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Another U.S. Soldier Killed as Intelligence States Latest Audiotape is Most Likely Saddam
Aired July 18, 2003 - 14:15 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.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: In Iraq, another deadly day for U.S. forces. A soldier is killed and the way he died is becoming all too familiar. CNN's Nic Robertson live from Baghdad now -- Nic.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Kyra, he was killed with what was called an improvised explosive device. He was driving on the highway towards Baghdad, close to the town of Fallujah. The device went off on the main highway blowing his vehicle across the road. The device killed him, according to U.S. officials here.
No other U.S. troops were injured in this particular incident, but this is something -- this type of device has been used in this particular area around Fallujah and the town of Ramallah close by on a number of occasions.
Commanding officers here describe these kind of improvised devices as being sticks of explosives set off by remote control detonation either by a command wire or some remote control device. Or an artillery shell with explosives and a trigger set off in that way. It's not the first time that U.S. troops in this particular area have been caught up, injured and killed by these type of devices.
A very symbolic act by the 4th Infantry Division north of Baghdad in Saddam Hussein's home town of Tikrit blowing up the last statue of Saddam Hussein. It also marks the end of Operation Soda Mountain where, according to U.S. officials here, 141 raids against Ba'athist officials and loyalists of the Saddam Hussein's regime has been targeted. Six hundred and eleven people rounded up of whom 62, according to U.S. officials, were top people within the Ba'ath party.
And according to commanding officer in the area, they now -- the U.S. troops in that area now dominate that area following what he described as he described as aggressive operations in the field. He said that their enemies were less able and had been striking back at them less in that area now -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Nic, let me also ask you about this Saddam Hussein tape. Intelligence officials saying the U.S. believes the tape is Saddam's voice, though not absolutely certain it is. What have you heard? What do you know?
ROBERTSON: Well, it seems very much that for Iraqi people here they recognize the voice, they recognize what this message means at the moment to them. The message appears to mean that this is a rallying point for those that would support Saddam Hussein. For them it means that there is a greater likelihood that more people will attack U.S. troops, that that level of the conflict will continue, even increase in volatility and they fear that for most people here they fear that will bring them into a potential line of fire, caught up collateral casualties, if you will.
But this particular tape was interesting. It made reference to two recent news events. It made reference the governing council, criticizing the governing council. It made reference or it called the United States liars for talking and accusing Iraq of having weapons of mass destruction, of course, a topic that is very key and very sensitive right now and right in the news.
So these statements coming from Saddam Hussein, apparently. This the third one becoming perhaps more newsworthy, coming more recently. Perhaps we may see more of this type of thing ahead -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Nic Robertson live from Baghdad. Thanks, Nic.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Audiotape is Most Likely Saddam>
Aired July 18, 2003 - 14:15 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: In Iraq, another deadly day for U.S. forces. A soldier is killed and the way he died is becoming all too familiar. CNN's Nic Robertson live from Baghdad now -- Nic.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Kyra, he was killed with what was called an improvised explosive device. He was driving on the highway towards Baghdad, close to the town of Fallujah. The device went off on the main highway blowing his vehicle across the road. The device killed him, according to U.S. officials here.
No other U.S. troops were injured in this particular incident, but this is something -- this type of device has been used in this particular area around Fallujah and the town of Ramallah close by on a number of occasions.
Commanding officers here describe these kind of improvised devices as being sticks of explosives set off by remote control detonation either by a command wire or some remote control device. Or an artillery shell with explosives and a trigger set off in that way. It's not the first time that U.S. troops in this particular area have been caught up, injured and killed by these type of devices.
A very symbolic act by the 4th Infantry Division north of Baghdad in Saddam Hussein's home town of Tikrit blowing up the last statue of Saddam Hussein. It also marks the end of Operation Soda Mountain where, according to U.S. officials here, 141 raids against Ba'athist officials and loyalists of the Saddam Hussein's regime has been targeted. Six hundred and eleven people rounded up of whom 62, according to U.S. officials, were top people within the Ba'ath party.
And according to commanding officer in the area, they now -- the U.S. troops in that area now dominate that area following what he described as he described as aggressive operations in the field. He said that their enemies were less able and had been striking back at them less in that area now -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Nic, let me also ask you about this Saddam Hussein tape. Intelligence officials saying the U.S. believes the tape is Saddam's voice, though not absolutely certain it is. What have you heard? What do you know?
ROBERTSON: Well, it seems very much that for Iraqi people here they recognize the voice, they recognize what this message means at the moment to them. The message appears to mean that this is a rallying point for those that would support Saddam Hussein. For them it means that there is a greater likelihood that more people will attack U.S. troops, that that level of the conflict will continue, even increase in volatility and they fear that for most people here they fear that will bring them into a potential line of fire, caught up collateral casualties, if you will.
But this particular tape was interesting. It made reference to two recent news events. It made reference the governing council, criticizing the governing council. It made reference or it called the United States liars for talking and accusing Iraq of having weapons of mass destruction, of course, a topic that is very key and very sensitive right now and right in the news.
So these statements coming from Saddam Hussein, apparently. This the third one becoming perhaps more newsworthy, coming more recently. Perhaps we may see more of this type of thing ahead -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Nic Robertson live from Baghdad. Thanks, Nic.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Audiotape is Most Likely Saddam>
