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American Morning

Strike on Iraq: CNN Baghdad Crew Safe In Jordan

Aired March 22, 2003 - 08:30   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: Once again, a local congressman describing it, as Abraham Lincoln once said, the last full measure of devotion to their country. Again, thanks so much.
Back to Bill in Kuwait City.

BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR, KUWAIT CITY: Unbelievable. Very difficult to listen to that Paula. You talk about that loss. I think if we look at this image right now that we're getting out of Iraq, right now. This is a first videotape that we've seen of our own crew, our own CNN crew who made the decision to stay in Baghdad for the early days of this campaign.

It was about 24 hours ago when the Iraqi officials, when the Iraqi officials had expelled our group, of four, Nic Robertson, Rym Brahimi and producer Ingrid Formanek and photographer Brian Puchadi (ph). They have now made it out of Iraq. They are safe. That is the important thing.

Again, this is the first videotape we have seen of them. It's my understanding that Nic is on a telephone there, right along the Iraqi- Jordanian border.

For our viewers, it was rather unfortunate that only two hours before the massive bombing campaign began last night, about two hours before that, they were pulled off the air and unable to report firsthand what was happening in the Iraqi capital.

Since that time, they get on that highway that goes from east to west, about eight hours before you cross the territory of Jordan. Nonetheless, as I repeat, the good news is that they are out and they are safe.

You can see Ingrid Formanek, you can see there, a very short time ago. Interesting story on Nic and Ingrid. They were both in Baghdad back in January of 1991. And if you've seen the movie that has been made and put out on HBO, "Live From Baghdad" they were two of the people featured in that film. And Ingrid and Nic both making the decision to go back 12 years later for this conflict.

Oftentimes, Paula, we've seen in the past, when journalists are expelled, and by the way, it was the last television network, American network to have its employees kicked out of Baghdad. Oftentimes, the Iraqis have reversed their decisions. It was what we were trying to be optimistic here, in Kuwait anyway, that quite possibly on this time again, the Iraqis would reverse themselves. But from this videotape in Jordan, that is not the case.

Again, Nic Robertson and Rym Brahimi and Brian Puchati (ph) and Ingrid Formanek, now out safe from Iraq. That's good news.

Paula?

ZAHN: I think the viewers who were with us on Wednesday night will vividly -- or actually with us during the first wave of -- well let's explain this.

On Wednesday night, we had the strategic attack of the small complex of buildings in Iraq followed by the beginning of another campaign the next day. And people remembered Nic's vivid descriptions of what he saw from his hotel room.

I think some people watching the show, if they haven't heard all of his reporting, were wondering why a man with two children and a wife would take this kind of risk. He made it very clear that he had covered Desert Storm, he was experienced at doing this. And this crew was not going to take any unnecessary chances staying in Baghdad.

This is a crew that uses excessive caution as they go about their work. But it's happy to see them safe, back in Jordan.

Bill?

HEMMER: Nic is married to Margaret Lowrie (ph), a longtime CNN- er herself. Nic was quoted recently saying that he actually sat down with his two young children, back in London, and explained to them what their father would be going through. And wanted to make sure it was OK with them, that they were comfortable with his experience.

One has to assume they gave the nod and Nic is not a guy who turns down an assignment lightly. If you go back to the beginning days of Afghanistan, Nic was there months on end getting the story out for us here at CNN and certainly for our viewers around the world.

There is only, by my count, Paula, a handful of reporters still left in Baghdad. We have heard from some of them yesterday, but no reports lately today. And it's quite unfortunate if you think about it, for the Iraqis to get their story out to the world, quite unfortunate to kick some responsible journalists out of their country, and not be able to transmit, not just the pictures, because we can see them from the number of cameras set up in Baghdad, but the words and the images that describe what is happening, what kind of experience it is in Baghdad.

Some journalists already quoted as saying last night, veteran correspondents, showing -- or explaining to us anyway that the display last night was, in their words now, just awesome. And they quoted some Iraqis as saying the Pentagon promises "Shock and Awe", and one hotel employee was quoted as saying, it was just that, it was awesome and it shocking as well.

Rym Brahimi, you saw a short time ago, she's been positioned in Baghdad for the better part of, I think, for five months. We've seen her almost around the clock coverage in the Iraqi capitol ever since this story started heating up back in the month of October. Our CNN crew is out of Baghdad, out of Iraq, now arriving in Jordan.

Paula?

ZAHN: We're replaying this moment, because this is very important to those of us who work here at CNN. This is Larry Register (ph) being reunited with Nic Robertson. There was great concern about what Nic and his crew might experience as they made that long trip from Iraq, south into Jordan.

Once again, Bill pointing out that Nic and his team were among the last network -- of the last network crews to be kicked out of Iraq. We're trying to get Nic on the phone so he can describe to us what he saw on this trip out of the country.

I'm not sure we have that established. Actually, we don't see the phone up to Nic's ear. We're going to stay with this picture a short while and bring you up-to-date on what we do know.

