Return to Transcripts main page
American Morning
U.S. Forces Push Their Way Toward Baghdad
Aired April 02, 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.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Here's what's happening at this hour. Events are moving very quickly as U.S. forces push their way toward Baghdad. Our Walter Rodgers reports that soldiers have taken the city of Karbala and they're now 25 miles south of the Iraqi capital city Baghdad. That information has been cleared by the 3-7 Calvary's unit commander in case you're wondering why we're telling you this information. U.S. forces have also secured the strategic town of Kut, which is a little bit further east along the Tigris River.
Now Central Command also says U.S. is trying to identify 11 bodies discovered at a hospital in An Nasiriyah. Two of the bodies found inside yesterday, a hospital. Nine were found in a grave outside. Now, it's not known if those bodies are those of Americans. We're checking that out.
The bodies were found in the same hospital where Army Private Jessica Lynch was rescued in a daring raid yesterday. The 19-year-old is now in stable condition and in safekeeping right now. She's recovering from several gunshots wound. Lynch disappeared on March 23rd when her maintenance unit was ambushed in Nasiriyah.
U.S. Marines who helped in the rescue of Private Lynch have launched an aggressive block-by-block offensive in An Nasiriyah. The Marines are targeting paramilitary units loyal to Saddam Hussein.
And U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell says that talks with Turkish officials in Ankara have been fruitful. During his visit there, Powell urged Turkey not to send troops in northern Iraq setting up a possible clash with Kurdish forces there. He also said that Turkey will have an important role in post-war Iraq. Secretary Powell's next stop is going to be Belgrade and then he heads to Brussels for talks there with NATO officials.
Now coming up here on the network today, coalition air strikes pound targets in northern Iraq as ground forces approach Baghdad and we'll have our military analyst along to talk about the strategic significance of the moves there.
And as we've been reporting here, the advance toward Baghdad well underway. The 3-7th Cavalry is now about 25 miles outside of the Iraqi capital. More on that later on.
Plus, never leaving a comrade behind. We'll have more on that daring mission that pulled a young soldier out of harm's way. All that and much more ahead as CNN's coverage of the war in Iraq continues right now. PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning and welcome. I'm Paula Zahn in New York. U.S. forces on the move advancing on Baghdad right this minute. Central Command says Republican Guard units have been badly deteriorated in the southern defensive positions around Baghdad. Officials say Republican Guard units southwest of the Iraqi capital have been slashed by 50 percent.
And then to the east, the Baghdad division of the Republican Guard has been entirely destroyed. It's being called a two-prong advance by the Army and Marines. In the west, U.S. troops tell us the city of Karbala fell with very little resistance.
And of course, there is that Special Ops rescue of Private First Class Jessica Lynch. Central Command released this video of the operation this morning after she was pulled from an Iraqi hospital, reportedly after an Iraqi citizen tipped off U.S. military personnel. We'll be talking a lot about this morning, Bill, as you know, we have caught up with her brother so far and three of her close friends. Her town of Palestine, West Virginia could not be any happier this morning in what they're hoping is that this will bring greater hope to some of the other families who have soldiers missing in action or those that are listed as POWs at this hour. Bill joins us from Kuwait City. Good morning again.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Hello again Paula. I got to think what that family was going through for the past nine days running. Just absolutely extraordinary that Jessica is now back in U.S. hands. CNN's Walter Rodgers, by the way, embedded with the 3rd-7th Cavalry describes a huge U.S. Army rolling toward Baghdad with armored vehicles along a 10-mile horizon.
Walt says the unit took fire from an Iraqi anti-aircraft unit, which was wiped out. The British commander of forces in southern Iraq, General Robin Brim (ph), says that his troops have still not entered Basra, but says they can overcome any remaining resistance and enter the city. At this point, the British say they have consolidated control over the western part - western edge of the town of Basra.
Ryan Chilcote of CNN embedded with the 101st Airborne, he says U.S. troops got a warm welcome from thousands of Iraqis in the town of Najaf. Troops, though, have been engaged in a tense standoff at the Ali Mosque (ph), a holy shrine for Shiite Muslims, perhaps one of the most holiest sites for the Shiites in the world. Iraqi troops have reportedly fired from inside the mosque, we're told, while coalition forces have not returned that fire -- Paula.
ZAHN: Thanks so much, Bill. Photographer Molly Bingham was with the two "Newsday" journalists held by Iraqi security. She was in Baghdad working for 'Esquire" magazine when she disappeared. The news that she, too, was now safe and sound reached her family yesterday.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARRY BINGHAM, JR., FATHER: The call came to the office. A member of the staff picked up the phone. And honest to God, we thought it was an April fool's joke. It was not. It was really Molly.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ZAHN: And we're glad it wasn't. We are more -- have more reaction now. We're joined from Louisville by Molly's sister Emily Bingham and her cousin Clara Bingham from Washington. A very good morning, indeed, for both of you. I want to break away from the two of you for just one moment to take a live picture coming out of Amman, Jordan at this hour where those journalists who had been taken by Iraqi officials are now speaking at a news conference and when your sister Molly speaks, we will take that live.
Well actually, Molly may be speaking right now. Let's stop for a second. No, that's Moises Saman, one of the "Newsday" journalist. Now I'm told that Molly is speaking. Let's listen.
