqi Republican Guard units are being pounded by coalition air attacks and in the north Iraqi forces are also being hit by air strikes. That's while key ground battles are still under way in cities throughout Iraq.

U.S. military officials say four Marines were killed when the driver of their tank was shot dead as they crossed a bridge and then the tank plunged into the Euphrates River. The incident occurred a week ago northwest of Nasiriya. CENTCOM officials say the M1A1 Abrams tank went off the side of the bridge, landing upside down in the water of the Euphrates. The three other crew members drowned. Marines and Navy Seabees recovered the tank and its crew men on Sunday.

We want to go to Doha, Qatar now and Tom Mintier at Central Command headquarters there -- Tom, bring you up to date from your perspective.

TOM MINTIER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: In less than 90 minutes there'll be a briefing here at Central Command headquarters in Doha. Concern this morning for the possibility of suicide bombers once again. Central Command is saying that they are preparing leaflets to be dropped over Iraq warning people not to be pushed forward ahead of a fighting force by the Iraqi paramilitaries.

Concern raised overnight after a vehicle approached a checkpoint at a high rate of speed. Warning shots were reportedly fired. This, again, in the Third Infantry Division, where last weekend a suicide bomber detonated his vehicle at the checkpoint. So new rules of procedure for vehicles at the checkpoints.

Overnight this vehicle apparently approached, shots were fired into the air, men tried to disable the vehicle. It still did not stop and CENTCOM officials say they then fired into the vehicle. At the end of it all, seven civilians were killed, all women and children in the vehicle.

But what we hear from CENTCOM officials, there is a concern that these types of things are going to be promoted by the regime.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CAPT. FRANK THORP, CENTCOM SPOKESMAN: We have reports that that kind of thing may be used and what drives that home the strongest is when the Iraqi vice president came on air and rewarded the suicide bombers from the other day, proclaimed that there would be thousands more and that suicide bombers would, in fact, be rewarded. So what we're seeing is that as far as the Iraqi regime goes, anything goes on the battlefield.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MINTIER: There is also another incident being reported by Reuters of a similar incident at a checkpoint where a civilian went through the barbed wire barricade and was fired on by soldiers at the checkpoint. But CENTCOM still has not confirmed that story. We're waiting to hear from them, possibly at the briefing in less than an hour and a half -- back to you, Carol.

COSTELLO: Tom, you talked about a change in rules at checkpoints. Can you get into at all what those changes are?

MINTIER: Well, I think it's quite obvious what we heard at the briefing yesterday, that Brigadier General Vincent Brooks saying that they will approach civilian vehicles in a different way as far as the operational instructions to the units, telling the vehicles to stop and hold in an area, have all the civilians exit the vehicle so it can be looked at from a safe distance.

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