About 20 minutes from now, we're going to head from the head of Centcom Tommy Franks, this will be the first briefing since that he has held with reporters in Qatar, since the start of this campaign.

We established that contact yet? Not quite yet. We see Rym Brahimi. Who is also a member of our crew who has been doing some outstanding work out of Baghdad for the last couple of months.

Once again, we have been led to believe that this first stage of "Shock and Awe" is expected to last some 24 hours. Many of you who joined us at about 1:00 p.m. yesterday, saw this amazing barrage about a seven-minute barrage of cruise missiles and bombs raining on the city of Baghdad, in addition to Mosul and Kirkuk.

We are told that maybe the first stage will end at 1 p.m. today, of course battle plan is flexible, and we just don't know that. As soon as we have more of those details available, we will let you know. We've also been keeping our eye on that huge black plume of smoke that continues to rise from the skyline of downtown Baghdad. We have been led to believe from General Sheppard that the source of that might be something, like hitting a fuel depot.

But, once again, we don't have a reporter on the ground there and as soon as we can determine that for you, we will. But, Bill, we've been watching this now for about an hour and a half. Smoke is still rising.

HEMMER: Yes. You know, Paula, just listening to your interview with the parents of that fallen Marine, just to go back to that for a second, before we roll the videotape in Jordan of our own CNN crew.

By my count right now, the casualties on the American and British side over the past 24 hours, somewhat substantial. That helicopter crash, four Marines dead as a result of that. Including eight Brits who were on board as well. That happened in northern Kuwait. Apparently, this mission was to go into southeastern Iraq, but after the weather turned bad, the helicopter turned around. And on their way back to their base in northern Kuwait is when that chopper, a Sea Knight, known to the Marines, A CH-46 went down in the desert.

It was also yesterday afternoon two Marines also killed in combat. The first combat casualties in southern Iraq. At one point, one Marine was leading you platoon, we're told, a platoon of Marines trying to secure an oil well when he was gunned down. Also near the town of Umm Qasr, when gunfire broke out, another Marine shot and killed. He died in southeastern Iraq at that point.

Earlier today, off the coast of Kuwait in the Persian Gulf waters, two British helicopters leaving an aircraft carrier collided above the water shortly after takeoff. On board, six Brits, three crew members in each helicopter. A total of six from the British, and also an American on board as well, dead as a result of that helicopter collision.

Paula.

ZAHN: Sorry to interrupt you but we now have Nic Robertson and Rym Brahimi.

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 March 22, 2003 - 08:30   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Once again, a local congressman describing it, as Abraham Lincoln once said, the last full measure of devotion to their country. Again, thanks so much.
Back to Bill in Kuwait City.

BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR, KUWAIT CITY: Unbelievable. Very difficult to listen to that Paula. You talk about that loss. I think if we look at this image right now that we're getting out of Iraq, right now. This is a first videotape that we've seen of our own crew, our own CNN crew who made the decision to stay in Baghdad for the early days of this campaign.

It was about 24 hours ago when the Iraqi officials, when the Iraqi officials had expelled our group, of four, Nic Robertson, Rym Brahimi and producer Ingrid Formanek and photographer Brian Puchadi (ph). They have now made it out of Iraq. They are safe. That is the important thing.

Again, this is the first videotape we have seen of them. It's my understanding that Nic is on a telephone there, right along the Iraqi- Jordanian border.

For our viewers, it was rather unfortunate that only two hours before the massive bombing campaign began last night, about two hours before that, they were pulled off the air and unable to report firsthand what was happening in the Iraqi capital.

Since that time, they get on that highway that goes from east to west, about eight hours before you cross the territory of Jordan. Nonetheless, as I repeat, the good news is that they are out and they are safe.

You can see Ingrid Formanek, you can see there, a very short time ago. Interesting story on Nic and Ingrid. They were both in Baghdad back in January of 1991. And if you've seen the movie that has been made and put out on HBO, "Live From Baghdad" they were two of the people featured in that film. And Ingrid and Nic both making the decision to go back 12 years later for this conflict.

Oftentimes, Paula, we've seen in the past, when journalists are expelled, and by the way, it was the last television network, American network to have its employees kicked out of Baghdad. Oftentimes, the Iraqis have reversed their decisions. It was what we were trying to be optimistic here, in Kuwait anyway, that quite possibly on this time again, the Iraqis would reverse themselves. But from this videotape in Jordan, that is not the case.

Again, Nic Robertson and Rym Brahimi and Brian Puchati (ph) and Ingrid Formanek, now out safe from Iraq. That's good news.

Paula?

ZAHN: I think the viewers who were with us on Wednesday night will vividly -- or actually with us during the first wave of -- well let's explain this.

On Wednesday night, we had the strategic attack of the small complex of buildings in Iraq followed by the beginning of another campaign the next day. And people remembered Nic's vivid descriptions of what he saw from his hotel room.

