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American Morning
Huge Explosions in Downtown Baghdad
Aired March 31, 2003 - 09:41 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: About an hour and a half ago we saw those huge explosions in downtown Baghdad. It was said at the time, possibly, that the presidential palace of one of Saddam's sons may have been targeted. We also heard that report at daybreak earlier today on Monday. Rula Amin is live in Jordan. She has been watching this from her perspective as well, and joins us live with what she's finding out now -- Rula, good afternoon there.
RULA AMIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good afternoon, Bill.
As you said, the bombing on Baghdad seems to be intensifying by the day. If we look at the pictures coming from there, you can see huge plumes of white and black smoke rising in the skyline from that city. And during the night, there was also very, very heavy bombardment. The U.S. and Britain used what is being described as a historic bomber package which means that they used B-1, B-2, B-52, the three huge bombers at the same time hitting at the same area, Baghdad.
But it seems that they were hitting at targets, Republican Guard sites, the Information Ministry in Baghdad, the Iraqi TV, and telephone exchanges.
However, it seems that despite the heavy bombardment, Iraqi officials still insist to appear on Iraqi TV and on speaking to the international press. Naji Sabri, the foreign minister of Iraq today, was the one who sent Iraq's message. He said that the U.S. is sinking deep in the mud of defeat, and that there was only one way to cut its losses.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NAJI SABRI, IRAQI FOREIGN MINISTER (through translator): The withdrawal of those aggressing forces -- aggressive forces will avert a lot of losses. If they go further in the aggression, they will increase their losses and the rift between them and the Arabs and Muslims will be bigger, and they will increase in the hatred and the feelings of hatred between them and the Muslims and Arabs and all the people of the world.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
AMIN: Naji Sabri praised the support Iraq was getting from the Arab street, from the 4,000 volunteers who Iraq said had arrived in Baghdad to fight along with the Iraqis. However, he criticized the Arab leaders and urged them to take the same position the street wants them to take, which is to support Iraq -- Bill.
HEMMER: All right, Rula. Thanks. Rula Amin watching things in Baghdad.
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 31, 2003 - 09:41 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: About an hour and a half ago we saw those huge explosions in downtown Baghdad. It was said at the time, possibly, that the presidential palace of one of Saddam's sons may have been targeted. We also heard that report at daybreak earlier today on Monday. Rula Amin is live in Jordan. She has been watching this from her perspective as well, and joins us live with what she's finding out now -- Rula, good afternoon there.
RULA AMIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good afternoon, Bill.
As you said, the bombing on Baghdad seems to be intensifying by the day. If we look at the pictures coming from there, you can see huge plumes of white and black smoke rising in the skyline from that city. And during the night, there was also very, very heavy bombardment. The U.S. and Britain used what is being described as a historic bomber package which means that they used B-1, B-2, B-52, the three huge bombers at the same time hitting at the same area, Baghdad.
But it seems that they were hitting at targets, Republican Guard sites, the Information Ministry in Baghdad, the Iraqi TV, and telephone exchanges.
However, it seems that despite the heavy bombardment, Iraqi officials still insist to appear on Iraqi TV and on speaking to the international press. Naji Sabri, the foreign minister of Iraq today, was the one who sent Iraq's message. He said that the U.S. is sinking deep in the mud of defeat, and that there was only one way to cut its losses.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NAJI SABRI, IRAQI FOREIGN MINISTER (through translator): The withdrawal of those aggressing forces -- aggressive forces will avert a lot of losses. If they go further in the aggression, they will increase their losses and the rift between them and the Arabs and Muslims will be bigger, and they will increase in the hatred and the feelings of hatred between them and the Muslims and Arabs and all the people of the world.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
AMIN: Naji Sabri praised the support Iraq was getting from the Arab street, from the 4,000 volunteers who Iraq said had arrived in Baghdad to fight along with the Iraqis. However, he criticized the Arab leaders and urged them to take the same position the street wants them to take, which is to support Iraq -- Bill.
HEMMER: All right, Rula. Thanks. Rula Amin watching things in Baghdad.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
