The Web    CNN.com     
Powered by
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
SERVICES
 
 
 
SEARCH
Web CNN.com
powered by Yahoo!
TRANSCRIPTS
Return to Transcripts main page

CNN LOU DOBBS MONEYLINE

Strike on Iraq: U.S. Troops Cross into Iraq

Aired March 20, 2003 - 18:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

LOU DOBBS, CNN ANCHOR: Good evening. The invasion of Iraq has begun. U.S. and British troops crossed the Kuwait-Iraq border at 8:00 PM local time, noon Eastern. As the troops left their line of departure, U.S. and British ships fired a second wave of cruise missiles at Baghdad. Twenty-one missiles in all were fired at the Iraqi capital in this second wave. Coalition artillery also launched a fierce bombardment of Iraqi positions just north of the Kuwaiti border.
The 1st Marine Division, the first major unit to cross the demilitarized zone into Iraq. The Marines destroyed two Iraqi armored personnel carriers just south of the border. Units of the Army's 3rd Infantry have also been in action. The Army said they destroyed several Iraqi armored vehicles.

Iraq, for its part, said 72 missiles have been fired at its territory by coalition forces. Our coverage tonight begins in Baghdad, with Nic Robertson, one of the few Western television journalists remaining in Baghdad.

Nic?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT Lou, Iraqi officials through Iraqi television this evening say that the enemy forces have tried to violate their borders in the south and west. They say they have confronted the enemy. It doesn't give an assessment of how successful that confrontation was. About 72 missiles that Iraqi authorities say have been on Iraq, Iraq says many of them have failed.

According to Iraq's television, they have fired two missiles into two different areas in Kuwait today. They also admit that they have lost four of their fighters, one officer they say. Five others in the military have been injured.

In hospitals in Baghdad today, there have been a number of wounded. Fourteen people, we are told by Iraqi hospitals, have been wounded, one person killed. According to Iraqi hospitals, the person killed, a woman.

We have seen, journalists have independently verified at least three different women in Iraqi hospitals with injuries they say they suffered as a result of bombing, and at least one child heavily bandaged in hospitals, as a result of the bombing.

As I look out over Baghdad now, one of the buildings hit earlier, a few hours ago, by the last salvo of missiles to hit Baghdad. It is still smoldering slightly at the base of the building. Otherwise, the city of Baghdad now, eerily silent. The lights of the city, however, on. The city very bright, despite everyone's assessment that there likely is very much more bombing in the very near future.

Lou?

DOBBS: Nic, how long has it been since Baghdad has been struck?

ROBERTSON: It must be about five hours ago, I would say, Lou. The city took a little while to settle down. There was a lot of anti- aircraft gunfire for a while. Perhaps about two and a half hours ago, there were a number of detonations, perhaps 12 to 20 detonations, but well off to the edge of the city.

We couldn't see where those impacts were falling, exactly. We could certainly hear them, hear the dull thump of the distant detonations. There was some anti-aircraft gunfire that time that we could see. But that was the last time. The last heavy impacts inside the city, about five hours ago, Lou.

DOBBS: And Nic, have the Iraqi authorities taken you to any of the target sites that have been hit by either coalition bombs or cruise missiles?

ROBERTSON: Nobody so far -- no journalists that we know have been taken to any of the buildings that have been hit. We can certainly see from where stand a couple that have been hit. We were able to watch them burning a little earlier. However, journalists have been taken to at least two different hospitals. And a trip to a hospital this evening has been postponed until the early hours of tomorrow morning, Lou.

DOBBS: Nic, thank you.

Nic has been at his post since the attacks on the capital city of Iraq began.

And Nic, obviously we want you to take care, and we wish you all the best. Thank you for the report.

President Bush today met with his cabinet at the White House. President Bush praised the armed forces for their great skill and their bravery. Let's go now to the White House with John King.

John?

JOHN KING, CNN ANCHOR: Lou, the president spent most of the day behind the scenes. That cabinet meeting his one public event, although the president at this hour is meeting with the president of Cameroon, visiting Washington of course as the president as commander in chief watches the second day of the war unfold. We are told by senior officials Mr. Bush is receiving constant updates. He is quite satisfied with the progress reports he is getting from Pentagon officials and his national security adviser, Condoleezza Rice.

In that one public appearance, Mr. Bush did wish the troops well and said they were in his thoughts and prayers. As you noted, Mr. Bush also tried to rebut the international criticism we are hearing from Paris and Moscow. Some governments suggesting the president does not have international support. Mr. Bush says that's not the case.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We heard from Secretary Rumsfeld, who briefed us on the early stages of the war. There's no question we sent the finest of our citizens into harm's way. They performed with great skill and great bravery. We thank them. We thank their loved ones. We appreciate their sacrifice.

We heard from Secretary Powell, who briefed us on the ever- growing coalition of the willing, nations who support our deep desire for peace and freedom. Over 40 nations now support our efforts. We are grateful for their determination. We appreciate their vision, and we welcome their support.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: We can give you a glimpse of the president behind the scenes in the Oval Office this morning. This a White House photograph that shows the CIA director, George Tenet, briefing the president, the vice president, White House Chief of Staff Andy Card on hand. We are told in this discussion George Tenet gave the president an assessment of those strikes overnight and told the president the CIA was quite confident even if it did not kill Saddam Hussein, that it did inflict some serious damage on the Iraqi leadership in Baghdad.

The presence of the vice president, we should note, is quite significant. We are at threat level orange in this country right now, the threat of terrorist attack considered quite high. Normal protocols call for the president and the vice president to be in separate locations because of the risk. Mr. Cheney, however, was here late into the night last night, alongside the president. He has been here throughout the day today, Lou. Obviously both the president and the vice president keeping close track of the developments. And again, senior officials telling us things would escalate today. We are told to look for even more escalation, and we are told the bottom line is the president believes things are proceeding quite well, so far.

Lou?

