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American Morning
Talk with Former POW Michael Durant
Aired April 02, 2003 - 09:32 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: We're back now with some breaking news out of Baghdad. We are joined on the phone by Rolen Huegenin- Benjamin, of the International Committee of the Red Cross. He joins us from Baghdad.
Mr. Benjamin, we have heard reports of a series of explosions rocking the city again this afternoon. What have you heard? What can you see?
ROLAND HUEGENIN-BENJAMIN, INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE OF THE RED CROSS: Well, we have heard explosions definitely in the distance, of course difficult to identify the reasons for them. Initially, there have been loud explosions in daytime, louder than in the past few days.
ZAHN: Can you glean what part of the city you're thinking you're hearing this from?
HUEGENIN-BENJAMIN: Well, when you are involved it's rather difficult. What we know of is that in the morning, there was a large blast on the region of the city called that is Monsour, in which the premise of the National (UNINTELLIGIBLE) Red Crescent are located, and there has been news going about of damage. So we sent a team there. Our delegation sent four people to find out what had happened. There are two premises next to each other. The offices off of the Iraqi Red Crescent and maternity that belongs to it, and those had suffered indirect damage by a blast that happened on the compound just across the road from where they are located.
So they have suffered damage. Window panes have broken, hanging ceilings have fallen apart, and cars that were in the car park have been damaged. But it was caused by the violence of the blast across the road as an indirect consequence of the blast. It was not a direct hit.
And mercifully, there were no staff members indoors at the moment when it happened. So there are no casualties. Maternity was not in operation.
ZAHN: In fact, there are reports women were actually inducing labor weeks ago to have their children prematurely so they wouldn't have to give birth during the bombing. So it is your belief that there were absolutely no patients there, the maternity ward was not in operation?
HUEGENIN-BENJAMIN: Well, it's not the same reason, but this maternity, patients had been discharged just a few days ago at the onset of the conflict, because the area was feared not to be secure. So people had been either transferred to other hospitals, or discharged. So that's the reason why actually those premises were empty at the moment of the blast that occurred next to it on the other side of the road, and that's why there have been no casualties in this case, mercifully, once again.
I'd like to mention we have been very much shocked yesterday by the discovery of the terribly high number of civilian casualties at the hospital in Hella (ph), which is 100 kilometers south of Baghdad. In that hospital, where we had a chance of traveling with our own surgeon, was overwhelmed by hundreds of civilian casualties brought in over 48 hours. And there were lots and lots of dead bodies that were practically dismembers by the violence of explosion they had been subjected to. This was a horrific sight, very, very difficult to put up with.
ZAHN: Are you aware these medical facilities even having supplies on hand to take care of those kinds of casualties you're talking about?
HUEGENIN-BENJAMIN: Well, in Hella (ph), we had traveled to those city in the south, at which combat is currently going on. Of course, we were worried that they might run short of supply. So we had brought along some equipment for surgery, and they were taking care of the people. But, of course, hundreds of casualties coming in in very short time would be beyond the possibilities of any hospital anywhere in the world, for that matter. So we are organizing another convoy for additional supplies for that hospital, where they are operating on hundreds of patients who have severe injuries.
ZAHN: Sir, we have just time to squeeze in one more question here. What are the status of any talks going on between the Red Cross and Iraqi officials to allow for any of your workers to visit American POWs?
HUEGENIN-BENJAMIN: Well, they are ongoing, as much as we can see at this stage, you know, that we do not transgress our sacrosanct principle of confidentiality for the sake of the people we want to protect. You know that the visits have started of course on the other side, that the coalition forces have granted us the right to visit the Iraqi prisoners of war, and we definitely very much hope it will be possible, also without any further delay to visit the coalition prisoners of war, presently held by the Iraqi forces.
ZAHN: Roland Huegenin-Benjamin, thank you very much for spending some time with us this morning. We appreciate all that information you just shared with us.
Now as U.S. troops advance toward Baghdad, they may face some intense urban warfare, not unlike a battle that took place nearly 10 years ago. Now the pilot, or the story of a pilot who survived Mogadishu, the fierce 1993 battle that left 18 American soldiers dead.
Michael Durant was captured, held for 11 days. His autobiography, "In The Company of Heroes," comes out next month, and he joins us live here this morning. Michael, good of you to join us. Thanks for dropping by.
First of all, I know you were watching television when you saw the video of the dramatic rescue overnight of private first class Jessica Lynch. Tell us what you see when you look at this video.
MICHAEL DURANT, AUTHOR, "IN THE COMPANY OF HEROES": Well, I think the first thing is elation. It's nice to see some very positive news coming from the front. I -- her firsthand knowledge of how she feels, and I know my family understands how her family feels. We're all just happy to see that it was pulled off successfully.
ZAHN: Help us understand the perspective of some of the Army Rangers, the Air Force pilots, the Navy SEALS and the Marines that were involved in this very complicated and dangerous raid.