MOLLY BINGHAM, FREELANCE PHOTOGRAPHER: ... our friends and our colleagues and as we've learned in the last 12 hours since we got back here, a huge number of people that we've never met and that have never met us who came together and made a tremendous effort to make sure that we were safe and that we were returned here and certainly without that help, and without those efforts, I don't think we'd be sitting here today. And we're very, very grateful for everyone's help and we'd just like to say thank you, I think, as a group.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Anybody got a question?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Molly, can you walk us through - I know this is difficult...
M. BINGHAM: Sir, can you identify yourself?
JIM MACEDA, NBC NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Jim Maceda, NBC News. I wondered if you could walk us through the moments, the key moments, the highs and the lows and the very highs and the very lows of this experience, this eight-day ordeal.
M. BINGHAM: Well, I was first approached by people I assumed to be intelligence early in the morning on the 25th of March. And they took me to my room and said they were going to look through all of my things and that took about four hours of being held in the room. We weren't allowed to move. We weren't allowed to call anyone.
And they, at the end of that process said that I needed to go with them and that they just had a few questions for me. And I insisted if they had some questions for me, they could ask me in the hotel and there was no need for me to go anywhere. And I obviously wasn't particularly keen to leave my hotel room at 4:45 in the morning with a bunch of men with guns. And they took me downstairs, at which point, I saw Johan and Philip had also been brought downstairs.
And a few minutes ago later, Matt and Moises came down. And which I have to say while I wasn't happy anyone else was in the same situation, I was glad I wasn't alone. And they drove us to a place I didn't know where we were going. And for sort of lack of a better word, checked us in as prisoners, took all of our possessions, and we had all our suitcases and stuff with us, our equipment.
And they took it all and registered everything that we had and took our clothes and our jewelry and our watches and gave us pajamas and took us to individual cells next to each other, but we were told we couldn't talk to each other. And so that was by about 10:00 that morning. And over the next days, we were separately interrogated several times. And then later asked, I think, all to sign statements with our stories.
And then -- I mean, I was taken out one more time and asked about communications devices. Then another day or day or two passed and I was blindfolded and taken out as I had been done several times, and they took me back to the place where we had been checked in and said we were going to be given our things back and we would be taken back to Baghdad. And I think for me, I mean, I knew that someone had seen me be taken away, which I think of the five of us, I was the only one that knew that there was someone who knew that I was gone.
And that at least, to me, gave me some hope that someone knew we were missing or knew that I was missing and I hoped they would figure out that the rest of us were together. And I was told, when I was taken away, that that person would do everything that they could possibly do to make sure that this was fixed. And so while I was in my prison cell that was the thing that I kept telling myself, that someone knew that I was somewhere and that they were going to make every effort they possibly could to make sure that we were released.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) Did you feel at any time (UNINTELLIGIBLE) did you feel at any time any of you that your lives were in danger and what was your greatest fear? The bombs above or that you were captors?
MATTHEW MCALLESTER, "NEWSDAY" REPORTER: Do you want to direct questions to individuals? Because otherwise...
M. BINGHAM: Yes, it...
MCALLESTER: ... otherwise, we just don't know who to answer.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) Matt, maybe you first and then Molly.
MCALLESTER: I think that we probably all, from the moment that we realized that we were being taken to prison until personally the moment that we crossed into Jordan last night, thought that our lives were in danger at any moment. There were all sorts of, you know, scary things to suggest that, various not terribly good jokes about, you know, we kill, we kill, and things like that.
And the first night, we were lying in our cells and -- well, no, it was the first day, actually, and they were doing some soldering work on the bars, and it's very loud. I don't know if you've ever been next to any soldering, but it's obviously an electrical process going on, so that was a bit disconcerting. And -- sorry, what was the second part of the question?
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) Did you fear your captors and the bombs...
MCALLESTER: Yes, sorry. Well, I mean...
ZAHN: For those of you just joining us, you've been listening to Matthew McAllester, a "Newsday" journalist who was taken by the Iraqis, who's now free in Amman, Jordan talk about his experience. Before that, it was Molly Bingham who is a freelance photographer whose assignment in "Esquire" who talked about her experience of being held for over a week by the Iraqis. This news conference started literally as we had just introduced you to Emily Bingham, Molly's sister, and Clara Bingham, who joins us from D.C. who is a cousin of Molly Bingham.
Thank you for your patience. I'm sure you were delighted to see Molly, Emily. I know that you have established phone contact with her since her release. Tell us whether you were familiar with all of the details she just described of her captivity.
EMILY BINGHAM, MOLLY'S SISTER: No, I wasn't. And last night, I really only wanted to hear her voice and express my feelings about her safety and to -- for her to have the chance to say how relieved she was and thank the people who had worked so hard to make this happy ending possible, including, I've got to say, the Committee to Protect Journalists who helped make this such a happy day for freedom of the press. But these details were not confirmed to me last night yet, so I had not known exactly the conditions and whether they were the same conditions that Matt and Moises from "Newsday" had experienced, that this does confirm that.
ZAHN: Emily, Molly just sort of methodically described what she had been through, sort of saying in a matter of fact way, you know, once I got to the prison, they took my equipment, they took my clothes, my jewelry, they gave us pajamas, they put us in individual cells next to each other, told us we couldn't talk with each other. You have a strong sister, don't you?