DOBBS: John, we have also had reports, as you know, that this Shock and Awe staging of assault against Baghdad and forces in Iraq has been, in effect, put on hold until an assessment can be made of the damage done to the command structure of Iraq. What can you tell us about that? Is there an assessment coming from the administration?

KING: Well, our Pentagon folks have much better details on why and how, but we are being told by senior White House officials that this was done in part because of the president's dramatic decision last night to shuffle the plans, if you will, to launch the strikes at least a full day, perhaps two days, earlier than was planned to try to go after those targets in Baghdad. We are told the administration now is trying to get an assessment, including through these follow-up strikes, of just what is left of the Iraqi leadership, whether it has ruptured the command-and-control structure, whether it has ruptured communications to troops in the field.

We are told here at the White House the number one priority right now is to get a sense of what is the situation on the ground with the Iraqi leadership, whether Saddam is alive or dead, who is running the country and how efficient are the orders going back and forth between Baghdad and the field commanders.

Lou?

DOBBS: John, thank you. Senior White House Correspondent John King.

Kuwait is of course on high alert for possible Iraqi missile strikes. Air raid sirens have sounded throughout the day. Let's go to Wolf Blitzer in Kuwait City for the very latest.

Wolf?

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Lou, about an hour ago, it was the sixth time those air raid sirens sounded here in Kuwait City. Six times, six relatively brief periods where people tried to deal with the issue, many of them going down into their shelters, into their bomb shelters. But all six were relatively benign. There was no serious Scud missile attacks or anything along those lines. There was some damage, though. We have some pictures, courtesy of Abu-Gabey (ph) Television of a store that was slightly damaged here in Kuwait City as a result of some of the barrages that were going on. Nothing all that significant. People beginning to take all of this in stride.

The real danger seems to be up in the north, where tens of thousands of U.S. and British troop are massed. They're getting ready to move big-time into southern Iraq. Some of them have already started, as you reported, Lou -- the Marines moving into southern Iraq, as well as British forces moving there as well.

There's a combined operation. It's only just beginning, we're told. Once that major U.S. airstrike begins, the Shock and Awe airstrike that has been widely predicted. Expect U.S. ground forces to move in, start moving up the road towards Baghdad from Basra in the south. On the whole, though, a serious day here in Kuwait City, but people getting adjusted to what's going on. They're hoping the U.S. military gets the job done quickly.

Lou?

DOBBS: Wolf, obviously those sirens are alarming and concerning to everyone, troops massed probably about 30 to 40 miles north of you there. You are also very close, even though you are in Kuwait City -- many people may not realize a highway runs straight from Kuwait City to Basra, north. We understand heavy bombardment, artillery bombardment, just north of the border.

Were you able to hear that in Kuwait City? Have you been able to see flashes from bombardment? BLITZER: No, not really, in part because of the haze that sort of hovers over this area, the haze that comes from the sandstorms. So you really can't see it. I didn't hear anything from where I am. Didn't hear any kind of booming sounds in the distance. Our colleagues, who are embedded with U.S. military forces in the north, of course, not only heard it, but they felt it. Bob Franken and all of our reporters up there -- up there Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Walter Rodgers, Ryan Chilcote, all of them doing excellent reporting.

They're up there in the north, they're feeling the brunt of it. But the U.S. and the British forces are giving as much as they're getting, probably giving a lot more. They're launching their own artillery barrages into the southern part of Iraq, softening up that area, once they go in on a more massive scale.

DOBBS: Wolf, thank you very much.

Wolf will be coming back to join us later in the broadcast. Wolf Blitzer, from Kuwait City.

Well, as we reported, the Shock and Awe phase of the U.S. battle plan against Iraq has at least for the moment been put on hold. Our senior Pentagon correspondent, Jamie McIntyre, has the very latest for us on that, and a great deal more.

Jamie?

JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Lou, just to make sure we don't understate this, the Shock and Awe plan could be reinstated at any time, essentially as soon as the Pentagon decides that Saddam Hussein does have effective control of his military and his government. But for now, that's a bit of a question mark, exactly who's in charge in Iraq, and whether the Iraqi military is even getting any orders from any central commander.

Right now, the evidence is that Iraqi troops are somewhat in disarray and they're not able to mount much of a defense against whatever it is the United States is doing, even the limited strikes and actions that are being taken at this time.

What's happening here, according to Pentagon officials, is that the war plan is being adapted to reflect the realities on the ground. It's something that Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld alluded to at a Pentagon briefing earlier today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD RUMSFELD, DEFENSE SECRETARY: A war plan is something that is a plan that's developed before things start. And the minute things start, one has to take account of the realities that you find in the world. And that is what was done last evening. That is what will be done today and tomorrow and the next day. And to not do that would be a terrible mistake.

GENERAL RICHARD MYERS, CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF: Having intel agencies and armed forces that are flexible is the key to victory. And that's what you saw.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MCINTYRE: Meanwhile, strikes today in Baghdad involved as many as 20 Tomahawk cruise missiles that were fired from ships in the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea, including this time two British submarines that also fired Tomahawk missiles at leadership targets in Baghdad. In addition, the U.S. is hitting other targets around the country, and of course ground forces are moving in in the south as well. We don't have a clear picture of exactly how much progress they're making.

Pentagon officials say essentially, though, that full-scale assault on Baghdad will be mounted unless, essentially, someone steps forward in Iraq and says that they're in charge, someone not Saddam Hussein, and invites the U.S. in for a peaceful intervention. Otherwise, it's likely that it's just a matter of time before we see that Shock and Awe that's been so widely advertised by the Pentagon.

Lou?

DOBBS: Jamie, we will err on the side of caution here, but as we talk about movements of various U.S. forces, British and the Australian special forces who are at work in Iraq and, in many cases, engaging in combat this evening. But they have been moving forward with what seems to me to be a relatively rapid pace. The Pentagon, the command structure there, has to be extremely gratified by the pace of the advance.

