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CNN Wolf Blitzer Reports

Iraq Stands Defiant in Face of U.S. Deadline; White House Holds War Counsel, Puts Congress on Notice

Aired March 19, 2003 - 17:00   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.


(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANNOUNCER: Now, a special edition of WOLF BLITZER REPORTS, Showdown: Iraq, "On the Brink of War."

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): Looming deadline. Saddam Hussein's last chance. But even with U.S. and British forces on the move, a warning from Baghdad.

MUHAMMED SAEED SAHAF, IRAQI INFORMATION MINISTER: What they are facing is their definite death.

BLITZER: The White House holds a war counsel and puts Congress on notice.

ARI FLEISCHER, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECY.: The only way to enforce the United Nations resolutions now is through the use of force.

BLITZER: With a full moon and raging sandstorms, is the timing right for war? We're with the troops.

As refugees take flight and Arab anger mounts, we'll take the pulse of the region. I'll speak with a key supporter of the U.S. here in Kuwait.

And mobile labs and military scientists. The hunt for Iraqi weapons moves to the frontlines. I'll speak with Judith Miller of "The New York Times."

ANNOUNCER: WOLF BLITZER REPORTS, live from the Persian Gulf, in Kuwait, starts right now.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: It's already early morning in Baghdad. The city of some 5 million people looks deserted at this hour, with time -- limited time, that is, left before it almost certainly faces the full fury of U.S. and coalition air power.

Hello, I'm Wolf Blitzer reporting tonight live from Kuwait City, much of which is like an armed cap as worried residents rush to prepare for war. Here are the top stories we're tracking this hour in the showdown with Iraq. First airstrikes. U.S. and allied aircraft today attacked 10 Iraqi artillery pieces that Pentagon officials say could have threatened U.S. troops masked along the Kuwaiti border. About a dozen warplanes, armed with precision-guided bombs, carried out the attack.

First surrender. The Pentagon says 17 Iraqi soldiers have given themselves up to U.S. forces along the border between Iraq and Kuwait. The Iraqis are in Kuwaiti custody. U.S. air craft dropped almost 2 million leaflets in southern Iraq today, urging Iraqi troops to not resist.

Exile offer. Hours ahead of the U.S. deadline, one of Saddam Hussein's neighbors has offered him refuge. The king of Bahrain says he's willing to accommodate the Iraqi leader -- and I'm quoting here -- "with dignity and without disgrace." No answer from Iraq. Bahrain is already home to the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet in the Persian Gulf.

In Baghdad, defiance. Appearing before the cameras to quell rumors that he had defected, the deputy prime minister, Tariq Aziz, predicted a long, bloody war, but said Iraq is confident of victory. The National Assembly held a special session and warned President Bush to -- quote -- "stay away from Iraq if he wants to save his own skin."

Deadline, three hours and counting. President Bush today met with his top advisers going over a final war plans and the White House warned Americans to be prepared for loss of life.

We'll go live to the White House in just a moment, but even before the president gives an attack order, there have been some significant developments on the front lines. We begin with our senior Pentagon correspondent, Jamie McIntyre -- Jamie.

JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN SR. PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, the war has want started yet, say Pentagon officials, but there is military action, including stepped up strikes in the no-fly zones and what appears to be the first Iraqi surrenders.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

COL. GARY CROWDER, U.S. AIR FORCE: The effects that we are trying to create is to make it so apparent and so overwhelming at the very outset of potential military operations that the adversary quickly realizes that there is no real alternative here other than to fight and die or to give up.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MCINTYRE: Swirling sandstorms in the area may be one factor that convinced the U.S. military commanders to postpone the invasion at least a day or so.

Meanwhile, they'll continue to take advantage of the time to carry out strikes in the southern no-fly zone. Pentagon sources say those strikes could continue overnight. In addition, we may see U.S. troops move into the demilitarized zone between Iraq and Kuwait as they reposition for the possible attack. Today, as you said, wolf, the U.S. military dropped more than 2 million leaflets. These are those specific instructions that President Bush promised in order to tell the Iraqi troops exactly how to surrender. They tell them to park their vehicles in squares and no larger than a batallion size, stow their artillery, display white flags on their vehicles, don't brandish any portable air defenses. It tells the personnel to gather in groups, a minimum of one kilometer, away from their vehicles. It tells officers can retain their sidearms in order to maintain order, but the troops are told -- the Iraqi troops are told not to approach any of the coalition forces and to wait for further instruction.

And as you said, even as these leaflets were being dropped, 17 Iraqi soldiers crossed the border and surrendered to U.S. forces in northern Kuwait. They were turned over to Kuwaiti authorities -- Wolf.

BLITZER: And Kuwaiti officials here in Kuwait say that's just going to be the tip of the iceberg. Jamie McIntyre at the Pentagon, thanks very much.

Baghdad is a city waiting for trouble. Our senior international correspondent, Nic Robertson, is there.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Closed shops and emptying streets, the sign Baghdad's residents now fully expect war.

This shopping district, until a few days ago, bustling with busy shoppers. Now, most of the city's 5 million residents, it seems, are at home or have fled the capital.

Government officials giving no sign the leadership is about to buckle to U.S. demands.

SAHAF: They are deceiving their soldiers and their officers that aggression against Iraq and invading Iraq will be like a picnic. Well, this is a very stupid lie they are telling their soldiers. What they are facing is a definite death.

ROBERTSON: And a hastily-called extraordinary session of Iraq's National Assembly, the sentiment just as defiant.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): We are ready for all the sacrifices required for the legitimate defense of our land and principles and the fate of this aggression which they talk about will be the same as before in history. And history will show their failure, disappointment and will be a curse on them.

ROBERTSON: As it has so many times in the past, the assembly sent a letter of solidarity to President Saddam Hussein.

(on camera): For most here now the waiting seems to be over. The already-visible signs of increasing security, an indication of how the war will begin, hard to tell at this time how it will end or what the new political landscape may look like.

Nic Robertson, CNN, Baghdad.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: And with the nation on high alert at home, President Bush has been making final preparations for war. As the clock winds down, let's go live to our senior White House correspondent, John King -- John.

JOHN KING, CNN SR. WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, the president's national security team back at the White House this evening. The war planning meeting is now twice a day, a reflection of the mounting sense of urgency.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KING (voice-over): Heading into the morning National Security Council meeting, the question on deadline day, not if, but when to strike.

FLEISCHER: The president will be guided by the best military advice available and that will help shape his decision.

KING: Officials say sandstorms, the pace of forward deployments and other field conditions are the driving factor now, not the Wednesday night deadline for Saddam Hussein to accept exile or face war.

In this letter, Mr. Bush formally notified Congress he intends to use military force, saying he had determined further diplomatic and other peaceful means alone will neither adequately protect the national security of the United States against the continuing threat posed by Iraq nor likely lead to the enforce of all relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions.

The White House said the president hopes the war will be as precise and short as possible, but there would be an inevitable price.

FLEISCHER: The American people understand that if force is used, lives may be lost, indeed. I think there's no question the country understands that.

KING: A mounting financial cost, as well. New York City's mayor appealed for help against possible terrorist attacks here at home and was promised the emergency war budget will include more money for homeland security.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KING: Now, senior officials tell us the go order could come any time now, but that as the president waits for recommendation for top Pentagon officials, he sees no harm, as one aide put it, to leave the Iraqi military staring up at the sky for a little bit -- Wolf.

BLITZER: John king at the white house. John, thanks very much. U.S. troops on the front lines are ready for battle should the call to war come. CNN reporters embedded with U.S. troops around the Persian Gulf region.

We have two reports from U.S. warships, beginning with CNN's Kyra Phillips aboard it the USS Abraham Lincoln.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Getting ready for war and rallying up the troops; that was the mission of Admiral Timothy Keating today as he flew from Bahrain here to the USS Abraham Lincoln.

It's not a matter of if there will be a war, but when the war will start. Admiral Keating says every diplomatic measure has been exhausted and that his job today was to report to his bows, General Tommy Franks, that the carriers are ready for conflict and so are the sailors.

Naval forces are moving closer to the beach to get ready for attack and this reduces the action time for naval forces, but increased the risk to naval vessels. Amphibious vessels are beginning to move closer to Iraq and into more shallow waters. We are also told that if Iraqi President Saddam Hussein begins hostilities against Kuwait or any other country, U.S. forces are prepared to shift focus to deal with the new threat.

Strike fighter pilots continue Operation Southern Watch until the order is given to cross the 32nd parallel. Surveillance missions reveal and Saddam Hussein continues to reposition its surface-to-air missiles. He has figured out if he needs something for one place for a long enough time, then it will be targeted quickly. The admiral told the men and women today that you need to call home and tell your families that what you are about to be a part of us is going to make history.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VICE ADM. TIMOTHY KEATING, COMMANDER, U.S. 5th FLEET: We can achieve surprise by going about this particular conflict, if we do it, in a way that is very unpredictable and is unprecedented in history. Remarkable speed, breathtaking speed, agility, precision and persistence. If we go, the plans that we have are unlike anything anyone has ever seen before.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: The clock is ticking. We're in the final minutes now. Troops and sailors are in position, ready for whatever the president says they have to do.

Aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, I'm Kyra Phillips, CNN.

FRANK BUCKLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Frank Buckley aboard the USS Constellation in the Persian Gulf. We are getting a rare opportunity to look inside right now the Tactical Flag Command Center. This is the location from which the Constellation battle group commander, Rear Admiral Barry Costello, can monitor information receive information in real time during any operation. He gets tracks on all of the ships at sea in this area, all of the aircraft in real time and can at any moment call up the position of all of the ground troops in the area.

Now, right now the admiral is not in this room, but the battle watch captain is on station and he's seated right here. Just beyond him is a computer screen and that's how the ships in this region actually communicate with each other. In the secured chat rooms they send each other messages.

Now you have all of this technology in this room, but also you have something right over here that's really looks like something from the World War II-era. It's a map that the admiral calls his "puck board," all of those little squares there indicating a different ship at sea in this area.

So again, this is the Tactical Flag Command Center aboard the USS Constellation.

I'm Frank Buckley, CNN, aboard the Constellation in the Persian Gulf.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: Let's take a look at some other developments in the showdown with Iraq right now.

Turkey's parliament is expected to vote tomorrow on whether to let U.S. warplanes use Turkish airspace in a war with Iraq. This month Turkish law makers voted against letting U.S. forces launch a northern assault on Iraq from Turkey. The United States was promising billions of dollars in aid, but the White House says that offer is no longer on the table.

At the Vatican, Pope John Paul II used his weekly general audience in St. Peter's square to appeal again for peace. He also prayed for those threatened by the looming conflict. It was the pope's first remarks on the looming war since President Bush issued a 48-hour deadline to president Saddam Hussein.

Jordanians opposed to an assault demonstrated against the looming conflict as well. They chanted "no to U.S. force on Arab land" and they burned an effigy of President Bush. Resentment toward U.S. policies is growing in Jordan, even among those who traditionally hold pro-Western, pro-U.S. views.

And in Australia, anti-war protesters used SUVs to blockade Prime Minister John Howard's official residence. The protest lasted almost three hours. Howard was forced to walk past the demonstration to reach a car so he could get to work. Australia has committed troops for a possible conflict, although polls show two-thirds of the country opposes war without United Nations backing.

In the region Northern Iraq has been effectively under Kurdish control since the 1991 Gulf War. CNN's Brent Sadler is in Erbil.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRENT SADLER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: In the final hours before the expiration of President Bush's deadline we've seen some movements, change in status along the Iraqi front lines not far away from the provincial town of Erbil here in Northern Iraq.

This was the scene earlier today when we saw Iraqis bring up a bulldozer, starting to build a barricade at the Iraqi end, Iraqi soldiers' end of a bridge across into Mosul. This is one of the main arterial roads to Mosul, Iraq's second largest city. Soldiers clearly there making a token gesture, according to Kurdish sources here, to block off that road.

Now at the same time the Iraqis were making those sorts of movements, the people in the Kurdish enclave have been moving in their tens of thousands away from the population centers, really getting to safer areas deeper into the countryside.

Now, we also suspect that there will now be no northern invasion, no northern front, if you like. Instead, we do expect, if a vote is positive from the Turkish parliament about U.S. use of air space, for an airfield at Herera (ph), which is about 1 1/2 hours' drive from the nearest Iraqi front lines for an air base at Herera to become a very important staging post for U.S. forces. Probably 101st Airborne Division and Special Force troops really coming here several thousand strong.

According to Kurdish military commanders, they will come in here, work with the Kurds to both stabilize the area and of course try and make sure that the Iraqi army doesn't try to detonate the suspected charges that have been put around Kirkik's oil wells.

So very important developments there as far as the Kurdish military is concerned. They have agreed to put their Kurdish fighters, about 70,000, under the command U.S. forces. As yet, no substantial numbers of U.S. military personnel in Northern Iraq, but that is expected to change in the very near future.

Brent Sadler, CNN, Erbil, Northern Iraq.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: And we're less than three hours away to the deadline set by President Bush for Saddam Hussein to leave Iraq. And there already has been some action indicating that the start of the war could be imminent.

Joining us now live from the CNN Center in Atlanta is our military analyst, Retired U.S. Air Force Major General Don Sheppard. General Sheppard, first of all, show us what happened today along the Kuwaiti-Iraqi boarder.

MAJ. GEN. DON SHEPPARD (RET.), CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Yes, there was reports of some conflict along the Iraqi-Kuwaiti border, Wolf. And people are speculating this could be the kick off. It was not.

What you have United States forces massing in Kuwait with men, armor vehicles, helicopters. And just north of that in Southern Iraq we had missiles and artillery being moved into that area. A responsible commander is not going to allow that to sit there and mass to be fired later at his sources.

So if I can go to the telestrator here and show you basically what happened. What we have is the no-fly zone in Southern Iraq. And we have these forces, the artillery and missiles being moved into position just north of Kuwait. We have our forces marching down here in Kuwait.

And what happened no responsible commander is going to allow that. They came in and took out these artillery pieces making it safer for the massing forces there. This is not a kickoff of a campaign. It's responsible preparation of the battlefield -- Wolf.

BLITZER: General Shepperd, we've been reporting the surrender of the 17 Iraqi soldiers. Do you attribute that to what's called psychological operations, psy-ops, as they say?

SHEPPARD: Perhaps, Wolf. But still it's the very early stages of it. We're not looking for 17, we're looking for 1,700, 17,000, 170,000. And then hopefully all of them with very little shooting. Our object in this war is not to kill people and not to destroy infrastructure. That makes it much different this time -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Here in Kuwait I can tell you from personal experience there have been the sand storms pretty popular around this time of the year. Not ideal, though for military operation. If you're the commanding general, General Tommy Franks, would you order an invasion during a sand storm?

SHEPPARD: Well, Wolf, I'm not going to put myself in Tommy Franks' shoes, I don't deserve that. But it's always something. If it's not sand storm, it will be sun spots. If it's not sun spots, it'll be something else.

You're going to have to work around them this time of year. They come and they go. They're up and down. And so when General Franks is ready with all of the pieces in place he'll work around the sand storms. I would not let that stop me -- Wolf.

BLITZER: And those sand storms are expected around April 1. Thanks very much, General Shepperd, as usual.

Here's your chance to weigh in on the story. "Our Web Question of the Day" is this, do you think Iraqi troops will fight or fold? We'll have the results later in this broadcast. Please vote at cnn.com/wolf.

While you're there I'd love to hear from you, send me your comments, I'll try to read some of them on the air each day the program. That's also where you can read my daily online column, cnn.com/wolf. We're just under three hours until President Bush's deadline for Saddam Hussein to leave Iraq. That deadline expires in only about three hours.

Right now you're looking at a live picture of Baghdad. Of course, we'll keep our eyes glued to the scene. Let you know if any developments happen in Baghdad or elsewhere throughout the region.

Plus, pushed into a corner, what Saddam Hussein's next move? A look at his options.

And on the brink of war, U.S. troops ready to roll. We'll take you to the Kuwaiti desert where forces are waiting for the order to strike.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: We're about two hours and 40 minutes away from President Bush's ultimatum to expire for Saddam Hussein. Stay with CNN.

Coming up, Saddam Hussein in the final moments. What moves might he make? We'll speak to one of his biographers. That's coming up.

We are live here in the Persian Gulf and we're back in just a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: At this point almost everyone thinks Saddam Hussein will not accept Bahrain's offer of safe exile. But exactly what will he do as U.S. forces move in remains a serious mystery. Our National Security Correspondent David Ensor talked to experts who say some of Saddam's final options are truly frightening.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DAVID ENSOR, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Will Saddam Hussein fight at the border or pull back to fight in the streets of Baghdad? Will he try to survive or attack with chemical weapons and try to go down as an Arab martyr?

Only he knows for sure, but former CIA Analyst Judy Yaffe (ph) says one way or other, the man she's analyzed for so many years will try to kill a lot of Americans.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think his theory is I will do as much as I can to make it as ugly as possible for the Americans. I still believe that they have a Vietnam syndrome lingering, that once they see body bags, because they will. This is not Kuwait. This is Iraq, this is Baghdad. We Iraqis know how to fight in the streets. Those Americans can't handle this.

ENSOR: Military analysts say the Iraqi leader may order dams breached to flood the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers plains. Some believe he may force thousands of Iraqi civilians, women and children out onto the roads, creating a human buffer between the Americans and his forces. And then wait for U.S. troops in the streets of Baghdad and surrounding villages.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think what is of most concern to commanders, those is the hunkering down in the villages and neighborhoods themselves that will force thousand house-fighting.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The goal, the strategy seems to be pursuing is that he will create this fortress Baghdad, what I keep calling the Mesopotamian Stalingrad.

ENSOR: Then, if the end appears near, military analysts fear Saddam Hussein may order the very use of the very weapons of mass destruction he insists he does not have.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My instinct is if he decides to use chemical weapons it will be in a last-case armaggedon scenario.

ENSOR (on camera): The analysts we spoke to agreed on this, there are likely to be some surprises for American troops as well as for the Iraqis.

