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CNN Live Today
Operation Desert Scorpion Stings Iraqi Resistance
Aired June 16, 2003 - 10:33 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 CORRESPONDENT: To Iraq, where U.S. military officials say the largest deployment is in effect since the height of war. It's all for Operation Desert Scorpion. U.S. forces are hunting down Saddam Hussein loyalists and illegal weapons.
And for more on this, we go live to Baghdad and CNN's Jane Arraf, who's got the story for us.
Hello, Jane.
JANE ARRAF, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Leon.
Well, an indication of why the U.S. military feels it needs this operation. Central Command says that two of its convoys north of Baghdad came under attack on Sunday by rocket propelled grenades.
Now, in these apparent ambushes, at least four soldiers were wounded, two of them, it appears, seriously. An unknown number of Iraqis may have been wounded, as well.
Now it's an indication that there is still unrest and still what the U.S. calls pockets of resistance in these two main areas north of Baghdad and west of Baghdad.
And to the west, in the town of Fallujah, what has been a trouble spot for the American military ever since April, they're continuing house-to-house searches at night for suspected attackers and arms caches. One of the military officials there, Lieutenant Colonel Jack Hammond, says they that seem to be making headway.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Supposed to describe the pictures...
LT. COL. JACK HAMMAND, U.S. ARMY: Every day, it's getting a little bit better, at least on our side of it, and we're able to take the initiative away from the bad guys. When we first got here, we spent most of the Time dodging bullets and RPGs as they were firing. Now we're getting to kick in their doors and arrest them through the intelligence we've been getting.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ARRAF: Getting better, though, doesn't mean that it's getting entirely safe or stable. Still a lot of problems, not just in the surrounding areas, but here in the capital with sporadic violence against U.S. soldiers and a lot of Iraqis inflicting violence on each other -- Leon.
HARRIS: Thank you, Jane. Jane Arraf, reporting live for us in Baghdad.
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 June 16, 2003 - 10:33 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: To Iraq, where U.S. military officials say the largest deployment is in effect since the height of war. It's all for Operation Desert Scorpion. U.S. forces are hunting down Saddam Hussein loyalists and illegal weapons.
And for more on this, we go live to Baghdad and CNN's Jane Arraf, who's got the story for us.
Hello, Jane.
JANE ARRAF, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Leon.
Well, an indication of why the U.S. military feels it needs this operation. Central Command says that two of its convoys north of Baghdad came under attack on Sunday by rocket propelled grenades.
Now, in these apparent ambushes, at least four soldiers were wounded, two of them, it appears, seriously. An unknown number of Iraqis may have been wounded, as well.
Now it's an indication that there is still unrest and still what the U.S. calls pockets of resistance in these two main areas north of Baghdad and west of Baghdad.
And to the west, in the town of Fallujah, what has been a trouble spot for the American military ever since April, they're continuing house-to-house searches at night for suspected attackers and arms caches. One of the military officials there, Lieutenant Colonel Jack Hammond, says they that seem to be making headway.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Supposed to describe the pictures...
LT. COL. JACK HAMMAND, U.S. ARMY: Every day, it's getting a little bit better, at least on our side of it, and we're able to take the initiative away from the bad guys. When we first got here, we spent most of the Time dodging bullets and RPGs as they were firing. Now we're getting to kick in their doors and arrest them through the intelligence we've been getting.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ARRAF: Getting better, though, doesn't mean that it's getting entirely safe or stable. Still a lot of problems, not just in the surrounding areas, but here in the capital with sporadic violence against U.S. soldiers and a lot of Iraqis inflicting violence on each other -- Leon.
HARRIS: Thank you, Jane. Jane Arraf, reporting live for us in Baghdad.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