E. BINGHAM: She is really tough and she is very brave and she is very serious about her work. And I knew that whatever happened, Molly would meet it with a lot of courage.
ZAHN: Emily, let me ask you this -- is it clear to you why she would have been targeted with the Iraqis? I was struck by what she said when she was taken out of the cell the second time, after having spent many hours in the hotel room, sifting through her equipment and then there in prison, to talk about so-called communications devices. Did she ever say to you in the conversation yesterday that the Iraqis thought she might have been spying or something like that?
E. BINGHAM: Well, those are the kinds of allegations that we hear have been applied in the cases of all the detained journalists. So my assumption is that, you know, she was under suspicion for the same unfounded reasons as they were, and I don't know the details of her equipment. I know that she went into Iraq to cover the war and that was her sole reason for being there and she had what, I guess, she thought she needed to do that. ZAHN: Clara, the other thing I was struck by what was what she had to say about how comforting it was in a way that she knew someone had seen her leave the hotel and she said even though she wasn't happy to see someone in the same circumstances she was, that was somewhat comforting. Clara, were you aware of that fact that she had been seen by someone being taken away from the hotel by Iraqi officials?
CLARA BINGHAM, MOLLY'S COUSIN: Yes. The only bit of evidence that we had was the eyewitness account of her roommate who saw her be questioned in their room and then taken away by the Iraqi officials. I believe the other journalists just disappeared, that their colleagues had said good night to them around midnight and then in the morning, they were no longer in their room. So we knew that Molly had been taken away by Iraqi officials. But I don't think anyone else knew exactly what had happened to the other journalists.
ZAHN: And Clara, for folks who maybe not understand the depth of your cousin's commitment to doing her work, she's traveled all over the world on assignment. Tell us how fiercely committed to journalism she not only was, but continues to be.
C. BINGHAM: Well, she covered the genocide in Rwanda. She spent a lot of time in Africa, Grundy (ph) and Congo. She also covered the war in Afghanistan. She spent time in Gaza recently photographing suicide bombers. She has been dedicated really in the last 10 years to covering stories and people that many of us would like to ignore and don't want to face the true hardships of so many people in this world.
ZAHN: And then, finally, Emily, although we didn't hear Molly answer this question at the news conference because we left it as Matthew McAllester had taken the question, whether they felt their lives were ever in any danger and he made it pretty clear that there was one point in prison where some soldering work was being done and they saw these electrical impulses that it was a little bit, in his words, disconcerting. Did your sister say anything about how vulnerable she felt either while being transported to the prison or while being incarcerated?
E. BINGHAM: I heard that in her voice and in the relief that she expressed to me and in the relief that she expressed and things she expressed on that news conference. Molly is, I think, beginning to be aware of how many efforts went into securing this happy ending and I know she must have been very frightened. As courageous as she is, I could tell that from her voice.
ZAHN: Well, we are so happy about your family's news and so appreciative...
E. BINGHAM: Thanks.
ZAHN: ... that you were patient as you watched the news conference of your sister right with us this morning. Emily Bingham, Clara Bingham, our best to you...
E. BINGHAM: Thank you, Paula. C. BINGHAM: Thank you.
ZAHN: .. and to your family. Thanks for your time this morning. Back to you, Bill in Kuwait City.
HEMMER: Paula, going to be a good flight home for her, no question about that.
Listen, with Walt Rodgers and Marty Savidge and Karl Penhaul, our embedded reporters with the U.S. military telling us about minimal resistance right now offered as the Marines and the Army move closer toward the capital city of Baghdad. What does this all mean? Major General Don Shepperd along in a moment, he'll analyze it for us and stack it up as well. What's happened with the Republican Guard? We'll talk about it when we come back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HEMMER: All right, I want to get back to the top story of the day, the advance on Baghdad that we've been getting from our embedded reporters; also the story of Jessica Lynch. Major General Don Shepperd with us back at the CNN Center. Before we get to the Republican Guard, I don't know if you have the video cued up or not, Don, but if we do, let's roll it and show what we all watched from the CENTCOM briefing about two hours ago. What did you take away from that operation largely conducted by Navy SEALS, supported by the Marines?
MAJ. GEN. DON SHEPPERD, U.S. AIR FORCE, (RET.): Yes, Bill, basically I think there was involvement of a lot of people. It was based, obviously, on local intelligence that identified that Jessica Lynch was in that hospital. You don't just launch these looking for people. This evidently from various reports was Army Rangers, U.S. Marines, Navy SEALS and perhaps Special Forces, as well, all supported by air power. Not only did they get Jessica Lynch, reportedly brought back 11 bodies to be examined, possibly some of the missing United States military, Bill. It was an amazing operation, all conducted under darkness, night vision goggles, and it was done by landing the helicopters in the compound. It was an amazing operation.
HEMMER: And good news, too. Don, let's talk about the Republican Guard. I don't know if you have the map cued up, but if you do, let's show our viewers where you believe right now the majority of the Republican Guard divisions are now assembled and how much degradation has been handed to these forces on the ground.
SHEPPERD: Yes, Bill, if we can bring up the map. Basically, what it amounts to is that the Republican Guard has been pounded for the better part of a week by United States air power wherever they are. I'm going to remove one symbol from the map here. Reportedly, the Baghdad division has been destroyed. And basically what's happened, and I'll go over here and try to telestrate a little bit.
