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Saddam Hussein Is Fighting A Propaganda Battle As Well As Militarily

Aired March 20, 2003 - 14:41   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.


AARON BROWN, CNN ANCHOR: Well, that, I think, we can be sure of.
If we can just go back to the map for a second and explain one quick thing. That area that's described as restricted area, just below the DMZ, that is Kuwait territory.

And about a month ago, Kuwait government blocked it off from Kuwaiti citizens and everyone else. There are roadblocks set up on the highway moving out there.

And that is now all coalition territory. That is all U.S. -- essentially U.S. military territory.

The port is all backed up. They literally are having trouble offloading equipment as quickly as they need to.

But that area for the last month has been off limits to Kuwaiti citizens, as the Kuwaiti government turned it over to the coalition -- essentially U.S. forces who have set up in the area and have now moved right up against the border, right up against the DMZ, which is a fence, a chain-link fence -- actually two chain-link fences -- and a small area in between.

And for the last week or so, forces have been cutting holes in those fences so that when the moment came, they could quickly make their move across, and indeed, one Marine group has made that move.

Nic Robertson in Baghdad, quiet now?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Quiet now, Aaron. We're hearing from Iraqi television here, saying that one U.S. helicopter flying into Iraqi airspace has been destroyed.

No way for us to confirm that announcement on Iraqi television's -- Iraqi television. Just a statement, no picture to support it. But Iraqi officials saying that they have downed one U.S. helicopter flying into their airspace, Aaron.

BROWN: And again, we at our end, at the Pentagon end, in Kuwait end have not been able to confirm that. We can just say this is what Iraqi officials are saying.

Are Iraqi -- is Iraqi radio giving any indication yet to Iraqi citizens of what has been hit? What, if any, casualties have occurred to this point? ROBERTSON: No. What's been predominant on all the state media here -- television and radio -- today, has been pictures and stories about President Saddam Hussein, songs about President Saddam Hussein and praise of him.

Also, the news broadcast here focusing on demonstrations in Cairo of -- in opposition to the war.

Also on the news broadcasts, recounting the number of countries around the world -- Russia, China, Germany, Belgium -- the news broadcasts all told the Iraqi people all these countries were opposed to the war at this time.

So that's what Iraqis here have hearing and seeing on their television and radio today.

And perhaps one other interesting reflection on their coverage today. Coverage on Uday, Saddam Hussein's television channel, Shabad (ph) TV youth television, a long movie about Tito in Yugoslavia in the Second World War, where Tito and his partisan forces, a small guerilla force, lightly armed, poorly equipped, in the mountains of Yugoslavia tried to hold off against the German force that was occupying Yugoslavia at that time.

Perhaps there an indication for the Iraqi people that even though they may not be as heavily equipped to deal with a heavy invading force, that there was a spirit here shown by Tito's partisans in Yugoslavia in the Second World War that perhaps Iraqi people should adopt.

Certainly, that was the movie that was chosen to show Iraqi people today to bolster their spirits at this time, Aaron.

BROWN: That is -- Nic, that is absolutely fascinating. Obviously, the Iraqi government -- I mean, this is not an accident that that movie played today. An attempt to say it is not hopeless.

For our viewers, Nic, and it is that time of day when many people will be coming to their TVs for the first time. These missile attacks in Baghdad were how long ago, lay out -- lay out how it played out.

ROBERTSON: It began about 10 to eight local time, with the air raid warning going off.

BROWN: And that was how long ago?

ROBERTSON: Within about -- how long ago? That would have been -- let me see, Aaron. I'm trying to see my watch in the dark here.

That would be approximately three hours ago, I believe. The air raid warnings went off. There were a couple of detonations, heavy detonations towards the south of the city.

Anti-aircraft fire began to illuminate the periphery of the city. The anti-aircraft fire then picked up within the center of the city. It became quite intense, quite loud. And then within minutes of that, perhaps within 15, 20 minutes of the air raid warning going off, huge explosions at the base of some government buildings here.