David Ensor, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: Joining us now to talk more about Saddam Hussein and whether he'll flee Iraq or stay and fight is Andrew Cockburn. He's the author of the book "Out of the Ashes: The Resurrection of Saddam Hussein."

Andrew, thanks very much for joining us. What do you think Saddam Hussein is about to do right now?

ANDREW COCKBURN, AUTHOR, "OUT OF THE ASHES": Well, as much as you suggest I think he's certainly not going to surrender. I don't think really exile was ever on the cards for him.

You've got to remember that first of all, he's been in very tight spots before and he's always gotten out of them. So he is kind of a perennial optimist though I think his optimism may be weighing a bit thin right now.

So he will -- he will fight in Baghdad. I don't think there's much hope -- he's given up any hope of fighting anywhere else. And he will try and, you know, bog the Americans down, cause, you know, turn it into a Stalingrad, if you will. And hope for the best, that somehow American casualties are high enough or civilian casualties are high enough to cause some kind of outcry either in this country or internationally so there will be some settlement of cease-fire, some way he can get out.

I've always believed he would never go into exile and never surrender because when he's been faced in similar situations in the past, he hasn't done that. And secondly, he's very conscious of his place in history. He sees himself as in a great tradition of Iraqi Mesopotamian leaders and he has talked in the past of how people will see him, see things in 200 years' time. So he'll be thinking about this at this time.

BLITZER: Andrew, so you think that if he does have biological, chemical weapons, weapons of mass destruction, do you believe he will order his troops to use them against U.S. forces?

COCKBURN: Yes. I'm dubious whether he does have them, but assuming that he does, I think he will use them. Yes. He'd see no reason not to. You know and there are persistent rumors that he's prepared to defend Baghdad with whatever he has. I'm, again, (UNINTELLIGIBLE) that. We'll see what he's got.

But I don't think he would have inhibitions of using, he never has in the past, about using whatever weapons come to hand.

BLITZER: Let me read one sentence from the end of your book which is a good book, an important book. You wrote this and I'll read it precisely.

"Saddam;s downfall will come at the hands of his own people, independent of outside intervention. A fact of which he himself is well-aware."

Do you still hold by that one line?

COCKBURN: Well, I wasn't -- I certainly think he's well aware of it. He's never believed that the Iraqi people love him.

I can't say when I wrote that I was banking on George Bush deciding to commit the U.S. military to overthrowing him. But he is certainly -- his defensive preparations have been very much with an eye to preventing any kind of uprising.

He's had troops distributed in towns and villages ready to put down any sign of, you know, any kind of revolt in his rear. And that's something that, you know, I think he thinks about as much as he thinks about the American assault because, as I said, he's under absolutely no illusions that his own people love him very much.

BLITZER: Andrew Cockburn, thanks very much for your insight. We appreciate it very much.

And all eyes are indeed on Baghdad as the United States deadline for Saddam Hussein ticks closer by the minute. Once again, we're going to show you a live picture of Baghdad right now. We'll have up- to-the-minute-coverage as this crisis unfolds.

Plus, weapons of mass destruction, that's what this looming war is said to be about. Would Iraq use them if U.S. troops come in?

And a nation on high alert. Homeland security in full effect. Will it be enough to ward off a terrorist attack against the United States? A look at some of the measures already in action. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TARIQ AZIZ, IRAQI DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER (through translator): This is unjust. This give you an example of the mentality of such a person, of such an administration. There are people -- they, of course, have power. We all admit that they have power. But they have power, but no blame.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: The deputy prime minister of Iraq, Tariq Aziz, speaking, through an interpreter, earlier today, dismissing rumors, of course, that he had detected.

Welcome back to our special coverage. I'm Wolf Blitzer, reporting live tonight from Kuwait City.

Here are the latest developments we are tracking right now in the showdown with Iraq. We are showing you a live picture of Baghdad, where residents have hunkered down, as the U.S. deadline for Saddam Hussein to leave quickly approaches. No response from the Iraqi president to an offer from Bahrain for safe exile. But one senior Arab official tells CNN -- and I'm quoting -- "It's too late, unless a miracle happens."

The Pentagon says 17 Iraqi soldiers surrendered to U.S. forces today, believed to be the first to do so. They were handed over to Kuwaiti police, who are holding them in a debriefing center. Italy's parliament has signed off on the use its airspace and bases by U.S. forces for a war against Iraq. But the measure approved today does not allow attacks to be launched directly from Italy.

And security is heightened across the United States, with the national terror threat level having been raised to orange, high, from yellow, or elevated.

According to today's "New York Times," American forces will search for Iraqi weapons of mass destruction just as soon as the war begins. "The Times" says the search will be carried out from Kuwait by special teams of experts equipped with mobile labs. The author of the article is "The New York Times"' senior writer, Judith Miller.

I spoke with her here in Kuwait just a short while ago.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: Judith, thanks very much for joining us.

Talk quickly about the U.S. military's efforts to detect chemical and biological agents as they're being used or even before they would be used against U.S. troops.

JUDITH MILLER, "THE NEW YORK TIMES": I think that it's very important, obviously, to the military to take land. But it's just as important to the Bush administration to really find the ostensible cause of this war.

And so, as soldiers advance in the field, they are going to be accompanied by a team of scientists and experts, intelligence analysts, technicians, technical people, who are going to be hunting for the chemical and biological weapons that they are fairly certain Saddam Hussein is continuing to hide.

Now, there is a thought that he might have some radiological stuff hidden away, also. But few people -- in fact, almost nobody thinks that he has anything really nuclear at this point.

BLITZER: Well, what about in terms of -- forget about the long term -- in terms of, if they use it, chemical or biological warfare against invading U.S. troops, can they detect that in advance to neutralize it, to preempt, if you will?

MILLER: I don't think so. I think that's very hard to do.

Certainly, with a biological agent, a great problem is, it's almost never known that it's been used until people start falling sick. There are some very fancy and elaborate detectors that have been put in the field to sniff the air that will be accompanying the troops. But, basically, I think that, if it's used, you'll see someone standing in the middle of a field yelling, "Gas, gas, gas." That, at least, is what we've been told in all the training those of us have had who are going to be embedded.

BLITZER: What about the whole notion of finding the biological, the chemical, as you say, the radiological weapons in the long term? How long will it take to sniff this kind of stuff out, if in fact they ever really succeed?

MILLER: Well, that's what this entire venture has really been about, because, if the administration succeeds in finding these caches of weapons, unconventional weapons, hidden away, Bush will be able to argue that this is why we had to go to war, precisely because Saddam Hussein would never give this up.

But if he doesn't find it, the critics of this campaign are going to be able to turn and say: You see? Innocent civilians died for nothing. And I think a great deal is at stake in this hunt for unconventional weapons, precisely because of that argument.

BLITZER: Judith Miller of "The New York Times," good luck to you.

MILLER: Thank you very much.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: And you're looking now at a live picture of Baghdad, where time is running out for President Saddam Hussein. More than 100,000 U.S. troops amassed on the Kuwaiti border right now, they're ready to strike. We are keeping a close eye on all the developments. We'll bring them to you, of course, when they happen.

Also, ready for battle, U.S. troops on the brink of war -- we'll take you along with the 101st Airborne.

You're watching CNN, the most trusted name in news.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: It's a serious waiting game for U.S. troops in Kuwait right now, waiting for the order from President Bush that will send them into battle. We have two reports from the front lines.

Karl Penhaul is with the U.S. Army's 11th Attack Helicopter Regiment.

We begin, though, with Ryan Chilcote. He's with the U.S. Army's 101st Airborne Division.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RYAN CHILCOTE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Ryan Chilcote at camp New Jersey with the 101st Airborne.

Well, there's not a whole lot left for the soldiers to do to get ready. The recreation tent is now officially closed and all of the training is over. At this point, it's pretty much down to the grunts and their rucksacks. And I can tell you, at least for my tent, the soldiers, they've repacked their bags it seems at least 10 times today.

A lot of soldiers are still lining up at the AT&T calling center to phone home, a lot of conversations beginning with the words, "I don't know when I'll be able to talk to you next, but I will be OK." As one soldier put it, they now feel like they're in the calm before the storm. There's a real feeling here among the soldiers that they're about to become part of something much larger than themselves and that they're going to be all right.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KARL PENHAUL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The only thing flying here is the stars and stripes. As a sandstorm whips across the Kuwaiti desert, U.S. Army attack helicopters are grounded, a precautionary measure to reduce maintenance. The three-star general, William Wallace, warns the soldiers and pilots under his command they'll see action soon enough.

GEN. WILLIAM WALLACE, U.S. ARMY: The ultimatum given is complete. Although I know that no soldier ever really wants to go to war, we are left with no alternative.

PENHAUL: As the clocks ticks down to President Bush's 48-hour deadline, the soldiers of the 1st Attack Battalion draw their ammunition. When the order comes, these troops will set off across the border into Iraq.

The pilots, meanwhile, will fly into combat against Iraqi tanks and artillery. As preparations pick up, an unannounced chemical attack drill adds extra urgency and rattles some nerves.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We've locked in the tent. We've sealed it.

