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CNN Live Sunday
Kuwaitis Prepare for War
Aired February 16, 2003 - 18:27 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.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: In any military conflict with Iraq, its southern neighbor, Kuwait, could face grave danger, obviously. During the Gulf War, hundreds of Kuwaiti citizens disappeared, never to be heard from again.
CNN's Martin Savidge says as the sounds of a new war grow louder, residents are taking precautions.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In this windswept land, it's not easy turning the desert green. Achmed (ph) harvests just enough alfalfa every three weeks to feed a collection of animals. There's little left to go to market. He is retired and his sons have other jobs. Farming is a hobby, which is just as well, because this land is better suited for raising children than crops.
But soon the children must go.
SALEM AL-MUDEJ, FARMER'S SON: Because it's getting stronger and stronger, the sound. You can hear it from here. And they start asking about it since last night. I couldn't tell them anything.
SAVIDGE: Salem is talking about the sound of war. It's only practice now, military training. The real thing may come soon. Achmed's alfalfa field could become a battle field. You can see Iraq from the water tower.
(on camera): Kuwait City is a little over an hour's drive away, that way. And the Iraqi border, that's less than 10 miles away, that way. But as far as what these people have been told to do if there is a war, well, they might as well be on the moon.
(voice-over): I ask if they've done anything to prepare.
AL-MUDEJ: We had some kind of plan just to vacate the rebels because they are the most important things we have here. Otherwise, no.
SAVIDGE: He is speaking about the eight Bangladeshi farm hands. Achmed has looked after them for eight years and the foreman trusts him to know when to leave. Achmed says he's not worried. When I ask why not, he looks at his land and says he has nothing to lose.
Isolated as he is, the farmer is still likely to be among the first to know if the battle comes. He will hear it. Until then, there is little he can but wait and listen for the warning that will come with the wind.
Martin Savidge, CNN, northern Kuwait.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
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 February 16, 2003 - 18:27 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: In any military conflict with Iraq, its southern neighbor, Kuwait, could face grave danger, obviously. During the Gulf War, hundreds of Kuwaiti citizens disappeared, never to be heard from again.
CNN's Martin Savidge says as the sounds of a new war grow louder, residents are taking precautions.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In this windswept land, it's not easy turning the desert green. Achmed (ph) harvests just enough alfalfa every three weeks to feed a collection of animals. There's little left to go to market. He is retired and his sons have other jobs. Farming is a hobby, which is just as well, because this land is better suited for raising children than crops.
But soon the children must go.
SALEM AL-MUDEJ, FARMER'S SON: Because it's getting stronger and stronger, the sound. You can hear it from here. And they start asking about it since last night. I couldn't tell them anything.
SAVIDGE: Salem is talking about the sound of war. It's only practice now, military training. The real thing may come soon. Achmed's alfalfa field could become a battle field. You can see Iraq from the water tower.
(on camera): Kuwait City is a little over an hour's drive away, that way. And the Iraqi border, that's less than 10 miles away, that way. But as far as what these people have been told to do if there is a war, well, they might as well be on the moon.
(voice-over): I ask if they've done anything to prepare.
AL-MUDEJ: We had some kind of plan just to vacate the rebels because they are the most important things we have here. Otherwise, no.
SAVIDGE: He is speaking about the eight Bangladeshi farm hands. Achmed has looked after them for eight years and the foreman trusts him to know when to leave. Achmed says he's not worried. When I ask why not, he looks at his land and says he has nothing to lose.
Isolated as he is, the farmer is still likely to be among the first to know if the battle comes. He will hear it. Until then, there is little he can but wait and listen for the warning that will come with the wind.
Martin Savidge, CNN, northern Kuwait.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
