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American Morning
With the Marines
Aired April 07, 2003 - 09:11 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: Several hours ago, it was CNN's Walt Rodgers who broke that story of some incoming missile or rocket targeting an operation center that belongs to the 3rd Infantry Division somewhere south of Baghdad.
Walt's back with us with more. What more have we learned?
WALT RODGERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Bill.
The casualties are worse than we previously reported. What we can tell you is that an Iraqi missile struck the tactical operations center for 2nd Brigade 3rd Infantry. We know that there are at least 15 wounded, four dead. Two of the dead are said to be journalists. Again, a missile, an Iraqi missile, slammed into the 2nd Brigade's tactical operations center a number of hours ago, causing very serious casualties, at least 15 wounded at this point.
Now this is all part of the operation to exert American military power deeper into Baghdad. The TOC, the tactical operations center, was just south of Baghdad, this while the 2nd Brigade troops from Baghdad itself. We are told there are three battalions of 2nd Brigade inside the center of Baghdad. Unlike previous two days, those troops are not going to withdraw. They are going stay in Baghdad, according to Army sources. They will be occupying a sector of the city -- Bill.
HEMMER: Now, a couple of things on this TOC, this operations center is this, as much as you can tell us anyway. Is this a tent? Is this a mobile unit? And is this where all operations are conducted for when that part of the 3rd ID is doing their operations in Baghdad?
RODGERS: Yes, I can answer each of those questions. First, it is not a tent, it is a mobile unit, much like what you see I'm standing in. It is usually a group of Bradley Fighting Vehicles and tanks drawn up. One of the rear doors on the Bradley Fighting Vehicle is dropped, and that is mobile command post. And of course they took up a station, so they were not mobile. There were no tents involved, and this is, as I say, this is a very important command post that was hit by that Iraqi missile. It is the Second Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, which of course is the commanding -- involved the commanding officers, sending the tank columns into Baghdad earlier today -- Bill.
HEMMER: And, Walt, quickly, if you can here, do you know, and how much do you know about the current operations under way inside the city?
RODGERS: I don't know that much about what's going on inside city, except that the units which were sent in today, unlike the previous two days, are going to be staying inside the city. Three battalions stationed inside Baghdad. I can say that the 7th Cavalry, with whom I'm attached, or embedded is the word, have come upon caches of more weapons. They came upon a SAM II antiaircraft missile that can strike up to 70,000 feet in the air. If it were properly manned, it could have knocked a B-52 out of the sky. The Seventh Cavalry destroyed that, and more tanks and APCs -- Bill.
HEMMER: Walt, thanks. Walt Rodgers, embedded with the 3-7th Cavalry, south and west of the Baghdad.
Colonel Mike Turner with us, retired U.S. Air Force out of Denver, Colorado. I believe again today that's your location, Colonel. I want to know again about these drones flying over Baghdad, about the A-10 Warthog, known as the tank killer, that we saw some videotape and live pictures, too, earlier today flying over Baghdad. How do they now support the strategy that's being carried out on the ground, on the city streets in Baghdad?
COL. MIKE TURNER, (RET.) U.S. AIR FORCE: Well, Bill, what you have is new concept, relatively new concept, of urban close air support. The A-10 Thunderbolt is the tank killer. It's nicknamed affectionately the "Warthog." It has a 30-millimeter nose cannon. It's very accurate, it flies relatively slow, and fairly low, so it's essential we have air supremacy, which of course we do. What's new to the battlefield is the unmanned drone which have, I'm assuming, both realtime video and also infrared imaging, and the essential aspect of close-air support, particularly in an urban environment, is the proximity of friendly forces, the proximity of civilians. You absolutely have to have somebody on the ground who can talk the pilots eyes directly on to the target.
The concept of typing in coordinates into a global positioning system, for example, and precision-guided munitions, that doesn't apply in this case. You have to have someone on ground physically talk the pilots eyes on to the target so that there is no doubt in anybody's mind precisely what they're engaging and what they're attacking. It's a fairly complex process, but I think we've really seen advances in technology for this capacity with the new advent of urban close air support that hasn't existed before.
HEMMER: I know you said 12 years ago they would have never considered something like this. Colonel, thanks.
Mike Turner in Denver, we'll talk again a bit later today.
Now back to Paula again in New York.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Thanks, Bill.
Martin Savidge is close to the city, where he reports some Marines are facing resistance as they try to move into the capital. He's with the 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, and reports now by way of videophone.
Good morning, Martin.
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Paula.
