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CNN Sunday Morning
Explosion in Central Baghdad
Aired October 12, 2003 - 09:00 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.
ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN ANCHOR: If you are just tuning in, there has been a major explosion in central Baghdad, which happened now just over six hours ago in downtown Baghdad. The reason that we have the map up there that you're seeing is that the explosion happened near the Baghdad Hotel, right near the Tigris River there, which you can see running right -- weaving its way through the capital. And just about four blocks, roughly a mile away from the Palestine Hotel, which we've all come to know so well over the last number of months. It's where so many international journalists had been making their headquarters as they try to report on the comings and goings and the almost daily attacks now against coalition forces, against Iraqi forces since the fall of Saddam Hussein last April.
The explosion happened just before 6:00 a.m. East Coast time. It was just before 1:00 p.m. lunchtime on a Sunday in Baghdad. The explosion happened from a car bomb, a suicide bomber who was trying to approach, most believe, the Baghdad Hotel.
We now have someone standing by. I believe Harris Whitbeck...
SEAN CALLEBS, CNN ANCHOR: Actually, I think it's Jane Arraf now joins us.
And Jane, just before the top of the hour we heard Harris say that he heard a second explosion possibly. Can you update us on that?
JANE ARRAF, CNN BAGHDAD BUREAU CHIEF: We did. We heard a loud bang here just a few seconds ago actually. We're not sure what it is, and from the look of people below us, a lot of American soldiers, they don't seem to be reacting to it from here, indicating that perhaps it may be a little further away than it sounded. We're not sure what that was, but, yes, a loud bang -- Sean.
CALLEBS: Tell us about the situation there at hand. We see a number of U.S. military presence is still out there, the barricades up in the area. For those just joining us this morning, tell us about this powerful car bomb blast that happened and how it could have been much worse if that vehicle would have gotten closer to the Baghdad Hotel.
ARRAF: Well, we have been piecing this together in the few hours since it's happened. And what appears to have occurred was, if you were looking down on this street, as we are, this is a major street, Saddun (ph) Street. On the right-hand side, going towards what would be the Palestine Hotel, a major hotel where a lot of journalists and a lot of U.S. contractors are staying, there's a side street that leads to another U.S. occupied building. It's called the Baghdad Hotel. And it was one of the original luxury hotels in Baghdad, now taken over by coalition forces.
There is a side street down there. And what appears to have happened is that a small car pulled up, alongside an impromptu barrier of oil cans, the blue and green ones that you see here going along that road, along the concrete barriers which had been set up to prevent car bombs, stopped at a checkpoint where the official at the checkpoint, an Iraqi official asked for his I.D. When he asked for his I.D., according to U.S. officials, the car just barreled through and exploded.
Now, it does appear to have detonated at the beginning of that alley rather than at the end of it. And at the end of the alley is the hotel, which is filled with American forces, with U.S. officials, and with some officials from the Iraqi Governing Council. As it was, six dead, several more injured. And all of those, except for a U.S. soldier being somewhat wounded, were Iraqi casualties, indicating that most of the damage was felt in these buildings on either side -- Sean.
CALLEBS: OK. CNN's Baghdad bureau chief, Jane Arraf. We'll ask you to stand by. I'm sure we will be checking back with you just as soon as we can for some updated information -- Andrea..
KOPPEL: As you heard Jane Arraf just report there, the Baghdad Hotel was one of the luxury hotels in Iraq's capital, but a place that had been taken over recently by members of the coalition Provisional Authority. That makes that hotel very much a Western/American target for either terrorists or for members of the former Ba'athist regime.
Our White House correspondent Dana Bash is standing by. Dana, we know in recent days, the Bush administration has been ramping up its PR offensive, trying to paint a picture that isn't so negative about Iraq. What do you think today's attack is going to do to that message?