We have three thrusts going on. The Marines have moved across the Tigris River in the vicinity of Al Kut and are headed toward Baghdad. The 3rd Infantry Division has encircled and is moving north of Karbala, reportedly some within 20 miles of Baghdad. And the 101st Airborne is over here on the left side supposedly through the Karbala gap.
All of this is good news in that it appears that Baghdad is being encircled, but there's lots of tough fighting. We should not beat our breasts yet. Remember the tactics of the Iraqi military when fighting the Iranians were to withdraw, launch chemical attacks and then go back and clean up. So there could be lots of tough fighting in Baghdad, or it could be that coalition forces are welcomed with flowers.
Lots to be determined, Bill, but there won't be a headlong rush into Baghdad. Clearly, advances on Baghdad.
HEMMER: Take it a step further. If you've listened to Marty, you've listened to Walt, you've listened to Carl, they say minimal resistance right across the board. What explains that? Does it strike you as it strikes some of us here in Kuwait that it might be just a bit too easy right now?
SHEPPERD: Yes indeed. You have to be very cautious about these things. Reportedly, Baghdad was just hammered by air power and the Marines as they're moving toward Baghdad north of Al Kut are receiving very little resistance, sporadic fire. Karbala, where the Medina Division was also pounded by air power has been encircled very quickly.
In fact, the battle there, which was expected to be fierce, only took about three hours. So I believe that coalition air power has weakened these divisions substantially, but as they withdraw toward Baghdad, they will be reinforced by other Republican Guard divisions and, of course, regular Iraqi Army divisions from around the country. All of this, though, as it's moving, is very vulnerable to air power again Bill. The Iraqi military is in a world of hurt. It is a matter of time.
HEMMER: Major General Don Shepperd, thanks. You pointed out the threat of chemical or biological weapons. Walt Rodgers says the 7th Cav. wearing those suits right now as they advance further in the general direction, as Walt says, of Baghdad. Thanks Don. Here's Paula now in New York.
ZAHN: Thanks Bill. A "TIME" - excuse me - a "TIME" magazine report this week says the Iraqi military is using the book "Black Hawk Down" as a manual for defeating the U.S. military. As you know, the story is a chilling account of what happened to American forces in Mogadishu in 1993 when an operation targeting a Somali warlord went horribly wrong. Eighteen U.S. servicemen lost their lives. The author of "Black Hawk Down" Mark Bowden has also written a profile on Saddam Hussein for "The Atlantic Monthly" and Mark joins us now to discuss Saddam's war strategy. Good morning. Thanks so much for being with us.
MARK BOWDEN, AUTHOR, "BLACK HAWK DOWN": You're welcome, Paula.
ZAHN: Tell me a little bit about your reaction when you heard that the Iraqis were using your book as a training manual for what they might expect when coalition forces come.
BOWDEN: Well, it was the kind of the thing that, you know, I think it's the kind of a stupid thing that Saddam might just do, because the sort of glib understanding of what happened in Mogadishu of 1993 was that American forces were overwhelmed and defeated. But in fact, if you read the book or even if you see the film, you realize that the mission that they conducted that day was a success basically, although, you know, they obviously encountered terrific odds.
But it also is a tribute to the determination and courage of the American soldier. So if the idea is to convince people that you can make the United States give up and go away by killing a few of its soldiers, which is the overall lesson that a lot of people, I think, drew from our experience in Somalia, certainly, my book and the movie put the lie to that notion.
ZAHN: Now, also, I understand the American military officials have asked troops to study this book...
BOWDEN: Yes.
ZAHN: ... look at the movie. What is the lesson learned for them?
BOWDEN: Well, I think this is -- the truth is that Battle of Mogadishu was the most significant combat that American forces have faced in many, many years; certainly, the most significant firefight. And so I think it makes perfect sense that the military would want to study what happened there and learn lessons from what happened there, just as their enemies are trying to learn ways of defeating our forces. So I mean, it isn't my book that is so important. It's the event that was so important and so it really doesn't surprise me that it would be studied by everyone.
ZAHN: And when you saw this amazing video this morning of this daring rescue of Private First Class Jessica Lynch and you saw who all was involved...
BOWDEN: Right.
ZAHN: ... from the Army to the Marines to Special Ops, what does that indicate to you about willing to take this kind of chance at this time?
BOWDEN: Well, I think that anyone who believes that the United States lacks determination to see this mission through is making a big mistake, because I think -- I mean, I don't believe that the United States military ever had any kind of timidity, although I do think there was a kind of political timidity about using the American power during the 1990's. I think that vanished on September 11, 2001. I think that the American people are still deeply angry over what happened on that day and I think this country is really strongly united behind its military forces and anyone who thinks that we lack resolve is not paying attention.
ZAHN: Got to leave you now. Another book up your sleeve? BOWDEN: I'm working on an article for "The Atlantic Monthly" and I write a column for "The Philadelphia Inquirer" and I'm working on a book about the Iran hostage crisis.
ZAHN: Well you'll have to come back and talk to us again when you're done with all that.
BOWDEN: Be happy to do that.
ZAHN: Mark Bowden, thank you, again...
BOWDEN: Thank you Paula.
