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CNN Live Saturday
Allied Troops Get Ready in Kuwait
Aired November 16, 2002 - 17:32 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 LIN, CNN ANCHOR: If the U.S. were to wage war on Iraq, it would have no more steadfast Arab ally than the country rescued from Iraq in the Persian Gulf War. CNN's Kyra Phillips is in Kuwait where allied troops are standing by to swing into action.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Here in Kuwait, memories from the first Gulf War are still very strong. This is a cat and mouse game that the people here say they have been through before. When it comes to Saddam Hussein, what he says and what he does, they just aren't sure what's going to happen, so they're sitting back. They're waiting to see if, indeed, the weapons inspections are successful, if there is a conflict between weapons inspectors and the Iraqi regime.
Until that point, until they see positive results, they're just waiting and trying to remain calm. If indeed the president of the United States says there will be war, that's when the mood will dramatically change. Meanwhile, U.S. troops, very busy out in the Persian Gulf by land, by air, and by sea, they too on standby waiting to see what happens in Iraq with the weapons inspectors.
We had a chance to get an exclusive look inside the training of Naval Special Warfare, that's the Special Forces out here in the Persian Gulf, Special Warfare combatant crewmen and Navy SEALS training out in the waters for a potential war against Iraq. We got to see the Mark V and the RIB boats, the Special Operations watercraft, also Navy SEALS practicing their weapons proficiency with .50 caliber machine guns and grenade launchers.
So, right now it's a wait-and-see period. This type of training has been going on for the past ten years since the end of the first Gulf War and nothing has changed with regard to numbers. There is still the same amount of troops out here, a lot of classified information, of course, we can't talk about. But what we can tell you is the training continues and troops out here are waiting to see what the president has to say, and until he does declare war, the mood has not changed.
From Kuwait City, Kyra Phillips, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
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 November 16, 2002 - 17:32 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: If the U.S. were to wage war on Iraq, it would have no more steadfast Arab ally than the country rescued from Iraq in the Persian Gulf War. CNN's Kyra Phillips is in Kuwait where allied troops are standing by to swing into action.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Here in Kuwait, memories from the first Gulf War are still very strong. This is a cat and mouse game that the people here say they have been through before. When it comes to Saddam Hussein, what he says and what he does, they just aren't sure what's going to happen, so they're sitting back. They're waiting to see if, indeed, the weapons inspections are successful, if there is a conflict between weapons inspectors and the Iraqi regime.
Until that point, until they see positive results, they're just waiting and trying to remain calm. If indeed the president of the United States says there will be war, that's when the mood will dramatically change. Meanwhile, U.S. troops, very busy out in the Persian Gulf by land, by air, and by sea, they too on standby waiting to see what happens in Iraq with the weapons inspectors.
We had a chance to get an exclusive look inside the training of Naval Special Warfare, that's the Special Forces out here in the Persian Gulf, Special Warfare combatant crewmen and Navy SEALS training out in the waters for a potential war against Iraq. We got to see the Mark V and the RIB boats, the Special Operations watercraft, also Navy SEALS practicing their weapons proficiency with .50 caliber machine guns and grenade launchers.
So, right now it's a wait-and-see period. This type of training has been going on for the past ten years since the end of the first Gulf War and nothing has changed with regard to numbers. There is still the same amount of troops out here, a lot of classified information, of course, we can't talk about. But what we can tell you is the training continues and troops out here are waiting to see what the president has to say, and until he does declare war, the mood has not changed.
From Kuwait City, Kyra Phillips, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
