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Analysis of New Saddam Hussein Video With Octavia Nasr

Aired April 04, 2003 - 13:25   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: As we wait for all of this and we've got these new videotapes of someone, supposedly Saddam Hussein, but maybe not, let's bring in our Octavia Nasr who's been monitoring what they're saying on the Arab media as well.
Octavia, is there a conviction, as I think some of our analysts have concluded, that the individual who delivered the speech on Iraqi television was, in fact, Saddam Hussein, but perhaps the other individual who walked into the crowd, might be a body double, an impersonator. What are they saying in the Arab world?

OCTAVIA NASR, CNN SR. ASSIGNMENT EDITOR Well, Wolf, I can tell you, not one single Arab TV station is doubting that this is Saddam Hussein. They all carried those pictures and they broadcast them over and over and over again. Some of these pictures can still be seen on some of these broadcast stations, Arab broadcast stations. They did have analysts, just like we did, except theirs are not analyzing the fact of whether this is indeed Saddam Hussein.

Their analysts are analyzing the fact that Saddam Hussein would go down in the streets of Baghdad. The symbolism of such an action, the meaning, the way it's going to play out to the Iraqi people and so forth. But there is no -- not one single station that's doubting that the man on the street of Baghdad that we also -- so often this afternoon, is indeed Saddam Hussein - Wolf.

BLITZER: And we're getting word now from Reuters, Octavia, that the presidential complex once again has been hit in downtown Baghdad. You're looking at live pictures of what's happening in the skies over Baghdad right now. No power in the city, no electricity no lights for the second night in a row. In other words, what you're suggesting, Octavia, at least on all of the Arab satellite television channels, that they're just assuming, they're taking it for granted that both of these videotapes are legitimate, the speech, as well as Saddam Hussein going into the crowd?

NASR: Right. And they're saying that that speech we heard -- it has a very interesting reference to the farmer that brought down a coalition plane and this -- what they're saying is that this is a clear indication that Saddam Hussein at least survived the first night of bombing. It doesn't give a clear indication that he was alive today or yesterday or anytime sooner. But they're saying at least this is an indication that he survived that first night of bombing. Again, they're not doubting that this was the man. They're not doubting that this is the man that we saw today. But, you know, I was listening to the analysis earlier, and one question was asked, why would Saddam Hussein go down in the streets of Baghdad and be so close to the people? And that -- you know, we have to look at what Saddam Hussein -- if he is, indeed, alive, what he's been doing in the last few days. The messages that he's been sending out to his people, telling them to all go for jihad, for example, calling people in the streets, telling them to go out and march towards the airport. So, this is not surprising at all -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Octavia Nasr, stand by. We're going to continue to show our viewers these dramatic live pictures from Baghdad. More flashes, more explosions. We're getting eyewitness accounts now. The presidential complex in central Baghdad, once again, the target. We're going to try to get some more information. We're standing by for a Pentagon briefing that's expected to begin in the next few minutes.

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 4, 2003 - 13:25   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: As we wait for all of this and we've got these new videotapes of someone, supposedly Saddam Hussein, but maybe not, let's bring in our Octavia Nasr who's been monitoring what they're saying on the Arab media as well.
Octavia, is there a conviction, as I think some of our analysts have concluded, that the individual who delivered the speech on Iraqi television was, in fact, Saddam Hussein, but perhaps the other individual who walked into the crowd, might be a body double, an impersonator. What are they saying in the Arab world?

OCTAVIA NASR, CNN SR. ASSIGNMENT EDITOR Well, Wolf, I can tell you, not one single Arab TV station is doubting that this is Saddam Hussein. They all carried those pictures and they broadcast them over and over and over again. Some of these pictures can still be seen on some of these broadcast stations, Arab broadcast stations. They did have analysts, just like we did, except theirs are not analyzing the fact of whether this is indeed Saddam Hussein.

Their analysts are analyzing the fact that Saddam Hussein would go down in the streets of Baghdad. The symbolism of such an action, the meaning, the way it's going to play out to the Iraqi people and so forth. But there is no -- not one single station that's doubting that the man on the street of Baghdad that we also -- so often this afternoon, is indeed Saddam Hussein - Wolf.

BLITZER: And we're getting word now from Reuters, Octavia, that the presidential complex once again has been hit in downtown Baghdad. You're looking at live pictures of what's happening in the skies over Baghdad right now. No power in the city, no electricity no lights for the second night in a row. In other words, what you're suggesting, Octavia, at least on all of the Arab satellite television channels, that they're just assuming, they're taking it for granted that both of these videotapes are legitimate, the speech, as well as Saddam Hussein going into the crowd?

NASR: Right. And they're saying that that speech we heard -- it has a very interesting reference to the farmer that brought down a coalition plane and this -- what they're saying is that this is a clear indication that Saddam Hussein at least survived the first night of bombing. It doesn't give a clear indication that he was alive today or yesterday or anytime sooner. But they're saying at least this is an indication that he survived that first night of bombing. Again, they're not doubting that this was the man. They're not doubting that this is the man that we saw today. But, you know, I was listening to the analysis earlier, and one question was asked, why would Saddam Hussein go down in the streets of Baghdad and be so close to the people? And that -- you know, we have to look at what Saddam Hussein -- if he is, indeed, alive, what he's been doing in the last few days. The messages that he's been sending out to his people, telling them to all go for jihad, for example, calling people in the streets, telling them to go out and march towards the airport. So, this is not surprising at all -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Octavia Nasr, stand by. We're going to continue to show our viewers these dramatic live pictures from Baghdad. More flashes, more explosions. We're getting eyewitness accounts now. The presidential complex in central Baghdad, once again, the target. We're going to try to get some more information. We're standing by for a Pentagon briefing that's expected to begin in the next few minutes.

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