ZAHN: ... for your time this morning. We're coming up on the top of the hour. We're going to take a short break here and when we come back to you, we'll have the headlines of the day for you. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
Aired April 2, 2003 - 08:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Here's what's happening at this hour. Events are moving very quickly as U.S. forces push their way toward Baghdad. Our Walter Rodgers reports that soldiers have taken the city of Karbala and they're now 25 miles south of the Iraqi capital city Baghdad. That information has been cleared by the 3-7 Calvary's unit commander in case you're wondering why we're telling you this information. U.S. forces have also secured the strategic town of Kut, which is a little bit further east along the Tigris River.
Now Central Command also says U.S. is trying to identify 11 bodies discovered at a hospital in An Nasiriyah. Two of the bodies found inside yesterday, a hospital. Nine were found in a grave outside. Now, it's not known if those bodies are those of Americans. We're checking that out.
The bodies were found in the same hospital where Army Private Jessica Lynch was rescued in a daring raid yesterday. The 19-year-old is now in stable condition and in safekeeping right now. She's recovering from several gunshots wound. Lynch disappeared on March 23rd when her maintenance unit was ambushed in Nasiriyah.
U.S. Marines who helped in the rescue of Private Lynch have launched an aggressive block-by-block offensive in An Nasiriyah. The Marines are targeting paramilitary units loyal to Saddam Hussein.
And U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell says that talks with Turkish officials in Ankara have been fruitful. During his visit there, Powell urged Turkey not to send troops in northern Iraq setting up a possible clash with Kurdish forces there. He also said that Turkey will have an important role in post-war Iraq. Secretary Powell's next stop is going to be Belgrade and then he heads to Brussels for talks there with NATO officials.
Now coming up here on the network today, coalition air strikes pound targets in northern Iraq as ground forces approach Baghdad and we'll have our military analyst along to talk about the strategic significance of the moves there.
And as we've been reporting here, the advance toward Baghdad well underway. The 3-7th Cavalry is now about 25 miles outside of the Iraqi capital. More on that later on.
Plus, never leaving a comrade behind. We'll have more on that daring mission that pulled a young soldier out of harm's way. All that and much more ahead as CNN's coverage of the war in Iraq continues right now. PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning and welcome. I'm Paula Zahn in New York. U.S. forces on the move advancing on Baghdad right this minute. Central Command says Republican Guard units have been badly deteriorated in the southern defensive positions around Baghdad. Officials say Republican Guard units southwest of the Iraqi capital have been slashed by 50 percent.
And then to the east, the Baghdad division of the Republican Guard has been entirely destroyed. It's being called a two-prong advance by the Army and Marines. In the west, U.S. troops tell us the city of Karbala fell with very little resistance.
And of course, there is that Special Ops rescue of Private First Class Jessica Lynch. Central Command released this video of the operation this morning after she was pulled from an Iraqi hospital, reportedly after an Iraqi citizen tipped off U.S. military personnel. We'll be talking a lot about this morning, Bill, as you know, we have caught up with her brother so far and three of her close friends. Her town of Palestine, West Virginia could not be any happier this morning in what they're hoping is that this will bring greater hope to some of the other families who have soldiers missing in action or those that are listed as POWs at this hour. Bill joins us from Kuwait City. Good morning again.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Hello again Paula. I got to think what that family was going through for the past nine days running. Just absolutely extraordinary that Jessica is now back in U.S. hands. CNN's Walter Rodgers, by the way, embedded with the 3rd-7th Cavalry describes a huge U.S. Army rolling toward Baghdad with armored vehicles along a 10-mile horizon.
Walt says the unit took fire from an Iraqi anti-aircraft unit, which was wiped out. The British commander of forces in southern Iraq, General Robin Brim (ph), says that his troops have still not entered Basra, but says they can overcome any remaining resistance and enter the city. At this point, the British say they have consolidated control over the western part - western edge of the town of Basra.
Ryan Chilcote of CNN embedded with the 101st Airborne, he says U.S. troops got a warm welcome from thousands of Iraqis in the town of Najaf. Troops, though, have been engaged in a tense standoff at the Ali Mosque (ph), a holy shrine for Shiite Muslims, perhaps one of the most holiest sites for the Shiites in the world. Iraqi troops have reportedly fired from inside the mosque, we're told, while coalition forces have not returned that fire -- Paula.
ZAHN: Thanks so much, Bill. Photographer Molly Bingham was with the two "Newsday" journalists held by Iraqi security. She was in Baghdad working for 'Esquire" magazine when she disappeared. The news that she, too, was now safe and sound reached her family yesterday.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARRY BINGHAM, JR., FATHER: The call came to the office. A member of the staff picked up the phone. And honest to God, we thought it was an April fool's joke. It was not. It was really Molly.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ZAHN: And we're glad it wasn't. We are more -- have more reaction now. We're joined from Louisville by Molly's sister Emily Bingham and her cousin Clara Bingham from Washington. A very good morning, indeed, for both of you. I want to break away from the two of you for just one moment to take a live picture coming out of Amman, Jordan at this hour where those journalists who had been taken by Iraqi officials are now speaking at a news conference and when your sister Molly speaks, we will take that live.
Well actually, Molly may be speaking right now. Let's stop for a second. No, that's Moises Saman, one of the "Newsday" journalist. Now I'm told that Molly is speaking. Let's listen.
