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CNN Live At Daybreak

War in Iraq: Central Command Update

Aired April 04, 2003 - 05:45   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.


BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Oftentimes we learn about the very latest when CENTCOM does its briefing an hour and 15 minutes away. We'll get you there when it happens.
In the meantime, though, Tom Mintier has a gauge down in Qatar at Central Command to let us know what's happening and what's on their radar so far today.

Tom, good afternoon.

TOM MINTIER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well what's definitely on the radar is what has been taken away from the radar, 2,500 soldiers, members of the Republican Guard overnight, laying down their weapons and surrendering to coalition troops from the 1st Marines.

Captain Frank Thorp, U.S. Navy Public Affairs Officer here at CENTCOM, you just told us within the last hour that this news is out that 2,500 members of the Republican Guard surrendered in mass.

CAPTAIN FRANK THORP, U.S. CENTCOM SPOKESMAN: We have reports from the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force of up to 2,500 members of the Baghdad division of the Republican Guard laid down their arms in one way or another. Reports of uniform items, helmets, boots, on the streets, of Republican Guard divisions demonstrating an unwillingness to fight against the American forces.

MINTIER: How will these 2,500 be classified, are they going to be prisoners of war or a variety of mix?

THORP: As we've done throughout the last two weeks throughout Iraq, what you'll see happen is those who have demonstrated a willingness to fight will become enemy prisoners of war and others who very clearly show that they want to head back to their homes, to their villages and don't want to fight for the regime will be allowed to go.

MINTIER: But this should not be taken as a sign it's over, because 2,500 is a relatively small number.

THORP: This definitely should not be taken as a sign this is over. What we've been saying is that the Baghdad division is no longer en effective fighting force. We made that evaluation sometime yesterday morning. This is an example of that. But, Tom, I want to be very clear, tougher days may lay ahead in this fight as we continue to move forward in our effort to bring down the Iraqi regime.

MINTIER: Last night you moved into Saddam International Airport, which you have already renamed as Baghdad International Airport. What kind of resistance was seen at the airport?

THORP: We're on the grounds of the airport. We have American forces on the grounds of the airport. Don't want to say yet -- it would be premature to say that we have control of the airport. We did meet some light resistance, which, let me be really clear, if you're one of those young Army soldiers on the other end of that light resistance, it's pretty heavy resistance. These soldiers are doing an absolutely great job out there. Strategically, though, what I would say we would -- we would classify it as light resistance as we moved into the grounds of the airport.

MINTIER: What is the strategic importance of capturing the airport? What psychologically does it do to the regime?

THORP: Well first and foremost, it's a very, very large mass of land. It's a very large international airport. If you look at a map, it shows considerably about a third maybe of the size of Baghdad. So from a strategic position in landmass, it's very important, and that's what's most critical to us. It gives us many options once we are in the airport to use that facility and that land for many different things.

MINTIER: So you could use it as a resupply move, troops move, heavy equipment move, tanks, for that matter, into the area next door to Baghdad.

THORP: We could use it for all of those things and others. That's exactly right.

MINTIER: All right, Captain Frank Thorp, U.S. Navy, Public Affairs Officer here at CENTCOM.

As you said, in a little more than one hour, we will have the daily briefing. Probably Brigadier General Vincent Brooks providing the briefing on the overnight activities. And one of those events probably will be the surrender of 2,500 members of the Republican Guard. Apparently the Baghdad division laying down their weapons in front of the coalition, no longer a combative force.

Back to you.

HEMMER: Tom, thanks. Tom Mintier down in Qatar.

You get the briefing live, again, 7:00 a.m. Eastern 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 4, 2003 - 05:45   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Oftentimes we learn about the very latest when CENTCOM does its briefing an hour and 15 minutes away. We'll get you there when it happens.
In the meantime, though, Tom Mintier has a gauge down in Qatar at Central Command to let us know what's happening and what's on their radar so far today.

Tom, good afternoon.

TOM MINTIER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well what's definitely on the radar is what has been taken away from the radar, 2,500 soldiers, members of the Republican Guard overnight, laying down their weapons and surrendering to coalition troops from the 1st Marines.

Captain Frank Thorp, U.S. Navy Public Affairs Officer here at CENTCOM, you just told us within the last hour that this news is out that 2,500 members of the Republican Guard surrendered in mass.

CAPTAIN FRANK THORP, U.S. CENTCOM SPOKESMAN: We have reports from the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force of up to 2,500 members of the Baghdad division of the Republican Guard laid down their arms in one way or another. Reports of uniform items, helmets, boots, on the streets, of Republican Guard divisions demonstrating an unwillingness to fight against the American forces.

MINTIER: How will these 2,500 be classified, are they going to be prisoners of war or a variety of mix?

THORP: As we've done throughout the last two weeks throughout Iraq, what you'll see happen is those who have demonstrated a willingness to fight will become enemy prisoners of war and others who very clearly show that they want to head back to their homes, to their villages and don't want to fight for the regime will be allowed to go.

MINTIER: But this should not be taken as a sign it's over, because 2,500 is a relatively small number.

THORP: This definitely should not be taken as a sign this is over. What we've been saying is that the Baghdad division is no longer en effective fighting force. We made that evaluation sometime yesterday morning. This is an example of that. But, Tom, I want to be very clear, tougher days may lay ahead in this fight as we continue to move forward in our effort to bring down the Iraqi regime.

MINTIER: Last night you moved into Saddam International Airport, which you have already renamed as Baghdad International Airport. What kind of resistance was seen at the airport?

THORP: We're on the grounds of the airport. We have American forces on the grounds of the airport. Don't want to say yet -- it would be premature to say that we have control of the airport. We did meet some light resistance, which, let me be really clear, if you're one of those young Army soldiers on the other end of that light resistance, it's pretty heavy resistance. These soldiers are doing an absolutely great job out there. Strategically, though, what I would say we would -- we would classify it as light resistance as we moved into the grounds of the airport.

MINTIER: What is the strategic importance of capturing the airport? What psychologically does it do to the regime?

THORP: Well first and foremost, it's a very, very large mass of land. It's a very large international airport. If you look at a map, it shows considerably about a third maybe of the size of Baghdad. So from a strategic position in landmass, it's very important, and that's what's most critical to us. It gives us many options once we are in the airport to use that facility and that land for many different things.

MINTIER: So you could use it as a resupply move, troops move, heavy equipment move, tanks, for that matter, into the area next door to Baghdad.

THORP: We could use it for all of those things and others. That's exactly right.

MINTIER: All right, Captain Frank Thorp, U.S. Navy, Public Affairs Officer here at CENTCOM.

As you said, in a little more than one hour, we will have the daily briefing. Probably Brigadier General Vincent Brooks providing the briefing on the overnight activities. And one of those events probably will be the surrender of 2,500 members of the Republican Guard. Apparently the Baghdad division laying down their weapons in front of the coalition, no longer a combative force.

Back to you.

HEMMER: Tom, thanks. Tom Mintier down in Qatar.

You get the briefing live, again, 7:00 a.m. Eastern 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