MCINTYRE: Well, we're not getting a lot of feedback back from the battlefield. So the impression we're getting is that the advance has been deliberate and that there hasn't been a lot of resistance. But we're waiting to hear, essentially, what's going on. There's a lot going on in other parts of Iraq other than just downtown Baghdad, a country the size of California, that we're just not aware of at this point. But so far, the reports are good, and no reports of U.S. or Allied casualties.

DOBBS: Our senior Pentagon correspondent, Jamie McIntyre. Thank you.

And a reminder, of course, what you are looking at is night pictures of Baghdad, which is tonight at least, and as Nic Robertson has just reported, quiet. It has been quiet for the past better than five hours.

The Army's 7th Cavalry, 3rd Infantry Division today faced hostile fire near the Iraqi-Kuwaiti border. Walter Rodgers is with that division and joins us now.

Walter?

WALTER RODGERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Lou. After the initial hostile contact with the Iraqi forces along the border with Kuwait, the U.S. Army 7th Cavalry has pushed forward into southern Iraq as I speak to you. We are rolling along with the 7th Cavalry, and a Bradley Fighting Vehicle just rolled past us. We are in a convoy. We are in southern Iraq.

Let me try to paint a word picture for you as to how this is proceeding. Out in front of this convoy is a platoon or more of Kiowa helicopters. Now, these are reasonably heavily armed, not as heavily armed as Apaches, but they are flying low over the ground. Thirty to 50 feet, several kilometers out in front of the rest of the squadron.

Then, following that would be the Bradley Fighting Vehicles. These are rather heavily armed, but not as heavily armed as what follows next. The next vehicle in the unit would be the M-1 Abrams tanks. So imagine a rolling wave of military might, rolling in Saddam Hussein's direction. That is what is happening here in southern Iraq, as the U.S. Army's 7th Cavalry is rolling forward, and as I should say, this is just a precursor of what lies behind us. Because behind us is a much, much larger army, the 3rd Infantry Division. That's much, much bigger. The 7th Cavalry's just scouting, eyes and ears.

Lou?

DOBBS: And at the point, with the 7th Cav, Walt, today you've come under fire, have you not?

RODGERS: There was one point as we approached the breach in the border between Iraq and Kuwait that there was an incoming shell off to our side. It was startling but not close. No one was injured, and as soon as that came close, the entire convoy started moving forward pretty rapidly, and that's the position we're in now. Seventh Cavalry is the eyes and ears of the big 3rd Infantry Division far behind us. We are out probing with the 7th Cavalry, looking for the Iraqi strengths, the Iraqi weaknesses, and probing the road to Baghdad.

Lou?

DOBBS: Walt, thank you very much. Walt Rodgers, with the 7th Cavalry.

And one part of this story, of course, is the humanitarian aspect. The United Nations Refugee Agency expects to handle some 600,000 Iraqi refugees, many of them from the Kurdish region in northern Iraq. Jane Araff is in the Kurdish-controlled city of Dohuk with the very latest for it.

JANE ARAFF, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Lou, we're already seeing a lot of those would-be potential refugees. As you mentioned, they are Kurds from the Kurdish controlled territories, and they have been on the move for the past few days, moving from cities like this in Dohuk where they have comfortable homes to the freezing mountains. Now, you can imagine what it takes to send people from cities into places by the sides of the roads, where they're sheltered often by nothing but plastic sheeting. It's absolute terror. They say they're afraid of a potential chemical attack.

Now, authorities here are telling them that they should go home, that things are safe. But hardly anyone is heeding that call. Kurdish authorities are starting to build tent cities, but they're also appealing to international agencies to release some of the aid that they're holding in nearby countries for another wave of refugees. Now, those refugees would be from the rest of Iraq, and the reason we haven't seen those so far is very simple: Until the Iraqi government loses control, those checkpoints that separate the Kurdish north from the rest of the country, they won't be allowed to leave.

Lou?

DOBBS: Jane Araff, thank you very much, reporting from northern Iraq.

Joining me now from our studios in Washington, D.C., former secretary of defense, MONEYLINE regular contributor, William Cohen.

Bill, this appears to be a rather rapid advance, at least for these elements that cross the line of departure, the Iraq-Kuwaiti border today. Is this likely just about as good as one could have asked for this invasion to go, to this point?

WILLIAM COHEN, FORMER SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: I think it is, and I think we have to keep in mind that we need a little bit of patience here. This is just the first day. And I think we've become used to fast food in this country, and also fast results on virtually everything that we do. Here, we have to have a bit of caution. I think this was the equivalent of a very stiff-lipped jab on the part of a heavyweight champion to see what the reaction was going to be on the part of the opponent. And then make an assessment, and then have time enough to have that Shock and Awe campaign underway in full bloom.

So I think a bit of patience is in order as we assess what damage has been done, what the intelligence will show in terms of capability left by the leadership of Saddam Hussein, and then make a judgment in terms of how much we apply. We can always take a posture of -- make a desert and call it peace. That's something we don't want to do if we can at all avoid it. So I think the commanders are handling it just fine right now.

DOBBS: As you would suggest, my reference to things going pretty well at this point is, every day with American forces in harm's way in which we can report advances and no casualties, I will take that every day, and rather patiently so.

Bill, we had word today that Turkey has given, now, rights to the United States, its approval to over-fly Turkish territory. That is how important, in your judgment?

COHEN: Well, it's important in terms of having an ability to move aircraft from Turkey into northern Iraq. It's still somewhat disappointing, however, that we were not able to put our ground forces in through the north and put a two-prong war strategy together. So, it's helpful. It could have been more helpful, and we'll have to see exactly how it unfolds. To the extent that we don't encounter substantial resistance in the north, then it won't make much difference. If we do, then there will be a lot of second guessing in terms of the Turkish vote on this. DOBBS: And already, some great concern, because the Turkish government, also its parliament approved the disposition of Turkish forces to the south to prevent Kurdish refugees from entering Turkey. How concerned are you, how concerned should we be about that development?