PENHAUL: The all-clear comes 20 minutes later, time enough for a sobering lesson about the dangers that may lie ahead.

Commanders have been briefing their soldiers exactly when they'll be hitting to war should Iraqi President Saddam Hussein fail to meet President Bush's ultimatum to quit, time and place classified.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We are 1st Attack!

PENHAUL: All they're waiting for is General Wallace to give them the order to roll.

WALLACE: Are you ready?

(CHEERING)

WALLACE: Are you ready?

(CHEERING)

WALLACE: Are you ready?

(CHEERING)

PENHAUL (on camera): From where I'm standing, American soldiers and their aircraft can be inside Iraq within minutes. Those same soldiers are only now beginning to wonder how long they'll end up staying.

Karl Penhaul, for CNN, in northern Kuwait.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: Baghdad is normally a bustling city of some five million people. It's quiet there right now, very quiet, an almost eerie silence over the Iraqi capital, Iraq a huge country, about the size of California, some 25 million people there. Of course, many U.S. and British troops are poised to invade Iraq. And many of them, indeed, most of them, are massed right here in Kuwait.

The invasion and occupation of Kuwait by Iraq triggered the Persian Gulf War in 1991. Once again, Kuwait faces a possible attack by Iraq.

Earlier, I spoke with Kuwait's minister of state for foreign affairs, Dr. Mohammed Al-Sabah.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: Dr. Al-Sabah, thanks so much for joining us during these critical hours.

How worried are you that Saddam Hussein might launch chemical or biological weapons against Kuwait at the start of this war?

MOHAMMED AL-SABAH, KUWAITI FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTER: Well, Wolf, he admitted that he had chemical and biological weapons. And we don't trust that he destroyed these weapons. So, we are absolutely certain that he continues to possess these weapons. And this is a time to use them against his enemies. And, certainly, the United States and Kuwait is on the top of the list.

BLITZER: Do you think he would use them?

AL-SABAH: I have no doubt that he has the intention to use these weapons.

BLITZER: How well protected are you and your people? I assume the U.S. military is a source of comfort.

AL-SABAH: Well, we have numerous plans to protect our people. We have the Patriot missiles to intercept any incoming missiles carrying these horrible weapons. And we have also set up emergency quick-response centers here in Kuwait to treat any civilians who might be injured by these weapons.

BLITZER: What kind of indications are you getting how long this war might last?

AL-SABAH: Well, this takes me back to 1990 and '91, when Desert Storm was launched to liberate my country. There was a mass exodus on the Iraqi side. The defections were in tens of thousands. And we started seeing, actually, certain defection from the Iraqi army towards the Americans and up north in the Kurdish areas. So, I do not expect the Iraqi army would fight and would sacrifice itself to defend Saddam Hussein. So I expect it to be short.

BLITZER: Any prospect, any chance that Saddam Hussein might still go into exile and save himself?

AL-SABAH: Well, I think that he is your quintessential survivalist. I think that he would jump the ship when he's almost certain that it would sink. However, as far as Kuwait is concerned, we are going to pursue him as a war criminal wherever he goes.

BLITZER: Dr. Al-Sabah, thanks so much for joining us.

AL-SABAH: I thank you very much.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: And now you're looking once again at live pictures of Baghdad, where military action could come literally at any time now. Our crews are standing by to bring you all the latest information, of course, as it happens.

Also, caution shifts into overdrive as the U.S. braces for a terrorist backlash. Plus: what the government plans to do with some of the thousands of Iraqis living in the United States.

You're watching CNN, the most trusted name in news.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: We're approaching two hours away from President Bush's ultimatum. Stay with CNN.

Coming up: the dangers journalists face covering this story. You'll see our first line of defense. All that, that's coming up on "WOLF BLITZER REPORTS."

We're back in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: There is tension here in Kuwait, but the United States also remains on orange alert today. That's a high level for terrorist concern. Despite concerns a U.S.-led attack on Iraq could produce a terrorist backlash, a U.S. government spokesman says there are no plans to raise the alert level to the highest level, or red.

Inspections of food, food production and food storage areas were stepped up, although officials say there's no specific intelligence suggesting that terrorists will target the food supply. Security has been tightened at government buildings and other potential terror targets in Washington, D.C. and, indeed, across the country. The alert includes random searches of vehicles at airports and identification checks for truckers who haul hazardous materials. It also includes some flight restrictions.

CNN's Charles Feldman has that from Los Angeles -- Charles.

CHARLES FELDMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, that's right.

And those flight restrictions now, for the first time, include things like Disneyland, because it's considered a potential terrorist target. I took up my airplane a while ago to see what that restrictive airspace really means.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FELDMAN: So we're now coming up on Disneyland, having made sure with air traffic control that we are clear of the special restricted area that they have imposed.

And at about my 11:00 position, 3,500 feet or so below us, is Disneyland, which is, of course, in Anaheim, California, not all that far from where we took off in Santa Monica. But right now, we are legal. We are 3,500 feet above Disneyland. The idea is to keep small airplanes away in the event of a terrorist attack. But, as you may be able to see, although we are legal here at 3,500, the difference between legal and illegal is only 500 feet.

And if somebody were in an airplane such as ours and wanted to do some damage, I suppose, to Disneyland, whether it makes much of a difference if you're at 3,000 or 3,500, it probably really doesn't.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FELDMAN: And no one really knows just how long these new temporary flight restrictions will last -- Wolf, stay safe.

BLITZER: Charles Feldman -- thanks very much, Charles, for that report.

The government is also planning to detain several dozen Iraqis in the United States whom it says may have ties to Iraqi intelligence. And the FBI wants to question thousands more Iraqi nationals.

Our justice correspondent, Kelli Arena, has details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KELLI ARENA, CNN JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Most Iraqi nationals living in the United States are of no concern to law enforcement, but there is a small percentage that officials say could pose a threat.

JOHN PISTOLE, FBI COUNTERTERRORISM OFFICIAL: The concern we have now is, with the probable hostilities with Iraq, what Iraqi, either intelligence officers or other individuals sympathetic to the Hussein regime, may try to do.

ARENA: CNN has confirmed the FBI this week will detain about three dozen Iraqis in the United States who are said to be sympathetic to Saddam Hussein. Officials say they are all guilty of visa violations. There is some concern these individuals may have a connection to the Iraqi intelligence service, an outfit, according to an FBI advisory, capable of assassinations, hijackings and bombings.

But the advisory also describes Iraqi agents as -- quote -- "inconsistently competent." And the FBI says al Qaeda remains the bigger threat.

JOHN PARACHINI, TERROR EXPERT, RAND CORPORATION: In the 1991 period, when Iraq launched some 42 man teams against the United States, their special forces attacking the United States proved to be unusually ineffective. Presumably, they've learned a few tricks of the trade in the last decade.

ARENA: A number of Iraqi nationals in the United States remain under 24/7 surveillance. And FBI agents want to interview as many as 11,000 Iraqis, who they say may be able to provide useful information in the war against Iraq. Even though the interviews are voluntary, they are causing some concern.

IBRAHIM HOOPER, COUNCIL ON AMERICAN-ISLAMIC RELATIONS: Knowing that you've done nothing wrong, that you're not connected to terrorism in any way, yet having the FBI come to your place of work, go to your neighbors, do all of these things, it's a very intimidating process.

ARENA (on camera): FBI officials say they've done a lot to reach out to the Arab-American community to try to build a better relationship, but they say they will continue to use every means possible to protect Americans.

Kelli Arena, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: A rush on duct tape, food, gas, money and these as well -- I'll show you more of life here in Kuwait on the eve of war.

And a live look at Baghdad, as Iraqis wait for the culmination of the showdown.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: U.S. troops on the front lines of course face great dangers, but there are dangers for others trying to cover this story as well.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: There are about more than 1,000 journalists now in Kuwait. And all of them are obviously concerned as well. Although we're doing our jobs, we're trying to do it as responsibly and as accurately as we can.

We are taking protective measures, just to be on the safe side, just to be pre-cautious. For example, we've been given these backpacks with a lot of protective gear inside. Among other things -- I'll open up this one and I'll show you -- among other things, what we have, just in case of that worst-case scenario, obviously, we have a gas mask, just like this one.

We're all been trained how to use it in case, just in case, small chance, there's that kind of chemical or biological warfare that might be used in this part of the world. It's unlikely we'll ever need to use this, but we have it just as a security precaution. We have other protective equipment in here as well for that worst-case scenario.

But, on the whole, people in Kuwait are living their lives. They're going about their day-to-day activities, but there's nervousness. There's tension. Certainly, the security here throughout the region is serious. Security is, of course, all- pervasive. And we're going to have to deal with that.

We'll cover this war, when it happens, as best we can.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: And do you think Iraqi troops will fight or fold? Log on to CNN.com/Wolf. That's where you can vote. We'll have the results immediately when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Here's how you're weighing in on our "Web Question of the Day": Do you think Iraqi troops will fight or fold? Look at this: 42 percent of you say they'll fight; 58 percent of you say they'll fold. This is not a scientific poll, remember.

That's all the time we have today. Please join me again tomorrow, both at noon and 5:00 p.m. Eastern.

