Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Live Today
Coalition Forces on Edge of Baghdad
Aired April 02, 2003 - 11:48 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: Coalition forces are now on the edge of Baghdad.
Let's go now to Renay San Miguel and General Don Shepperd. Hello.
RENAY SAN MIGUEL, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, Leon.
As Vince Brooks called it today a dagger pointed at the heart of the regime. We're going to look at the tip of that dagger and show you where the collision is going on between Republican Guard and coalition forces.
General Shepperd, show us where the front lines are.
GEN. DON SHEPPERD, CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Right now, we are being told the Baghdad infantry division has been destroyed. Very little fighting going on as the Marines move up toward Baghdad north of the Tigris River. Also the Medina Division has been reduced, not much fighting going on. Karbala has been encircled. Three-hour battle that was supposed to have been very severe.
We are not hearing about this division here, to be seen are the armored division still in the Baghdad area. Up here in the north it appears that in the Mosul area, the Iraqi forces are withdrawing. Area of interest is Kirkuk. Mainly air activity going on here.
SAN MIGUEL: Withdrawal would be -- was that a strategic retreat, do you think near Baghdad?
SHEPPERD: Could be a strategic retreat and then to fall back to Baghdad. It's also a retreat necessitated by the pounding air has been giving these front lines.
SAN MIGUEL: It's one thing to see this on the map table. We want to show satellite imagery from digitalglobe.com to show you about the terrain, starting with Karbala. There was a key damage taken there by superb operations forces. We'll zoom in here on the valley that we're talking about.
We'll see if we've got our -- see if it is working. Yes it is. A dam right here. This would have caused an awful lot of trouble to the valleys to the east of that. And then here we see Kut (ph) right here, and the Medina Division -- or the Baghdad division is gone from that area.
SHEPPERD: Baghdad division gone. Marines across the Tigris River proceeding toward the east side of Baghdad. The dam was important. This Karbala gap right down here to move through, if that had been flooded before you pass, it would have been important.
SAN MIGUEL: Just to give folks an idea of the kind of advances we'll be talking about shortly. Our computer kind of messing up on us. We've been putting it through the paces over the last 12, 13 days. Gives you a better idea and distances and the terrain and fights that are still out there.
SHEPPERD: Yes, the point is forces advancing on Baghdad from the east, the south and perhaps soon the west.
SAN MIGUEL: General Shepperd, thank you for your time.
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 April 2, 2003 - 11:48 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Coalition forces are now on the edge of Baghdad.
Let's go now to Renay San Miguel and General Don Shepperd. Hello.
RENAY SAN MIGUEL, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, Leon.
As Vince Brooks called it today a dagger pointed at the heart of the regime. We're going to look at the tip of that dagger and show you where the collision is going on between Republican Guard and coalition forces.
General Shepperd, show us where the front lines are.
GEN. DON SHEPPERD, CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Right now, we are being told the Baghdad infantry division has been destroyed. Very little fighting going on as the Marines move up toward Baghdad north of the Tigris River. Also the Medina Division has been reduced, not much fighting going on. Karbala has been encircled. Three-hour battle that was supposed to have been very severe.
We are not hearing about this division here, to be seen are the armored division still in the Baghdad area. Up here in the north it appears that in the Mosul area, the Iraqi forces are withdrawing. Area of interest is Kirkuk. Mainly air activity going on here.
SAN MIGUEL: Withdrawal would be -- was that a strategic retreat, do you think near Baghdad?
SHEPPERD: Could be a strategic retreat and then to fall back to Baghdad. It's also a retreat necessitated by the pounding air has been giving these front lines.
SAN MIGUEL: It's one thing to see this on the map table. We want to show satellite imagery from digitalglobe.com to show you about the terrain, starting with Karbala. There was a key damage taken there by superb operations forces. We'll zoom in here on the valley that we're talking about.
We'll see if we've got our -- see if it is working. Yes it is. A dam right here. This would have caused an awful lot of trouble to the valleys to the east of that. And then here we see Kut (ph) right here, and the Medina Division -- or the Baghdad division is gone from that area.
SHEPPERD: Baghdad division gone. Marines across the Tigris River proceeding toward the east side of Baghdad. The dam was important. This Karbala gap right down here to move through, if that had been flooded before you pass, it would have been important.
SAN MIGUEL: Just to give folks an idea of the kind of advances we'll be talking about shortly. Our computer kind of messing up on us. We've been putting it through the paces over the last 12, 13 days. Gives you a better idea and distances and the terrain and fights that are still out there.
SHEPPERD: Yes, the point is forces advancing on Baghdad from the east, the south and perhaps soon the west.
SAN MIGUEL: General Shepperd, thank you for your time.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
