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THEY COST $1 MILLION APIECE.
THEY ARE LAUNCHED FROM SHIPS
IN THIS CASE.
SO, THAT'S THE MILITARY
SITUATION AS WE ARE ABLE TO
DETERMINE AT THIS HOUR.
THAT IS WHAT IS GOING ON IN
THAT PART OF THE WORLD.
LET ME GO BACK TO
WASHINGTON, D.C. WHERE ED
PECK IS STANDING BY NEXT TO
ROBIN WRIGHT.
WE INTRODUCED HIM EARLIER AS
A MAN WHO SERFED IN THE U.S.
EMBASSY AND HE'S WITH US
TONIGHT.
LET'S GO BACK TO THE MIND OF
SADDAM HUSSEIN.
OVER THE WEEKEND WHEN I WAS
IN BAGHDAD, TOP IRAQI
OFFICIALS WERE TELLING
MEMBERS OF THE U.N. STAFF
THAT THEY BELIEVE THEY CAN
TAKE TWO WAVES OF ATTACKS
FROM UNITED STATES AND CLAIM
VICTORY S. THAT VIABLE?
>> THE OPTION, I SUPPOSE HE
HAS AFTER HE CONSIDERS ALL
THE OTHER ROUTES THAT ARE
OPEN TO HIM.
I WOULD TEND TO THINK THAT
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HE'S
GOING TO DO FIRST WHEN HE
COMINGS OUT OF HIS BUNKER IS
CALL ON THE ARAB WORLD TO
RISE UP AND SUPPORT HIM AND
CALL ON MOSLEMS EVERYWHERE
TO DO THE SAME THING.
IF YOU REMEMBER BACK IN 196
7B IN THE ARAB-ISRAELI WAR
AT THIS TIME WHEN THE
EGYPTIANS ACCUSED THE UNITED
STATES OF TAKING A RULE ON
THE ISRAELI SIDE, THEY
SACKED AND BURNED AMERICAN
EMBASSIES ALL ACROSS THE
NORTH AFRICAN AND THE MIDDLE
EAST.
NOW WHEN IT'S THE UNITED
STATES THAT'S DONE IT
WITHOUT ISRAEL, SO FAR AS WE
KNOW, I'M CERTAIN THAT
SADDAM HUSSEIN CAN COUNT ON
A VERY STRONG AND VIOLENT
REACTION FROM MOSLEMS
VIRTUALLY EVERYWHERE.
SO THAT WILL BE ONE OF THE
THINGS HE DOES WHEN HE COMES
OUT.
>> WHAT ARE THE PROSPECTS OF
THAT SUCK SIDING WITH THE
ARAB MASSES, TO SAY NOTHING
OF SOME OF THE OTHER
MARGINAL LEAD SNERS.
>> I THINK IT'S GOING TO
SUCCEED WAEL WELL.
I THINK THERE'S GOING TO BE
A VERY STRONG EMOTIONAL
REACTION ON THE PARENT OF
ALL ARABS WHEN THEY KNOW
THAT THE UNITED STATES HAS
STRUCK COARABS, COET NISS IF
YOU WILL.
IT DEPENDS ON THE STRENGTH
OF THEIR ACTION.
IT WILL DEPEND TO A GREAT
DEAL ON WHAT HAPPENS IN THE
SUCCEEDING DAYS.
I THINK THAT EVEN IN
COUNTRIES FAR REMOVEED FROM
THE ACTUAL CONFLICT AND WE
MENTIONED ALGERIA, THAT
ROBIN WRIGHT MENTIONED A
MOMENT AGO, THAT THE
ALGERIANS ARE NOT GOING TO
BE HAPPY ABOUT THIS ALL AND
THE AMERICAN ALSO TAKE THE
BRUNT OF IT.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH IN
WASHINGTON.
GARY SICK WOULD LIKE TO ADD
SOMETHING TO THAT.
>> I THINK THE PLACE TO
WATCH IS FIRST OF ALL,
TOMORROW MORNING WHEN THINGS
BEGIN TO BREAK.
IT WILL BE JORDAN FIRST OF
ALL, WHERE THE SITUATION IS
VERY DELICATE AND WHERE THE
PALESTINIANS CAN TAKE TO THE
STREETS AND DESTABILIZE
THINGS.
