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CNN Sunday Morning

Another U.S. Soldier Killed in Iraq

Aired November 09, 2003 - 07:34   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.


RENAY SAN MIGUEL, CNN ANCHOR: Turning now to Iraq, the American death toll keeps climbing. Another U.S. soldier is killed by a roadside bomb, bringing the death toll in Iraq to at least three dozen in the past week.
CNN's Ben Wedeman joins us now from the Iraqi capital with the latest -- Ben?

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Renay. That attack occurred last night at about 7:45 p.m. in the El Wada neighborhood of Baghdad. One soldier from the 1st Armored Division was killed, another wounded when their convoy drove by a roadside bomb.

Meanwhile sources with the 4th Infantry Division in Tikrit tell CNN that they now believe that the Blackhawk helicopter that was shot down last Friday, leaving six men dead, they believed that it was hit by a Strella 3, low altitude surface-to-air missile.

Now the coalition has been concerned for quite some time about the hundreds of surface-to-air missiles that are apparently in circulation in this country. In fact, they have offered in the past rewards of up to $500 to anyone who turns one of those missiles in.

Meanwhile here in Baghdad, the Spanish foreign minister Ana Palassio is on visit. She met earlier today with members of the Iraqi governing council. Yesterday, she was in the southern part of the country meeting with Spanish troops. Spain currently has 1,250 soldiers on the ground here.

They're located, however, in an area that's relatively peaceful. Spain, however, has not been immune from the violence in Iraq. In early October, the Spanish military attache here was assassinated. Meanwhile the Spanish embassy is cutting down its staff to the absolute minimum following the receipt by Spanish intelligence of information that their embassy may be targeted by terrorists -- Renay?

SAN MIGUEL: Ben, any news on the latest on Operation Ivy Cyclone, the U.S. military's attempts to sweep through that Sunni Triangle that's been giving them so much trouble?

WEDEMAN: Well, we know that they did launch that night before last, when they bombarded the area around where that Blackhawk helicopter landed. The purpose of Ivy Cyclone is really a show of force to show that the coalition has resolved, that it is going to go after those who are attacking them. We heard from Mosul, for instance, in the north of the country that they have found some rather large weapons caches. They have arrested individuals they believe were involved in attacks on coalition forces, which have been on the rise in the Mosul area in recent weeks. So this is an ongoing operation. They seem to be going around various places around the clock. But really in a sense, it's just a new name for the same thing that's been going on for quite some time. And that, of course, is the attempt to put down this insurrection -- Renay?

SAN MIGUEL: All right, Ben Wedeman reporting live from Baghdad. Thank you, Ben.

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 November 9, 2003 - 07:34   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
RENAY SAN MIGUEL, CNN ANCHOR: Turning now to Iraq, the American death toll keeps climbing. Another U.S. soldier is killed by a roadside bomb, bringing the death toll in Iraq to at least three dozen in the past week.
CNN's Ben Wedeman joins us now from the Iraqi capital with the latest -- Ben?

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Renay. That attack occurred last night at about 7:45 p.m. in the El Wada neighborhood of Baghdad. One soldier from the 1st Armored Division was killed, another wounded when their convoy drove by a roadside bomb.

Meanwhile sources with the 4th Infantry Division in Tikrit tell CNN that they now believe that the Blackhawk helicopter that was shot down last Friday, leaving six men dead, they believed that it was hit by a Strella 3, low altitude surface-to-air missile.

Now the coalition has been concerned for quite some time about the hundreds of surface-to-air missiles that are apparently in circulation in this country. In fact, they have offered in the past rewards of up to $500 to anyone who turns one of those missiles in.

Meanwhile here in Baghdad, the Spanish foreign minister Ana Palassio is on visit. She met earlier today with members of the Iraqi governing council. Yesterday, she was in the southern part of the country meeting with Spanish troops. Spain currently has 1,250 soldiers on the ground here.

They're located, however, in an area that's relatively peaceful. Spain, however, has not been immune from the violence in Iraq. In early October, the Spanish military attache here was assassinated. Meanwhile the Spanish embassy is cutting down its staff to the absolute minimum following the receipt by Spanish intelligence of information that their embassy may be targeted by terrorists -- Renay?

SAN MIGUEL: Ben, any news on the latest on Operation Ivy Cyclone, the U.S. military's attempts to sweep through that Sunni Triangle that's been giving them so much trouble?

WEDEMAN: Well, we know that they did launch that night before last, when they bombarded the area around where that Blackhawk helicopter landed. The purpose of Ivy Cyclone is really a show of force to show that the coalition has resolved, that it is going to go after those who are attacking them. We heard from Mosul, for instance, in the north of the country that they have found some rather large weapons caches. They have arrested individuals they believe were involved in attacks on coalition forces, which have been on the rise in the Mosul area in recent weeks. So this is an ongoing operation. They seem to be going around various places around the clock. But really in a sense, it's just a new name for the same thing that's been going on for quite some time. And that, of course, is the attempt to put down this insurrection -- Renay?

SAN MIGUEL: All right, Ben Wedeman reporting live from Baghdad. Thank you, Ben.

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