Return to Transcripts main page

Live From...

Israel is Prepared For Iraqi Attack

Aired March 18, 2003 - 14:35   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.


DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Let's talk about Israel now. It is today a nation of many contrasts. Many Israelis are donning costumes or going to parades for the festival holiday of Purim. Others are buying plastic sheeting and duct tape and preparing safe rooms in the event of a chemical or biological attack.
Kelly Wallace has more. She is live now from Tel Aviv.

KELLY WALLACE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Daryn. Well, there continues to be a general sense of calm in this country partly because Israeli officials have been saying for weeks they believe there is a very low probability of an Iraqi attack on Israel. Still, as you said, the government instructing citizens to go ahead and prepare a so-called safe room or sealed-off room in the event of a chemical or biological attack. While the Israeli Air Force remains on high alert, we spent some time with helicopter pilots who say they will be extra eyes in the sky in the event of an Iraqi Scud attack.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WALLACE (voice-over): In Israel, on the eve of a possible Iraqi war, final drills for any fallout. These Israeli Air Force pilots suit up quickly in their protective gear. And within two to three minutes after a simulated Iraqi Scud attack, they are inside the chopper and inside the air. Their mission, searching the skies above Tel Aviv to track the Scud and direct emergency crews to the area that is hit. Real life eyes in the sky, these pilots say. The helicopter squadron commander, whose face and name we can't reveal for security reasons, says time is of the essence.

LT. COL. "E": The quicker you get to the people, the better chance they have to survive.

WALLACE: These pilots say they got plenty of practice in 1991 when Iraq fired 39 Scud missiles at Israel, causing extensive damage. But according to the Israeli military, killing only two people in direct hits. Wars are never the same, though. This air force pilot told me.

MAJ. "R": That probably we're going to see things that we've never seen before. We're ready for surprises.

WALLACE (on camera): What about fears of a biological or chemical attack that you might have to deal with?

LT. "L": Well, I believe I am well protected. And I know what to do. And I know how to deal with it. WALLACE: The helicopters are all lined up and ready for a possible Iraqi Scud attack. Israeli military officials say the probability of such an attack is very low. And now most Israelis seem to agree.

(voice-over): According to a new poll, for the first time during the crisis, a majority of Israelis say they don't expect Iraq to attack Israel if war breaks out. The squadron commander told us he hopes he and his fellow pilots never have to lift off.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're not involved in this war. It's not our war.

WALLACE: Under a full moon, these Israeli pilots, their training complete, can only wait to see whether this war will come to them.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WALLACE: Israeli officials say they believe the first 48 hours of any U.S.-led attack on Iraq will be critical when it comes to Israel's security. They believe this is the amount of time it will take U.S. forces to gain control of western Iraq, the area where Saddam Hussein's missiles are believed to be range of Israel -- Daryn.

WALLACE: Kelli, one of the biggest concerns of the U.S. government, retaliation on the part the Israelis.

Where do they stand officially on that, if they are indeed attacked by Iraq?

WALLACE: Well, they say unlike 1991, when Israel did not retaliate for those 39 Iraqi Scud attacks. They say this time around Israel has the right to defend itself. That said, though, Daryn, there is tremendous coordination going on between the Israelis and the Americans. The Americans want to keep Israel out of this war. Israelis, though, have said if there is an attack involving chemical or biological weapons or if there is an attack involving a large number of casualties, they feel they will have to respond -- Daryn.

WALLACE: Well, certainly many hopes and prayers all around the world that it does not come to that. Kelly Wallace in Tel Aviv. Kelly, thank you very much.

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 March 18, 2003 - 14:35   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Let's talk about Israel now. It is today a nation of many contrasts. Many Israelis are donning costumes or going to parades for the festival holiday of Purim. Others are buying plastic sheeting and duct tape and preparing safe rooms in the event of a chemical or biological attack.
Kelly Wallace has more. She is live now from Tel Aviv.

KELLY WALLACE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Daryn. Well, there continues to be a general sense of calm in this country partly because Israeli officials have been saying for weeks they believe there is a very low probability of an Iraqi attack on Israel. Still, as you said, the government instructing citizens to go ahead and prepare a so-called safe room or sealed-off room in the event of a chemical or biological attack. While the Israeli Air Force remains on high alert, we spent some time with helicopter pilots who say they will be extra eyes in the sky in the event of an Iraqi Scud attack.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WALLACE (voice-over): In Israel, on the eve of a possible Iraqi war, final drills for any fallout. These Israeli Air Force pilots suit up quickly in their protective gear. And within two to three minutes after a simulated Iraqi Scud attack, they are inside the chopper and inside the air. Their mission, searching the skies above Tel Aviv to track the Scud and direct emergency crews to the area that is hit. Real life eyes in the sky, these pilots say. The helicopter squadron commander, whose face and name we can't reveal for security reasons, says time is of the essence.

LT. COL. "E": The quicker you get to the people, the better chance they have to survive.

WALLACE: These pilots say they got plenty of practice in 1991 when Iraq fired 39 Scud missiles at Israel, causing extensive damage. But according to the Israeli military, killing only two people in direct hits. Wars are never the same, though. This air force pilot told me.

MAJ. "R": That probably we're going to see things that we've never seen before. We're ready for surprises.

WALLACE (on camera): What about fears of a biological or chemical attack that you might have to deal with?

LT. "L": Well, I believe I am well protected. And I know what to do. And I know how to deal with it. WALLACE: The helicopters are all lined up and ready for a possible Iraqi Scud attack. Israeli military officials say the probability of such an attack is very low. And now most Israelis seem to agree.

(voice-over): According to a new poll, for the first time during the crisis, a majority of Israelis say they don't expect Iraq to attack Israel if war breaks out. The squadron commander told us he hopes he and his fellow pilots never have to lift off.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're not involved in this war. It's not our war.

WALLACE: Under a full moon, these Israeli pilots, their training complete, can only wait to see whether this war will come to them.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WALLACE: Israeli officials say they believe the first 48 hours of any U.S.-led attack on Iraq will be critical when it comes to Israel's security. They believe this is the amount of time it will take U.S. forces to gain control of western Iraq, the area where Saddam Hussein's missiles are believed to be range of Israel -- Daryn.

WALLACE: Kelli, one of the biggest concerns of the U.S. government, retaliation on the part the Israelis.

Where do they stand officially on that, if they are indeed attacked by Iraq?

WALLACE: Well, they say unlike 1991, when Israel did not retaliate for those 39 Iraqi Scud attacks. They say this time around Israel has the right to defend itself. That said, though, Daryn, there is tremendous coordination going on between the Israelis and the Americans. The Americans want to keep Israel out of this war. Israelis, though, have said if there is an attack involving chemical or biological weapons or if there is an attack involving a large number of casualties, they feel they will have to respond -- Daryn.

WALLACE: Well, certainly many hopes and prayers all around the world that it does not come to that. Kelly Wallace in Tel Aviv. Kelly, thank you very much.

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