COHEN: I think the U.S. government is very concerned that the Turkish forces not move into northern Iraq, that they not seek in any way to attack the Kurds. This...

DOBBS: Bill, Bill, I'm going to get right back. Bill, excuse me, I'm sorry, we're going to go to Wolf Blitzer. I'll get right back to you.

Wolf, in Kuwait City.

BLITZER: I just wanted to point out, Lou, the sirens have gone off here in Kuwait City once again. They were going on a few minutes ago. They then paused. Now we're getting -- you can probably hear that single long blast behind me. Let me let our viewers listen to it for a second. That's the all clear. That means another false alarm, in effect. The seventh of the day here in Kuwait City.

They're taking no unnecessary risks here at all. That's why the sirens went off. Now we're getting that single long blast, meaning that there's an all clear, the seventh time this has happened here in Kuwait City. Obviously, it's going to keep people up all hours of the night. Every time these sirens go off everybody sort of scrambles.

Some people go down to their shelters. Others go into their sealed rooms, and others just probably try to roll over and go back to sleep, given all the false alarms that have happened during the day. But it is a serious business, people want to make sure they deal with it. But I just wanted to report, for the seventh time today here in Kuwait City, the sirens have gone off. But now, once again, Lou, we're getting that all clear siren that's going off right now.

DOBBS: The sweet all clear signal, Wolf. Thank you very much.

Wolf Blitzer, in Kuwait City. And the city has been enduring this since the attack by coalition forces began with the bombardment of Baghdad yesterday evening.

I want to return now to Bill Cohen in Washington, D.C.

Bill, the Turkish issue could be very, very important. You were about to amplify your thoughts.

COHEN: Yes, I assume that our state department and even the president have conveyed a very, very strong message to the Turkish government not in any way to seek to exploit this situation to move against the Kurds in the north. That would create a very strained relationship between the United States and Turkey, and could involve some real friction. Not to mention the fact that the Kurds have threatened to open fire on the Turkish soldiers. So it's a tense situation that we have to watch very carefully. And it's my hope, and I believe our government's expectation, that the Turks will not seek to exploit this opportunity to move against the Kurds.

DOBBS: Bill Cohen, thank you very much as always.

In Washington today, members of Congress united behind troops in the Gulf, despite some misgivings by some Democrats about the war in the previous weeks and months of debate. Congressional Correspondent Jonathan Karl has now that story.

Jonathan?

JONATHAN KARL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Lou, there's been anything but unity on the Senate floor in recent weeks on the question of Iraq, but today that has all changed. As a matter of fact, Tom Daschle, who has been quite critical of the president in recent days, has been leading the charge for the Democrats on this, coming together with Republicans to support the troops and to support their commander in chief now that we are at war.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DASCHLE: We may have had differences of opinion about what brought us to this point, but the president of the United States is the commander in chief, and today we unite behind him as well.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KARL: A short while ago, the Senate passed by a vote of 99 to nothing a resolution commending the troops, reading specifically in one section, "The Congress commends and expresses the gratitude of the nation to all members of the United States armed forces."

What's interesting, Lou, is they commended not only the president and the members of the armed forces, but also the leader of Great Britain. Tony Blair, specifically singled out in this resolution for commendation and appreciation on behalf of the U.S. Congress.

Now, over in the House, it has not been all unity. Over there, they are still negotiating the language of their resolution, and Democrats have objected very strongly to one line in the proposal -- proposed resolution proposed by the Republicans. That line reads, praising the president for, "firm leadership and decisive action in the conduct of military operations in Iraq as part of the ongoing war against terrorism."

Democrats don't like that for two reasons. One is that many of them disagree with the president's decisive action in the first place. And the second thing is they don't see this as part of the ongoing war against terrorism. So they're still deadlocked on that. I'm sure by the end of the day, the House will come to some kind of an agreement, but you will see a number of Democrats, anti-war Democrats, actually voting against that agreement. Some of them have come to the floor today, and even with American troops now at war, have been quite critical of the president in waging this war.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) REP. PETE STARK (D), CALIFORNIA: The president starts a war to eliminate terror, knowing it will only increase terrorist attacks at home. He tries to disarm a nation with no proven weapons of mass destruction, and he ignores a far worse threat of North Korea's nuclear weapons.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KARL: That's Democrat Pete Stark of California, very much a minority voice here, but not alone in the House. There will be others who agree with him on that, and who actually end up voting against the resolution.

A couple other things I want to tell you, Lou. One is that there is very much increased security here on Capitol Hill in the wake of the start of the war. As a matter of fact, we expect that the Capitol will be closed to public tours starting the close of business today. Closed to public tours while the war is going on.

And the other thing is, we've had regular classified briefings up here for members of Congress. Right now there is one going on with the deputy defense secretary, Paul Wolfowitz, and the Congress, classified briefing on the war.

Wolf?

I'm sorry. Lou?

DOBBS: Jonathan, thank you very much. Jonathan Karl from Capitol Hill. We'll be going to Judy Woodruff in Washington in just a moment for further developments. But right now, let's go to Connie Chung at CNN Center to be brought up to date on the top headlines at this hour.

Connie?

CONNIE CHUNG, CNN ANCHOR: Lou, thank you. A second day of intense bombing has rocked the city of Baghdad. The attacks destroyed at least two government buildings, including the building that houses the offices of Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz.

The Pentagon says the bombardment was not the start of the massive campaign, the so-called Shock and Awe phase. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said the Pentagon has received reports that Iraq may have set fire to some of its oil wells. Reports are that three or four wells are burning in the southern part of the country, near the border with Kuwait.

Saddam Hussein has appeared on Iraqi television twice since the attacks began, but U.S. officials are not sure the man in the video is really Saddam Hussein or a body double. Those officials say it appears increasingly as if it may be the real Saddam Hussein.