DANA BASH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, it certainly can't help. And you're right, Andrea, the president, the vice president, the national security adviser, Condoleezza Rice, even the first lady throughout the week have given major speeches trying to put out the idea that, yes, there is violence on the ground. Yes, you are seeing attacks on soldiers, you are seeing bombings like the one we see today. But they are -- they have been trying to explain to the American people that there is progress going on in Iraq, in speeches, trying to highlight some of that progress.
Even yesterday, in the president's radio address, talking about the fact that this coming week there is going to be new Iraqi currency. The commerce secretary, Don Evans, is going to Iraq in order to try to highlight that. But the bottom line is that the president does also have to concede in his speeches that he thinks this is what he calls the central front in the war on terrorism. And that this situation in Iraq certainly is dangerous, which is why when the president also, in his radio address yesterday, laid out what he says is his strategy for stabilizing Iraq, his number one goal, he said, was to pursue what he called terrorists, Saddam holdouts, who desperately oppose freedom for the Iraqi people.
Now, all of this certainly comes at a time where the president's opinion polls in terms of how he is handling the situation in Iraq has been sliding. There's been stepped up criticism from Democrats, especially those who want his job, saying that he didn't plan well enough for the post-war situation, that the cost is a lot higher than anybody had thought.
The $87 billion budget request is moving through Congress with a lot of criticism. So this does come at a time where the White House is trying to counter images just like we are seeing today coming out of Baghdad, trying very hard six months after the statue fell in Iraq of Saddam Hussein, trying to make the case that things are going better than planned. But the images are something that is -- that have been hard for them to counter.
KOPPEL: One of the things that you and I both know the Bush administration has been trying to do to bring security under control is to get more international troops there to help them maintain or at least secure the country. Dana, any sense from your sources at the White House just how long the U.S., the president for that matter, is willing to wait to get this U.N. Security Council resolution?
BASH: No sense in how long it will take. And also, Andrea, as you know, no sense in whether or not they are sure that another U.N. resolution will actually ultimately go through. They have been involved in intense negotiations, trying to convince the countries on the Security Council to go along with the plans, to first have a constitution and elections before handing over power to the Iraqi people. And also, to convince them that the coalition should have control, more control than many countries want over the situation there.
So that is subject of intense negotiations. The secretary of state has been working the phones to some of his counterparts this weekend in order to continue on that. But the ultimate goal, as you know, with this resolution, is, as you said, to get more troops and to get more financial aid to that country. But it is unclear exactly, given what happened today, given the violence that we saw over the past week, how much that will play into how much the U.S., the Bush administration is willing to negotiate, maybe give a little in order to get what they need on the ground to secure and to finance the reconstruction in Iraq.
KOPPEL: All right. Dana Bash, there from the White House, where there has still been no reaction as yet to the bombing this morning in central Baghdad -- Sean.
CALLEBS: Well, Andrea, I think Dana alluded to what those images are speaking volumes. And clearly unsettling for people across the United States just waking up.
This happened about three hours ago. But even more difficult for the families of those loved ones who are now heading back to that flash point. The first batch of U.S. troops to take advantage of the military's Iraq R&R program are ending their two-week leave and heading back to the area. CNN's Patty Davis now joins us live from the Baltimore Washington International Airport with more on this story.
PATTY DAVIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Sean. About 200 military personnel will gather here at Baltimore Washington International Airport for their flight back to Iraq today. Now, that flight leaves this evening around 6:00. They have had two weeks off, about 14, 15 days.
The Pentagon considers this a readiness issue. They brought these people home. They are bringing them home in groups, the first 200. They say it's a very stressful environment. These people basically just needed a break to be able to come home and get their head together, be able to decompress.
Now, this is eligible for those who are doing a 12-month tour of duty over in Iraq. Now, military personnel are starting to arrive. I spoke with one member just a few minutes ago, the 548th out of Fort Drum in upstate New York, the first military personnel that I have seen here at the airport so far today. He said he was not aware of this latest explosion in Baghdad, but as far as the R&R goes, he said it was great.