Then some -- followed by another couple of explosions literally within a mile of where we are now in a downtown location many people in Baghdad would be familiar with, familiar that it's a presidential area.

Also, some other detonations further away. We couldn't tell where they were.

After those detonations at the government building, the building blazing. I can still see smoke coming from that building. There is still red, signs of red fire at the base of the building.

The lights of this city, Aaron, however, are still on, even at this time. And the city has been through an air raid. The all clear was sounded perhaps half-an-hour ago. But the city still heavily illuminated. All the street lights are on. Building lights are on. The streets are empty, very few cars.

But it doesn't look like a city that thinks it might be about to be bombed, a city perhaps where you would expect the lights to be turned off.

They are still on, and the buildings that we see that have been hit are still burning -- Aaron.

BROWN: It's a little bit -- Nic, don't go away -- it's a little bit confusing, because some of the pictures that we're seeing, in fact, are taped. There is a live super on them. There is also on the other side of the screen earlier, it's tape, OK.

And this gets a little confusing, and we understand it does. So we'll just clarify as we go along.

So, about three hours ago, these missiles started coming in and the attack -- if that's the right word for it, Nic -- the attack lasted how long?

ROBERTSON: Perhaps, really, in the intense period, perhaps only 10 minutes or so where it was intense.

There was, of course, anti-aircraft gunfire that lasted perhaps, sporadically, for another one hour after that.

But this is not the shock and awe that we've been told that is likely to be the true force of an attack on Iraq. This appears to be a couple of strategic locations in the center of Baghdad, this big explosion, while big, not the type of thing that Iraqis haven't heard before, the type of explosions one heard in 1998, Operation Desert Fox, back in 1991, Operation Desert Storm.

I was here and witnessed those. The explosions very much like that. I can smell now from where I'm standing the smell of the burning debris in that government building just a mile or so across the river away from me now.

But nothing, Aaron, as we have been told to expect -- the huge campaign of bombing that would shock and awe the population. We have not seen that yet this evening.

BROWN: I think we underscore the word "yet" there. There's no reason to believe it will not happen. Whether it happens in the next five hours or two days, we do not know. But there's no reason to believe it won't happen.

Nic, you were there during the first Gulf War. Has the Iraqi government responded -- whether it be Iraqi TV, radio, et cetera -- has it responded as it did a dozen years ago?

ROBERTSON: In some ways, Aaron, yes. I think it's very interesting, if we just pause to reflect on the state of international media broadcasts, 24-hour television.

It seems the speed with which the Iraqi side responds to what it perceives as negative propaganda against it, that is that the President may have been hit. So he was put on television within an hour-and-a-half of those reports.

The day before, the deputy prime minister -- reports that the deputy prime minister, Tariq Aziz -- may have been killed, may have defected. He appeared on television within half-an-hour.

It's playing out in the propaganda war, if you will, with the greatest speed, with a greater intensity, with a greater ferocity, putting down claims with counterclaims fairly quickly straight after.

He did that on the 17 of January 1991. Indeed, I was at Iraqi television station when President Saddam Hussein came into the station to give that broadcast.

A half-an-hour before I saw him, I'd met at that time the minister of information, Latif Jassem (ph), at the television station. He preluded President Saddam Hussein's speech at that time with a speech.

We have seen the same thing today. Information Minister Muhammad Al-Sahhaf, speaking on television, telling the audience that President Saddam Hussein would be speaking soon after.

In that way, the formula remains the same -- the formula of putting President Saddam Hussein on television the morning after the campaigns begin.

The speed and ferocity, however, with which the claims and counterclaims of propaganda are being put down, much different, much faster, much swifter -- Aaron.