MOLLY BINGHAM, FREELANCE PHOTOGRAPHER: ... our friends and our colleagues and as we've learned in the last 12 hours since we got back here, a huge number of people that we've never met and that have never met us who came together and made a tremendous effort to make sure that we were safe and that we were returned here and certainly without that help, and without those efforts, I don't think we'd be sitting here today. And we're very, very grateful for everyone's help and we'd just like to say thank you, I think, as a group.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Anybody got a question?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Molly, can you walk us through - I know this is difficult...
M. BINGHAM: Sir, can you identify yourself?
JIM MACEDA, NBC NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Jim Maceda, NBC News. I wondered if you could walk us through the moments, the key moments, the highs and the lows and the very highs and the very lows of this experience, this eight-day ordeal.
M. BINGHAM: Well, I was first approached by people I assumed to be intelligence early in the morning on the 25th of March. And they took me to my room and said they were going to look through all of my things and that took about four hours of being held in the room. We weren't allowed to move. We weren't allowed to call anyone.
And they, at the end of that process said that I needed to go with them and that they just had a few questions for me. And I insisted if they had some questions for me, they could ask me in the hotel and there was no need for me to go anywhere. And I obviously wasn't particularly keen to leave my hotel room at 4:45 in the morning with a bunch of men with guns. And they took me downstairs, at which point, I saw Johan and Philip had also been brought downstairs.
And a few minutes ago later, Matt and Moises came down. And which I have to say while I wasn't happy anyone else was in the same situation, I was glad I wasn't alone. And they drove us to a place I didn't know where we were going. And for sort of lack of a better word, checked us in as prisoners, took all of our possessions, and we had all our suitcases and stuff with us, our equipment.
And they took it all and registered everything that we had and took our clothes and our jewelry and our watches and gave us pajamas and took us to individual cells next to each other, but we were told we couldn't talk to each other. And so that was by about 10:00 that morning. And over the next days, we were separately interrogated several times. And then later asked, I think, all to sign statements with our stories.
And then -- I mean, I was taken out one more time and asked about communications devices. Then another day or day or two passed and I was blindfolded and taken out as I had been done several times, and they took me back to the place where we had been checked in and said we were going to be given our things back and we would be taken back to Baghdad. And I think for me, I mean, I knew that someone had seen me be taken away, which I think of the five of us, I was the only one that knew that there was someone who knew that I was gone.
And that at least, to me, gave me some hope that someone knew we were missing or knew that I was missing and I hoped they would figure out that the rest of us were together. And I was told, when I was taken away, that that person would do everything that they could possibly do to make sure that this was fixed. And so while I was in my prison cell that was the thing that I kept telling myself, that someone knew that I was somewhere and that they were going to make every effort they possibly could to make sure that we were released.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) Did you feel at any time (UNINTELLIGIBLE) did you feel at any time any of you that your lives were in danger and what was your greatest fear? The bombs above or that you were captors?
MATTHEW MCALLESTER, "NEWSDAY" REPORTER: Do you want to direct questions to individuals? Because otherwise...
M. BINGHAM: Yes, it...
MCALLESTER: ... otherwise, we just don't know who to answer.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) Matt, maybe you first and then Molly.
MCALLESTER: I think that we probably all, from the moment that we realized that we were being taken to prison until personally the moment that we crossed into Jordan last night, thought that our lives were in danger at any moment. There were all sorts of, you know, scary things to suggest that, various not terribly good jokes about, you know, we kill, we kill, and things like that.
And the first night, we were lying in our cells and -- well, no, it was the first day, actually, and they were doing some soldering work on the bars, and it's very loud. I don't know if you've ever been next to any soldering, but it's obviously an electrical process going on, so that was a bit disconcerting. And -- sorry, what was the second part of the question?
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) Did you fear your captors and the bombs...
MCALLESTER: Yes, sorry. Well, I mean...
ZAHN: For those of you just joining us, you've been listening to Matthew McAllester, a "Newsday" journalist who was taken by the Iraqis, who's now free in Amman, Jordan talk about his experience. Before that, it was Molly Bingham who is a freelance photographer whose assignment in "Esquire" who talked about her experience of being held for over a week by the Iraqis. This news conference started literally as we had just introduced you to Emily Bingham, Molly's sister, and Clara Bingham, who joins us from D.C. who is a cousin of Molly Bingham.
Thank you for your patience. I'm sure you were delighted to see Molly, Emily. I know that you have established phone contact with her since her release. Tell us whether you were familiar with all of the details she just described of her captivity.
EMILY BINGHAM, MOLLY'S SISTER: No, I wasn't. And last night, I really only wanted to hear her voice and express my feelings about her safety and to -- for her to have the chance to say how relieved she was and thank the people who had worked so hard to make this happy ending possible, including, I've got to say, the Committee to Protect Journalists who helped make this such a happy day for freedom of the press. But these details were not confirmed to me last night yet, so I had not known exactly the conditions and whether they were the same conditions that Matt and Moises from "Newsday" had experienced, that this does confirm that.
ZAHN: Emily, Molly just sort of methodically described what she had been through, sort of saying in a matter of fact way, you know, once I got to the prison, they took my equipment, they took my clothes, my jewelry, they gave us pajamas, they put us in individual cells next to each other, told us we couldn't talk with each other. You have a strong sister, don't you?