Until then, thanks very much for watching. I'm Wolf Blitzer in Kuwait City.

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 19, 2003 - 17:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANNOUNCER: Now, a special edition of WOLF BLITZER REPORTS, Showdown: Iraq, "On the Brink of War."

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): Looming deadline. Saddam Hussein's last chance. But even with U.S. and British forces on the move, a warning from Baghdad.

MUHAMMED SAEED SAHAF, IRAQI INFORMATION MINISTER: What they are facing is their definite death.

BLITZER: The White House holds a war counsel and puts Congress on notice.

ARI FLEISCHER, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECY.: The only way to enforce the United Nations resolutions now is through the use of force.

BLITZER: With a full moon and raging sandstorms, is the timing right for war? We're with the troops.

As refugees take flight and Arab anger mounts, we'll take the pulse of the region. I'll speak with a key supporter of the U.S. here in Kuwait.

And mobile labs and military scientists. The hunt for Iraqi weapons moves to the frontlines. I'll speak with Judith Miller of "The New York Times."

ANNOUNCER: WOLF BLITZER REPORTS, live from the Persian Gulf, in Kuwait, starts right now.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: It's already early morning in Baghdad. The city of some 5 million people looks deserted at this hour, with time -- limited time, that is, left before it almost certainly faces the full fury of U.S. and coalition air power.

Hello, I'm Wolf Blitzer reporting tonight live from Kuwait City, much of which is like an armed cap as worried residents rush to prepare for war. Here are the top stories we're tracking this hour in the showdown with Iraq. First airstrikes. U.S. and allied aircraft today attacked 10 Iraqi artillery pieces that Pentagon officials say could have threatened U.S. troops masked along the Kuwaiti border. About a dozen warplanes, armed with precision-guided bombs, carried out the attack.

First surrender. The Pentagon says 17 Iraqi soldiers have given themselves up to U.S. forces along the border between Iraq and Kuwait. The Iraqis are in Kuwaiti custody. U.S. air craft dropped almost 2 million leaflets in southern Iraq today, urging Iraqi troops to not resist.

Exile offer. Hours ahead of the U.S. deadline, one of Saddam Hussein's neighbors has offered him refuge. The king of Bahrain says he's willing to accommodate the Iraqi leader -- and I'm quoting here -- "with dignity and without disgrace." No answer from Iraq. Bahrain is already home to the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet in the Persian Gulf.

In Baghdad, defiance. Appearing before the cameras to quell rumors that he had defected, the deputy prime minister, Tariq Aziz, predicted a long, bloody war, but said Iraq is confident of victory. The National Assembly held a special session and warned President Bush to -- quote -- "stay away from Iraq if he wants to save his own skin."

Deadline, three hours and counting. President Bush today met with his top advisers going over a final war plans and the White House warned Americans to be prepared for loss of life.

We'll go live to the White House in just a moment, but even before the president gives an attack order, there have been some significant developments on the front lines. We begin with our senior Pentagon correspondent, Jamie McIntyre -- Jamie.

JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN SR. PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, the war has want started yet, say Pentagon officials, but there is military action, including stepped up strikes in the no-fly zones and what appears to be the first Iraqi surrenders.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

COL. GARY CROWDER, U.S. AIR FORCE: The effects that we are trying to create is to make it so apparent and so overwhelming at the very outset of potential military operations that the adversary quickly realizes that there is no real alternative here other than to fight and die or to give up.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MCINTYRE: Swirling sandstorms in the area may be one factor that convinced the U.S. military commanders to postpone the invasion at least a day or so.

Meanwhile, they'll continue to take advantage of the time to carry out strikes in the southern no-fly zone. Pentagon sources say those strikes could continue overnight. In addition, we may see U.S. troops move into the demilitarized zone between Iraq and Kuwait as they reposition for the possible attack. Today, as you said, wolf, the U.S. military dropped more than 2 million leaflets. These are those specific instructions that President Bush promised in order to tell the Iraqi troops exactly how to surrender. They tell them to park their vehicles in squares and no larger than a batallion size, stow their artillery, display white flags on their vehicles, don't brandish any portable air defenses. It tells the personnel to gather in groups, a minimum of one kilometer, away from their vehicles. It tells officers can retain their sidearms in order to maintain order, but the troops are told -- the Iraqi troops are told not to approach any of the coalition forces and to wait for further instruction.

And as you said, even as these leaflets were being dropped, 17 Iraqi soldiers crossed the border and surrendered to U.S. forces in northern Kuwait. They were turned over to Kuwaiti authorities -- Wolf.

BLITZER: And Kuwaiti officials here in Kuwait say that's just going to be the tip of the iceberg. Jamie McIntyre at the Pentagon, thanks very much.

Baghdad is a city waiting for trouble. Our senior international correspondent, Nic Robertson, is there.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Closed shops and emptying streets, the sign Baghdad's residents now fully expect war.

This shopping district, until a few days ago, bustling with busy shoppers. Now, most of the city's 5 million residents, it seems, are at home or have fled the capital.

Government officials giving no sign the leadership is about to buckle to U.S. demands.

SAHAF: They are deceiving their soldiers and their officers that aggression against Iraq and invading Iraq will be like a picnic. Well, this is a very stupid lie they are telling their soldiers. What they are facing is a definite death.

ROBERTSON: And a hastily-called extraordinary session of Iraq's National Assembly, the sentiment just as defiant.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): We are ready for all the sacrifices required for the legitimate defense of our land and principles and the fate of this aggression which they talk about will be the same as before in history. And history will show their failure, disappointment and will be a curse on them.

ROBERTSON: As it has so many times in the past, the assembly sent a letter of solidarity to President Saddam Hussein.

(on camera): For most here now the waiting seems to be over. The already-visible signs of increasing security, an indication of how the war will begin, hard to tell at this time how it will end or what the new political landscape may look like.

Nic Robertson, CNN, Baghdad.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: And with the nation on high alert at home, President Bush has been making final preparations for war. As the clock winds down, let's go live to our senior White House correspondent, John King -- John.

JOHN KING, CNN SR. WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, the president's national security team back at the White House this evening. The war planning meeting is now twice a day, a reflection of the mounting sense of urgency.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KING (voice-over): Heading into the morning National Security Council meeting, the question on deadline day, not if, but when to strike.

FLEISCHER: The president will be guided by the best military advice available and that will help shape his decision.

KING: Officials say sandstorms, the pace of forward deployments and other field conditions are the driving factor now, not the Wednesday night deadline for Saddam Hussein to accept exile or face war.

In this letter, Mr. Bush formally notified Congress he intends to use military force, saying he had determined further diplomatic and other peaceful means alone will neither adequately protect the national security of the United States against the continuing threat posed by Iraq nor likely lead to the enforce of all relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions.

The White House said the president hopes the war will be as precise and short as possible, but there would be an inevitable price.

FLEISCHER: The American people understand that if force is used, lives may be lost, indeed. I think there's no question the country understands that.

KING: A mounting financial cost, as well. New York City's mayor appealed for help against possible terrorist attacks here at home and was promised the emergency war budget will include more money for homeland security.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KING: Now, senior officials tell us the go order could come any time now, but that as the president waits for recommendation for top Pentagon officials, he sees no harm, as one aide put it, to leave the Iraqi military staring up at the sky for a little bit -- Wolf.

BLITZER: John king at the white house. John, thanks very much. U.S. troops on the front lines are ready for battle should the call to war come. CNN reporters embedded with U.S. troops around the Persian Gulf region.

We have two reports from U.S. warships, beginning with CNN's Kyra Phillips aboard it the USS Abraham Lincoln.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Getting ready for war and rallying up the troops; that was the mission of Admiral Timothy Keating today as he flew from Bahrain here to the USS Abraham Lincoln.

It's not a matter of if there will be a war, but when the war will start. Admiral Keating says every diplomatic measure has been exhausted and that his job today was to report to his bows, General Tommy Franks, that the carriers are ready for conflict and so are the sailors.

Naval forces are moving closer to the beach to get ready for attack and this reduces the action time for naval forces, but increased the risk to naval vessels. Amphibious vessels are beginning to move closer to Iraq and into more shallow waters. We are also told that if Iraqi President Saddam Hussein begins hostilities against Kuwait or any other country, U.S. forces are prepared to shift focus to deal with the new threat.

Strike fighter pilots continue Operation Southern Watch until the order is given to cross the 32nd parallel. Surveillance missions reveal and Saddam Hussein continues to reposition its surface-to-air missiles. He has figured out if he needs something for one place for a long enough time, then it will be targeted quickly. The admiral told the men and women today that you need to call home and tell your families that what you are about to be a part of us is going to make history.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VICE ADM. TIMOTHY KEATING, COMMANDER, U.S. 5th FLEET: We can achieve surprise by going about this particular conflict, if we do it, in a way that is very unpredictable and is unprecedented in history. Remarkable speed, breathtaking speed, agility, precision and persistence. If we go, the plans that we have are unlike anything anyone has ever seen before.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: The clock is ticking. We're in the final minutes now. Troops and sailors are in position, ready for whatever the president says they have to do.

Aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, I'm Kyra Phillips, CNN.

