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CNN Live Saturday
U.S. Military Conducts Operation Peninsula Strike in Iraq
Aired June 14, 2003 - 12:32 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.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Despite Iraqi claims, U.S. forces in Iraq continue to flush out militants who are targeting American soldiers there. They hit a so-called terrorist training camp earlier in the week, and CNN's Chris Plante has that part of the story from the Pentagon -- Chris.
CHRIS PLANTE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Fredricka. The U.S. military is calling it Operation Peninsula Strike. They say it's in response to a number of ambushes over the last couple of weeks that have killed at least 10 U.S. forces and wounded a number of others. They say that they are now going after Saddam loyalists and Baath Party loyalists that are behind these somewhat orchestrated attacks. There are approximately 4,000 U.S. troops involved in this current operation. They say, according to the U.S. CENTCOM, I just got off the phone with them a short time ago, at least 2,300 Iraqis now in custody. The commander of U.S. ground forces there, General David McKiernan, had this to say about the attack on the camp that you mentioned.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LT. GEN. DAVID MCKIERNAN, COMMANDER, COALITION FORCES: It was a camp area that was confirmed with bad guys. And specifically who the bad guys are will be determined as we exploit the site. We struck it very lethally, and we are exploiting whatever intelligence value we can get from that site for future operations.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PLANTE: And Fredricka, according to U.S. military officials, they say at least 68 of the people at that site were killed in these attacks. They believe that most of them were foreign fighters from Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Syria, and other conducts in the region. They say also that they have taken 70 to 80 surface-to-air missiles, shoulder-launched missiles that can be used against aircraft, in addition to some other light weapons.
Also today, Fredricka, if I could, there was another incident at the Abu-Gareb (ph) detention facility, near the Baghdad Airport. Another escape attempt. Eight Iraqis in detention were shot by the security forces there. One of those has died. Two of those are critical. All of the wounded were medevac'd for attention -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: Well, Chris, all of this recent activity there, how might this impact any U.S. plans to send any more troops to that region?
PLANTE: Well, that's something that works on a sliding scale. They say that they adjust the force to the needs on the ground there. If hostilities increase, they will add more troops. As the situation becomes more stable, and there's more law and order, they say they will certainly be looking forward to reducing the number of troops there. So that's a moving target -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: All right, Chris Plante, from the Pentagon, 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 June 14, 2003 - 12:32 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Despite Iraqi claims, U.S. forces in Iraq continue to flush out militants who are targeting American soldiers there. They hit a so-called terrorist training camp earlier in the week, and CNN's Chris Plante has that part of the story from the Pentagon -- Chris.
CHRIS PLANTE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Fredricka. The U.S. military is calling it Operation Peninsula Strike. They say it's in response to a number of ambushes over the last couple of weeks that have killed at least 10 U.S. forces and wounded a number of others. They say that they are now going after Saddam loyalists and Baath Party loyalists that are behind these somewhat orchestrated attacks. There are approximately 4,000 U.S. troops involved in this current operation. They say, according to the U.S. CENTCOM, I just got off the phone with them a short time ago, at least 2,300 Iraqis now in custody. The commander of U.S. ground forces there, General David McKiernan, had this to say about the attack on the camp that you mentioned.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LT. GEN. DAVID MCKIERNAN, COMMANDER, COALITION FORCES: It was a camp area that was confirmed with bad guys. And specifically who the bad guys are will be determined as we exploit the site. We struck it very lethally, and we are exploiting whatever intelligence value we can get from that site for future operations.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PLANTE: And Fredricka, according to U.S. military officials, they say at least 68 of the people at that site were killed in these attacks. They believe that most of them were foreign fighters from Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Syria, and other conducts in the region. They say also that they have taken 70 to 80 surface-to-air missiles, shoulder-launched missiles that can be used against aircraft, in addition to some other light weapons.
Also today, Fredricka, if I could, there was another incident at the Abu-Gareb (ph) detention facility, near the Baghdad Airport. Another escape attempt. Eight Iraqis in detention were shot by the security forces there. One of those has died. Two of those are critical. All of the wounded were medevac'd for attention -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: Well, Chris, all of this recent activity there, how might this impact any U.S. plans to send any more troops to that region?
PLANTE: Well, that's something that works on a sliding scale. They say that they adjust the force to the needs on the ground there. If hostilities increase, they will add more troops. As the situation becomes more stable, and there's more law and order, they say they will certainly be looking forward to reducing the number of troops there. So that's a moving target -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: All right, Chris Plante, from the Pentagon, 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