He had a chance to see his two sons. He said that meant the world to him. He says, "I didn't realize how much I needed it."
Now, he said this did clear his head, being able to be back here in the United States. And he is ready to go back. He says he's got about six months to go.
Now, the USO is giving people here that are going back today care packages. They include a calling card, about 100 free minutes, very popular I'm told with the members of the military here. Shampoo, things like that, that they'll need. Wipes in the desert.
So, that's being paid for by donations, private donations. And I'm told by the USO they are still accepting donations, about $25 a piece for one of these care packages. You can log on to www.usocares.org if you care to contribute to that -- Andrea and Sean.
CALLEBS: OK. Patty Davis there at Baltimore Washington International for what will certainly be a tearful goodbye to many of those troops heading back to Iraq. Patty, thanks very much.
KOPPEL: U.S. troops, helicopters and tanks converged on the targeted hotel within minutes of the explosion. Let's get the very latest now from the nerve center of the U.S. military. For that we turn to CNN Pentagon correspondent Chris Plante from his post there -- Chris.
CHRIS PLANTE, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Andrea. Still no official response from any Pentagon people here. This Sunday staffing, people have not rushed in response to this incident.
They have developed a habit of leaving this sort of thing to the people on the ground there. They've learned that it's best if the people here in Arlington, Virginia essentially let the people there do their work and not come in and start meddling.
We did receive word from a U.S. official, an informed U.S. official, who tells us with great certainty that the reports of there being CIA people housed at this hotel are false. That is an incorrect people. They of course wouldn't tell us where the CIA people are housed, but this official said that -- with great certainty -- that CIA headquarters in Iraq was not based at this hotel, nor do they have people housed at this hotel.
It should be noted also that today is October 12th, and it's the third anniversary of the attack on the USS Cole in the port of Aden in Yemen in which 17 sailors were killed. Worth noting perhaps because it is thought that sometimes these groups do observe anniversaries.
It should also be noted that General Sanchez, who is charge of ground forces in Iraq, recently warned effectively -- pardon me -- warned that attacks like this may happen. He made this warning after a couple of days after two vehicles were discovered in a raid loaded with munitions. It was suspected that these trucks, according to their explosive ordnance disposal people, these trucks had been rigged to be used as truck bombs. So General Sanchez, looking at the landscape, wanted to warn that this sort of thing was likely to happen in the future. And this is just such an incident.
It should also be noted that, since the attack on the U.N. compound a while back, significant security measures have been taken in the response to the possibility that car and truck bombs might become an increasing threat. As we saw today, it is an ongoing threat. The administration has been calling this battle in Iraq the central battle in the global war on terrorism. They will no doubt use this as another example of terrorism taking place there and proof of their argument -- Andrea.
KOPPEL: OK. Chris Plante joining us from the Pentagon with the very latest from there. Thanks, Chris -- Sean.
CALLEBS: OK. We are also getting some pictures in that show the first casualties. There are apparently at least 10 people were wounded. That coming from the U.S. Army on the ground there; however, our Harris Whitbeck says because of the scope of that blast that number could go up once they're able to check all the hospitals and the facilities around the area. That's something we will continue to monitor.
Right now we want to check in with Kelly McCann again out in the CNN Washington bureau this morning. And Kelly, thanks very much for joining us back here. We certainly appreciate it.
Let's talk more about the scene, where the car actually pulled up to this morning in front of the Baghdad Hotel in the heart of Baghdad. And what do you think went right and what do you think went wrong with the security forces on the ground that first stopped that vehicle?
KELLY MCCANN, CNN SECURITY ANALYST: Well, listening to Jane's report, Jane Arraf's report, basically it appears that a vehicle pulled up and entered a secure barricaded area. Now, whether that means that that was the initial gate, you will see to your right-hand side in that -- those images we see, or whether it was that first gate is key. If you look...
