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American Morning
War in Iraq: Update on 3-7th Cav's Progress
Aired April 04, 2003 - 09:03 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: We're going to go back to Walt Rodgers who is embedded with the Army's 3-7th Cav. He joins us now from somewhere near the Baghdad airport. Walter, good morning. What is the latest from there?
WALTER RODGERS, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hello Paula. The Army has told CNN just a few minutes ago that despite the fact the 3rd Infantry Division has taken the Baghdad International Airport, there are still substantial Iraqi units moving in the area outside the airport beyond the airport's perimeter, actually between where I'm standing now and the airport itself. Numbers of tanks, upwards of 20, according to one count. Twenty Iraqi tanks still moving in the area around the airport.
So, again, the airport perimeter may be secure, the airport may be secure, but the fact that there are still significant numbers of Iraqis riding through that area, particularly with anti-aircraft guns and possibly shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missiles strongly suggest that that airport is not going to be operational for a good while. The past 24 hours, the 7th Cavalry, the unit with which I'm embedded just a little west of the airport, we need to tell you that they've been under constant fire throughout much of the day, constant, that is there would be a few lulls, but most of the day, there were indeed more than a few shots aimed at the 7th Cavalry.
We had air bursts over our head, 20-mm anti-aircraft guns. So, again, that airport may be technically secure. There may be U.S. troops on the ground, but the area around it still has Iraqi troops maneuvering and Iraqi armor maneuvering as well -- Paula.
ZAHN: And Walt, as you came into the airport, describe to us how formidable the Iraqi forces were. What did they have on them?
RODGERS: Paula, we have not come up to the airport's perimeter. We're a few kilometers away. That was the assignment given the 7th Cavalry. We're protecting the forces on the flank of the airport. But we have taken very heavy fire at times throughout the day, some of that fire being anti-aircraft fire. Shot horizontally in air bursts just above our head, trying to hit us with shrapnel. At other times, they were firing rocket-propelled grenades whizzing, again, over our head.
There's been more than a little machine gun fire. These Iraqis still have plenty of fight left in them. It's a harassing episode. They're trying to harass the 7th Cavalry, but throughout, they have forced us to keep our heads down throughout much of the day. Again, the toll according to the 7th Calvary is in the last 24 hours, they've killed over 400 Iraqi soldiers, knocked out at least nine tanks and perhaps a dozen or so armored personnel carriers. The Iraqis still have ample fight in them and they are going to keep fighting if the past 24 hours has been any indicator -- Paula.
ZAHN: Without betraying any of your confidences or putting anybody in harm's way, are you able to tell us this morning in a general sense if it is true that you still have the substantial Iraqi units moving around the perimeter of the airport, how long it might be before that is under control?
RODGERS: I can confirm the first part that we're looking at over 20 Iraqi tanks and the second part, I can't discuss. That is to say when and if those tanks are to be engaged, I can't discuss that at this point. But there are still -- and this needs to be hammered in -- despite the fact the U.S. Army controls the Baghdad International Airport, there are still plenty of Iraqi soldiers out there, some in tanks, some of them in dismounts, that is infantry units, and they are moving around and they are harassing the 7th Cavalry and other Army units in this region.
So, again, the airport is under control. The area around the airport is no what you would call secure. And that's probably one reason you're not going to see airplanes flying in and out of that airport, again, because the Iraqis in the area of which we've been operating a few kilometers from the airport have had 20-mm anti- aircraft guns, they could shoot down virtually any plane that tried to approach that airport -- Paula.
ZAHN: Walt Rodgers, thanks so much for clarifying that for us. We appreciate the update.
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 - 09:03 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: We're going to go back to Walt Rodgers who is embedded with the Army's 3-7th Cav. He joins us now from somewhere near the Baghdad airport. Walter, good morning. What is the latest from there?
WALTER RODGERS, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hello Paula. The Army has told CNN just a few minutes ago that despite the fact the 3rd Infantry Division has taken the Baghdad International Airport, there are still substantial Iraqi units moving in the area outside the airport beyond the airport's perimeter, actually between where I'm standing now and the airport itself. Numbers of tanks, upwards of 20, according to one count. Twenty Iraqi tanks still moving in the area around the airport.
So, again, the airport perimeter may be secure, the airport may be secure, but the fact that there are still significant numbers of Iraqis riding through that area, particularly with anti-aircraft guns and possibly shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missiles strongly suggest that that airport is not going to be operational for a good while. The past 24 hours, the 7th Cavalry, the unit with which I'm embedded just a little west of the airport, we need to tell you that they've been under constant fire throughout much of the day, constant, that is there would be a few lulls, but most of the day, there were indeed more than a few shots aimed at the 7th Cavalry.
We had air bursts over our head, 20-mm anti-aircraft guns. So, again, that airport may be technically secure. There may be U.S. troops on the ground, but the area around it still has Iraqi troops maneuvering and Iraqi armor maneuvering as well -- Paula.
ZAHN: And Walt, as you came into the airport, describe to us how formidable the Iraqi forces were. What did they have on them?
RODGERS: Paula, we have not come up to the airport's perimeter. We're a few kilometers away. That was the assignment given the 7th Cavalry. We're protecting the forces on the flank of the airport. But we have taken very heavy fire at times throughout the day, some of that fire being anti-aircraft fire. Shot horizontally in air bursts just above our head, trying to hit us with shrapnel. At other times, they were firing rocket-propelled grenades whizzing, again, over our head.
There's been more than a little machine gun fire. These Iraqis still have plenty of fight left in them. It's a harassing episode. They're trying to harass the 7th Cavalry, but throughout, they have forced us to keep our heads down throughout much of the day. Again, the toll according to the 7th Calvary is in the last 24 hours, they've killed over 400 Iraqi soldiers, knocked out at least nine tanks and perhaps a dozen or so armored personnel carriers. The Iraqis still have ample fight in them and they are going to keep fighting if the past 24 hours has been any indicator -- Paula.
ZAHN: Without betraying any of your confidences or putting anybody in harm's way, are you able to tell us this morning in a general sense if it is true that you still have the substantial Iraqi units moving around the perimeter of the airport, how long it might be before that is under control?
RODGERS: I can confirm the first part that we're looking at over 20 Iraqi tanks and the second part, I can't discuss. That is to say when and if those tanks are to be engaged, I can't discuss that at this point. But there are still -- and this needs to be hammered in -- despite the fact the U.S. Army controls the Baghdad International Airport, there are still plenty of Iraqi soldiers out there, some in tanks, some of them in dismounts, that is infantry units, and they are moving around and they are harassing the 7th Cavalry and other Army units in this region.
So, again, the airport is under control. The area around the airport is no what you would call secure. And that's probably one reason you're not going to see airplanes flying in and out of that airport, again, because the Iraqis in the area of which we've been operating a few kilometers from the airport have had 20-mm anti- aircraft guns, they could shoot down virtually any plane that tried to approach that airport -- Paula.
ZAHN: Walt Rodgers, thanks so much for clarifying that for us. We appreciate the update.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
