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American Morning
Kuwaiti Boats Come Under Fire
Aired December 03, 2002 - 08:15 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.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: From overseas this morning, there are some reports indicating an Iraqi vessel opened fire on two Kuwaiti Coast Guard boats that were apparently conducting routine patrol.
Walter Rodgers in Kuwait City now joins us live with the very latest on what he's picking up, by way of video phone -- Walter, what happened, according to the reports we're getting?
WALTER RODGERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Bill, this is apparently a relatively minor incident, but it does attest to the hair trigger nerves in the region, especially along the border between Kuwait and Iraq. According to the Kuwaiti interior ministry, two of their Coast Guard vessels, small patrol boats, were in close to shore, around Warba Island, which is just between Iraq and Kuwait. It could easily be claimed by either side, although the Kuwaitis say it's theirs. It could be claimed by either side if you look at a map. The Kuwaitis claim to have a 12 mile maritime limit. The two Kuwaiti vessels, again, according to the interior ministry here, were in close to shore and then they say that an Iraqi patrol boat opened fire on the Kuwaiti Coast Guard vessels.
No casualties, according to the Kuwaitis, at least from the fire. However, when the two Kuwaiti patrol boats tried to maneuver under fire, they ran into each other and then one of the Kuwaiti sailors was injured. As I say, this is an area which is very close into shore, very close to both the Iraqi and Kuwaiti borders, easily disputed. Indeed, the Iraqis have long claimed that this was, Kuwait was their country. They don't have much of a navy, but they're willing to put up a little scrap -- Bill.
HEMMER: Walter, it might be naive for us to think that this is the first time it's ever happened. How frequent are clashes like these?
RODGERS: They're not frequent, but they're not without precedent. I think I recall one some time within the last week, although it's not clear. Again, this is disputed territory, but the Iraqi Navy really is a pale shadow of what it was before the 1991 Gulf War. Then it had at least vive frigates and more than a few patrol boats, although U.S. forces, Allied forces in the Gulf and the region in '91 took out 100 or more Iraqi patrol boats. And right now it's believed they have only five small patrol boats. It's not even sure they're able to put out to sea. The best boat in the Iraqi Navy now is said to be an old Soviet vintage Ossa missile boat. We're not sure which of the vessels was allegedly involved in the clash -- Bill.
HEMMER: Thank you, Walter. Walter Rodgers by way of video phone in Kuwait City.
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 3, 2002 - 08:15 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: From overseas this morning, there are some reports indicating an Iraqi vessel opened fire on two Kuwaiti Coast Guard boats that were apparently conducting routine patrol.
Walter Rodgers in Kuwait City now joins us live with the very latest on what he's picking up, by way of video phone -- Walter, what happened, according to the reports we're getting?
WALTER RODGERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Bill, this is apparently a relatively minor incident, but it does attest to the hair trigger nerves in the region, especially along the border between Kuwait and Iraq. According to the Kuwaiti interior ministry, two of their Coast Guard vessels, small patrol boats, were in close to shore, around Warba Island, which is just between Iraq and Kuwait. It could easily be claimed by either side, although the Kuwaitis say it's theirs. It could be claimed by either side if you look at a map. The Kuwaitis claim to have a 12 mile maritime limit. The two Kuwaiti vessels, again, according to the interior ministry here, were in close to shore and then they say that an Iraqi patrol boat opened fire on the Kuwaiti Coast Guard vessels.
No casualties, according to the Kuwaitis, at least from the fire. However, when the two Kuwaiti patrol boats tried to maneuver under fire, they ran into each other and then one of the Kuwaiti sailors was injured. As I say, this is an area which is very close into shore, very close to both the Iraqi and Kuwaiti borders, easily disputed. Indeed, the Iraqis have long claimed that this was, Kuwait was their country. They don't have much of a navy, but they're willing to put up a little scrap -- Bill.
HEMMER: Walter, it might be naive for us to think that this is the first time it's ever happened. How frequent are clashes like these?
RODGERS: They're not frequent, but they're not without precedent. I think I recall one some time within the last week, although it's not clear. Again, this is disputed territory, but the Iraqi Navy really is a pale shadow of what it was before the 1991 Gulf War. Then it had at least vive frigates and more than a few patrol boats, although U.S. forces, Allied forces in the Gulf and the region in '91 took out 100 or more Iraqi patrol boats. And right now it's believed they have only five small patrol boats. It's not even sure they're able to put out to sea. The best boat in the Iraqi Navy now is said to be an old Soviet vintage Ossa missile boat. We're not sure which of the vessels was allegedly involved in the clash -- Bill.
HEMMER: Thank you, Walter. Walter Rodgers by way of video phone in Kuwait City.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