THE OTHER IS EJIPT WHERE
SADDAM IS NOT THAT POPULAR.
WE'LL SEE WHERE MUBARAK CAN
HANDLE THE THREAT.
>> WHAT HAPPENS TO ISRAEL?
WE HAVE NBC'S MARTIN FLECH
ORETON LINE NOW.
OF COURSE, JUST LAST WEEK AS
THE TARIQ AZIZ THE IRAQI
FOREIGN MINISTER WAS SIGHING
YES, WE WILL ATTACK ISRAEL
IF WE COME UNDER ATTACK.
MARTIN FLETCHER, I CAN HEAR
YOU IN THE BACKGROUND?
>> I CAN HEAR YOU FINE.
>> WHAT'S GOING ON IN ISRAEL
TONIGHT?
>> WELL, SURPRISINGLY
LITTLE.
WE WERE EXPECTING THAT THE
FIRST MOVE SADDAM HUSSEIN
WOULD MAKE WOULD BE IRAQI --
MISSILE TAKE ON ISRAEL.
THAT HASN'T YET THE FIRST
THING HE WOULD DO WOULD BE
TO ATTACK TEL-AVIV.
WHAT THAT SUGGESTS IS THAT
THE MISSILES, H-2 AND H-3 ON
THE IRAQI BORDER WHICH IS
WHERE THEY'D FIRE THE
MISSILES FROM, IT APPEARS
THAT THE MISSILES ARE NOT
READY TO FIRE.
SO ISRAEL HAS FIVE HOURS TO
KOUMT DOWN.
THAT'S THE MAXIMUM TIME IT
TAKES TO LOAD ONE OF THE
MISSILES, THE SCUD B'S.
IT COULD TAKE THEM A SHORTER
TIME.
SO ISRAEL WILL NOW WAIT
OTHER TARGETS THERE MAY HAVE
BEEN OTHER THAN BAGHDAD.
I CAN TELL YOU SOME THINGS
THAT THE WHITE HOUSE HAD
SAID REALLY IS NOT A PROBLEM
AND WE HAD HEARD IT WAS A
PROBLEM WITH THE ISRAELIS.
THE ISRAELIS HAD COMPLAINED
THAT THEY WEREN'T BEING
INCLUDE IN AS IT WERE ON
WHAT OUR WAR PLANS WERE
BEFORE THE ATTACK BEGAN.
ONE THING THE ISRAELIS WERE
WORRIED ABOUT, WAS THAT IF
IN FACT ISRAELIS FELT IN
DANGER OF THOSE IRAQI
MISSILES THEY'D GO IN THEIR
WITH THEIR JETS AND TRY TO
TAKE THEM OUT AND OUR PLAINS
AND THEIR PLAINS MIGHT START
FIRING INTO EACH OTHER AND
CONCEIVABLY RUN INTO EACH
OTHER.
HERE AT THE WHITE HOUSE THEY
NEVER REGARDED THAT AS A
SERIOUS PROBLEM.
THEIR FEELING WAS THAT THE
ISRAELIS WOULD TRY TO GET
MORE INFORMATION.
UNDERSTANDABLY ISRAEL HAS A
DEEP NATIONAL SECURITY
INTEREST HERE.
THE WHITE HOUSE STAFFERS
HERE SAY THAT'S NOT A
PROBLEM.
WHAT I DON'T KNOW IS HOW
MUCH INFORMATION THE
ISRAELIS HAVE BEEN GIVEN.
OBVIOUSLY THEY'VE BEEN GIVEN
SOME.
THIS IS A SENSITIVE ISSUE
BECAUSE ARAB COUNTRIES ARE
GOING TO WANT TO KNOW IF THE
U.S. GOOD THIS IN CAHOOTS
WITH THE ISRAELIS.
>> YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY CORRECT
IN THAT.
WE WANT TO GIVE YOU AN
UPDATE ON THE SITUATION NOW
AS YOU STAND BY THERE.
IT IS CALLED OPERATION
DESERT STORM.
IT HAS BEEN UNDERWAY FOR
ALMOST 3 HOURS WE BELIEVE.
BAGHDAD AS YOU CAN SEE.
