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Interviews With Soldiers Involved in Saddam's Capture

Aired December 15, 2003 - 14:38   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: Well, for all of Saddam's bluster and for all the speculation that he'd never be taken alive, he did surrender without a struggle. The colonel who led the raid says that his team was ready to fight but never had to.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

COL. JAMES HICKEY, CMDR., "RAIDER" BRIGADE: We were prepared for any type of enemy response. We had overwhelming combat power. We actually expected to have a bit of a fight here. And we were prepared to win that fight rapidly and decisively and use absolute overwhelming combat power to do it.

However, the most important part of the plan was based around stealth and speed. And that's why we chose to come in rapidly with assault troops, with zero illumination, as fast as we possibly could, to try to overwhelm the enemy through speed and shock and thereby avoid direct fire combat situation.

SGT. DARYLL SAFFEELS, U.S. ARMY: I think everybody expected a lot more resistance, especially how his two sons went out. But everything went well. Everything went according to plan. And we came out victorious. Everybody was surprised how he was living. You know, nobody expected him to be living like that. It was pretty incredible.

MAJ. BRYAN REED, U.S. ARMY: I mean, it's -- we acted like it was no other different raid. We came in here, acted like it was a normal raid. So we just got lucky, I guess. It's really exciting. I'm glad we made history.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: Brigade Commander Hickey says that Saddam's final hiding place surprised him. He says he envisioned something more than a pit barely big enough for a human.

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 December 15, 2003 - 14:38   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Well, for all of Saddam's bluster and for all the speculation that he'd never be taken alive, he did surrender without a struggle. The colonel who led the raid says that his team was ready to fight but never had to.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

COL. JAMES HICKEY, CMDR., "RAIDER" BRIGADE: We were prepared for any type of enemy response. We had overwhelming combat power. We actually expected to have a bit of a fight here. And we were prepared to win that fight rapidly and decisively and use absolute overwhelming combat power to do it.

However, the most important part of the plan was based around stealth and speed. And that's why we chose to come in rapidly with assault troops, with zero illumination, as fast as we possibly could, to try to overwhelm the enemy through speed and shock and thereby avoid direct fire combat situation.

SGT. DARYLL SAFFEELS, U.S. ARMY: I think everybody expected a lot more resistance, especially how his two sons went out. But everything went well. Everything went according to plan. And we came out victorious. Everybody was surprised how he was living. You know, nobody expected him to be living like that. It was pretty incredible.

MAJ. BRYAN REED, U.S. ARMY: I mean, it's -- we acted like it was no other different raid. We came in here, acted like it was a normal raid. So we just got lucky, I guess. It's really exciting. I'm glad we made history.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: Brigade Commander Hickey says that Saddam's final hiding place surprised him. He says he envisioned something more than a pit barely big enough for a human.

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