The Bush administration is also planning to launch a financial attack against Saddam Hussein. The Treasury Department today announced plans to seize Saddam Hussein's financial assets, already frozen in this country, then use the money to help rebuild Iraq. A senior administration official revealed it's a lot of money, $1.7 billion.

And the FBI has issued an alert for a Saudi man in connection with a possible terrorist threats against the United States. The agency says the 27-year-old had many different aliases and may be involved with al Qaeda terrorist activities.

And that's the latest from the CNN Center. I'm Connie Chung. Now back to LOU DOBBS MONEYLINE.

DOBBS: CNN correspondent Karl Penhaul is with the Army's 5th Corps 11th Attack Helicopter Regiment along the Iraq/Kuwaiti border and joins us now.

We're looking at pictures here of, again, of Baghdad. We're apparently unable to establish contact with Karl Penhaul, and we will return to him momentarily when we can establish contact again. These units obviously on the move and this will not be the only time this occurs, I assure you, in the course of this evening.

Let's go now to Nic Robertson, who is in Baghdad, for the latest there -- Nic.

ROBERTSON: Lou, still the city very, very quiet at this stage. The last time the air raid sirens went off was about two and a half hours ago. That was the all-clear for the city.

Iraqi government officials have been on the verge of taking journalists to a hospital to see injured people. They've decided to put that off until the morning hours. Not clear why they have decided to do that at this stage.

The city, however, remains very quiet. Very little traffic. The occasional car. Most of the vehicles we see out, though they're painted white, most of them actually, seem to belong to Iraq's army -- Lou.

DOBBS: Nic, thank you very much. Nic Robertson in Baghdad. And again, for stalwart service, reporting from the onset of hostilities at his post in Baghdad and we will be returning to him, obviously, frequently throughout the evening.

Let's go back now to Wolf Blitzer in Kuwait City with more -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Well, we just had another one of those brief scares, just a few moments ago. You saw it live here on your program, Lou, just a few minutes ago.

For the seventh time today, the sirens went off here in Kuwait City, suggesting that there could be some sort of threat. We have these pictures that you're hearing. You're hearing that siren go off. But within a few minutes, they got the all-clear siren, indicating everybody can go about their activities, not have to worry about it anymore. The situation here in Kuwait City, relatively calm. Certainly, compared to what's happening in the northern part of this country, the small affluent country, but in the northern part.

A big third of the country, basically sealed off to civilians. The U.S. military, together with the British and Australian military, they've taken over. They're preparing to move into southern Iraq. Indeed, some U.S. marines and British forces already have done precisely that.

On the whole, Kuwaitis anxious, anxious to see that the United States get the job done together with the British very, very quickly so they can go about their lives as they'd like to do it without having to worry about Saddam Hussein down the road -- Lou.

DOBBS: Wolf, thank you very much.

We want to go now to our CNN military analyst, General David Grange, who has served with the 82nd, the 101st Airborne divisions, commanding the 1st Infantry Division, all of those units at least in some respect. In the case of the 82nd, at least one brigade while the rest of the division is in service in combat, as it turns out, in Afghanistan.

General, good to have you with us.

GEN. DAVID GRANGE, U.S. ARMY (RET.), CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Thank you, Lou.

DOBBS: Talking with Jamie McIntyre, our senior Pentagon correspondent, trying as best we can, talking with Bill Cohen, former defense secretary, as you well know, sort of a hesitancy to talk about the fact that even though these are the early hours of an engagement, an invasion, things appear to be going well. Could you give us your assessment?

GRANGE: Yes. They appear to be going well and it looks like the shock and awe, though not a military term, but the shock and awe phase has not begun. And I think that what is beneficial to the coalition forces, they can employ that when they want to.

And again, I think they're trying to feel out what they're actually finding in the environment, on the ground, enemy terrain, the different conditions on the leadership of Saddam's regime before they have to do that. Because the least amount they have to destroy, the better for post-destruction phase.

And so it really is an ace in the pocket to use when they really have to and so far, they haven't had to do that.

DOBBS: We have seen, General, these troops, to me at least, seem to be advancing with remarkable speed, based on what we have been able to gather from our reporters who are with these forces. Would you agree with that assessment?

GRANGE: I think so. We don't have a good report on a limit of advance. And it's probably because it's close hold right now so any enemy forces watching the media won't know where our forces are located.

But I think what is important to understand, in that movement so far, with the 7th Cav spearheading the 3rd Infantry Division, is that this is a combination of helicopters, like the Apache, the Bradley fighting vehicles and tanks and engineer vehicles, all synchronized to move at a rapid pace while engaging the enemy if need be, getting through mine fields, known and unknown, crossing obstacles like canals and berms, and at the same time trying to refuel, rearm if they use up their ammunition, all at night. It's quite an accomplishment.

DOBBS: Truly. Let's take a quick look at a map of the area if we may, General. Are you surprised that given the fact that there is a DMZ, heavily bermed, wired, between Kuwait City, across the northern border of Kuwait and the southern border of Iraq, that at least two Iraqi armored personnel carriers, apparently armored personnel carriers were able to penetrate that border and engage a U.S. unit earlier today?

GRANGE: Well, I'm not sure where the engagement took place. That is unusual. And they may have been lost to come into that area and they were taken out immediately, obviously.

DOBBS: They were taken out immediately.

GRANGE: Yes, not much resistance and it's surprising that they were actually that close.

DOBBS: And in very rapid order, just above Kuwait City, just north of the Kuwait/Iraq border in Umkasar (ph), a very important port for the Iraqis, U.S. forces and presumably along with British forces have taken that, as well.

So we're seeing at least some direction here already, even though we have limited reports in this advance. Do you see that with the absence of a northern front a great deal of pressure being brought to bear in western Iraq?

GRANGE: I think there's a lot of operations going on, a good number of operations going on in western Iraq that we're not hearing about, as well as in the north.

And these are significant, though probably smaller units, they're significant to, again, put pressure on Saddam's forces, to seize key areas for follow-on operations, like establishing a forward operating base or to destroy a location that may control Scuds from firing into Israel, as an example.