FRANK BUCKLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Frank Buckley aboard the USS Constellation in the Persian Gulf. We are getting a rare opportunity to look inside right now the Tactical Flag Command Center. This is the location from which the Constellation battle group commander, Rear Admiral Barry Costello, can monitor information receive information in real time during any operation. He gets tracks on all of the ships at sea in this area, all of the aircraft in real time and can at any moment call up the position of all of the ground troops in the area.

Now, right now the admiral is not in this room, but the battle watch captain is on station and he's seated right here. Just beyond him is a computer screen and that's how the ships in this region actually communicate with each other. In the secured chat rooms they send each other messages.

Now you have all of this technology in this room, but also you have something right over here that's really looks like something from the World War II-era. It's a map that the admiral calls his "puck board," all of those little squares there indicating a different ship at sea in this area.

So again, this is the Tactical Flag Command Center aboard the USS Constellation.

I'm Frank Buckley, CNN, aboard the Constellation in the Persian Gulf.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: Let's take a look at some other developments in the showdown with Iraq right now.

Turkey's parliament is expected to vote tomorrow on whether to let U.S. warplanes use Turkish airspace in a war with Iraq. This month Turkish law makers voted against letting U.S. forces launch a northern assault on Iraq from Turkey. The United States was promising billions of dollars in aid, but the White House says that offer is no longer on the table.

At the Vatican, Pope John Paul II used his weekly general audience in St. Peter's square to appeal again for peace. He also prayed for those threatened by the looming conflict. It was the pope's first remarks on the looming war since President Bush issued a 48-hour deadline to president Saddam Hussein.

Jordanians opposed to an assault demonstrated against the looming conflict as well. They chanted "no to U.S. force on Arab land" and they burned an effigy of President Bush. Resentment toward U.S. policies is growing in Jordan, even among those who traditionally hold pro-Western, pro-U.S. views.

And in Australia, anti-war protesters used SUVs to blockade Prime Minister John Howard's official residence. The protest lasted almost three hours. Howard was forced to walk past the demonstration to reach a car so he could get to work. Australia has committed troops for a possible conflict, although polls show two-thirds of the country opposes war without United Nations backing.

In the region Northern Iraq has been effectively under Kurdish control since the 1991 Gulf War. CNN's Brent Sadler is in Erbil.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRENT SADLER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: In the final hours before the expiration of President Bush's deadline we've seen some movements, change in status along the Iraqi front lines not far away from the provincial town of Erbil here in Northern Iraq.

This was the scene earlier today when we saw Iraqis bring up a bulldozer, starting to build a barricade at the Iraqi end, Iraqi soldiers' end of a bridge across into Mosul. This is one of the main arterial roads to Mosul, Iraq's second largest city. Soldiers clearly there making a token gesture, according to Kurdish sources here, to block off that road.

Now at the same time the Iraqis were making those sorts of movements, the people in the Kurdish enclave have been moving in their tens of thousands away from the population centers, really getting to safer areas deeper into the countryside.

Now, we also suspect that there will now be no northern invasion, no northern front, if you like. Instead, we do expect, if a vote is positive from the Turkish parliament about U.S. use of air space, for an airfield at Herera (ph), which is about 1 1/2 hours' drive from the nearest Iraqi front lines for an air base at Herera to become a very important staging post for U.S. forces. Probably 101st Airborne Division and Special Force troops really coming here several thousand strong.

According to Kurdish military commanders, they will come in here, work with the Kurds to both stabilize the area and of course try and make sure that the Iraqi army doesn't try to detonate the suspected charges that have been put around Kirkik's oil wells.

So very important developments there as far as the Kurdish military is concerned. They have agreed to put their Kurdish fighters, about 70,000, under the command U.S. forces. As yet, no substantial numbers of U.S. military personnel in Northern Iraq, but that is expected to change in the very near future.

Brent Sadler, CNN, Erbil, Northern Iraq.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: And we're less than three hours away to the deadline set by President Bush for Saddam Hussein to leave Iraq. And there already has been some action indicating that the start of the war could be imminent.

Joining us now live from the CNN Center in Atlanta is our military analyst, Retired U.S. Air Force Major General Don Sheppard. General Sheppard, first of all, show us what happened today along the Kuwaiti-Iraqi boarder.

MAJ. GEN. DON SHEPPARD (RET.), CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Yes, there was reports of some conflict along the Iraqi-Kuwaiti border, Wolf. And people are speculating this could be the kick off. It was not.

What you have United States forces massing in Kuwait with men, armor vehicles, helicopters. And just north of that in Southern Iraq we had missiles and artillery being moved into that area. A responsible commander is not going to allow that to sit there and mass to be fired later at his sources.

So if I can go to the telestrator here and show you basically what happened. What we have is the no-fly zone in Southern Iraq. And we have these forces, the artillery and missiles being moved into position just north of Kuwait. We have our forces marching down here in Kuwait.

And what happened no responsible commander is going to allow that. They came in and took out these artillery pieces making it safer for the massing forces there. This is not a kickoff of a campaign. It's responsible preparation of the battlefield -- Wolf.

BLITZER: General Shepperd, we've been reporting the surrender of the 17 Iraqi soldiers. Do you attribute that to what's called psychological operations, psy-ops, as they say?

SHEPPARD: Perhaps, Wolf. But still it's the very early stages of it. We're not looking for 17, we're looking for 1,700, 17,000, 170,000. And then hopefully all of them with very little shooting. Our object in this war is not to kill people and not to destroy infrastructure. That makes it much different this time -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Here in Kuwait I can tell you from personal experience there have been the sand storms pretty popular around this time of the year. Not ideal, though for military operation. If you're the commanding general, General Tommy Franks, would you order an invasion during a sand storm?

SHEPPARD: Well, Wolf, I'm not going to put myself in Tommy Franks' shoes, I don't deserve that. But it's always something. If it's not sand storm, it will be sun spots. If it's not sun spots, it'll be something else.

You're going to have to work around them this time of year. They come and they go. They're up and down. And so when General Franks is ready with all of the pieces in place he'll work around the sand storms. I would not let that stop me -- Wolf.

BLITZER: And those sand storms are expected around April 1. Thanks very much, General Shepperd, as usual.

Here's your chance to weigh in on the story. "Our Web Question of the Day" is this, do you think Iraqi troops will fight or fold? We'll have the results later in this broadcast. Please vote at cnn.com/wolf.

While you're there I'd love to hear from you, send me your comments, I'll try to read some of them on the air each day the program. That's also where you can read my daily online column, cnn.com/wolf. We're just under three hours until President Bush's deadline for Saddam Hussein to leave Iraq. That deadline expires in only about three hours.

Right now you're looking at a live picture of Baghdad. Of course, we'll keep our eyes glued to the scene. Let you know if any developments happen in Baghdad or elsewhere throughout the region.

Plus, pushed into a corner, what Saddam Hussein's next move? A look at his options.

And on the brink of war, U.S. troops ready to roll. We'll take you to the Kuwaiti desert where forces are waiting for the order to strike.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: We're about two hours and 40 minutes away from President Bush's ultimatum to expire for Saddam Hussein. Stay with CNN.

Coming up, Saddam Hussein in the final moments. What moves might he make? We'll speak to one of his biographers. That's coming up.

We are live here in the Persian Gulf and we're back in just a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: At this point almost everyone thinks Saddam Hussein will not accept Bahrain's offer of safe exile. But exactly what will he do as U.S. forces move in remains a serious mystery. Our National Security Correspondent David Ensor talked to experts who say some of Saddam's final options are truly frightening.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DAVID ENSOR, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Will Saddam Hussein fight at the border or pull back to fight in the streets of Baghdad? Will he try to survive or attack with chemical weapons and try to go down as an Arab martyr?

Only he knows for sure, but former CIA Analyst Judy Yaffe (ph) says one way or other, the man she's analyzed for so many years will try to kill a lot of Americans.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think his theory is I will do as much as I can to make it as ugly as possible for the Americans. I still believe that they have a Vietnam syndrome lingering, that once they see body bags, because they will. This is not Kuwait. This is Iraq, this is Baghdad. We Iraqis know how to fight in the streets. Those Americans can't handle this.

ENSOR: Military analysts say the Iraqi leader may order dams breached to flood the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers plains. Some believe he may force thousands of Iraqi civilians, women and children out onto the roads, creating a human buffer between the Americans and his forces. And then wait for U.S. troops in the streets of Baghdad and surrounding villages.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think what is of most concern to commanders, those is the hunkering down in the villages and neighborhoods themselves that will force thousand house-fighting.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The goal, the strategy seems to be pursuing is that he will create this fortress Baghdad, what I keep calling the Mesopotamian Stalingrad.

ENSOR: Then, if the end appears near, military analysts fear Saddam Hussein may order the very use of the very weapons of mass destruction he insists he does not have.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My instinct is if he decides to use chemical weapons it will be in a last-case armaggedon scenario.

ENSOR (on camera): The analysts we spoke to agreed on this, there are likely to be some surprises for American troops as well as for the Iraqis.

