Return to Transcripts main page

Live From...

Coalition Converging on Baghdad with Slight Resistance

Aired April 02, 2003 - 14:04   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: Let's focus right now on the so-called red zone. Let's take a look at this map.
The red zone is inside the innermost circle, within some 50 Miles of Baghdad. The United States says Iraqi resistance will be at its strongest within this area. And U.S. officials have warned of the possible -- possible use of Iraqi chemical weapons.

The Pentagon is calling this the first phase of the push toward Baghdad. CNN's Walter Rodgers is reporting that the 1st and 3rd Brigades of the Army's 3rd Infantry took the Iraqi town of Karbala with very little effort.

The red arrows you see on this map represent the Iraqi Republican Guard divisions who are forming an arc around the southern part of Baghdad in hopes of keeping the city.

In the words of one American helicopter pilot involved in the fight, the race to Baghdad is -- and I'm quoting now -- "a very quick moving, very fluid battle."

CNN's Walter Rodgers is very, very close to the action.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WALTER RODGERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Throughout the day, as the U.S. Army's 7th Cavalry punch northward in the general direction of Baghdad, we have seen huge convoys of supply troops moving ever northward. Indeed, all the arrows on the Army's map seem to be pointing in the direction of the southern suburbs of Baghdad.

Earlier in the day, the 1st Brigade of the 3rd Infantry Division took Karbala with a minimum of fight. And then the 3rd Brigade of the 3rd Infantry Division secured the town of Karbala.

Additionally, the 7th Cavalry has pushed onward in the general direction of Baghdad. Yesterday, we were about 50 Miles from the southern suburbs of Baghdad. We have perhaps halved that distance.

Throughout the day we have watched the 3rd Infantry Division bring in prisoners of war, Iraqi soldiers glad the war is over for them, perhaps 100 at a time.

There were times when the 7th Cavalry itself got into some skirmishes as it pushed forward, again, in the direction of Baghdad. There was a bit of a fire fight when the 7th Cavalry came upon three Soviet vintage 20 millimeter anti-aircraft guns, ack-ack guns.

The unit -- the Iraqi unit in possession of those guns fired mortars in the direction of the 7th Cavalry. The Apache troop, the Apache troop opened its tank guns, opened its own mortars, decimated that unit, put it out of existence and probably killed some 20 Iraqis in the process. This as it continues to push ever closer to the southern suburbs of Baghdad.

Walter Rodgers, CNN, with the U.S. 7th Cavalry in the Iraqi desert.

(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 2, 2003 - 14:04   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Let's focus right now on the so-called red zone. Let's take a look at this map.
The red zone is inside the innermost circle, within some 50 Miles of Baghdad. The United States says Iraqi resistance will be at its strongest within this area. And U.S. officials have warned of the possible -- possible use of Iraqi chemical weapons.

The Pentagon is calling this the first phase of the push toward Baghdad. CNN's Walter Rodgers is reporting that the 1st and 3rd Brigades of the Army's 3rd Infantry took the Iraqi town of Karbala with very little effort.

The red arrows you see on this map represent the Iraqi Republican Guard divisions who are forming an arc around the southern part of Baghdad in hopes of keeping the city.

In the words of one American helicopter pilot involved in the fight, the race to Baghdad is -- and I'm quoting now -- "a very quick moving, very fluid battle."

CNN's Walter Rodgers is very, very close to the action.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WALTER RODGERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Throughout the day, as the U.S. Army's 7th Cavalry punch northward in the general direction of Baghdad, we have seen huge convoys of supply troops moving ever northward. Indeed, all the arrows on the Army's map seem to be pointing in the direction of the southern suburbs of Baghdad.

Earlier in the day, the 1st Brigade of the 3rd Infantry Division took Karbala with a minimum of fight. And then the 3rd Brigade of the 3rd Infantry Division secured the town of Karbala.

Additionally, the 7th Cavalry has pushed onward in the general direction of Baghdad. Yesterday, we were about 50 Miles from the southern suburbs of Baghdad. We have perhaps halved that distance.

Throughout the day we have watched the 3rd Infantry Division bring in prisoners of war, Iraqi soldiers glad the war is over for them, perhaps 100 at a time.

There were times when the 7th Cavalry itself got into some skirmishes as it pushed forward, again, in the direction of Baghdad. There was a bit of a fire fight when the 7th Cavalry came upon three Soviet vintage 20 millimeter anti-aircraft guns, ack-ack guns.

The unit -- the Iraqi unit in possession of those guns fired mortars in the direction of the 7th Cavalry. The Apache troop, the Apache troop opened its tank guns, opened its own mortars, decimated that unit, put it out of existence and probably killed some 20 Iraqis in the process. This as it continues to push ever closer to the southern suburbs of Baghdad.

Walter Rodgers, CNN, with the U.S. 7th Cavalry in the Iraqi desert.

(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