Return to Transcripts main page

Live From...

Toll From Attack Against U.S. Command Post Higher Than Reported

Aired April 07, 2003 - 12:09   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: In the meantime, Iraqis, as you probably know by now, have put up what's described as little resistance, as army troops rumbled into Baghdad earlier today. But later a missile strike did inflict casualties. CNN's Walter Rodgers is embedded with the 3-7th Cavalry just outside Baghdad and he filed this report just a short time ago.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WALTER RODGERS, CNN SR.INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The casualty toll on that Iraqi rocket attack against a U.S. Army command post is now considerably higher than previously reported. We're told there are 15 U.S. soldiers wounded, some of them quite seriously. We're also told there were four dead in that attack. Two of the dead are said to be journalists.

What apparently happened was that the 2nd Brigade 3rd Infantry Division command post was set up south of the city. This, while other units of the 2nd Brigade rolled into Baghdad this morning. An Iraqi approached the are with a missile. Fired the missile, and took a terrible toll on U.S. soldiers, again, with a single rocket.

Of course this is in response to or the price that is paid for more U.S. tanks rolling into Baghdad. CNN has been told by U.S. Army sources there are now three battalions of the 2nd Brigade 3rd Infantry now inside Baghdad. And those three battalions are not there on a temporary foray, as in the previous two days. Those three battalions intend to stay in the city and occupy it. This, according to U.S. Army sources.

Walter Rodgers, CNN, with the U.S. 7th Cavalry on the outskirts of Baghdad.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: And as we know, the push into Baghdad is not without cost today. Today several Americans have lost their lives. Let's talk with our Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr. What's the latest from there, Barbara?

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, officials here are underscoring what Walt just said. The push to Baghdad inside Baghdad continues. Officials saying they are sending the message to the regime that they are no longer in charge. And it is expected the U.S. presence inside Baghdad will only grow. Now earlier today here at the Pentagon, officials also laid out a plan, saying the U.S. military will gather evidence of war crimes in Iraq against both Americans and Iraqis. And that they are getting prepared to possibly prosecute both Iraqi military and regime leaders for those war crimes. Officials saying here they may hold military trials or they may even bring Iraqis back to the United States for prosecution. Here's what one official had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PIERRE RICHARD PROSPER, U.S. AMB., WAR CRIMES ISSUES: War criminals will be prosecuted. The day of Iraq's liberation will also be a day of justice. For any war crimes committed against U.S. personnel, our policy is that we will investigate and we will prosecute. We will also seek to prosecute where feasible those who committed or ordered war crimes against U.S. personnel during the Gulf War.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STARR: And officials identified Saddam Hussein's son Uday as their top suspect for possible war crimes prosecution -- Wolf.

BLITZER: What about these Iraqis, these resistance groups, approximately 600, Barbara, that have now been flown to southern Iraq? The Iraqi National Congress supporters, those opposed to Saddam Hussein, what's that mission all about?

STARR: Well, the Pentagon is now identifying these people. Let me give you the name. They are going to be known as the Free Iraqi Fighter Force.

Now officials saying that this is more than the Iraqi National Congress. That there are people representing various groups, including Shia from the south and other groups inside Iraq. That these are fighters who are friendly to U.S. forces, who will be there working alongside U.S. Special Forces in southern Iraq, possibly becoming the nub, as it were, of a new Iraqi military force.

But you are right, Wolf. This so far the most visible element of this new fighter force is Ahmed Chilabi, the head of the Iraqi National Congress, known to be a candidate by some elements of the Bush administration for a very prominent post in post-war Iraq, but also a lightning rod for lot of controversy in the Arab world because many feel he is basically somewhat supported only by the United States government.

So it remains to be seen how much broad support he will have inside Iraq. But now these fighters are on scene -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Barbara, yesterday when I interviewed General Peter Pace, the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, he called the initial thrust into Baghdad proper an armored raid, in effect. There are more underway today, as we all know. What's the purpose? Will they stay there, or are they going to go back out to their more secure locations on the outskirts of the city? STARR: Well, they are working their way through Baghdad sort of grid by grid as it were. And there's absolutely no indication that they are planning to leave. All officials are saying both publicly and privately the U.S. presence will only grow. That there is still some concern about Iraqi fighting in the city.

They are particularly concerned about the east side of Baghdad, a place called Saddam City, where there is a large Shia population. They don't believe they have control over that yet. They're very concerned about the Iraqi regime moving against the Shia inside Baghdad. But as for the rest of it, they are just going to continue to stay and take away further and further control from the Iraqi regime inside the capital -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Barbara Starr at the Pentagon. We'll be checking back with you of course throughout the day. There will be a Pentagon briefing I'm told later in the day as well. CNN of course will have live coverage of that.