David Ensor, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: Joining us now to talk more about Saddam Hussein and whether he'll flee Iraq or stay and fight is Andrew Cockburn. He's the author of the book "Out of the Ashes: The Resurrection of Saddam Hussein."

Andrew, thanks very much for joining us. What do you think Saddam Hussein is about to do right now?

ANDREW COCKBURN, AUTHOR, "OUT OF THE ASHES": Well, as much as you suggest I think he's certainly not going to surrender. I don't think really exile was ever on the cards for him.

You've got to remember that first of all, he's been in very tight spots before and he's always gotten out of them. So he is kind of a perennial optimist though I think his optimism may be weighing a bit thin right now.

So he will -- he will fight in Baghdad. I don't think there's much hope -- he's given up any hope of fighting anywhere else. And he will try and, you know, bog the Americans down, cause, you know, turn it into a Stalingrad, if you will. And hope for the best, that somehow American casualties are high enough or civilian casualties are high enough to cause some kind of outcry either in this country or internationally so there will be some settlement of cease-fire, some way he can get out.

I've always believed he would never go into exile and never surrender because when he's been faced in similar situations in the past, he hasn't done that. And secondly, he's very conscious of his place in history. He sees himself as in a great tradition of Iraqi Mesopotamian leaders and he has talked in the past of how people will see him, see things in 200 years' time. So he'll be thinking about this at this time.

BLITZER: Andrew, so you think that if he does have biological, chemical weapons, weapons of mass destruction, do you believe he will order his troops to use them against U.S. forces?

COCKBURN: Yes. I'm dubious whether he does have them, but assuming that he does, I think he will use them. Yes. He'd see no reason not to. You know and there are persistent rumors that he's prepared to defend Baghdad with whatever he has. I'm, again, (UNINTELLIGIBLE) that. We'll see what he's got.

But I don't think he would have inhibitions of using, he never has in the past, about using whatever weapons come to hand.

BLITZER: Let me read one sentence from the end of your book which is a good book, an important book. You wrote this and I'll read it precisely.

"Saddam;s downfall will come at the hands of his own people, independent of outside intervention. A fact of which he himself is well-aware."

Do you still hold by that one line?

COCKBURN: Well, I wasn't -- I certainly think he's well aware of it. He's never believed that the Iraqi people love him.

I can't say when I wrote that I was banking on George Bush deciding to commit the U.S. military to overthrowing him. But he is certainly -- his defensive preparations have been very much with an eye to preventing any kind of uprising.

He's had troops distributed in towns and villages ready to put down any sign of, you know, any kind of revolt in his rear. And that's something that, you know, I think he thinks about as much as he thinks about the American assault because, as I said, he's under absolutely no illusions that his own people love him very much.

BLITZER: Andrew Cockburn, thanks very much for your insight. We appreciate it very much.

And all eyes are indeed on Baghdad as the United States deadline for Saddam Hussein ticks closer by the minute. Once again, we're going to show you a live picture of Baghdad right now. We'll have up- to-the-minute-coverage as this crisis unfolds.

Plus, weapons of mass destruction, that's what this looming war is said to be about. Would Iraq use them if U.S. troops come in?

And a nation on high alert. Homeland security in full effect. Will it be enough to ward off a terrorist attack against the United States? A look at some of the measures already in action. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TARIQ AZIZ, IRAQI DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER (through translator): This is unjust. This give you an example of the mentality of such a person, of such an administration. There are people -- they, of course, have power. We all admit that they have power. But they have power, but no blame.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: The deputy prime minister of Iraq, Tariq Aziz, speaking, through an interpreter, earlier today, dismissing rumors, of course, that he had detected.

Welcome back to our special coverage. I'm Wolf Blitzer, reporting live tonight from Kuwait City.

Here are the latest developments we are tracking right now in the showdown with Iraq. We are showing you a live picture of Baghdad, where residents have hunkered down, as the U.S. deadline for Saddam Hussein to leave quickly approaches. No response from the Iraqi president to an offer from Bahrain for safe exile. But one senior Arab official tells CNN -- and I'm quoting -- "It's too late, unless a miracle happens."

The Pentagon says 17 Iraqi soldiers surrendered to U.S. forces today, believed to be the first to do so. They were handed over to Kuwaiti police, who are holding them in a debriefing center. Italy's parliament has signed off on the use its airspace and bases by U.S. forces for a war against Iraq. But the measure approved today does not allow attacks to be launched directly from Italy.

And security is heightened across the United States, with the national terror threat level having been raised to orange, high, from yellow, or elevated.

According to today's "New York Times," American forces will search for Iraqi weapons of mass destruction just as soon as the war begins. "The Times" says the search will be carried out from Kuwait by special teams of experts equipped with mobile labs. The author of the article is "The New York Times"' senior writer, Judith Miller.

I spoke with her here in Kuwait just a short while ago.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: Judith, thanks very much for joining us.

Talk quickly about the U.S. military's efforts to detect chemical and biological agents as they're being used or even before they would be used against U.S. troops.

JUDITH MILLER, "THE NEW YORK TIMES": I think that it's very important, obviously, to the military to take land. But it's just as important to the Bush administration to really find the ostensible cause of this war.

And so, as soldiers advance in the field, they are going to be accompanied by a team of scientists and experts, intelligence analysts, technicians, technical people, who are going to be hunting for the chemical and biological weapons that they are fairly certain Saddam Hussein is continuing to hide.

Now, there is a thought that he might have some radiological stuff hidden away, also. But few people -- in fact, almost nobody thinks that he has anything really nuclear at this point.

BLITZER: Well, what about in terms of -- forget about the long term -- in terms of, if they use it, chemical or biological warfare against invading U.S. troops, can they detect that in advance to neutralize it, to preempt, if you will?

MILLER: I don't think so. I think that's very hard to do.

Certainly, with a biological agent, a great problem is, it's almost never known that it's been used until people start falling sick. There are some very fancy and elaborate detectors that have been put in the field to sniff the air that will be accompanying the troops. But, basically, I think that, if it's used, you'll see someone standing in the middle of a field yelling, "Gas, gas, gas." That, at least, is what we've been told in all the training those of us have had who are going to be embedded.

BLITZER: What about the whole notion of finding the biological, the chemical, as you say, the radiological weapons in the long term? How long will it take to sniff this kind of stuff out, if in fact they ever really succeed?

MILLER: Well, that's what this entire venture has really been about, because, if the administration succeeds in finding these caches of weapons, unconventional weapons, hidden away, Bush will be able to argue that this is why we had to go to war, precisely because Saddam Hussein would never give this up.

But if he doesn't find it, the critics of this campaign are going to be able to turn and say: You see? Innocent civilians died for nothing. And I think a great deal is at stake in this hunt for unconventional weapons, precisely because of that argument.

BLITZER: Judith Miller of "The New York Times," good luck to you.

MILLER: Thank you very much.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: And you're looking now at a live picture of Baghdad, where time is running out for President Saddam Hussein. More than 100,000 U.S. troops amassed on the Kuwaiti border right now, they're ready to strike. We are keeping a close eye on all the developments. We'll bring them to you, of course, when they happen.

Also, ready for battle, U.S. troops on the brink of war -- we'll take you along with the 101st Airborne.

You're watching CNN, the most trusted name in news.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: It's a serious waiting game for U.S. troops in Kuwait right now, waiting for the order from President Bush that will send them into battle. We have two reports from the front lines.

Karl Penhaul is with the U.S. Army's 11th Attack Helicopter Regiment.

We begin, though, with Ryan Chilcote. He's with the U.S. Army's 101st Airborne Division.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RYAN CHILCOTE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Ryan Chilcote at camp New Jersey with the 101st Airborne.

Well, there's not a whole lot left for the soldiers to do to get ready. The recreation tent is now officially closed and all of the training is over. At this point, it's pretty much down to the grunts and their rucksacks. And I can tell you, at least for my tent, the soldiers, they've repacked their bags it seems at least 10 times today.

A lot of soldiers are still lining up at the AT&T calling center to phone home, a lot of conversations beginning with the words, "I don't know when I'll be able to talk to you next, but I will be OK." As one soldier put it, they now feel like they're in the calm before the storm. There's a real feeling here among the soldiers that they're about to become part of something much larger than themselves and that they're going to be all right.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KARL PENHAUL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The only thing flying here is the stars and stripes. As a sandstorm whips across the Kuwaiti desert, U.S. Army attack helicopters are grounded, a precautionary measure to reduce maintenance. The three-star general, William Wallace, warns the soldiers and pilots under his command they'll see action soon enough.

GEN. WILLIAM WALLACE, U.S. ARMY: The ultimatum given is complete. Although I know that no soldier ever really wants to go to war, we are left with no alternative.

PENHAUL: As the clocks ticks down to President Bush's 48-hour deadline, the soldiers of the 1st Attack Battalion draw their ammunition. When the order comes, these troops will set off across the border into Iraq.

The pilots, meanwhile, will fly into combat against Iraqi tanks and artillery. As preparations pick up, an unannounced chemical attack drill adds extra urgency and rattles some nerves.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We've locked in the tent. We've sealed it.

PENHAUL: The all-clear comes 20 minutes later, time enough for a sobering lesson about the dangers that may lie ahead.

