Analysis of CENTCOM Briefing; Statement from Iraqi Information Minister
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: On the 17th day, U.S. tanks rumbled into the heart of Baghdad. That's the message today from CENTCOM, although they're cautioning down there in Qatar that no victory speech is appropriate at this point. But moving in daylight in the heart of Baghdad, a strong indication from CENTCOM, in their words, that troops on the U.S. can move into Baghdad when and where they choose. I'm Bill Hemmer. Welcome to SATURDAY LIVE again here in Kuwait City. Also watching the situation in Baghdad. On LBC, the Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation, Mohammed Saeed al-Sahhaf, the information minister, while CENTCOM was delivering his briefing today, Sahhaf was delivering this message attributed to Saddam Hussein. It happened a few moments ago. We'll listen. This is the message today in Baghdad.</s>HEMMER: All right, that's a statement from Baghdad just a few moments ago. A number of messages in there, including the enemy forces -- referring to the U.S. right now -- are on Baghdad, they say, but they have weakened in other parts of the country. God will protect Baghdad, the message from Mohammed Saeed al-Sahhaf. And attributing all this speech yet again to the Iraqi leader, Saddam Hussein, and urging the army as well as regular Iraqis to step up their attacks on invaders. We'll keep track of what's happening in Baghdad. Also watching what's happening down at CENTCOM. A long briefing today about the operations the U.S. have now conducted and again, as I mentioned before, day 17 of Operation Iraqi Freedom. U.S. tanks now moving into the heart of Baghdad earlier today. Where they are right now, whether they've moved back out of the city, we cannot say for certain, but we will check in with our embedded reporters. We have a whole lot more for you, when we continue, right after this.