BROWN: To this point. Nic, thank you. Nic Robertson who we will get back to -- or, I don't know, momentarily -- we'll get back to you shortly in any TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com




Militarily>


Aired March 20, 2003 - 14:41   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
AARON BROWN, CNN ANCHOR: Well, that, I think, we can be sure of.
If we can just go back to the map for a second and explain one quick thing. That area that's described as restricted area, just below the DMZ, that is Kuwait territory.

And about a month ago, Kuwait government blocked it off from Kuwaiti citizens and everyone else. There are roadblocks set up on the highway moving out there.

And that is now all coalition territory. That is all U.S. -- essentially U.S. military territory.

The port is all backed up. They literally are having trouble offloading equipment as quickly as they need to.

But that area for the last month has been off limits to Kuwaiti citizens, as the Kuwaiti government turned it over to the coalition -- essentially U.S. forces who have set up in the area and have now moved right up against the border, right up against the DMZ, which is a fence, a chain-link fence -- actually two chain-link fences -- and a small area in between.

And for the last week or so, forces have been cutting holes in those fences so that when the moment came, they could quickly make their move across, and indeed, one Marine group has made that move.

Nic Robertson in Baghdad, quiet now?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Quiet now, Aaron. We're hearing from Iraqi television here, saying that one U.S. helicopter flying into Iraqi airspace has been destroyed.

No way for us to confirm that announcement on Iraqi television's -- Iraqi television. Just a statement, no picture to support it. But Iraqi officials saying that they have downed one U.S. helicopter flying into their airspace, Aaron.

BROWN: And again, we at our end, at the Pentagon end, in Kuwait end have not been able to confirm that. We can just say this is what Iraqi officials are saying.

Are Iraqi -- is Iraqi radio giving any indication yet to Iraqi citizens of what has been hit? What, if any, casualties have occurred to this point? ROBERTSON: No. What's been predominant on all the state media here -- television and radio -- today, has been pictures and stories about President Saddam Hussein, songs about President Saddam Hussein and praise of him.

Also, the news broadcast here focusing on demonstrations in Cairo of -- in opposition to the war.

Also on the news broadcasts, recounting the number of countries around the world -- Russia, China, Germany, Belgium -- the news broadcasts all told the Iraqi people all these countries were opposed to the war at this time.

So that's what Iraqis here have hearing and seeing on their television and radio today.

And perhaps one other interesting reflection on their coverage today. Coverage on Uday, Saddam Hussein's television channel, Shabad (ph) TV youth television, a long movie about Tito in Yugoslavia in the Second World War, where Tito and his partisan forces, a small guerilla force, lightly armed, poorly equipped, in the mountains of Yugoslavia tried to hold off against the German force that was occupying Yugoslavia at that time.

Perhaps there an indication for the Iraqi people that even though they may not be as heavily equipped to deal with a heavy invading force, that there was a spirit here shown by Tito's partisans in Yugoslavia in the Second World War that perhaps Iraqi people should adopt.

Certainly, that was the movie that was chosen to show Iraqi people today to bolster their spirits at this time, Aaron.

BROWN: That is -- Nic, that is absolutely fascinating. Obviously, the Iraqi government -- I mean, this is not an accident that that movie played today. An attempt to say it is not hopeless.

For our viewers, Nic, and it is that time of day when many people will be coming to their TVs for the first time. These missile attacks in Baghdad were how long ago, lay out -- lay out how it played out.

ROBERTSON: It began about 10 to eight local time, with the air raid warning going off.

BROWN: And that was how long ago?

ROBERTSON: Within about -- how long ago? That would have been -- let me see, Aaron. I'm trying to see my watch in the dark here.

That would be approximately three hours ago, I believe. The air raid warnings went off. There were a couple of detonations, heavy detonations towards the south of the city.

Anti-aircraft fire began to illuminate the periphery of the city. The anti-aircraft fire then picked up within the center of the city. It became quite intense, quite loud. And then within minutes of that, perhaps within 15, 20 minutes of the air raid warning going off, huge explosions at the base of some government buildings here.