DURANT: Well, they, and we, when we were in active in duty, live for this kind of thing. That's what they're all trained for. That's probably the most sought after mission there could be, because it's emotionally -- the emotional impact, both on soldiers, on the people in the United States, it is so overwhelmingly positive that to be a part of it, I think is a very rewarding experience.
ZAHN: What does it mean, though, to land a chopper like that in the middle of this complex around Iraqi control, while diversionary tactics are taking place outside the perimeter area so the Iraqis don't know what's coming?
DURANT: I think while you're executing it, you're just focused on the task. You're still landing a helicopter, you understand the implications of all of it, but you really do have to focus on the business at hand. And then when it's all over, it's probably when you realize, wow, we just did something pretty special.
ZAHN: Can you even begin to imagine what Jessica Lynch was thinking as this was coming down? You've been there yourself. You were a prisoner of war.
DURANT: Yes. I dreamt about it. It's the ideal scenario. I think it's actually much better than a release really, because it's that -- just that overwhelmingly positive American feeling, that you're not going to be left behind, and the U.S. military's going to do everything they can do to bring you home and to see it actually happen. I can't imagine, I'm just proud of the folks that pulled off the mission, and I'm so glad that it was done as successfully as it was.
ZAHN: There was one poignant shot in particular, a still of Jessica, where you can see her looking up perhaps at a Marine, and then you can see the American flag sort of wrapped on her chest -- the shot right here.
DURANT: Yes, I think that in one image expresses the feeling of you don't foe how important freedom is until you lose it. And then when you get it back, like she is doing right there at that moment, how special that really is. I think you can see it in the photograph. ZAHN: What is your sense of what's ahead for U.S. troops? We had Walt Rodgers reporting early this morning, and this was all cleared by the U.S. military, that he is with the 3-7th Cav, they're within 25 miles of Baghdad right now?
DURANT: Well, this is potentially the hard part of the mission, not that any of it has been easy. But if in fact if we end up encountering the enemy in an urban scenario like Baghdad, it is the toughest place to fight.
But things have gone very well. We may be on an upswing here with this successful mission. I know it's a morale booster to get one of our POWs back. And our troops are prepared, they're motivated, they're equipped, resourced, and I think that they'll be successful.
ZAHN: And we wish you great success with your new book that comes out next week. The name of it is "In the Company of Heroes." I feel like we've been in the company of a hero this morning, Michael Durant.
DURANT: Thank you very much. Nice to be here.
ZAHN: Again. Appreciate your time.
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 April 2, 2003 - 09:32 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: We're back now with some breaking news out of Baghdad. We are joined on the phone by Rolen Huegenin- Benjamin, of the International Committee of the Red Cross. He joins us from Baghdad.
Mr. Benjamin, we have heard reports of a series of explosions rocking the city again this afternoon. What have you heard? What can you see?
ROLAND HUEGENIN-BENJAMIN, INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE OF THE RED CROSS: Well, we have heard explosions definitely in the distance, of course difficult to identify the reasons for them. Initially, there have been loud explosions in daytime, louder than in the past few days.
ZAHN: Can you glean what part of the city you're thinking you're hearing this from?
HUEGENIN-BENJAMIN: Well, when you are involved it's rather difficult. What we know of is that in the morning, there was a large blast on the region of the city called that is Monsour, in which the premise of the National (UNINTELLIGIBLE) Red Crescent are located, and there has been news going about of damage. So we sent a team there. Our delegation sent four people to find out what had happened. There are two premises next to each other. The offices off of the Iraqi Red Crescent and maternity that belongs to it, and those had suffered indirect damage by a blast that happened on the compound just across the road from where they are located.
So they have suffered damage. Window panes have broken, hanging ceilings have fallen apart, and cars that were in the car park have been damaged. But it was caused by the violence of the blast across the road as an indirect consequence of the blast. It was not a direct hit.
And mercifully, there were no staff members indoors at the moment when it happened. So there are no casualties. Maternity was not in operation.
ZAHN: In fact, there are reports women were actually inducing labor weeks ago to have their children prematurely so they wouldn't have to give birth during the bombing. So it is your belief that there were absolutely no patients there, the maternity ward was not in operation?
HUEGENIN-BENJAMIN: Well, it's not the same reason, but this maternity, patients had been discharged just a few days ago at the onset of the conflict, because the area was feared not to be secure. So people had been either transferred to other hospitals, or discharged. So that's the reason why actually those premises were empty at the moment of the blast that occurred next to it on the other side of the road, and that's why there have been no casualties in this case, mercifully, once again.
I'd like to mention we have been very much shocked yesterday by the discovery of the terribly high number of civilian casualties at the hospital in Hella (ph), which is 100 kilometers south of Baghdad. In that hospital, where we had a chance of traveling with our own surgeon, was overwhelmed by hundreds of civilian casualties brought in over 48 hours. And there were lots and lots of dead bodies that were practically dismembers by the violence of explosion they had been subjected to. This was a horrific sight, very, very difficult to put up with.