And those things in concert with these two primary thrusts out of Kuwait, the one you just mentioned, plus the one to the west, which is with the 3rd Infantry Division, gives you a main attack and a supporting attack of some type, not knowing which is which, moving north, you know, obviously towards Baghdad.

So I think you have multiple pressure throughout the country. DOBBS: General Grange, as always, thank you very much, General David Grange.

Let's go now to Bob Franken who is with U.S. forces at an air base near the Iraqi border. He joins us now by telephone -- Bob.

BOB FRANKEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, we are actually here by video phone, Lou. At this air base, which is a major launching spot, a major launching spot for the aircraft that would be conducting the massive attack that everybody had been discussing. But, of course, it hasn't happened yet.

There has been a steady flow of traffic, not quite as intensive as usual. This air base is one that had been repeatedly used over the years to enforce the southern no-fly zone in Iraq, and the fact of the matter is they flew more missions on a daily basis out of here when they were doing that than when they reverted to this latest battle against Iraq.

What you're having tonight is a lot of traffic by A-10s. A-10s are anti-tank weapons. We've been hearing that the officials want to prepare the battlefield and this would be the kind of weapon they would use. They can wipe out tanks. And it would be the type of aircraft that would go in ahead of advancing ground troops.

And that seems to be -- in fact, we can report that seems to be the strategy here. There, of course, have been all kinds of interruptions during the day, like this spot and several others around the area. There have been any number of alarms, where everybody has to put on his gas mask and put on his biochemical suit in the fear that this has been some sort of chemical, nuclear, biological attack, probably chemical.

None of them has panned out. We had one just a couple minutes ago. In fact, they overlapped the time that we were supposed to make our report. So we're a little bit late because of that. But once again, for about the eighth time today, they went from the code red to where we are now, which is a code green -- Lou.

DOBBS: Bob, thank you very much. Bob Franken, reporting from an air base in -- near Iraq and Kuwait.

Karl Penhaul, as we said, is with the army's 5th Corps right now, the 11th Attack helicopter regiment on the Iraq/Kuwaiti border, and he joins us now.

And Karl, I understand you have some new information on the downed helicopter?

KARL PENHAUL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's correct, Lou. (UNINTELLIGIBLE) It does (UNINTELLIGIBLE) the 3rd Infantry Division. The 3rd Infantry Division also has attack helicopters. Those attack helicopters of the 3rd Infantry Division were in action earlier on this evening. Their mission was to fly up to the border with Iraq and take down up to six observation posts on the border area and to start clearing the way that the (UNINTELLIGIBLE) that we've been talking about.

Among those helicopters that flew out, all of them Apache helicopters, one was hit by multiple small arms fire. We understand from commanders here that that Apache helicopter set down on the Iraqi side of the border, so in enemy territory. The pilot actually got out of the helicopter to inspect any damage, got back in the helicopter, and was able to fly the helicopter back to base here in northern Kuwait -- Lou.

DOBBS: Karl Penhaul, traveling, obviously, with the 5th Corps as it moves forward. The 11th helicopter attack group. The -- We apologize for that audio, but again, please be patient with us. Our correspondents doing a remarkable job with these troops, trying to get their story out, and sometimes the technology hard pressed to accommodate us and most especially you.

There's been, of course a dramatic shift in the support of the U.S. policy toward Iraq. President Bush, the White House now saying more than 40 nations have lined up behind U.S. efforts to remove Saddam Hussein from power.

Joining me now is Richard Perle, former assistant secretary of defense, also a resident fellow and chairman at the American Enterprise Institute and chairman of the Defense Policy Board.

Good to have you with us.

RICHARD PERLE, FORMER ASSISTANT DEFENSE SECRETARY: Thank you, Lou.

DOBBS: I want to turn if I may, just to some of the geopolitical issues here quickly, if I may, Richard.

One, it is interesting that only of the Middle Eastern countries that have so far weighed in with a voice on the attack, by coalition forces against Iraq, only Iran has been vociferous in its condemnation of that attack. Does that surprise you?

PERLE: No, it's, I think, always been the case that once it was clear that we were going to going to act in a decisive manner, that Saddam Hussein would not be there after the conflict to exact retribution, we would have very broad support among those who live in the Gulf and have had to live in proximity to Saddam's military machine.

DOBBS: And amongst the European nations, of course, France continues to voice its opposition. Germany, as well. But in all, a relatively muted response, particularly from those most vociferous critics as we enter this phase of the engagement.

PERLE: Well, even as critics, France has allowed us to over-fly French territory in order to reach Iraq. Germany has allowed the bases in Germany to be used in order to assist this effort. So the criticism is dying away.

And I'm confident that when this war is over, and the result is clear, and Iraq has been liberated, there will be very little criticism, indeed.

DOBBS: The capacity here for other nations to help in real terms, humanitarian terms for those refugees, as we just reported from northern Iraq, an estimated 600,000 refugees are now expecting, the United Nations saying it will play an important role.

Is that the place? Is that the opportunity at which to begin to build a coalition, not only of the willing, but a coalition of those who will cooperate and rebuild Iraq?

PERLE: I don't think there's any question that when Iraq is liberated, there will be no basis for not wanting to participate in the reconstruction. That's the easy part, if I can put it that way. Not easy to reconstruct Iraq, but easy to get involved in the reconstruction of Iraq.

DOBBS: And your assessment as to how this strategy is moving forward now with our troops committed?

PERLE: I think it's working very much as the president envisioned more than a year ago when he made it clear in a State of the Union message that we were not going to accept the threat that Saddam poses.

DOBBS: Richard Perle, as always, good to have you with us.

PERLE: Good to see you.

DOBBS: British prime minister Tony Blair tonight explained to the British people why he ordered troops to join the United States in the war against Saddam Hussein.

