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Rakkasans Face Off With Militia

Aired April 08, 2003 - 12:31   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: South of Baghdad a brigade of the 101st Airborne Division is in a tough fire fight for the town of Hillah, earlier today and continuing. CNN's Ryan Chilcote is joining us live near Hillah with late breaking news developments. Tell us what's happening near where you are.
RYAN CHILCOTE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well Wolf, the day began on the outskirts of Hillah, a well-known city in central Iraq. Well known for its role in ancient Babylon. This is the city home to one of the seven wonders of the world, the Hanging Garden of Babylon mentioned in the Bible. This morning the 101st Airborne 3rd Brigade, also known as the Rakkasans, moved into the outskirts of the city. Their goal to, go after Fedayeen fighters who have sought sanctuary in this city.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHILCOTE: I have with me Sergeant Major Savusa, Sergeant Major of the 101st Airborne 3rd Brigade. He was there as we went into the outskirts of the city today. Sergeant major, first of all we got some pretty amazing video of the action the soldiers saw today. Is this what you anticipated?

SGT. MAJ. IUNIASOLUA SAVUSA, 101ST AIRBORNE: Actually, soldiers were ready for this fight. As we came in this morning we were anticipating getting into a fight. We were hoping that they would capitulate. However, they didn't. They forced our hand into destroying them.

CHILCOTE: Now, a lot of people I think have the impression that it's pretty much down to Baghdad in Iraq. That's not entirely the case, is it.

SAVUSA: Not really, I know they have pushed through here. They would need soldiers such as the 101st Airborne that moved through to make sure all of these paramilitary or Saddam Hussein's death squads are eliminated from the cities and allow the locals of these towns to live freely.

CHILCOTE: I don't know, Wolf, if you have video from earlier today of some of the fighting. What did you think? Were you impressed as a military man with the capability of the guys you were up against today?

SAVUSA: I'm not -- I wasn't impressed at all. Soldiers that were there, Iraqi soldiers that were there, they were truly suicidal with their actions today which they were trying to lure one to surrender and then the other one behind who threw that grenade today, which created that fight and started that fight with the light infantry soldiers with the rockets.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHILCOTE: Wolf that's a reference to -- we were actually on the road into the city when there's a bush right next to the side of the road and two Iraqi fighters I guess surrounded by U.S. soldiers who were discovered in the bush. And one came out, and you can explain what transpired.

SAVUSA: One came out and said that he was surrendering. Then the other guy behind him threw that grenade. When that happened he went back down into a culvert. They were pretty low in the ground. As soldiers were tending to the wounded, other soldiers were converging their weapons into that precision. However weapons were not -- they were not at a higher precision. They could shoot down to the folks. Again, because others threw grenades into that position...

CHILCOTE: That was actually you, the sergeant major actually resolved the problem for those two soldiers.

SAVUSA: That was the intent. Wanted to holler for somebody to throw a grenade in. It didn't happen. I took a grenade from my driver and threw that grenade in there. Other soldiers started firing which killed those two.

CHILCOTE: And the U.S. soldiers, the three U.S. soldiers that were injured in that attack that ambush from the bush, how are they?

SAVUSA: None were fatally injured. One was evacuated all the way back to the MASH. He will be OK. The other two just returned back to active duty. They're doing fine.

CHILCOTE: 101st Airborne 3rd Brigade doing some of the toughest work in the country, putting boots on the ground to go through the city's building by building, if you will, to really root out any fighters that might remain. As you can see even with the fighting in Baghdad, fighting remains throughout the country, including here in Hillah.

BLITZER: That's why they call them the Screaming Eagles. 101st Airborne unit based in Fort Campbell Kentucky, a legendary unit, our embedded journalist, our embedded correspondent Ryan Chilcote covering what they do. Thank you very much, Ryan. Thank the sergeant major for us as well.

Want to get more perspective on the latest military movements. Specifically how does the coalition gather intelligence on the ground in Iraq and what role do special operations play there. For that we turn to CNN's Renay San Miguel and retired U.S. General Claudia Kennedy at the CNN news room in Atlanta.

