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CNN Live At Daybreak

Coalition Forces Launch New Campaign Called Operation Iron Grip

Aired December 24, 2003 - 05:08   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.


FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: In Iraq, coalition forces have launched a new campaign. It's called Operation Iron Grip.
Our Karl Penhaul is in Baghdad and joins us live with the details -- Karl, what is it?

KARL PENHAUL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Fredricka, we were shaken from our beds this morning by a series of loud explosions, the rattle of Gatling guns, rockets, artillery pieces going off. This is certainly the heaviest gunfire that's been heard in Baghdad for many, many weeks.

Talking to the military this morning, they've dubbed this operation, Operation Iron Grip, as you say. And this is aimed to target Iraqi insurgent hideouts; also to hit areas where they suspect that Iraqi insurgents may be trying to gather in preparation for attacks on coalition forces over the Christmas and new year period.

This is very definitely a series of preemptive strikes, very fast, very hard, to try and dissuade the Iraqi insurgents. They believe, the U.S. military believes, that they're trying to go -- going to try and strike a psychological blow by hitting over the festive period.

Again, in all this, as I say, these sounds that we're hearing, the gunfire and what have you, was in a southern district of Baghdad. And this all began shortly after midnight this morning. One of our CNN local staff, in fact, lives very near to that area, and he says that for him it was a flashback to the days of the war. The ground was shaking with the gunfire. He says it was like a mini earthquake -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: And, Karl, shifting gears a little bit, the holiday season, how are some of these troops marking the holiday season? I understand some with quite a bit of a sense of humor.

PENHAUL: Certainly, Fredricka. We've seen scenes of soldiers dressed as Santa Claus. Other soldiers are taking on the festive spirit by gathering presents together and handing those out to Iraqi orphans. Certainly at this stage, Christmas Eve, how we're past midday here in Baghdad, and presumably the turkeys are now being basted and they're being put in the ovens across some of the military bases across Iraq.

One of our CNN correspondents, Satinder Bindra, is out this morning with one of the military bands, the military band of the 1st Armored Division. They've been playing tunes like "White Christmas" and "It's Cold Outside" in -- and Satinder remarks, in fact, that all that has been to the chorus of attack helicopters whirring in the background. So there is that, yes, Christmas festivities by the troops, but also still a very sense of -- real sense of purpose that the mission here is not over, that there's still fighting to be done and there's a very, very real threat over the Christmas period -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: That's right, that's still the top priority there.

Karl Penhaul, thanks very much for that report from 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




Grip>


Aired December 24, 2003 - 05:08   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: In Iraq, coalition forces have launched a new campaign. It's called Operation Iron Grip.
Our Karl Penhaul is in Baghdad and joins us live with the details -- Karl, what is it?

KARL PENHAUL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Fredricka, we were shaken from our beds this morning by a series of loud explosions, the rattle of Gatling guns, rockets, artillery pieces going off. This is certainly the heaviest gunfire that's been heard in Baghdad for many, many weeks.

Talking to the military this morning, they've dubbed this operation, Operation Iron Grip, as you say. And this is aimed to target Iraqi insurgent hideouts; also to hit areas where they suspect that Iraqi insurgents may be trying to gather in preparation for attacks on coalition forces over the Christmas and new year period.

This is very definitely a series of preemptive strikes, very fast, very hard, to try and dissuade the Iraqi insurgents. They believe, the U.S. military believes, that they're trying to go -- going to try and strike a psychological blow by hitting over the festive period.

Again, in all this, as I say, these sounds that we're hearing, the gunfire and what have you, was in a southern district of Baghdad. And this all began shortly after midnight this morning. One of our CNN local staff, in fact, lives very near to that area, and he says that for him it was a flashback to the days of the war. The ground was shaking with the gunfire. He says it was like a mini earthquake -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: And, Karl, shifting gears a little bit, the holiday season, how are some of these troops marking the holiday season? I understand some with quite a bit of a sense of humor.

PENHAUL: Certainly, Fredricka. We've seen scenes of soldiers dressed as Santa Claus. Other soldiers are taking on the festive spirit by gathering presents together and handing those out to Iraqi orphans. Certainly at this stage, Christmas Eve, how we're past midday here in Baghdad, and presumably the turkeys are now being basted and they're being put in the ovens across some of the military bases across Iraq.

One of our CNN correspondents, Satinder Bindra, is out this morning with one of the military bands, the military band of the 1st Armored Division. They've been playing tunes like "White Christmas" and "It's Cold Outside" in -- and Satinder remarks, in fact, that all that has been to the chorus of attack helicopters whirring in the background. So there is that, yes, Christmas festivities by the troops, but also still a very sense of -- real sense of purpose that the mission here is not over, that there's still fighting to be done and there's a very, very real threat over the Christmas period -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: That's right, that's still the top priority there.

Karl Penhaul, thanks very much for that report from 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




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