Prime Minister Blair said, "the choice was clear."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TONY BLAIR, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: For 12 years, the world tried to disarm Saddam. After his wars in which hundreds of thousands died, U.N. weapons inspectors say vast amounts of chemical and biological poisons such as anthrax, V.X. nerve agent and mustard gas remain unaccounted for in Iraq.

So our choice is clear. Back down and leave Saddam hugely strengthened, or proceed to disarm him by force. Retreat might give us a moment of respite, but years of repentance at our weakness would, I believe, follow.

It is true, Saddam is not the only threat, but it is true, also, as we British know, that the best way to deal with future threats, peacefully, is to deal with present threats with resolve.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DOBBS: Tony Blair speaking to the British people this evening. Maintaining his steadfast partnership with President George Bush. And British troops, Australian troops, and American troops continuing their advance in Iraq tonight.

On Capitol Hill, as Jonathan Karl reported, a period of reconciliation and almost, almost total support for the president and for our troops in the engagement.

Let's go to Judy Woodruff in Washington, D.C. Judy, this is a time for apparently, for healing and coming together.

JUDY WOODRUFF, CNN ANCHOR: Well, Lou, it certainly is in the Senate as Jon Karl reported there earlier when you talked to him. The Senate has come together, agreed on a resolution, 99-0, only one senator, Zell Miller was not there for family reasons could not be in Washington today.

But even critics of the president's policy, like Senate Democratic leader Tom Daschle, who just two days ago all but said that the president was -- would be responsible for the lost lives of young American fighting men and women. He said the very idea that these people are going into war, he said, in effect, galled him because it was the result of the president's failed diplomacy. That was two days ago.

Today, Tom Daschle joined with his Republican colleagues and said today, I support the president. He's the commander-in-chief.

And Lou, I should also mention that in the House, they still are not in agreement. The Republicans have put forward some language praising President Bush for his leadership, and at this point, the Democrats are still balking over that.

So across the political spectrum you might say, Democrats are struggling still a little bit with how to handle this. However, they voted last November on the resolution supporting the use of force when the president saw fit. Today, they are saying yes, we're with the president, but a number of those running for president are saying, well, I still reserve the right to disagree with the president's policies.

DOBBS: With that reservation, I should imagine that the White House and a number of others there in Washington take at least some solace in the fact that they were able to agree that they could safely, politically, I mean, laud British Prime Minister Tony Blair in that resolution. I should suspect the White House would appreciate that.

Let's turn if we may, to, in Washington, to the issues of security. How significant are those? Has there been a ramp-up, Judy, that is significant?

WOODRUFF: Well, Lou, as you know, the alert, threat alert level was raised the other night, just as the president announced that he was giving Saddam Hussein the deadline. The threat alert level was raised from yellow to orange, high. So the entire city is, I think you have to say, at a heightened level of security.

Having said that, Washington is getting accustomed to higher security in the aftermath of 9/11. But you know, there is a war going on, and people realize that something could happen. There is even further restricted access at the White House and other important government buildings. So people are keeping their eyes open. No question about it.

And Lou, one other thing I just would tell you, the White House just announced that the president is going to be going to Camp David for the weekend.

DOBBS: I was just about to ask you.

WOODRUFF: He -- They just -- This is from our White House unit, that the -- they've announced that he's going to leave tomorrow afternoon to go to Camp David. So I suppose they're trying to send a signal that even as this war is under way, the president is not completely consumed by it.

DOBBS: Judy, thank you very much for bringing us up to date, as always.

We're going to go to Dr. Sanjay Gupta, who is with a M.A.S.H. unit in northern Kuwait -- Sanjay.

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Lou, yes, it's 3 in the morning here in the northern desert of Kuwait, but I can assure you, no one's getting any sleep, Lou. Right behind me is a bunker. And over the last 17 hours, there have been 12 bunker calls.

What that basically means is you hear over the P.A. system or someone shouting "bunker, bunker, bunker." You suddenly see marines running from all over this camp, putting on their helmets, putting on their Kevlar, putting on their gas masks at times, as well, and running into this bunker behind me. That has happened 12 times.

It started about 10:28 this morning, local time, 17 hours ago. That's the time that we saw a missile flying overhead. It was flying low, only about 300 feet. It was flying very quickly, and it had the unmistakable noise, they tell me, of a missile. I certainly hadn't heard a missile before. They told me that's what they sound like.

And certainly, we heard a thud moments just afterwards south of us. It appeared to be traveling from north to south. Since that time, Lou, about 12 bunker calls, at times wearing our masks.

Lou, let me just point out as well, people are sort of sleeping all over the desert today. We ourselves have set up our cots right next to the bunker. Those are our sleeping bags, those are our cots. That's where we chose to sleep so that we can get into these bunkers as quickly as possible.

There's another lieutenant sleeping right behind me. He's actually in the bunker. People are literally sleeping all over to try and get to these bunkers as quickly as possible -- Lou.

DOBBS: Sanjay, thank you very much. Try to get some rest and be safe. Sanjay Gupta. Intelligence officials tonight are trying still to determine definitively whether Saddam Hussein actually addressed Iraqis after the initial strike against Baghdad last evening.

National security correspondent David Ensor has the report.

DAVID ENSOR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Lou, there is still a debate over whether or not the tape that was released today, two tapes, in fact, of Saddam Hussein purportedly speaking after the attempt to kill him, basically, by the United States, whether that really was Saddam.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

(voice-over) U.S. officials are increasingly convinced this is, indeed, Saddam Hussein, not a body double, as some first suggested. Officials say technical analysis suggests the voice and inflection and movements of the mouth may be the same as Saddam Hussein from past tapes, though there is not yet a definitive U.S. judgment.

RUMSFELD: There's debate about that.

ENSOR: One skeptic about whether it is Saddam is former CIA photo analyst Dino Brugioni, though in the past he told CNN Saddam's doubles almost never speak.

DINO BRUGIONI, FORMER CIA PHOTO ANALYST: Saddam has one, possibly two doubles. And when his double appears, you watch it. He'll never talk.