RENAY SAN MIGUEL, CNN ANCHOR: Thank you very much Wolf, we are going to be talking about intelligence on the ground and special forces how they're involved with the general. The tip that came in concerning this neighborhood in Baghdad the Al Mansour neighborhood. It is the special operations role to cultivate those forces right?

GEN. CLAUDIA KENNEDY (RET.), CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Right. They go in early on and develop a relationship with people who are knowledgeable or in some sort of leadership position. And they also make contacts with opposition forces and try to help arrange when they will join our side.

SAN MIGUEL: And we need to remind everybody, they've been there a lot longer than you think than just when activities really started on March 19th.

KENNEDY: I'd say so. It's a guess. I think they've been there quite a long time.

SAN MIGUEL: They've had a lot of successes in this campaign. Very busy campaign for the special forces, the Jessica Lynch rescue, the taking of the dam, the taking of the Tharthar (ph) palace. We're going to show video. Their role isn't over yet.

KENNEDY: That's right. They have a lot of work to do in terms of continuing to build those relationships. As it becomes clear this regime is in big trouble, more people will emerge from the Iraqi population and say, let me be on your side. Let me help you. Let me give you this information.

SAN MIGUEL: OK. Let's remind them what that job is. It's not, if you're reading a Tom Clancy novel or watching some movies, it's not just somebody on the ground putting the laser on the target for being a forward air controller for some military aircraft. It is -- there are other things that Special Forces do.

KENNEDY: That's right. Special Forces soldiers who are very skilled and intelligence. There's some with language skills. They all get some degree of language training in whatever area they're going to be in. Soldiers know special operations soldiers know how to deal with weapons of the enemy soldiers as well, how to detonate the munitions they may find. And they are very well practiced and working with the operation and developing them traditional paramilitary for the coalition forces.

SAN MIGUEL: General Kennedy, thank you very much.

KENNEDY: Thank you.

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 8, 2003 - 12:31   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: South of Baghdad a brigade of the 101st Airborne Division is in a tough fire fight for the town of Hillah, earlier today and continuing. CNN's Ryan Chilcote is joining us live near Hillah with late breaking news developments. Tell us what's happening near where you are.
RYAN CHILCOTE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well Wolf, the day began on the outskirts of Hillah, a well-known city in central Iraq. Well known for its role in ancient Babylon. This is the city home to one of the seven wonders of the world, the Hanging Garden of Babylon mentioned in the Bible. This morning the 101st Airborne 3rd Brigade, also known as the Rakkasans, moved into the outskirts of the city. Their goal to, go after Fedayeen fighters who have sought sanctuary in this city.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHILCOTE: I have with me Sergeant Major Savusa, Sergeant Major of the 101st Airborne 3rd Brigade. He was there as we went into the outskirts of the city today. Sergeant major, first of all we got some pretty amazing video of the action the soldiers saw today. Is this what you anticipated?

SGT. MAJ. IUNIASOLUA SAVUSA, 101ST AIRBORNE: Actually, soldiers were ready for this fight. As we came in this morning we were anticipating getting into a fight. We were hoping that they would capitulate. However, they didn't. They forced our hand into destroying them.

CHILCOTE: Now, a lot of people I think have the impression that it's pretty much down to Baghdad in Iraq. That's not entirely the case, is it.

SAVUSA: Not really, I know they have pushed through here. They would need soldiers such as the 101st Airborne that moved through to make sure all of these paramilitary or Saddam Hussein's death squads are eliminated from the cities and allow the locals of these towns to live freely.

CHILCOTE: I don't know, Wolf, if you have video from earlier today of some of the fighting. What did you think? Were you impressed as a military man with the capability of the guys you were up against today?

