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1st Battalion, 7th Marines Advance

Aired April 01, 2003 - 15:47   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.


WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: And as they prepare for the push toward Baghdad, U.S. Marines in central Iraq are now searching house to house for troops loyal to Saddam Hussein. CNN's Martin Savidge is embedded with the 1st Battalion, 7th Marines.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): For the CAT (ph) teams in the 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, much of Iraq is viewed through the sight of a gun. These highly mobile, heavily-armed jeeps are one of the crucial weapons being used to hunt down Iraqi paramilitary units that have been hitting American forces and supply lines.

This platoon, known as CAT Blue (ph), prepares to move in on an industrial complex. The area has been looked at before, but this time the team has the risky job of going building to building.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When we drop them off, you (UNINTELLIGIBLE) weapons, recover your dismounts. They don't need to do a detail search, they just need to be hasty.

SAVIDGE: Marines on foot make forced entries into a maze of rooms and offices. It is something they have trained long and hard at, but this time it is real.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I got a bed (ph) in here.

SAVIDGE: As the Marines push on to the next buildings, they are watched over by the mounted patrols. Next come warehouses. Each one a potential dark hiding place for those trying to avoid the U.S. military sweep through the area. The Marines encounter a grouch Iraqi men who are detained until they can be searched. Even this has its risks. An officer tells a young Marine to make sure he hands over his own weapon so that it can't be used against him.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You have any knives or anything on you?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Negative, sir.

SAVIDGE: The searches are done methodically. The Marines are looking for military I.D. cards or papers that would suggest these men are more than just innocent civilians. One man using broken English makes his feelings plain about the Iraqi regime.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No Saddam. No Saddam. No Saddam. Good America, good America.

SAVIDGE: In the end, CAT blue (ph) pulls out. The only thing having been shot at them, a friendly wave good-bye. Martin Savidge, CNN, with the 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, central Iraq.

(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 April 1, 2003 - 15:47   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: And as they prepare for the push toward Baghdad, U.S. Marines in central Iraq are now searching house to house for troops loyal to Saddam Hussein. CNN's Martin Savidge is embedded with the 1st Battalion, 7th Marines.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): For the CAT (ph) teams in the 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, much of Iraq is viewed through the sight of a gun. These highly mobile, heavily-armed jeeps are one of the crucial weapons being used to hunt down Iraqi paramilitary units that have been hitting American forces and supply lines.

This platoon, known as CAT Blue (ph), prepares to move in on an industrial complex. The area has been looked at before, but this time the team has the risky job of going building to building.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When we drop them off, you (UNINTELLIGIBLE) weapons, recover your dismounts. They don't need to do a detail search, they just need to be hasty.

SAVIDGE: Marines on foot make forced entries into a maze of rooms and offices. It is something they have trained long and hard at, but this time it is real.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I got a bed (ph) in here.

SAVIDGE: As the Marines push on to the next buildings, they are watched over by the mounted patrols. Next come warehouses. Each one a potential dark hiding place for those trying to avoid the U.S. military sweep through the area. The Marines encounter a grouch Iraqi men who are detained until they can be searched. Even this has its risks. An officer tells a young Marine to make sure he hands over his own weapon so that it can't be used against him.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You have any knives or anything on you?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Negative, sir.

SAVIDGE: The searches are done methodically. The Marines are looking for military I.D. cards or papers that would suggest these men are more than just innocent civilians. One man using broken English makes his feelings plain about the Iraqi regime.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No Saddam. No Saddam. No Saddam. Good America, good America.

SAVIDGE: In the end, CAT blue (ph) pulls out. The only thing having been shot at them, a friendly wave good-bye. Martin Savidge, CNN, with the 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, central Iraq.

(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