Then some -- followed by another couple of explosions literally within a mile of where we are now in a downtown location many people in Baghdad would be familiar with, familiar that it's a presidential area.

Also, some other detonations further away. We couldn't tell where they were.

After those detonations at the government building, the building blazing. I can still see smoke coming from that building. There is still red, signs of red fire at the base of the building.

The lights of this city, Aaron, however, are still on, even at this time. And the city has been through an air raid. The all clear was sounded perhaps half-an-hour ago. But the city still heavily illuminated. All the street lights are on. Building lights are on. The streets are empty, very few cars.

But it doesn't look like a city that thinks it might be about to be bombed, a city perhaps where you would expect the lights to be turned off.

They are still on, and the buildings that we see that have been hit are still burning -- Aaron.

BROWN: It's a little bit -- Nic, don't go away -- it's a little bit confusing, because some of the pictures that we're seeing, in fact, are taped. There is a live super on them. There is also on the other side of the screen earlier, it's tape, OK.

And this gets a little confusing, and we understand it does. So we'll just clarify as we go along.

So, about three hours ago, these missiles started coming in and the attack -- if that's the right word for it, Nic -- the attack lasted how long?

ROBERTSON: Perhaps, really, in the intense period, perhaps only 10 minutes or so where it was intense.

There was, of course, anti-aircraft gunfire that lasted perhaps, sporadically, for another one hour after that.

But this is not the shock and awe that we've been told that is likely to be the true force of an attack on Iraq. This appears to be a couple of strategic locations in the center of Baghdad, this big explosion, while big, not the type of thing that Iraqis haven't heard before, the type of explosions one heard in 1998, Operation Desert Fox, back in 1991, Operation Desert Storm.

I was here and witnessed those. The explosions very much like that. I can smell now from where I'm standing the smell of the burning debris in that government building just a mile or so across the river away from me now.

But nothing, Aaron, as we have been told to expect -- the huge campaign of bombing that would shock and awe the population. We have not seen that yet this evening.

BROWN: I think we underscore the word "yet" there. There's no reason to believe it will not happen. Whether it happens in the next five hours or two days, we do not know. But there's no reason to believe it won't happen.

Nic, you were there during the first Gulf War. Has the Iraqi government responded -- whether it be Iraqi TV, radio, et cetera -- has it responded as it did a dozen years ago?

ROBERTSON: In some ways, Aaron, yes. I think it's very interesting, if we just pause to reflect on the state of international media broadcasts, 24-hour television.

It seems the speed with which the Iraqi side responds to what it perceives as negative propaganda against it, that is that the President may have been hit. So he was put on television within an hour-and-a-half of those reports.

The day before, the deputy prime minister -- reports that the deputy prime minister, Tariq Aziz -- may have been killed, may have defected. He appeared on television within half-an-hour.

It's playing out in the propaganda war, if you will, with the greatest speed, with a greater intensity, with a greater ferocity, putting down claims with counterclaims fairly quickly straight after.

He did that on the 17 of January 1991. Indeed, I was at Iraqi television station when President Saddam Hussein came into the station to give that broadcast.

A half-an-hour before I saw him, I'd met at that time the minister of information, Latif Jassem (ph), at the television station. He preluded President Saddam Hussein's speech at that time with a speech.

We have seen the same thing today. Information Minister Muhammad Al-Sahhaf, speaking on television, telling the audience that President Saddam Hussein would be speaking soon after.

In that way, the formula remains the same -- the formula of putting President Saddam Hussein on television the morning after the campaigns begin.

The speed and ferocity, however, with which the claims and counterclaims of propaganda are being put down, much different, much faster, much swifter -- Aaron.

BROWN: To this point. Nic, thank you. Nic Robertson who we will get back to -- or, I don't know, momentarily -- we'll get back to you shortly in any TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com




Militarily>