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American Morning

Marines in Kuwait Getting Ready For Action, Awaiting Orders

Aired March 13, 2003 - 08:17   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.


PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Now onto the buildup in the Persian Gulf. U.S. Marines are in Kuwait getting ready for action and awaiting orders.
Martin Savidge spent a day with troops near the Iraqi border.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Our first night in the desert with the First Battalion Seventh Marines and it was all hands on deck. A powerful sandstorm ripped into the camp and threatened to tear our tent apart. Marines inside and outside worked to reinforce poles and stitch up holes. The desert was winning and pouring in so heavily, the leathernecks had to put on goggles and surgical masks just to see and breathe. Fighting the elements is a nonstop battle for the marines.

As they worked, raids are used to talk to the guards outside to see how they are riding out the storm. That's yours truly settled down for the night.

Daylight didn't change things much. For the thousands of marines based here just 30 miles from the Iraqi border, life still has to go on. Ours wasn't the only tent that had suffered in the night. And this isn't the first one they faced, and not likely to be the last. And since many of them trained in the California desert, some say there are a lot of things here that remind them of home.

(on camera): The winds are supposed to remain like this for the rest of the day. After that, though, the weather forecast changes. Remember all those holes in the tents? Tonight they're predicting rain. For the marines, it's just another day in the desert.

Martin Savidge, CNN, northern Kuwait.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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




Orders>


Aired March 13, 2003 - 08:17   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Now onto the buildup in the Persian Gulf. U.S. Marines are in Kuwait getting ready for action and awaiting orders.
Martin Savidge spent a day with troops near the Iraqi border.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Our first night in the desert with the First Battalion Seventh Marines and it was all hands on deck. A powerful sandstorm ripped into the camp and threatened to tear our tent apart. Marines inside and outside worked to reinforce poles and stitch up holes. The desert was winning and pouring in so heavily, the leathernecks had to put on goggles and surgical masks just to see and breathe. Fighting the elements is a nonstop battle for the marines.

As they worked, raids are used to talk to the guards outside to see how they are riding out the storm. That's yours truly settled down for the night.

Daylight didn't change things much. For the thousands of marines based here just 30 miles from the Iraqi border, life still has to go on. Ours wasn't the only tent that had suffered in the night. And this isn't the first one they faced, and not likely to be the last. And since many of them trained in the California desert, some say there are a lot of things here that remind them of home.

(on camera): The winds are supposed to remain like this for the rest of the day. After that, though, the weather forecast changes. Remember all those holes in the tents? Tonight they're predicting rain. For the marines, it's just another day in the desert.

Martin Savidge, CNN, northern Kuwait.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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




Orders>