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Reuters: Iraqi TV Showing Video of Saddam and Sons
Aired April 05, 2003 - 15:07 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: For his take on these late breaking developments in and around the Iraqi capital, let's turn once again, as we always do, to CNN's senior international correspondent Nic Robertson. He, of course, was expelled from Baghdad. He's with us now from Ruwaished. That's along the border between Jordan and Iraq.
Nic, within the past few minutes -- I haven't seen them yet -- but apparently there were some videotape of Saddam Hussein shown on Iraqi state television not only with his two sons, Uday and Qusay, but with some of his senior advisors as well. Reuters, the news agency, saying they have no idea when this videotape was shot, but it looks there's a steady drum beat coming out from the Iraqi regime trying to reassure a clearly nervous Iraqi public at large.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Exactly Wolf, the same that we've seen over the last two weeks. Every time that we see one image of President Saddam Hussein one day, then there's questions about whether or not it's actually him, whether or not this was taken during the war.
Again, Iraqi officials putting out these pictures. We haven't actually seen them yet, as you say, but very important for the Iraqi people not only the president, his two sons, Qusay Saddam Hussein in charge of the Republican Guard, Uday Saddam Hussein in charge of the Fedayeen forces, very important pictures for the leadership to show the Iraqi people just to show that they still control the airwaves, just to show that -- to try and tell the Iraqi people that they're still alive and that they still intend to carry on because it's that that is going to keep up the resistance in Baghdad. At this time, unlike many other cities through history that have been put through this process of being encircled as Baghdad is beginning to be, the political leaders are still co-located with the military commanders and obviously the political leaders trying to encourage the military commanders to stay with the fight.
Now what we've been hearing from our sources in Baghdad today -- and if in a way here I can paint you a picture of what the Iraqi people are seeing in and around the streets of Baghdad -- tonight, bombing, bombing in the west of the city at least explosions seen in that part of the city, one heavy detonation a little earlier closer to the center of the city.
However, during the day it's been a picture for the Iraqis -- they have seen -- the Iraqi people, they have seen U.S. forces arrive in the southwestern part of the city. They know they're there. They've seen U.S. forces arrive in the southeastern part of the city, the Alrushede (ph) military base. This is a military base and a military airfield. Again, strategically important as is the international airport on the southwestern side of the city where coalition forces are.
Also, Iraqis in the city of Baghdad believe that the United States military has a checkpoint; the coalition has a checkpoint on the northern side of the city. So this is what the Iraqi people are seeing.
Now when it comes to Iraqi forces, what our sources are telling us and again, this is what the people in Baghdad are seeing. They're seeing in one of the central parts in Baghdad just on the western side of the city, a large zoological park, a park where people normally take their children. They're seeing the Iraqi military gather personnel, gather Republican Guard, gather Fedayeen, gather tanks. We understand there are T-72 tanks there, possibly some artillery pieces. They're also seeing in some quite upscale up market areas of the city, suburban neighborhoods again in the west, again areas that face off against the -- where the airport is in the southwest of the city, military checkpoints, military reinforcements, tanks at the Almansor (ph) Square, tanks at the Almansor (ph) Square.
So clearly the city becoming much more militaryfied, if you will. Our sources are saying they're seeing many more Iraqi soldiers out on the streets, many more than they have seen recently. They say that these soldiers are relaxed.
What the Iraqi people are hearing, we've heard -- we told what they're seeing. What they're hearing from their leadership is something that is completely contrary to what we're hearing. What they're being told by the Iraqi leadership, the ministry of information, saying that the coalition forces do not control the airport. The Iraqis have killed hundreds of coalition forces out at the airport. Coalition soldiers are lying dead. That is the message Iraqis are being told.
The minister of Information also read a statement from President Saddam Hussein telling Iraqis that they're going to defeat the coalition. The coalition is staring defeat in the face and that the Iraqis should stand firm and hit back.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MOHAMMED SAEED AL SAHAF, IRAQI INFORMATION MINISTER (through translator): But to harm the enemy more and more, go against the enemy and destroy the enemy and follow the plans that you got in writing. God is great. May the criminals lose.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTSON: So the Iraqi population certainly aware their city is very closely -- that coalition forces are very close to the city at this time, Judy.
JUDY WOODRUFF, CNN ANCHOR: Nic Robertson describing a lot more military activity there in Baghdad. Nic, thank you very much. Nic reporting from the Jordanian side of the border with Iraq.