CALLEBS: There's the gate. You can see right there.
MCCANN: You see where the troops are walking under right there. That's the area that's in question, of course. She said that the vehicle pulled up into that area. And at that point, the driver was asked for his identification.
At that point, he barreled through the barricade, which would indicate that they had already lifted the arm of that gate, which would be an inappropriate thing to do until you confirmed the security. It's doubtful that that gate was lifted after the explosion, because there would be no reason for vehicles to come into that area right where the bomb -- the vehicle had exploded, because they wouldn't want to damage evidence, et cetera. So...
CALLEBS: And you also pointed out earlier that that gate probably would have been damaged if somebody would have either driven through it or been damaged by the explosive device.
MCCANN: If somebody rammed that gate, it would have been bent. There's no doubt about it. It would be damaged.
So, again, you know it goes to the kind of way security is run down. Typically, what you will see is, when attacks like this happen, Sean, it's not technology or fortifications that are normally attacked. People conduct surveillance, they watch how security personnel do their job, and they attack on human vulnerability, not technological vulnerabilities.
CALLEBS: And what about the job that the authorities did do there at the scene? You know, also, it's interesting. It's at an (UNINTELLIGIBLE) to keep a vehicle, I presume, from getting a good deal of head speed before bailing through an area.
MCCANN: That's exactly what it is. And typically, inside of that, even, there will be offset barricades so that a vehicle has to serpentine through them in order to get down the road. We can't see that far down the road to the hotel, but that's a very standard practice.
In fact, the overall security architecture is done well, if you think that the number of casualties was as few as it would seem that there was. It actually was done well. Now, unfortunately, anyone manning the checkpoints, where there's a human interaction with potential car bombs, there is always risk. But actually, it was not allowed to get down to the hotel. That speaks well of the security.
CALLEBS: OK. Kelly McCann -- I'm sorry, I misspoke earlier. A lot to juggle here this morning. But Kelly, we certainly appreciate your update.
MCCANN: You bet.
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 October 12, 2003 - 09:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN ANCHOR: If you are just tuning in, there has been a major explosion in central Baghdad, which happened now just over six hours ago in downtown Baghdad. The reason that we have the map up there that you're seeing is that the explosion happened near the Baghdad Hotel, right near the Tigris River there, which you can see running right -- weaving its way through the capital. And just about four blocks, roughly a mile away from the Palestine Hotel, which we've all come to know so well over the last number of months. It's where so many international journalists had been making their headquarters as they try to report on the comings and goings and the almost daily attacks now against coalition forces, against Iraqi forces since the fall of Saddam Hussein last April.
The explosion happened just before 6:00 a.m. East Coast time. It was just before 1:00 p.m. lunchtime on a Sunday in Baghdad. The explosion happened from a car bomb, a suicide bomber who was trying to approach, most believe, the Baghdad Hotel.
We now have someone standing by. I believe Harris Whitbeck...
SEAN CALLEBS, CNN ANCHOR: Actually, I think it's Jane Arraf now joins us.
And Jane, just before the top of the hour we heard Harris say that he heard a second explosion possibly. Can you update us on that?
JANE ARRAF, CNN BAGHDAD BUREAU CHIEF: We did. We heard a loud bang here just a few seconds ago actually. We're not sure what it is, and from the look of people below us, a lot of American soldiers, they don't seem to be reacting to it from here, indicating that perhaps it may be a little further away than it sounded. We're not sure what that was, but, yes, a loud bang -- Sean.
CALLEBS: Tell us about the situation there at hand. We see a number of U.S. military presence is still out there, the barricades up in the area. For those just joining us this morning, tell us about this powerful car bomb blast that happened and how it could have been much worse if that vehicle would have gotten closer to the Baghdad Hotel.
