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CNN Live At Daybreak

International Wrap, Eye on World

Aired December 17, 2003 - 06:03   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.


CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: The capture of Saddam has given U.S. troops momentum in Iraq. They've ratcheted up the hunt for insurgents.
Our senior international editor, David Clinch, is here to talk of the raids that are going on now.

DAVID CLINCH, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL EDITOR: Right. That was great stuff from Robin Williams there, wasn't it?

COSTELLO: It really was funny.

CLINCH: I was waiting for him to do something about the head of the Baath Party looking like he needed a bath or something, but he didn't do that.

COSTELLO: That's pretty good, David.

CLINCH: Thank you.

But on a more serious note, yes, I mean, great stuff from Alphonso there. The U.S. troops were thrilled when they captured Saddam. They amazingly obeyed orders not to tell anyone until the official announcement, which they did. But, you know, they were thrilled then. They also felt like they got a momentum. They captured Saddam, and they want to keep that momentum up.

We're heading off -- Nic Robertson is heading off down to Samarra today, one of the towns where they're using this policy of the best defense is a strong offense. They are out there hitting those insurgents, going after them, not sitting back waiting for them to come and hit at U.S. targets, or any other targets for that matter.

Again, just psychologically they feel like the capture of Saddam may have shaken some of the leadership of this insurgency, and they tell us -- and we're going down to cover it today -- that they intend to hit them hard and find them wherever they are.

COSTELLO: Do we have any idea of the number they've rounded up since the capture of Saddam Hussein?

CLINCH: Well, not precisely. I mean, we're hearing -- I've heard reports today from Samarra that they picked up close to 100 people in the Sunni triangle overnight in various raids, not just Samarra, but over the entire area. Now, all of those may not turn out to be insurgents. It may take some time to sort that out. But they're not just going after them. In some ways, they are literally putting themselves in a position to be attacked by these insurgents, and then when the attack comes, they're going after them. We've seen them use that tactic.

COSTELLO: And perhaps it's a little better for them, because they did get some useful information out of Saddam's briefcase, right?

CLINCH: Yes, we've heard that they found some documents when they picked up Saddam that have led to some connections to people they've picked up. Not clear that it's led them to specific insurgency targets, but we're following that.

But another story that obviously has been brought up specifically -- President Bush mentioning this last night and the White House putting out a statement -- they got Saddam Hussein. Where is Osama bin Laden? The White House statement yesterday effectively committing to find Osama bin Laden during this Bush administration, which, of course, could last beyond November.

But still, they are making a commitment. They are saying they're fully aware of the emphasis that's now being put on where is Osama? Not as easy done as said, basically.

COSTELLO: Well, especially if he's in Pakistan...

(CROSSTALK)

CLINCH: Right. I mean, President Bush was pointing out if he's down a hole somewhere he may not be as much of a danger. But being down a hole on the Afghan-Pakistan border is a lot harder to find than down a hole in Iraq.

The U.S. is not in control of the situation there. They have troops on the Afghan side, but they're not in Pakistan. They're working with the Pakistanis. Not as easy, and the terrain is dreadful. I mean, even when we, CNN, have gone up there, it's hard to make any movement at all in that area, and it's not safe.

So, not as easy, although, of course, finding Saddam wasn't easy. Almost three years later not easy to find Osama bin Laden.

COSTELLO: Understand. David Clinch, many thanks.

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 December 17, 2003 - 06:03   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: The capture of Saddam has given U.S. troops momentum in Iraq. They've ratcheted up the hunt for insurgents.
Our senior international editor, David Clinch, is here to talk of the raids that are going on now.

DAVID CLINCH, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL EDITOR: Right. That was great stuff from Robin Williams there, wasn't it?

COSTELLO: It really was funny.

CLINCH: I was waiting for him to do something about the head of the Baath Party looking like he needed a bath or something, but he didn't do that.

COSTELLO: That's pretty good, David.

CLINCH: Thank you.

But on a more serious note, yes, I mean, great stuff from Alphonso there. The U.S. troops were thrilled when they captured Saddam. They amazingly obeyed orders not to tell anyone until the official announcement, which they did. But, you know, they were thrilled then. They also felt like they got a momentum. They captured Saddam, and they want to keep that momentum up.

We're heading off -- Nic Robertson is heading off down to Samarra today, one of the towns where they're using this policy of the best defense is a strong offense. They are out there hitting those insurgents, going after them, not sitting back waiting for them to come and hit at U.S. targets, or any other targets for that matter.

Again, just psychologically they feel like the capture of Saddam may have shaken some of the leadership of this insurgency, and they tell us -- and we're going down to cover it today -- that they intend to hit them hard and find them wherever they are.

COSTELLO: Do we have any idea of the number they've rounded up since the capture of Saddam Hussein?

CLINCH: Well, not precisely. I mean, we're hearing -- I've heard reports today from Samarra that they picked up close to 100 people in the Sunni triangle overnight in various raids, not just Samarra, but over the entire area. Now, all of those may not turn out to be insurgents. It may take some time to sort that out. But they're not just going after them. In some ways, they are literally putting themselves in a position to be attacked by these insurgents, and then when the attack comes, they're going after them. We've seen them use that tactic.

COSTELLO: And perhaps it's a little better for them, because they did get some useful information out of Saddam's briefcase, right?

CLINCH: Yes, we've heard that they found some documents when they picked up Saddam that have led to some connections to people they've picked up. Not clear that it's led them to specific insurgency targets, but we're following that.

But another story that obviously has been brought up specifically -- President Bush mentioning this last night and the White House putting out a statement -- they got Saddam Hussein. Where is Osama bin Laden? The White House statement yesterday effectively committing to find Osama bin Laden during this Bush administration, which, of course, could last beyond November.

But still, they are making a commitment. They are saying they're fully aware of the emphasis that's now being put on where is Osama? Not as easy done as said, basically.

COSTELLO: Well, especially if he's in Pakistan...

(CROSSTALK)

CLINCH: Right. I mean, President Bush was pointing out if he's down a hole somewhere he may not be as much of a danger. But being down a hole on the Afghan-Pakistan border is a lot harder to find than down a hole in Iraq.

The U.S. is not in control of the situation there. They have troops on the Afghan side, but they're not in Pakistan. They're working with the Pakistanis. Not as easy, and the terrain is dreadful. I mean, even when we, CNN, have gone up there, it's hard to make any movement at all in that area, and it's not safe.

So, not as easy, although, of course, finding Saddam wasn't easy. Almost three years later not easy to find Osama bin Laden.

COSTELLO: Understand. David Clinch, many thanks.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.