Yes, the lead elements of some Marine units now have pushed their way and continue to push their way east into Baghdad, coming up on the southeast. It is not, though, without a cost. We are told that at least, there have been some casualties suffered by 3rd Marines, 4th Battalion. They were ahead of us, and they were at a bridge crossing over a significant canal, and apparently, just before they pushed off to make that crossing, there was an artillery strike, and one armored personnel carriers was struck, and that's where the casualties took place. We don't know how many. We don't know anything more specific than that. There is some question now about where the artillery came from. It could be that it was Iraqi indirect fire, artillery coming down. They certainly probably -- certainly probably is not a way to state it. They certainly would have had that potential bridgehead sighted in their artillery, because you look for any avenue like that to attack.
Or some people have raised the issue, this coming from another embedded journalist, not from the 3-4, who say that it may have been friendly fire. That is still trying to be ascertained at this particular point. Meanwhile, they pushed forward, lead elements of 3- 4 already over this canal, as our lead elements of the 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, probing deeper now into the eastern suburbs of Baghdad.
There is bridge construction under way, which is when the main element will begin pushing through.
After that has been completed, the bridge that apparently was over this canal has been destroyed, or partially destroyed, by Iraqi troops as they were leaving the area.
Then yesterday, a significant recovery on the part of the U.S. Marines of the 1st Battalion. What they were able to go in and secure the Iraqi Atomic Energy Commission Headquarters. This is a huge complex, located to east Baghdad, on other side of the Tigris River, and it is a complex that is made up of many, many offices buildings, as well as a huge industrial complex there, and they went through literally tens and tens and tense of offices, all of them holding what could be a wealth of information, and they found labs, lots of labs, even filled with sophisticated electronic equipment, and also filled with what is now an undetermined amount of powders and liquids, and items found inside of laboratory refrigerators.
These are military going in, Marines; they're not scientists, so that's why we cannot tell you specifically what these chemicals, what these things found are. And another thing to keep in mind, it is possible that this was a civilian side of the Atomic energy program here in Iraq, not necessarily the weapons side. Now what is going to happen next, is you're going to bring in experts, what they call an SSE team. That's a sensitive site exploitation team. They will be going into that area, and they're the ones that can make the professional judgment as to exactly what was going on there, how is that facility being used -- Paula.
ZAHN: Martin Savidge, our viewers certainly being taken inside process, unlike we've ever seen before. Thanks so much for 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 7, 2003 - 09:11 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Several hours ago, it was CNN's Walt Rodgers who broke that story of some incoming missile or rocket targeting an operation center that belongs to the 3rd Infantry Division somewhere south of Baghdad.
Walt's back with us with more. What more have we learned?
WALT RODGERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Bill.
The casualties are worse than we previously reported. What we can tell you is that an Iraqi missile struck the tactical operations center for 2nd Brigade 3rd Infantry. We know that there are at least 15 wounded, four dead. Two of the dead are said to be journalists. Again, a missile, an Iraqi missile, slammed into the 2nd Brigade's tactical operations center a number of hours ago, causing very serious casualties, at least 15 wounded at this point.
Now this is all part of the operation to exert American military power deeper into Baghdad. The TOC, the tactical operations center, was just south of Baghdad, this while the 2nd Brigade troops from Baghdad itself. We are told there are three battalions of 2nd Brigade inside the center of Baghdad. Unlike previous two days, those troops are not going to withdraw. They are going stay in Baghdad, according to Army sources. They will be occupying a sector of the city -- Bill.
HEMMER: Now, a couple of things on this TOC, this operations center is this, as much as you can tell us anyway. Is this a tent? Is this a mobile unit? And is this where all operations are conducted for when that part of the 3rd ID is doing their operations in Baghdad?
RODGERS: Yes, I can answer each of those questions. First, it is not a tent, it is a mobile unit, much like what you see I'm standing in. It is usually a group of Bradley Fighting Vehicles and tanks drawn up. One of the rear doors on the Bradley Fighting Vehicle is dropped, and that is mobile command post. And of course they took up a station, so they were not mobile. There were no tents involved, and this is, as I say, this is a very important command post that was hit by that Iraqi missile. It is the Second Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, which of course is the commanding -- involved the commanding officers, sending the tank columns into Baghdad earlier today -- Bill.
HEMMER: And, Walt, quickly, if you can here, do you know, and how much do you know about the current operations under way inside the city?
RODGERS: I don't know that much about what's going on inside city, except that the units which were sent in today, unlike the previous two days, are going to be staying inside the city. Three battalions stationed inside Baghdad. I can say that the 7th Cavalry, with whom I'm attached, or embedded is the word, have come upon caches of more weapons. They came upon a SAM II antiaircraft missile that can strike up to 70,000 feet in the air. If it were properly manned, it could have knocked a B-52 out of the sky. The Seventh Cavalry destroyed that, and more tanks and APCs -- Bill.