THAT IS A F-15 PLANE THAT WE
HAVE FLYING OVER THERE.
THEY WERE LAUNCHED AS WELL
WITH LONG RANGE FUEL TANKS
PROBABLY TO HIT GROUND
POSITIONS POSSIBLY IN
SOUTHERN KUWAIT BUT MAYBE
MILITARY TARGETS WITHIN IRAQ
ITSELF.
THE PRIMARY OBJECTIVES
APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN MILITARY
INSTALLATIONS AND PROBABLY
RADAR SITES BECAUSE THE
RADAR WOULD BE CRUCIAL TO
THE IRAQIS IN RESPOND TO GO
ANY KIND OF AN ATTACK.
THERE ARE NOW REPORTS AGAIN
COMING OUT OF BAGHDAD OF A A
NEW WAVE OF ATTACKS
UNDERWAY.
WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT THAT
MEANS PRECISELY AT THIS
HOUR.
THE CENTER OF THE CITY
APPARENTLY STILL IS INTACT.
SADDAM HUSSEIN WHERE HE IS
AT THIS HOUR, WE CANNOT SAY.
WE PRESUME OF COURSE THAT HE
IS IN A BUNKER POSSIBLY
SOMEWHERE IN THE BAGHDAD
AREA BUT HE COULD HAVE GONE
TO THE MOUNTAINS.
HE HAS RETREATS THERE AS
WELL.
HE IS BATTLED HARDENED 8
YEARS AGAINST IRAN.
A MAN WHO FOUGHT AND KILLED
HIS WAY TO POWER BEGINNING
IN A VERY SMALL VAL HANDLING
IN IRAQ CALLED KREET.
FROM THERE HE BUILT THIS
ENORMOUS POLITICAL AND
MILITARY POWER IN THE MOST
RUTHLESS POSSIBLE FASHION
KILLING ANYONE WHO STOOD IN
HIS WAY SAYING I KNOW OF THE
PEOPLE AROUND ME WHEN
THEY'RE DISLOYAL BEFORE THEY
KNOW.
NBC JOHN COCHRAN AT THE
WHITE HOUSE.
>> TOM WE ARE JUST LEARNING
THAT THE PRESIDENT HAS BEEN
WORKING ON THE SPEECH WHICH
WE'LL HEAR LATER TONIGHT HAS
BEEN WORKING ON IT FOR 2 TO
3 WEEKS.
THAT GIVES US A LOT OF
INSIGHT INTO HIS MIND SET.
OBVIOUSLY HE THOUGHT THIS
WAS A LIKELY POCKET.
OBVIOUSLY HE HOPEDHAT THE
LAST MINUTE THAT SADDAM
HUSSEIN WOULD WITHDRAWAL HIS
TROOPS AND HE WENT HAVE TO
GO ON THE AIR.
THIS SPEECH WILL BE ABOUT 12
TO 10 MINUTES DAUER RATION.
THE FEW REMARKS THAT MARILYN
FITZWATER HAD A SHORT TIME
AGO, ALMOST A HOUR AGO NOW,
THAT WAS DEVISED IN A HURRY.
THE PRESIDENT IS STILL
WATCHING A LOT OF
TELEVISION.
INCIDENTALLY ONE OF THE
REASONS AROUND HERE, WE
SUSPECTED THERE WOULD BE NO
ATTACK TODAY, IS THAT
MARILYN FITZWATER CAME OUT
TO THIS PODIUM BEHIND ME
EARLIER TODAY THIS MORNING
AND ISSUED A PERSONAL APPEAR
FOR JOURNALISTS IN BAGHDAD
TO LEAVE.
AND LATER TALK WITH
FITZWATER PRIVATELY HE SAID,
LISTEN I'M SPEAKING ALSO ON
BEHALF OF THE PRESIDENT.
HE KNOWS A LOT OF YOU GUYS.
REPORTING FROM BAGHDAD.
HE'S CONCERNED ABOUT YOU.
HE THINKS IT'S CRAZY THAT
YOU'RE THERE.
FITZWATER SAID I TRIED TO
EXPLAIN TO HIM THAT'S WHAT
YOU GUYS DO FOR A LIVING.