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 5, 2003 - 15:07 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: For his take on these late breaking developments in and around the Iraqi capital, let's turn once again, as we always do, to CNN's senior international correspondent Nic Robertson. He, of course, was expelled from Baghdad. He's with us now from Ruwaished. That's along the border between Jordan and Iraq.
Nic, within the past few minutes -- I haven't seen them yet -- but apparently there were some videotape of Saddam Hussein shown on Iraqi state television not only with his two sons, Uday and Qusay, but with some of his senior advisors as well. Reuters, the news agency, saying they have no idea when this videotape was shot, but it looks there's a steady drum beat coming out from the Iraqi regime trying to reassure a clearly nervous Iraqi public at large.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Exactly Wolf, the same that we've seen over the last two weeks. Every time that we see one image of President Saddam Hussein one day, then there's questions about whether or not it's actually him, whether or not this was taken during the war.
Again, Iraqi officials putting out these pictures. We haven't actually seen them yet, as you say, but very important for the Iraqi people not only the president, his two sons, Qusay Saddam Hussein in charge of the Republican Guard, Uday Saddam Hussein in charge of the Fedayeen forces, very important pictures for the leadership to show the Iraqi people just to show that they still control the airwaves, just to show that -- to try and tell the Iraqi people that they're still alive and that they still intend to carry on because it's that that is going to keep up the resistance in Baghdad. At this time, unlike many other cities through history that have been put through this process of being encircled as Baghdad is beginning to be, the political leaders are still co-located with the military commanders and obviously the political leaders trying to encourage the military commanders to stay with the fight.
Now what we've been hearing from our sources in Baghdad today -- and if in a way here I can paint you a picture of what the Iraqi people are seeing in and around the streets of Baghdad -- tonight, bombing, bombing in the west of the city at least explosions seen in that part of the city, one heavy detonation a little earlier closer to the center of the city.
However, during the day it's been a picture for the Iraqis -- they have seen -- the Iraqi people, they have seen U.S. forces arrive in the southwestern part of the city. They know they're there. They've seen U.S. forces arrive in the southeastern part of the city, the Alrushede (ph) military base. This is a military base and a military airfield. Again, strategically important as is the international airport on the southwestern side of the city where coalition forces are.
Also, Iraqis in the city of Baghdad believe that the United States military has a checkpoint; the coalition has a checkpoint on the northern side of the city. So this is what the Iraqi people are seeing.
Now when it comes to Iraqi forces, what our sources are telling us and again, this is what the people in Baghdad are seeing. They're seeing in one of the central parts in Baghdad just on the western side of the city, a large zoological park, a park where people normally take their children. They're seeing the Iraqi military gather personnel, gather Republican Guard, gather Fedayeen, gather tanks. We understand there are T-72 tanks there, possibly some artillery pieces. They're also seeing in some quite upscale up market areas of the city, suburban neighborhoods again in the west, again areas that face off against the -- where the airport is in the southwest of the city, military checkpoints, military reinforcements, tanks at the Almansor (ph) Square, tanks at the Almansor (ph) Square.
So clearly the city becoming much more militaryfied, if you will. Our sources are saying they're seeing many more Iraqi soldiers out on the streets, many more than they have seen recently. They say that these soldiers are relaxed.
What the Iraqi people are hearing, we've heard -- we told what they're seeing. What they're hearing from their leadership is something that is completely contrary to what we're hearing. What they're being told by the Iraqi leadership, the ministry of information, saying that the coalition forces do not control the airport. The Iraqis have killed hundreds of coalition forces out at the airport. Coalition soldiers are lying dead. That is the message Iraqis are being told.
The minister of Information also read a statement from President Saddam Hussein telling Iraqis that they're going to defeat the coalition. The coalition is staring defeat in the face and that the Iraqis should stand firm and hit back.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MOHAMMED SAEED AL SAHAF, IRAQI INFORMATION MINISTER (through translator): But to harm the enemy more and more, go against the enemy and destroy the enemy and follow the plans that you got in writing. God is great. May the criminals lose.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTSON: So the Iraqi population certainly aware their city is very closely -- that coalition forces are very close to the city at this time, Judy.
JUDY WOODRUFF, CNN ANCHOR: Nic Robertson describing a lot more military activity there in Baghdad. Nic, thank you very much. Nic reporting from the Jordanian side of the border with Iraq.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