Commanders have been briefing their soldiers exactly when they'll be hitting to war should Iraqi President Saddam Hussein fail to meet President Bush's ultimatum to quit, time and place classified.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We are 1st Attack!

PENHAUL: All they're waiting for is General Wallace to give them the order to roll.

WALLACE: Are you ready?

(CHEERING)

WALLACE: Are you ready?

(CHEERING)

WALLACE: Are you ready?

(CHEERING)

PENHAUL (on camera): From where I'm standing, American soldiers and their aircraft can be inside Iraq within minutes. Those same soldiers are only now beginning to wonder how long they'll end up staying.

Karl Penhaul, for CNN, in northern Kuwait.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: Baghdad is normally a bustling city of some five million people. It's quiet there right now, very quiet, an almost eerie silence over the Iraqi capital, Iraq a huge country, about the size of California, some 25 million people there. Of course, many U.S. and British troops are poised to invade Iraq. And many of them, indeed, most of them, are massed right here in Kuwait.

The invasion and occupation of Kuwait by Iraq triggered the Persian Gulf War in 1991. Once again, Kuwait faces a possible attack by Iraq.

Earlier, I spoke with Kuwait's minister of state for foreign affairs, Dr. Mohammed Al-Sabah.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: Dr. Al-Sabah, thanks so much for joining us during these critical hours.

How worried are you that Saddam Hussein might launch chemical or biological weapons against Kuwait at the start of this war?

MOHAMMED AL-SABAH, KUWAITI FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTER: Well, Wolf, he admitted that he had chemical and biological weapons. And we don't trust that he destroyed these weapons. So, we are absolutely certain that he continues to possess these weapons. And this is a time to use them against his enemies. And, certainly, the United States and Kuwait is on the top of the list.

BLITZER: Do you think he would use them?

AL-SABAH: I have no doubt that he has the intention to use these weapons.

BLITZER: How well protected are you and your people? I assume the U.S. military is a source of comfort.

AL-SABAH: Well, we have numerous plans to protect our people. We have the Patriot missiles to intercept any incoming missiles carrying these horrible weapons. And we have also set up emergency quick-response centers here in Kuwait to treat any civilians who might be injured by these weapons.

BLITZER: What kind of indications are you getting how long this war might last?

AL-SABAH: Well, this takes me back to 1990 and '91, when Desert Storm was launched to liberate my country. There was a mass exodus on the Iraqi side. The defections were in tens of thousands. And we started seeing, actually, certain defection from the Iraqi army towards the Americans and up north in the Kurdish areas. So, I do not expect the Iraqi army would fight and would sacrifice itself to defend Saddam Hussein. So I expect it to be short.

BLITZER: Any prospect, any chance that Saddam Hussein might still go into exile and save himself?

AL-SABAH: Well, I think that he is your quintessential survivalist. I think that he would jump the ship when he's almost certain that it would sink. However, as far as Kuwait is concerned, we are going to pursue him as a war criminal wherever he goes.

BLITZER: Dr. Al-Sabah, thanks so much for joining us.

AL-SABAH: I thank you very much.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: And now you're looking once again at live pictures of Baghdad, where military action could come literally at any time now. Our crews are standing by to bring you all the latest information, of course, as it happens.

Also, caution shifts into overdrive as the U.S. braces for a terrorist backlash. Plus: what the government plans to do with some of the thousands of Iraqis living in the United States.

You're watching CNN, the most trusted name in news.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: We're approaching two hours away from President Bush's ultimatum. Stay with CNN.

Coming up: the dangers journalists face covering this story. You'll see our first line of defense. All that, that's coming up on "WOLF BLITZER REPORTS."

We're back in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: There is tension here in Kuwait, but the United States also remains on orange alert today. That's a high level for terrorist concern. Despite concerns a U.S.-led attack on Iraq could produce a terrorist backlash, a U.S. government spokesman says there are no plans to raise the alert level to the highest level, or red.

Inspections of food, food production and food storage areas were stepped up, although officials say there's no specific intelligence suggesting that terrorists will target the food supply. Security has been tightened at government buildings and other potential terror targets in Washington, D.C. and, indeed, across the country. The alert includes random searches of vehicles at airports and identification checks for truckers who haul hazardous materials. It also includes some flight restrictions.

CNN's Charles Feldman has that from Los Angeles -- Charles.

CHARLES FELDMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, that's right.

And those flight restrictions now, for the first time, include things like Disneyland, because it's considered a potential terrorist target. I took up my airplane a while ago to see what that restrictive airspace really means.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FELDMAN: So we're now coming up on Disneyland, having made sure with air traffic control that we are clear of the special restricted area that they have imposed.

And at about my 11:00 position, 3,500 feet or so below us, is Disneyland, which is, of course, in Anaheim, California, not all that far from where we took off in Santa Monica. But right now, we are legal. We are 3,500 feet above Disneyland. The idea is to keep small airplanes away in the event of a terrorist attack. But, as you may be able to see, although we are legal here at 3,500, the difference between legal and illegal is only 500 feet.

And if somebody were in an airplane such as ours and wanted to do some damage, I suppose, to Disneyland, whether it makes much of a difference if you're at 3,000 or 3,500, it probably really doesn't.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FELDMAN: And no one really knows just how long these new temporary flight restrictions will last -- Wolf, stay safe.

BLITZER: Charles Feldman -- thanks very much, Charles, for that report.

The government is also planning to detain several dozen Iraqis in the United States whom it says may have ties to Iraqi intelligence. And the FBI wants to question thousands more Iraqi nationals.

Our justice correspondent, Kelli Arena, has details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KELLI ARENA, CNN JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Most Iraqi nationals living in the United States are of no concern to law enforcement, but there is a small percentage that officials say could pose a threat.

JOHN PISTOLE, FBI COUNTERTERRORISM OFFICIAL: The concern we have now is, with the probable hostilities with Iraq, what Iraqi, either intelligence officers or other individuals sympathetic to the Hussein regime, may try to do.

ARENA: CNN has confirmed the FBI this week will detain about three dozen Iraqis in the United States who are said to be sympathetic to Saddam Hussein. Officials say they are all guilty of visa violations. There is some concern these individuals may have a connection to the Iraqi intelligence service, an outfit, according to an FBI advisory, capable of assassinations, hijackings and bombings.

But the advisory also describes Iraqi agents as -- quote -- "inconsistently competent." And the FBI says al Qaeda remains the bigger threat.

JOHN PARACHINI, TERROR EXPERT, RAND CORPORATION: In the 1991 period, when Iraq launched some 42 man teams against the United States, their special forces attacking the United States proved to be unusually ineffective. Presumably, they've learned a few tricks of the trade in the last decade.

ARENA: A number of Iraqi nationals in the United States remain under 24/7 surveillance. And FBI agents want to interview as many as 11,000 Iraqis, who they say may be able to provide useful information in the war against Iraq. Even though the interviews are voluntary, they are causing some concern.

IBRAHIM HOOPER, COUNCIL ON AMERICAN-ISLAMIC RELATIONS: Knowing that you've done nothing wrong, that you're not connected to terrorism in any way, yet having the FBI come to your place of work, go to your neighbors, do all of these things, it's a very intimidating process.

ARENA (on camera): FBI officials say they've done a lot to reach out to the Arab-American community to try to build a better relationship, but they say they will continue to use every means possible to protect Americans.

Kelli Arena, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: A rush on duct tape, food, gas, money and these as well -- I'll show you more of life here in Kuwait on the eve of war.

And a live look at Baghdad, as Iraqis wait for the culmination of the showdown.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: U.S. troops on the front lines of course face great dangers, but there are dangers for others trying to cover this story as well.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: There are about more than 1,000 journalists now in Kuwait. And all of them are obviously concerned as well. Although we're doing our jobs, we're trying to do it as responsibly and as accurately as we can.

We are taking protective measures, just to be on the safe side, just to be pre-cautious. For example, we've been given these backpacks with a lot of protective gear inside. Among other things -- I'll open up this one and I'll show you -- among other things, what we have, just in case of that worst-case scenario, obviously, we have a gas mask, just like this one.

We're all been trained how to use it in case, just in case, small chance, there's that kind of chemical or biological warfare that might be used in this part of the world. It's unlikely we'll ever need to use this, but we have it just as a security precaution. We have other protective equipment in here as well for that worst-case scenario.

But, on the whole, people in Kuwait are living their lives. They're going about their day-to-day activities, but there's nervousness. There's tension. Certainly, the security here throughout the region is serious. Security is, of course, all- pervasive. And we're going to have to deal with that.

We'll cover this war, when it happens, as best we can.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: And do you think Iraqi troops will fight or fold? Log on to CNN.com/Wolf. That's where you can vote. We'll have the results immediately when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Here's how you're weighing in on our "Web Question of the Day": Do you think Iraqi troops will fight or fold? Look at this: 42 percent of you say they'll fight; 58 percent of you say they'll fold. This is not a scientific poll, remember.

That's all the time we have today. Please join me again tomorrow, both at noon and 5:00 p.m. Eastern.

Until then, thanks very much for watching. I'm Wolf Blitzer in Kuwait City.

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