THAT'S THE ETHICS OF YOUR
PROFESSION TO BE THERE WHERE
NEWS IS HAPPENING.
BUSH WAS SAYING TRY TO GET
THEM OUT OF THERE.
THE REASON WE DIDN'T EXPECT
THE ATTACK TODAY THERE WAS
REALLY LITTLE TIME FOR
PEOPLE TO COME OUT OF
BAGHDAD.
SO I WOULD HAVE TO SAY MOST
OF US WERE CAUGHT BY
SURPRISE HERE.
>> WE HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION FOR YOU.
FROM A VERY HIGH RANKING
ARAB SOURCE TONIGHT WE ARE
TOLD THAT THE BAGHDAD
AIRPORT AND A LARGE NUMBER
OF MISSILE BATTERIES AROUND
IT WERE THE FIRST TARGETS.
WE'RE TOLD THERE WAS NO
GROUND RESISTANCE.
THAT THE ATTACKS WERE
SUCCESSFUL.
THE EARLY ATTACKS WERE NOT
MASSIVE BUT THEY WERE
CONCENTRATED AND EFFECTIVE.
THAT AS I SAY FROM A HIGH
RANKING ARAB SOURCE IN
POSITION TO KNOW.
WE'LL TELL YOU AS WELL, THAT
IN TOKYO AND OTHER PLACES
WHERE THE FINANCIAL MARKETS
ARE OPEN IT IS CHAOS AT THIS
HOUR.
THE TOKYO MARKET WAS OFF
ABOUT 300 POINTS AT ONE
POINT.
OIL PRICES WERE UP 3 BUCKS A
BARREL.
THAT IS NOT UNEXPECTED OF
COURSE IN THE FIRST WAVE,
THE FIRST FLUSH OF SHOOTING.
WHEN THERE CAN BE NO CERTAIN
OUTCOME.
THE FINANCIAL MARKETS ALMOST
ALWAYS ARE IN SOME KIND OF
HAVOC.
THAT CERTAINLY IS THE
SITUATION TONIGHT.
THAT COULD VERY WELL
STABILIZE.
WE'LL NOT KNOW WHAT HAPPENS
IN THIS COUNTRY.
COLONEL HARRY SUMMERS IS ONE
OF THE BEST STUDENTSAS IT W
GENERAL CAN BE ASSUMED TO
BE IN COMMAND.
>> DO YOU HAVE ANYSENSE
HOW THE SAUDI ARABIAN
CIVILIAN POPULATION HAS
RESPONDED TO THE BEGINNING
OF WAR.
CAN YOU LOOK OUT THE WINDOW
AND SEE ANYTHING?
IT'S ALMOST 4:00 IN THE
MORNING?
>> IT'S ALMOST 4:00 IN THE
MORNING.
WE DON'T SEE MUCH FROM THE
WINDOWS.
THERE ARE PEOPLE VENTUREING
OUT TO TAKE A LOOK.
I CAN TELL YOU TODAY THERE
HAS BEEN A FAIRLY HIGH
LEVEL OF ANXIETY, BUT
CERTAINLY, I DON'T THINK
ANYTHING APPROACHING PANIC.
THEY ARE STOIC ABOUT IT, IF
GOD WILLS IT, IT WILL BE
FINE.
IF GOD DOESN'T WILL IT,
THEY WON'T.
BASICALLY, THE SAUDIS,
PARTICULARLY, FOR A LONG
LONG TIME ASSUMED THIS DAY
WOULD NEVER HAPPEN, SOMEHOW
THEY WOULD BE RESCUED,
EVERYTHING WOULD BE FINE.
SO IT'S PREMATURE TO
PRE-TICKET WHAT THEY RE
ACTION IS GOING TO BE NOW
THAT WAR BEGAN.
>>ED SAUDIS HAVE BEEN CALM,
SAYING THE AMERICANS WILL
PROTECT US.
AS HE POINTS OUT, HEARING
THE AIR RAID SIRENS IN
RIYADH, LOOKING AT MY
CHART, 616 MILES TO BAGHDAD
BUT LESS TO KUWAIT, ABOUT
332 MILES TO KUWAIT -- IT'S
A VERY LONG RANGE AS BARRIE
DUNSMORE POINTS OUT AND ONE