I think some people watching the show, if they haven't heard all of his reporting, were wondering why a man with two children and a wife would take this kind of risk. He made it very clear that he had covered Desert Storm, he was experienced at doing this. And this crew was not going to take any unnecessary chances staying in Baghdad.

This is a crew that uses excessive caution as they go about their work. But it's happy to see them safe, back in Jordan.

Bill?

HEMMER: Nic is married to Margaret Lowrie (ph), a longtime CNN- er herself. Nic was quoted recently saying that he actually sat down with his two young children, back in London, and explained to them what their father would be going through. And wanted to make sure it was OK with them, that they were comfortable with his experience.

One has to assume they gave the nod and Nic is not a guy who turns down an assignment lightly. If you go back to the beginning days of Afghanistan, Nic was there months on end getting the story out for us here at CNN and certainly for our viewers around the world.

There is only, by my count, Paula, a handful of reporters still left in Baghdad. We have heard from some of them yesterday, but no reports lately today. And it's quite unfortunate if you think about it, for the Iraqis to get their story out to the world, quite unfortunate to kick some responsible journalists out of their country, and not be able to transmit, not just the pictures, because we can see them from the number of cameras set up in Baghdad, but the words and the images that describe what is happening, what kind of experience it is in Baghdad.

Some journalists already quoted as saying last night, veteran correspondents, showing -- or explaining to us anyway that the display last night was, in their words now, just awesome. And they quoted some Iraqis as saying the Pentagon promises "Shock and Awe", and one hotel employee was quoted as saying, it was just that, it was awesome and it shocking as well.

Rym Brahimi, you saw a short time ago, she's been positioned in Baghdad for the better part of, I think, for five months. We've seen her almost around the clock coverage in the Iraqi capitol ever since this story started heating up back in the month of October. Our CNN crew is out of Baghdad, out of Iraq, now arriving in Jordan.

Paula?

ZAHN: We're replaying this moment, because this is very important to those of us who work here at CNN. This is Larry Register (ph) being reunited with Nic Robertson. There was great concern about what Nic and his crew might experience as they made that long trip from Iraq, south into Jordan.

Once again, Bill pointing out that Nic and his team were among the last network -- of the last network crews to be kicked out of Iraq. We're trying to get Nic on the phone so he can describe to us what he saw on this trip out of the country.

I'm not sure we have that established. Actually, we don't see the phone up to Nic's ear. We're going to stay with this picture a short while and bring you up-to-date on what we do know.

About 20 minutes from now, we're going to head from the head of Centcom Tommy Franks, this will be the first briefing since that he has held with reporters in Qatar, since the start of this campaign.

We established that contact yet? Not quite yet. We see Rym Brahimi. Who is also a member of our crew who has been doing some outstanding work out of Baghdad for the last couple of months.

Once again, we have been led to believe that this first stage of "Shock and Awe" is expected to last some 24 hours. Many of you who joined us at about 1:00 p.m. yesterday, saw this amazing barrage about a seven-minute barrage of cruise missiles and bombs raining on the city of Baghdad, in addition to Mosul and Kirkuk.

We are told that maybe the first stage will end at 1 p.m. today, of course battle plan is flexible, and we just don't know that. As soon as we have more of those details available, we will let you know. We've also been keeping our eye on that huge black plume of smoke that continues to rise from the skyline of downtown Baghdad. We have been led to believe from General Sheppard that the source of that might be something, like hitting a fuel depot.

But, once again, we don't have a reporter on the ground there and as soon as we can determine that for you, we will. But, Bill, we've been watching this now for about an hour and a half. Smoke is still rising.

HEMMER: Yes. You know, Paula, just listening to your interview with the parents of that fallen Marine, just to go back to that for a second, before we roll the videotape in Jordan of our own CNN crew.

By my count right now, the casualties on the American and British side over the past 24 hours, somewhat substantial. That helicopter crash, four Marines dead as a result of that. Including eight Brits who were on board as well. That happened in northern Kuwait. Apparently, this mission was to go into southeastern Iraq, but after the weather turned bad, the helicopter turned around. And on their way back to their base in northern Kuwait is when that chopper, a Sea Knight, known to the Marines, A CH-46 went down in the desert.

It was also yesterday afternoon two Marines also killed in combat. The first combat casualties in southern Iraq. At one point, one Marine was leading you platoon, we're told, a platoon of Marines trying to secure an oil well when he was gunned down. Also near the town of Umm Qasr, when gunfire broke out, another Marine shot and killed. He died in southeastern Iraq at that point.

Earlier today, off the coast of Kuwait in the Persian Gulf waters, two British helicopters leaving an aircraft carrier collided above the water shortly after takeoff. On board, six Brits, three crew members in each helicopter. A total of six from the British, and also an American on board as well, dead as a result of that helicopter collision.

Paula.

ZAHN: Sorry to interrupt you but we now have Nic Robertson and Rym Brahimi.

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