SAVUSA: I'm not -- I wasn't impressed at all. Soldiers that were there, Iraqi soldiers that were there, they were truly suicidal with their actions today which they were trying to lure one to surrender and then the other one behind who threw that grenade today, which created that fight and started that fight with the light infantry soldiers with the rockets.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHILCOTE: Wolf that's a reference to -- we were actually on the road into the city when there's a bush right next to the side of the road and two Iraqi fighters I guess surrounded by U.S. soldiers who were discovered in the bush. And one came out, and you can explain what transpired.

SAVUSA: One came out and said that he was surrendering. Then the other guy behind him threw that grenade. When that happened he went back down into a culvert. They were pretty low in the ground. As soldiers were tending to the wounded, other soldiers were converging their weapons into that precision. However weapons were not -- they were not at a higher precision. They could shoot down to the folks. Again, because others threw grenades into that position...

CHILCOTE: That was actually you, the sergeant major actually resolved the problem for those two soldiers.

SAVUSA: That was the intent. Wanted to holler for somebody to throw a grenade in. It didn't happen. I took a grenade from my driver and threw that grenade in there. Other soldiers started firing which killed those two.

CHILCOTE: And the U.S. soldiers, the three U.S. soldiers that were injured in that attack that ambush from the bush, how are they?

SAVUSA: None were fatally injured. One was evacuated all the way back to the MASH. He will be OK. The other two just returned back to active duty. They're doing fine.

CHILCOTE: 101st Airborne 3rd Brigade doing some of the toughest work in the country, putting boots on the ground to go through the city's building by building, if you will, to really root out any fighters that might remain. As you can see even with the fighting in Baghdad, fighting remains throughout the country, including here in Hillah.

BLITZER: That's why they call them the Screaming Eagles. 101st Airborne unit based in Fort Campbell Kentucky, a legendary unit, our embedded journalist, our embedded correspondent Ryan Chilcote covering what they do. Thank you very much, Ryan. Thank the sergeant major for us as well.

Want to get more perspective on the latest military movements. Specifically how does the coalition gather intelligence on the ground in Iraq and what role do special operations play there. For that we turn to CNN's Renay San Miguel and retired U.S. General Claudia Kennedy at the CNN news room in Atlanta.

RENAY SAN MIGUEL, CNN ANCHOR: Thank you very much Wolf, we are going to be talking about intelligence on the ground and special forces how they're involved with the general. The tip that came in concerning this neighborhood in Baghdad the Al Mansour neighborhood. It is the special operations role to cultivate those forces right?

GEN. CLAUDIA KENNEDY (RET.), CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Right. They go in early on and develop a relationship with people who are knowledgeable or in some sort of leadership position. And they also make contacts with opposition forces and try to help arrange when they will join our side.

SAN MIGUEL: And we need to remind everybody, they've been there a lot longer than you think than just when activities really started on March 19th.

KENNEDY: I'd say so. It's a guess. I think they've been there quite a long time.

SAN MIGUEL: They've had a lot of successes in this campaign. Very busy campaign for the special forces, the Jessica Lynch rescue, the taking of the dam, the taking of the Tharthar (ph) palace. We're going to show video. Their role isn't over yet.

KENNEDY: That's right. They have a lot of work to do in terms of continuing to build those relationships. As it becomes clear this regime is in big trouble, more people will emerge from the Iraqi population and say, let me be on your side. Let me help you. Let me give you this information.

SAN MIGUEL: OK. Let's remind them what that job is. It's not, if you're reading a Tom Clancy novel or watching some movies, it's not just somebody on the ground putting the laser on the target for being a forward air controller for some military aircraft. It is -- there are other things that Special Forces do.

KENNEDY: That's right. Special Forces soldiers who are very skilled and intelligence. There's some with language skills. They all get some degree of language training in whatever area they're going to be in. Soldiers know special operations soldiers know how to deal with weapons of the enemy soldiers as well, how to detonate the munitions they may find. And they are very well practiced and working with the operation and developing them traditional paramilitary for the coalition forces.

SAN MIGUEL: General Kennedy, thank you very much.

KENNEDY: Thank you.

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