Reported>


Aired April 7, 2003 - 12:09   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: In the meantime, Iraqis, as you probably know by now, have put up what's described as little resistance, as army troops rumbled into Baghdad earlier today. But later a missile strike did inflict casualties. CNN's Walter Rodgers is embedded with the 3-7th Cavalry just outside Baghdad and he filed this report just a short time ago.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WALTER RODGERS, CNN SR.INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The casualty toll on that Iraqi rocket attack against a U.S. Army command post is now considerably higher than previously reported. We're told there are 15 U.S. soldiers wounded, some of them quite seriously. We're also told there were four dead in that attack. Two of the dead are said to be journalists.

What apparently happened was that the 2nd Brigade 3rd Infantry Division command post was set up south of the city. This, while other units of the 2nd Brigade rolled into Baghdad this morning. An Iraqi approached the are with a missile. Fired the missile, and took a terrible toll on U.S. soldiers, again, with a single rocket.

Of course this is in response to or the price that is paid for more U.S. tanks rolling into Baghdad. CNN has been told by U.S. Army sources there are now three battalions of the 2nd Brigade 3rd Infantry now inside Baghdad. And those three battalions are not there on a temporary foray, as in the previous two days. Those three battalions intend to stay in the city and occupy it. This, according to U.S. Army sources.

Walter Rodgers, CNN, with the U.S. 7th Cavalry on the outskirts of Baghdad.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: And as we know, the push into Baghdad is not without cost today. Today several Americans have lost their lives. Let's talk with our Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr. What's the latest from there, Barbara?

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, officials here are underscoring what Walt just said. The push to Baghdad inside Baghdad continues. Officials saying they are sending the message to the regime that they are no longer in charge. And it is expected the U.S. presence inside Baghdad will only grow. Now earlier today here at the Pentagon, officials also laid out a plan, saying the U.S. military will gather evidence of war crimes in Iraq against both Americans and Iraqis. And that they are getting prepared to possibly prosecute both Iraqi military and regime leaders for those war crimes. Officials saying here they may hold military trials or they may even bring Iraqis back to the United States for prosecution. Here's what one official had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PIERRE RICHARD PROSPER, U.S. AMB., WAR CRIMES ISSUES: War criminals will be prosecuted. The day of Iraq's liberation will also be a day of justice. For any war crimes committed against U.S. personnel, our policy is that we will investigate and we will prosecute. We will also seek to prosecute where feasible those who committed or ordered war crimes against U.S. personnel during the Gulf War.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STARR: And officials identified Saddam Hussein's son Uday as their top suspect for possible war crimes prosecution -- Wolf.

BLITZER: What about these Iraqis, these resistance groups, approximately 600, Barbara, that have now been flown to southern Iraq? The Iraqi National Congress supporters, those opposed to Saddam Hussein, what's that mission all about?

STARR: Well, the Pentagon is now identifying these people. Let me give you the name. They are going to be known as the Free Iraqi Fighter Force.

Now officials saying that this is more than the Iraqi National Congress. That there are people representing various groups, including Shia from the south and other groups inside Iraq. That these are fighters who are friendly to U.S. forces, who will be there working alongside U.S. Special Forces in southern Iraq, possibly becoming the nub, as it were, of a new Iraqi military force.

But you are right, Wolf. This so far the most visible element of this new fighter force is Ahmed Chilabi, the head of the Iraqi National Congress, known to be a candidate by some elements of the Bush administration for a very prominent post in post-war Iraq, but also a lightning rod for lot of controversy in the Arab world because many feel he is basically somewhat supported only by the United States government.

So it remains to be seen how much broad support he will have inside Iraq. But now these fighters are on scene -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Barbara, yesterday when I interviewed General Peter Pace, the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, he called the initial thrust into Baghdad proper an armored raid, in effect. There are more underway today, as we all know. What's the purpose? Will they stay there, or are they going to go back out to their more secure locations on the outskirts of the city? STARR: Well, they are working their way through Baghdad sort of grid by grid as it were. And there's absolutely no indication that they are planning to leave. All officials are saying both publicly and privately the U.S. presence will only grow. That there is still some concern about Iraqi fighting in the city.

They are particularly concerned about the east side of Baghdad, a place called Saddam City, where there is a large Shia population. They don't believe they have control over that yet. They're very concerned about the Iraqi regime moving against the Shia inside Baghdad. But as for the rest of it, they are just going to continue to stay and take away further and further control from the Iraqi regime inside the capital -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Barbara Starr at the Pentagon. We'll be checking back with you of course throughout the day. There will be a Pentagon briefing I'm told later in the day as well. CNN of course will have live coverage of that.




Reported>