HEMMER: Walt, thanks. Walt Rodgers, embedded with the 3-7th Cavalry, south and west of the Baghdad.
Colonel Mike Turner with us, retired U.S. Air Force out of Denver, Colorado. I believe again today that's your location, Colonel. I want to know again about these drones flying over Baghdad, about the A-10 Warthog, known as the tank killer, that we saw some videotape and live pictures, too, earlier today flying over Baghdad. How do they now support the strategy that's being carried out on the ground, on the city streets in Baghdad?
COL. MIKE TURNER, (RET.) U.S. AIR FORCE: Well, Bill, what you have is new concept, relatively new concept, of urban close air support. The A-10 Thunderbolt is the tank killer. It's nicknamed affectionately the "Warthog." It has a 30-millimeter nose cannon. It's very accurate, it flies relatively slow, and fairly low, so it's essential we have air supremacy, which of course we do. What's new to the battlefield is the unmanned drone which have, I'm assuming, both realtime video and also infrared imaging, and the essential aspect of close-air support, particularly in an urban environment, is the proximity of friendly forces, the proximity of civilians. You absolutely have to have somebody on the ground who can talk the pilots eyes directly on to the target.
The concept of typing in coordinates into a global positioning system, for example, and precision-guided munitions, that doesn't apply in this case. You have to have someone on ground physically talk the pilots eyes on to the target so that there is no doubt in anybody's mind precisely what they're engaging and what they're attacking. It's a fairly complex process, but I think we've really seen advances in technology for this capacity with the new advent of urban close air support that hasn't existed before.
HEMMER: I know you said 12 years ago they would have never considered something like this. Colonel, thanks.
Mike Turner in Denver, we'll talk again a bit later today.
Now back to Paula again in New York.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Thanks, Bill.
Martin Savidge is close to the city, where he reports some Marines are facing resistance as they try to move into the capital. He's with the 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, and reports now by way of videophone.
Good morning, Martin.
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Paula.
Yes, the lead elements of some Marine units now have pushed their way and continue to push their way east into Baghdad, coming up on the southeast. It is not, though, without a cost. We are told that at least, there have been some casualties suffered by 3rd Marines, 4th Battalion. They were ahead of us, and they were at a bridge crossing over a significant canal, and apparently, just before they pushed off to make that crossing, there was an artillery strike, and one armored personnel carriers was struck, and that's where the casualties took place. We don't know how many. We don't know anything more specific than that. There is some question now about where the artillery came from. It could be that it was Iraqi indirect fire, artillery coming down. They certainly probably -- certainly probably is not a way to state it. They certainly would have had that potential bridgehead sighted in their artillery, because you look for any avenue like that to attack.
Or some people have raised the issue, this coming from another embedded journalist, not from the 3-4, who say that it may have been friendly fire. That is still trying to be ascertained at this particular point. Meanwhile, they pushed forward, lead elements of 3- 4 already over this canal, as our lead elements of the 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, probing deeper now into the eastern suburbs of Baghdad.
There is bridge construction under way, which is when the main element will begin pushing through.
After that has been completed, the bridge that apparently was over this canal has been destroyed, or partially destroyed, by Iraqi troops as they were leaving the area.
Then yesterday, a significant recovery on the part of the U.S. Marines of the 1st Battalion. What they were able to go in and secure the Iraqi Atomic Energy Commission Headquarters. This is a huge complex, located to east Baghdad, on other side of the Tigris River, and it is a complex that is made up of many, many offices buildings, as well as a huge industrial complex there, and they went through literally tens and tens and tense of offices, all of them holding what could be a wealth of information, and they found labs, lots of labs, even filled with sophisticated electronic equipment, and also filled with what is now an undetermined amount of powders and liquids, and items found inside of laboratory refrigerators.
These are military going in, Marines; they're not scientists, so that's why we cannot tell you specifically what these chemicals, what these things found are. And another thing to keep in mind, it is possible that this was a civilian side of the Atomic energy program here in Iraq, not necessarily the weapons side. Now what is going to happen next, is you're going to bring in experts, what they call an SSE team. That's a sensitive site exploitation team. They will be going into that area, and they're the ones that can make the professional judgment as to exactly what was going on there, how is that facility being used -- Paula.
ZAHN: Martin Savidge, our viewers certainly being taken inside process, unlike we've ever seen before. Thanks so much for 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