E. BINGHAM: She is really tough and she is very brave and she is very serious about her work. And I knew that whatever happened, Molly would meet it with a lot of courage.
ZAHN: Emily, let me ask you this -- is it clear to you why she would have been targeted with the Iraqis? I was struck by what she said when she was taken out of the cell the second time, after having spent many hours in the hotel room, sifting through her equipment and then there in prison, to talk about so-called communications devices. Did she ever say to you in the conversation yesterday that the Iraqis thought she might have been spying or something like that?
E. BINGHAM: Well, those are the kinds of allegations that we hear have been applied in the cases of all the detained journalists. So my assumption is that, you know, she was under suspicion for the same unfounded reasons as they were, and I don't know the details of her equipment. I know that she went into Iraq to cover the war and that was her sole reason for being there and she had what, I guess, she thought she needed to do that. ZAHN: Clara, the other thing I was struck by what was what she had to say about how comforting it was in a way that she knew someone had seen her leave the hotel and she said even though she wasn't happy to see someone in the same circumstances she was, that was somewhat comforting. Clara, were you aware of that fact that she had been seen by someone being taken away from the hotel by Iraqi officials?
CLARA BINGHAM, MOLLY'S COUSIN: Yes. The only bit of evidence that we had was the eyewitness account of her roommate who saw her be questioned in their room and then taken away by the Iraqi officials. I believe the other journalists just disappeared, that their colleagues had said good night to them around midnight and then in the morning, they were no longer in their room. So we knew that Molly had been taken away by Iraqi officials. But I don't think anyone else knew exactly what had happened to the other journalists.
ZAHN: And Clara, for folks who maybe not understand the depth of your cousin's commitment to doing her work, she's traveled all over the world on assignment. Tell us how fiercely committed to journalism she not only was, but continues to be.
C. BINGHAM: Well, she covered the genocide in Rwanda. She spent a lot of time in Africa, Grundy (ph) and Congo. She also covered the war in Afghanistan. She spent time in Gaza recently photographing suicide bombers. She has been dedicated really in the last 10 years to covering stories and people that many of us would like to ignore and don't want to face the true hardships of so many people in this world.
ZAHN: And then, finally, Emily, although we didn't hear Molly answer this question at the news conference because we left it as Matthew McAllester had taken the question, whether they felt their lives were ever in any danger and he made it pretty clear that there was one point in prison where some soldering work was being done and they saw these electrical impulses that it was a little bit, in his words, disconcerting. Did your sister say anything about how vulnerable she felt either while being transported to the prison or while being incarcerated?
E. BINGHAM: I heard that in her voice and in the relief that she expressed to me and in the relief that she expressed and things she expressed on that news conference. Molly is, I think, beginning to be aware of how many efforts went into securing this happy ending and I know she must have been very frightened. As courageous as she is, I could tell that from her voice.
ZAHN: Well, we are so happy about your family's news and so appreciative...
E. BINGHAM: Thanks.
ZAHN: ... that you were patient as you watched the news conference of your sister right with us this morning. Emily Bingham, Clara Bingham, our best to you...
E. BINGHAM: Thank you, Paula. C. BINGHAM: Thank you.
ZAHN: .. and to your family. Thanks for your time this morning. Back to you, Bill in Kuwait City.
HEMMER: Paula, going to be a good flight home for her, no question about that.
Listen, with Walt Rodgers and Marty Savidge and Karl Penhaul, our embedded reporters with the U.S. military telling us about minimal resistance right now offered as the Marines and the Army move closer toward the capital city of Baghdad. What does this all mean? Major General Don Shepperd along in a moment, he'll analyze it for us and stack it up as well. What's happened with the Republican Guard? We'll talk about it when we come back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HEMMER: All right, I want to get back to the top story of the day, the advance on Baghdad that we've been getting from our embedded reporters; also the story of Jessica Lynch. Major General Don Shepperd with us back at the CNN Center. Before we get to the Republican Guard, I don't know if you have the video cued up or not, Don, but if we do, let's roll it and show what we all watched from the CENTCOM briefing about two hours ago. What did you take away from that operation largely conducted by Navy SEALS, supported by the Marines?
MAJ. GEN. DON SHEPPERD, U.S. AIR FORCE, (RET.): Yes, Bill, basically I think there was involvement of a lot of people. It was based, obviously, on local intelligence that identified that Jessica Lynch was in that hospital. You don't just launch these looking for people. This evidently from various reports was Army Rangers, U.S. Marines, Navy SEALS and perhaps Special Forces, as well, all supported by air power. Not only did they get Jessica Lynch, reportedly brought back 11 bodies to be examined, possibly some of the missing United States military, Bill. It was an amazing operation, all conducted under darkness, night vision goggles, and it was done by landing the helicopters in the compound. It was an amazing operation.
HEMMER: And good news, too. Don, let's talk about the Republican Guard. I don't know if you have the map cued up, but if you do, let's show our viewers where you believe right now the majority of the Republican Guard divisions are now assembled and how much degradation has been handed to these forces on the ground.
SHEPPERD: Yes, Bill, if we can bring up the map. Basically, what it amounts to is that the Republican Guard has been pounded for the better part of a week by United States air power wherever they are. I'm going to remove one symbol from the map here. Reportedly, the Baghdad division has been destroyed. And basically what's happened, and I'll go over here and try to telestrate a little bit.