ARRAF: Well, we have been piecing this together in the few hours since it's happened. And what appears to have occurred was, if you were looking down on this street, as we are, this is a major street, Saddun (ph) Street. On the right-hand side, going towards what would be the Palestine Hotel, a major hotel where a lot of journalists and a lot of U.S. contractors are staying, there's a side street that leads to another U.S. occupied building. It's called the Baghdad Hotel. And it was one of the original luxury hotels in Baghdad, now taken over by coalition forces.
There is a side street down there. And what appears to have happened is that a small car pulled up, alongside an impromptu barrier of oil cans, the blue and green ones that you see here going along that road, along the concrete barriers which had been set up to prevent car bombs, stopped at a checkpoint where the official at the checkpoint, an Iraqi official asked for his I.D. When he asked for his I.D., according to U.S. officials, the car just barreled through and exploded.
Now, it does appear to have detonated at the beginning of that alley rather than at the end of it. And at the end of the alley is the hotel, which is filled with American forces, with U.S. officials, and with some officials from the Iraqi Governing Council. As it was, six dead, several more injured. And all of those, except for a U.S. soldier being somewhat wounded, were Iraqi casualties, indicating that most of the damage was felt in these buildings on either side -- Sean.
CALLEBS: OK. CNN's Baghdad bureau chief, Jane Arraf. We'll ask you to stand by. I'm sure we will be checking back with you just as soon as we can for some updated information -- Andrea..
KOPPEL: As you heard Jane Arraf just report there, the Baghdad Hotel was one of the luxury hotels in Iraq's capital, but a place that had been taken over recently by members of the coalition Provisional Authority. That makes that hotel very much a Western/American target for either terrorists or for members of the former Ba'athist regime.
Our White House correspondent Dana Bash is standing by. Dana, we know in recent days, the Bush administration has been ramping up its PR offensive, trying to paint a picture that isn't so negative about Iraq. What do you think today's attack is going to do to that message?
DANA BASH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, it certainly can't help. And you're right, Andrea, the president, the vice president, the national security adviser, Condoleezza Rice, even the first lady throughout the week have given major speeches trying to put out the idea that, yes, there is violence on the ground. Yes, you are seeing attacks on soldiers, you are seeing bombings like the one we see today. But they are -- they have been trying to explain to the American people that there is progress going on in Iraq, in speeches, trying to highlight some of that progress.
Even yesterday, in the president's radio address, talking about the fact that this coming week there is going to be new Iraqi currency. The commerce secretary, Don Evans, is going to Iraq in order to try to highlight that. But the bottom line is that the president does also have to concede in his speeches that he thinks this is what he calls the central front in the war on terrorism. And that this situation in Iraq certainly is dangerous, which is why when the president also, in his radio address yesterday, laid out what he says is his strategy for stabilizing Iraq, his number one goal, he said, was to pursue what he called terrorists, Saddam holdouts, who desperately oppose freedom for the Iraqi people.
Now, all of this certainly comes at a time where the president's opinion polls in terms of how he is handling the situation in Iraq has been sliding. There's been stepped up criticism from Democrats, especially those who want his job, saying that he didn't plan well enough for the post-war situation, that the cost is a lot higher than anybody had thought.
The $87 billion budget request is moving through Congress with a lot of criticism. So this does come at a time where the White House is trying to counter images just like we are seeing today coming out of Baghdad, trying very hard six months after the statue fell in Iraq of Saddam Hussein, trying to make the case that things are going better than planned. But the images are something that is -- that have been hard for them to counter.
KOPPEL: One of the things that you and I both know the Bush administration has been trying to do to bring security under control is to get more international troops there to help them maintain or at least secure the country. Dana, any sense from your sources at the White House just how long the U.S., the president for that matter, is willing to wait to get this U.N. Security Council resolution?
BASH: No sense in how long it will take. And also, Andrea, as you know, no sense in whether or not they are sure that another U.N. resolution will actually ultimately go through. They have been involved in intense negotiations, trying to convince the countries on the Security Council to go along with the plans, to first have a constitution and elections before handing over power to the Iraqi people. And also, to convince them that the coalition should have control, more control than many countries want over the situation there.