ENSOR: CIA director George Tenet was able to report to the president that intelligence officials believe the cruise missile and bomb attacks that started the war did kill some top Iraqi leaders who U.S. officials say they were sleeping in the compound that was attacked. But not, apparently, Saddam Hussein.

JOE WILSON, FORMER U.S. DIPLOMAT IN IRAQ: This is a guy who moves quickly, who covers his movements, who uses body doubles. He uses multiple motorcades going in different directions to fool anybody who might want to take him out.

There are a lot of tunnels and there are a lot of underground bunkers underneath the palaces and elsewhere that he can avail himself of.

ENSOR: Some say it may take an insider to put an end to Saddam Hussein.

JUDITH YAPHE, NATIONAL DEFENSE UNIVERSITY: There's a greater chance that somebody will kill he will come out and say I surrender. And it is possible that somebody will turn on him.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ENSOR: Finding just one person can be quite a challenge. After all, of course, the U.S. has been looking for a 6'4" Arab and a one- eyed Afghan leader -- excuse me -- for well over a year now.

I should just add, Lou, that some intelligence officials are saying that as the situation continues in Iraq, the way it is with Saddam hiding, it may not matter so much whether he's alive or dead at this point. He's losing control fast -- Lou.

DOBBS: So long as he does not have control or communications, you're exactly right, David.

In terms of the assessment of the command structure, because, as you have reported throughout, Saddam Hussein, his sons, a handful of other top Iraqi officials constitute that command structure. The Pentagon, Defense Secretary Rumsfeld, and all of the military trying to assess whether or not that command structure has been significantly damaged.

Can you tell us anything about that judgment from the standpoint of intelligence sources that you have and other perspectives, if you will?

ENSOR: You know, there are a lot of stories out there suggesting that perhaps the command structure has collapsed, perhaps large units of Iraqis are trying to give up and are not obeying orders or not even getting orders.

But Frankly, it's the fog of war right now, according to the officials I speak to. They just don't feel you can give a competent assessment or that they can give me one at this point.

There's a lot going on. We're not hearing about all of it at this point, Lou.

DOBBS: David, thank you very much. David Ensor from Washington.

The United States has asked governments all around the world to expel Iraqi ambassadors and diplomats. It also wants Iraqi embassy services suspended immediately and Iraqi assets frozen. The State Department said its request went out in a cable to U.S. diplomatic posts around the world. That cable asking U.S. diplomats to take up those issues with their host governments directly.

Well, in other news tonight, security has been raised at Arizona's Palo Verde nuclear power plant because of a terrorist threat. Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge says that move follows a very specific piece of threat information about plans to attack the facility.

A military report recommends against a court marshal for two U.S. pilots who face charges in the deaths of four Canadian soldiers they mistakenly bombed in Afghanistan last year.

And on Wall Street today, stocks ended the day slightly higher, the Dow posting its seven-session advance, making it the longest since the summer 2000. Oil prices today down again for a sixth straight day. Oil, light sweet crude down to a three-month low, in fact, of $28.20. Down from nearly $40 a barrel a month ago. We have some late information now from John King at the White House.

Last night, at 7:12 p.m., President Bush -- p.m. eastern time, the president gave the order to go ahead with the initial bombing of Baghdad, saying let's go. That was three minutes before the drop-dead time of General Tommy Franks when the attack would have had to have been called off because of nightfall.

Joining us from again from Washington again, former defense secretary and MONEYLINE regular contributor William Cohen.

Bill, does it surprise you that the president made that judgment that late in the evening if you will?

COHEN: No, it doesn't. I think the president clearly is following this very closely.

As a matter of fact, even as we speak, there are still about two or three hours that can be utilized this evening in order to take advantage of the night and I think that once he was advised that there was an opportunity, a target of opportunity here, he moved. A good move on his part.

DOBBS: And it appears that the intelligence agencies and the Pentagon, perhaps, had a decision resonating in their minds, also, from the initial military action after September 11 when they had, apparently, a shot, if you will, at Osama bin Laden and did not take it.

COHEN: All of it depends upon actionable intelligence.

As we discussed last evening, Lou, Saddam Hussein has got to be concerned, is this information coming from overhead technical capability, or is it from some inside source? If it's an inside, he's got to look over his shoulder every moment, saying who is my betrayer. That's got to be unsettling for him. So he doesn't know at this particular point where the information is coming from.

We'll have to make a determination as to how close those attacks came to him and, in fact whether they hit him and his top associates.

DOBBS: Let me turn now, if I may, to General David Grange again. General, the troops now have been on the move throughout the day. We are approaching, now, 3 in the morning in Iraq.

What do you expect to be the next step for those ground forces?

GRANGE: The forces that crested that already demilitarized zone are going to move up at least up to some type of key intermediate objective. It may be up by one of the river crossing sites along the Euphrates. We're still waiting to see what they're going to do with the 101st Airborne Division, if they haven't already done that.

The troops are tired because they were anticipating the order to go and even though you try to sleep, usually, it's very restless, as you can imagine. And so -- but they're on a high. They have an order to go. They feel they're on a moral high ground in this fight and so they're just going to keep going until they get to a specific point to call a halt for another phase of the operation.

DOBBS: General, thank you very much. General David Grange. Bill Cohen, gentlemen, thank you both.

For all of us here, thanks for being with us. We continue our special coverage now in the strike on Iraq with Aaron Brown in Atlanta, Wolf Blitzer, Christiane Amanpour from Kuwait.

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




International Edition
CNN TV CNN International Headline News Transcripts Advertise With Us About Us
SEARCH
   The Web    CNN.com     
Powered by
© 2005 Cable News Network LP, LLLP.
A Time Warner Company. All Rights Reserved.
Terms under which this service is provided to you.
Read our privacy guidelines. Contact us.
external link
All external sites will open in a new browser.
CNN.com does not endorse external sites.
 Premium content icon Denotes premium content.
Add RSS headlines.