We have three thrusts going on. The Marines have moved across the Tigris River in the vicinity of Al Kut and are headed toward Baghdad. The 3rd Infantry Division has encircled and is moving north of Karbala, reportedly some within 20 miles of Baghdad. And the 101st Airborne is over here on the left side supposedly through the Karbala gap.
All of this is good news in that it appears that Baghdad is being encircled, but there's lots of tough fighting. We should not beat our breasts yet. Remember the tactics of the Iraqi military when fighting the Iranians were to withdraw, launch chemical attacks and then go back and clean up. So there could be lots of tough fighting in Baghdad, or it could be that coalition forces are welcomed with flowers.
Lots to be determined, Bill, but there won't be a headlong rush into Baghdad. Clearly, advances on Baghdad.
HEMMER: Take it a step further. If you've listened to Marty, you've listened to Walt, you've listened to Carl, they say minimal resistance right across the board. What explains that? Does it strike you as it strikes some of us here in Kuwait that it might be just a bit too easy right now?
SHEPPERD: Yes indeed. You have to be very cautious about these things. Reportedly, Baghdad was just hammered by air power and the Marines as they're moving toward Baghdad north of Al Kut are receiving very little resistance, sporadic fire. Karbala, where the Medina Division was also pounded by air power has been encircled very quickly.
In fact, the battle there, which was expected to be fierce, only took about three hours. So I believe that coalition air power has weakened these divisions substantially, but as they withdraw toward Baghdad, they will be reinforced by other Republican Guard divisions and, of course, regular Iraqi Army divisions from around the country. All of this, though, as it's moving, is very vulnerable to air power again Bill. The Iraqi military is in a world of hurt. It is a matter of time.
HEMMER: Major General Don Shepperd, thanks. You pointed out the threat of chemical or biological weapons. Walt Rodgers says the 7th Cav. wearing those suits right now as they advance further in the general direction, as Walt says, of Baghdad. Thanks Don. Here's Paula now in New York.
ZAHN: Thanks Bill. A "TIME" - excuse me - a "TIME" magazine report this week says the Iraqi military is using the book "Black Hawk Down" as a manual for defeating the U.S. military. As you know, the story is a chilling account of what happened to American forces in Mogadishu in 1993 when an operation targeting a Somali warlord went horribly wrong. Eighteen U.S. servicemen lost their lives. The author of "Black Hawk Down" Mark Bowden has also written a profile on Saddam Hussein for "The Atlantic Monthly" and Mark joins us now to discuss Saddam's war strategy. Good morning. Thanks so much for being with us.
MARK BOWDEN, AUTHOR, "BLACK HAWK DOWN": You're welcome, Paula.
ZAHN: Tell me a little bit about your reaction when you heard that the Iraqis were using your book as a training manual for what they might expect when coalition forces come.
BOWDEN: Well, it was the kind of the thing that, you know, I think it's the kind of a stupid thing that Saddam might just do, because the sort of glib understanding of what happened in Mogadishu of 1993 was that American forces were overwhelmed and defeated. But in fact, if you read the book or even if you see the film, you realize that the mission that they conducted that day was a success basically, although, you know, they obviously encountered terrific odds.
But it also is a tribute to the determination and courage of the American soldier. So if the idea is to convince people that you can make the United States give up and go away by killing a few of its soldiers, which is the overall lesson that a lot of people, I think, drew from our experience in Somalia, certainly, my book and the movie put the lie to that notion.
ZAHN: Now, also, I understand the American military officials have asked troops to study this book...
BOWDEN: Yes.
ZAHN: ... look at the movie. What is the lesson learned for them?
BOWDEN: Well, I think this is -- the truth is that Battle of Mogadishu was the most significant combat that American forces have faced in many, many years; certainly, the most significant firefight. And so I think it makes perfect sense that the military would want to study what happened there and learn lessons from what happened there, just as their enemies are trying to learn ways of defeating our forces. So I mean, it isn't my book that is so important. It's the event that was so important and so it really doesn't surprise me that it would be studied by everyone.
ZAHN: And when you saw this amazing video this morning of this daring rescue of Private First Class Jessica Lynch and you saw who all was involved...
BOWDEN: Right.
ZAHN: ... from the Army to the Marines to Special Ops, what does that indicate to you about willing to take this kind of chance at this time?
BOWDEN: Well, I think that anyone who believes that the United States lacks determination to see this mission through is making a big mistake, because I think -- I mean, I don't believe that the United States military ever had any kind of timidity, although I do think there was a kind of political timidity about using the American power during the 1990's. I think that vanished on September 11, 2001. I think that the American people are still deeply angry over what happened on that day and I think this country is really strongly united behind its military forces and anyone who thinks that we lack resolve is not paying attention.
ZAHN: Got to leave you now. Another book up your sleeve? BOWDEN: I'm working on an article for "The Atlantic Monthly" and I write a column for "The Philadelphia Inquirer" and I'm working on a book about the Iran hostage crisis.
ZAHN: Well you'll have to come back and talk to us again when you're done with all that.
BOWDEN: Be happy to do that.
ZAHN: Mark Bowden, thank you, again...
BOWDEN: Thank you Paula.
ZAHN: ... for your time this morning. We're coming up on the top of the hour. We're going to take a short break here and when we come back to you, we'll have the headlines of the day for you. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
