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CNN Live Sunday
U.S. Works on Plans to Attack Iraq Without Turkey's Help
Aired March 02, 2003 - 18:13 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.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: It's a major blow to the U.S. war plans, but analysts say the U.S. could still take Baghdad despite Turkey's refusal to let U.S. troops open a northern front in Turkey. And plans are already under way for attacks on Iraq from other staging areas. CNN's Alex Quade has details now.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ALEX QUADE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): For U.S. pilots at a secret air base in the Persian Gulf, a possible air war against Iraq is not about to begin, it's ongoing.
CALL SIGN "DIGGER", F-16 PILOT, USAF: Well, we're always in danger. We're flying into hostile countries. So nothing's a daily walk in the park.
QUADE: The largest U.S. fighter and attack wing in the area is here and Iraq only minutes by air. U.S. F-16 pilots have been flying combat missions over Iraq's no-fly zones since 1991. F-16s flew more sorties in the Gulf War than any other plane.
(on camera): Another fighter and attack weapon in the U.S. Air Force arsenal is the A-10 Thunderbolt nicknamed Warthog. It is specifically designed for close air support of ground troops.
(voice-over): An armed A-10 can carry up to 16,000 pounds of ordinates, including precision-guided sidewinder and maverick missiles.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're going to clear the field for the Army or Marines to move forward or any other coalition forces as part of the team.
QUADE (on camera): So you would be dropping ordinates on things like tanks or enemy troops?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. We would be restricted to dropping on military targets, and those targets would most likely be tanks or armored vehicles or ammo storage bunkers, those types of things.
QUADE: More A-10s arrived today and more will arrive tomorrow. The U.S. says the biggest buildup of fighter and attack aircraft in the region is happening right here.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And the air war continues. They shoot at us every day and we deliver our ordinates against -- in compliance with U.N. resolutions on a case-by-case basis. It is not a friendly environment. They try to shoot us down every day that we're here.
QUADE: With the U.S. Air Force at a secret base in the Persian Gulf, Alex Quade, CNN.
(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 March 2, 2003 - 18:13 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: It's a major blow to the U.S. war plans, but analysts say the U.S. could still take Baghdad despite Turkey's refusal to let U.S. troops open a northern front in Turkey. And plans are already under way for attacks on Iraq from other staging areas. CNN's Alex Quade has details now.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ALEX QUADE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): For U.S. pilots at a secret air base in the Persian Gulf, a possible air war against Iraq is not about to begin, it's ongoing.
CALL SIGN "DIGGER", F-16 PILOT, USAF: Well, we're always in danger. We're flying into hostile countries. So nothing's a daily walk in the park.
QUADE: The largest U.S. fighter and attack wing in the area is here and Iraq only minutes by air. U.S. F-16 pilots have been flying combat missions over Iraq's no-fly zones since 1991. F-16s flew more sorties in the Gulf War than any other plane.
(on camera): Another fighter and attack weapon in the U.S. Air Force arsenal is the A-10 Thunderbolt nicknamed Warthog. It is specifically designed for close air support of ground troops.
(voice-over): An armed A-10 can carry up to 16,000 pounds of ordinates, including precision-guided sidewinder and maverick missiles.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're going to clear the field for the Army or Marines to move forward or any other coalition forces as part of the team.
QUADE (on camera): So you would be dropping ordinates on things like tanks or enemy troops?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. We would be restricted to dropping on military targets, and those targets would most likely be tanks or armored vehicles or ammo storage bunkers, those types of things.
QUADE: More A-10s arrived today and more will arrive tomorrow. The U.S. says the biggest buildup of fighter and attack aircraft in the region is happening right here.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And the air war continues. They shoot at us every day and we deliver our ordinates against -- in compliance with U.N. resolutions on a case-by-case basis. It is not a friendly environment. They try to shoot us down every day that we're here.
QUADE: With the U.S. Air Force at a secret base in the Persian Gulf, Alex Quade, CNN.
(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