So that is subject of intense negotiations. The secretary of state has been working the phones to some of his counterparts this weekend in order to continue on that. But the ultimate goal, as you know, with this resolution, is, as you said, to get more troops and to get more financial aid to that country. But it is unclear exactly, given what happened today, given the violence that we saw over the past week, how much that will play into how much the U.S., the Bush administration is willing to negotiate, maybe give a little in order to get what they need on the ground to secure and to finance the reconstruction in Iraq.
KOPPEL: All right. Dana Bash, there from the White House, where there has still been no reaction as yet to the bombing this morning in central Baghdad -- Sean.
CALLEBS: Well, Andrea, I think Dana alluded to what those images are speaking volumes. And clearly unsettling for people across the United States just waking up.
This happened about three hours ago. But even more difficult for the families of those loved ones who are now heading back to that flash point. The first batch of U.S. troops to take advantage of the military's Iraq R&R program are ending their two-week leave and heading back to the area. CNN's Patty Davis now joins us live from the Baltimore Washington International Airport with more on this story.
PATTY DAVIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Sean. About 200 military personnel will gather here at Baltimore Washington International Airport for their flight back to Iraq today. Now, that flight leaves this evening around 6:00. They have had two weeks off, about 14, 15 days.
The Pentagon considers this a readiness issue. They brought these people home. They are bringing them home in groups, the first 200. They say it's a very stressful environment. These people basically just needed a break to be able to come home and get their head together, be able to decompress.
Now, this is eligible for those who are doing a 12-month tour of duty over in Iraq. Now, military personnel are starting to arrive. I spoke with one member just a few minutes ago, the 548th out of Fort Drum in upstate New York, the first military personnel that I have seen here at the airport so far today. He said he was not aware of this latest explosion in Baghdad, but as far as the R&R goes, he said it was great.
He had a chance to see his two sons. He said that meant the world to him. He says, "I didn't realize how much I needed it."
Now, he said this did clear his head, being able to be back here in the United States. And he is ready to go back. He says he's got about six months to go.
Now, the USO is giving people here that are going back today care packages. They include a calling card, about 100 free minutes, very popular I'm told with the members of the military here. Shampoo, things like that, that they'll need. Wipes in the desert.
So, that's being paid for by donations, private donations. And I'm told by the USO they are still accepting donations, about $25 a piece for one of these care packages. You can log on to www.usocares.org if you care to contribute to that -- Andrea and Sean.
CALLEBS: OK. Patty Davis there at Baltimore Washington International for what will certainly be a tearful goodbye to many of those troops heading back to Iraq. Patty, thanks very much.
KOPPEL: U.S. troops, helicopters and tanks converged on the targeted hotel within minutes of the explosion. Let's get the very latest now from the nerve center of the U.S. military. For that we turn to CNN Pentagon correspondent Chris Plante from his post there -- Chris.
CHRIS PLANTE, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Andrea. Still no official response from any Pentagon people here. This Sunday staffing, people have not rushed in response to this incident.
They have developed a habit of leaving this sort of thing to the people on the ground there. They've learned that it's best if the people here in Arlington, Virginia essentially let the people there do their work and not come in and start meddling.
We did receive word from a U.S. official, an informed U.S. official, who tells us with great certainty that the reports of there being CIA people housed at this hotel are false. That is an incorrect people. They of course wouldn't tell us where the CIA people are housed, but this official said that -- with great certainty -- that CIA headquarters in Iraq was not based at this hotel, nor do they have people housed at this hotel.
It should be noted also that today is October 12th, and it's the third anniversary of the attack on the USS Cole in the port of Aden in Yemen in which 17 sailors were killed. Worth noting perhaps because it is thought that sometimes these groups do observe anniversaries.