ZAHN: Are you aware these medical facilities even having supplies on hand to take care of those kinds of casualties you're talking about?
HUEGENIN-BENJAMIN: Well, in Hella (ph), we had traveled to those city in the south, at which combat is currently going on. Of course, we were worried that they might run short of supply. So we had brought along some equipment for surgery, and they were taking care of the people. But, of course, hundreds of casualties coming in in very short time would be beyond the possibilities of any hospital anywhere in the world, for that matter. So we are organizing another convoy for additional supplies for that hospital, where they are operating on hundreds of patients who have severe injuries.
ZAHN: Sir, we have just time to squeeze in one more question here. What are the status of any talks going on between the Red Cross and Iraqi officials to allow for any of your workers to visit American POWs?
HUEGENIN-BENJAMIN: Well, they are ongoing, as much as we can see at this stage, you know, that we do not transgress our sacrosanct principle of confidentiality for the sake of the people we want to protect. You know that the visits have started of course on the other side, that the coalition forces have granted us the right to visit the Iraqi prisoners of war, and we definitely very much hope it will be possible, also without any further delay to visit the coalition prisoners of war, presently held by the Iraqi forces.
ZAHN: Roland Huegenin-Benjamin, thank you very much for spending some time with us this morning. We appreciate all that information you just shared with us.
Now as U.S. troops advance toward Baghdad, they may face some intense urban warfare, not unlike a battle that took place nearly 10 years ago. Now the pilot, or the story of a pilot who survived Mogadishu, the fierce 1993 battle that left 18 American soldiers dead.
Michael Durant was captured, held for 11 days. His autobiography, "In The Company of Heroes," comes out next month, and he joins us live here this morning. Michael, good of you to join us. Thanks for dropping by.
First of all, I know you were watching television when you saw the video of the dramatic rescue overnight of private first class Jessica Lynch. Tell us what you see when you look at this video.
MICHAEL DURANT, AUTHOR, "IN THE COMPANY OF HEROES": Well, I think the first thing is elation. It's nice to see some very positive news coming from the front. I -- her firsthand knowledge of how she feels, and I know my family understands how her family feels. We're all just happy to see that it was pulled off successfully.
ZAHN: Help us understand the perspective of some of the Army Rangers, the Air Force pilots, the Navy SEALS and the Marines that were involved in this very complicated and dangerous raid.
DURANT: Well, they, and we, when we were in active in duty, live for this kind of thing. That's what they're all trained for. That's probably the most sought after mission there could be, because it's emotionally -- the emotional impact, both on soldiers, on the people in the United States, it is so overwhelmingly positive that to be a part of it, I think is a very rewarding experience.
ZAHN: What does it mean, though, to land a chopper like that in the middle of this complex around Iraqi control, while diversionary tactics are taking place outside the perimeter area so the Iraqis don't know what's coming?
DURANT: I think while you're executing it, you're just focused on the task. You're still landing a helicopter, you understand the implications of all of it, but you really do have to focus on the business at hand. And then when it's all over, it's probably when you realize, wow, we just did something pretty special.
ZAHN: Can you even begin to imagine what Jessica Lynch was thinking as this was coming down? You've been there yourself. You were a prisoner of war.
DURANT: Yes. I dreamt about it. It's the ideal scenario. I think it's actually much better than a release really, because it's that -- just that overwhelmingly positive American feeling, that you're not going to be left behind, and the U.S. military's going to do everything they can do to bring you home and to see it actually happen. I can't imagine, I'm just proud of the folks that pulled off the mission, and I'm so glad that it was done as successfully as it was.
ZAHN: There was one poignant shot in particular, a still of Jessica, where you can see her looking up perhaps at a Marine, and then you can see the American flag sort of wrapped on her chest -- the shot right here.
DURANT: Yes, I think that in one image expresses the feeling of you don't foe how important freedom is until you lose it. And then when you get it back, like she is doing right there at that moment, how special that really is. I think you can see it in the photograph. ZAHN: What is your sense of what's ahead for U.S. troops? We had Walt Rodgers reporting early this morning, and this was all cleared by the U.S. military, that he is with the 3-7th Cav, they're within 25 miles of Baghdad right now?
DURANT: Well, this is potentially the hard part of the mission, not that any of it has been easy. But if in fact if we end up encountering the enemy in an urban scenario like Baghdad, it is the toughest place to fight.
But things have gone very well. We may be on an upswing here with this successful mission. I know it's a morale booster to get one of our POWs back. And our troops are prepared, they're motivated, they're equipped, resourced, and I think that they'll be successful.
ZAHN: And we wish you great success with your new book that comes out next week. The name of it is "In the Company of Heroes." I feel like we've been in the company of a hero this morning, Michael Durant.
DURANT: Thank you very much. Nice to be here.
ZAHN: Again. Appreciate your time.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
