Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Live Event/Special
Another Deadly Day in Iraq
Aired July 18, 2003 - 19:24 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.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: A tragic milestone was reached today in Iraq. The number of U.S. soldiers killed there has now passed that of the 1991 Gulf War. The latest death just today in the town of Fallujah, and it comes on the heels of a new audiotape that U.S. military experts believe is the voice of Saddam Hussein. We go now to Baghdad, where senior international correspondent Nic Robertson has more on the latest developments -- Nic.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Anderson, that soldier was traveling in a convoy on the main highway near Fallujah back towards Baghdad. An improvised explosives device, according to U.S. officials, was placed on the side of the road and remotely detonated as his vehicle went by. It blew his vehicle across the wide highway. He was killed. It's not clear at this time if there were any other casualties in that particular incident. It left a crater about a foot and a half across in the road.
Now, in this particular area, west of Baghdad, Fallujah and Ramadi, U.S. forces have told us on a number of occasions, this type of improvised explosive device, explosive sticks with a remote controlled detonator or an improvised artillery shell, again, with a remote detonator has been used with deadly effect before and caused casualties as well against U.S. troops.
North of Baghdad, however, from U.S. officials there, a slightly different word. They say that the recent aggressive patrols and searches that they've made as part of Operation Soda Mountain, have been successful. They say they now dominate the area around Tikrit, Saddam Hussein's hometown, and that they say the number of attacks in that area at least have dropped off -- Anderson.
COOPER: Nic, I've also heard that Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz is in Iraq right now. Have you seen him? Do you know what he's doing there?
ROBERTSON: We have not seen the Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz. He flew into the airport yesterday. We understand he was taken by helicopter to a number of other locations. He has essentially, as far as the people of Iraq have been concerned, invisible on their radar. They're not aware, apart than through the local media, they certainly haven't had the opportunity to see him that we're aware of. They've had no dealings with him. The best that we can judge, certainly a lot of secrecy surrounding it here in Baghdad.
COOPER: All right, Nic Robertson from Baghdad, thanks very much tonight.
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 July 18, 2003 - 19:24 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: A tragic milestone was reached today in Iraq. The number of U.S. soldiers killed there has now passed that of the 1991 Gulf War. The latest death just today in the town of Fallujah, and it comes on the heels of a new audiotape that U.S. military experts believe is the voice of Saddam Hussein. We go now to Baghdad, where senior international correspondent Nic Robertson has more on the latest developments -- Nic.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Anderson, that soldier was traveling in a convoy on the main highway near Fallujah back towards Baghdad. An improvised explosives device, according to U.S. officials, was placed on the side of the road and remotely detonated as his vehicle went by. It blew his vehicle across the wide highway. He was killed. It's not clear at this time if there were any other casualties in that particular incident. It left a crater about a foot and a half across in the road.
Now, in this particular area, west of Baghdad, Fallujah and Ramadi, U.S. forces have told us on a number of occasions, this type of improvised explosive device, explosive sticks with a remote controlled detonator or an improvised artillery shell, again, with a remote detonator has been used with deadly effect before and caused casualties as well against U.S. troops.
North of Baghdad, however, from U.S. officials there, a slightly different word. They say that the recent aggressive patrols and searches that they've made as part of Operation Soda Mountain, have been successful. They say they now dominate the area around Tikrit, Saddam Hussein's hometown, and that they say the number of attacks in that area at least have dropped off -- Anderson.
COOPER: Nic, I've also heard that Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz is in Iraq right now. Have you seen him? Do you know what he's doing there?
ROBERTSON: We have not seen the Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz. He flew into the airport yesterday. We understand he was taken by helicopter to a number of other locations. He has essentially, as far as the people of Iraq have been concerned, invisible on their radar. They're not aware, apart than through the local media, they certainly haven't had the opportunity to see him that we're aware of. They've had no dealings with him. The best that we can judge, certainly a lot of secrecy surrounding it here in Baghdad.
COOPER: All right, Nic Robertson from Baghdad, thanks very much tonight.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