It should also be noted that General Sanchez, who is charge of ground forces in Iraq, recently warned effectively -- pardon me -- warned that attacks like this may happen. He made this warning after a couple of days after two vehicles were discovered in a raid loaded with munitions. It was suspected that these trucks, according to their explosive ordnance disposal people, these trucks had been rigged to be used as truck bombs. So General Sanchez, looking at the landscape, wanted to warn that this sort of thing was likely to happen in the future. And this is just such an incident.
It should also be noted that, since the attack on the U.N. compound a while back, significant security measures have been taken in the response to the possibility that car and truck bombs might become an increasing threat. As we saw today, it is an ongoing threat. The administration has been calling this battle in Iraq the central battle in the global war on terrorism. They will no doubt use this as another example of terrorism taking place there and proof of their argument -- Andrea.
KOPPEL: OK. Chris Plante joining us from the Pentagon with the very latest from there. Thanks, Chris -- Sean.
CALLEBS: OK. We are also getting some pictures in that show the first casualties. There are apparently at least 10 people were wounded. That coming from the U.S. Army on the ground there; however, our Harris Whitbeck says because of the scope of that blast that number could go up once they're able to check all the hospitals and the facilities around the area. That's something we will continue to monitor.
Right now we want to check in with Kelly McCann again out in the CNN Washington bureau this morning. And Kelly, thanks very much for joining us back here. We certainly appreciate it.
Let's talk more about the scene, where the car actually pulled up to this morning in front of the Baghdad Hotel in the heart of Baghdad. And what do you think went right and what do you think went wrong with the security forces on the ground that first stopped that vehicle?
KELLY MCCANN, CNN SECURITY ANALYST: Well, listening to Jane's report, Jane Arraf's report, basically it appears that a vehicle pulled up and entered a secure barricaded area. Now, whether that means that that was the initial gate, you will see to your right-hand side in that -- those images we see, or whether it was that first gate is key. If you look...
CALLEBS: There's the gate. You can see right there.
MCCANN: You see where the troops are walking under right there. That's the area that's in question, of course. She said that the vehicle pulled up into that area. And at that point, the driver was asked for his identification.
At that point, he barreled through the barricade, which would indicate that they had already lifted the arm of that gate, which would be an inappropriate thing to do until you confirmed the security. It's doubtful that that gate was lifted after the explosion, because there would be no reason for vehicles to come into that area right where the bomb -- the vehicle had exploded, because they wouldn't want to damage evidence, et cetera. So...
CALLEBS: And you also pointed out earlier that that gate probably would have been damaged if somebody would have either driven through it or been damaged by the explosive device.
MCCANN: If somebody rammed that gate, it would have been bent. There's no doubt about it. It would be damaged.
So, again, you know it goes to the kind of way security is run down. Typically, what you will see is, when attacks like this happen, Sean, it's not technology or fortifications that are normally attacked. People conduct surveillance, they watch how security personnel do their job, and they attack on human vulnerability, not technological vulnerabilities.
CALLEBS: And what about the job that the authorities did do there at the scene? You know, also, it's interesting. It's at an (UNINTELLIGIBLE) to keep a vehicle, I presume, from getting a good deal of head speed before bailing through an area.
MCCANN: That's exactly what it is. And typically, inside of that, even, there will be offset barricades so that a vehicle has to serpentine through them in order to get down the road. We can't see that far down the road to the hotel, but that's a very standard practice.
In fact, the overall security architecture is done well, if you think that the number of casualties was as few as it would seem that there was. It actually was done well. Now, unfortunately, anyone manning the checkpoints, where there's a human interaction with potential car bombs, there is always risk. But actually, it was not allowed to get down to the hotel. That speaks well of the security.
CALLEBS: OK. Kelly McCann -- I'm sorry, I misspoke earlier. A lot to juggle here this morning. But Kelly, we certainly appreciate your update.
MCCANN: You bet.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
