I have translated this from the original Italian interview, which can be found here. I have barely taken any formal training in Italian, so, any awkwardness in the interview is mine. I've also sometimes veered away from the literal translation, to make it a more "natural" English, but I've maintained the gist. And over here is another interview with Vinci. -ivc, 1/4/03

CNNItalia's Exclusive Interview with Alessio Vinci

by Eugenio Ciucetti, CNNItalia Senior Editor

3 March 2003

While international diplomacy plays its last cards to find a peaceful solution to the Iraqi crisis, journalists all over the world prepare themselves in the event of a conflict. CNNItalia has interviewed one of the most well-known faces on CNN, Alessio Vinci, who has already been a war correspondent during the years of conflict in the former Yugoslavia. He is about to leave for Kuwait in order to report another war live from the front lines.

CNN: Alessio, first of all, thank you for your time, especially considering the present situation. How is CNN preparing in case of a war in Iraq?

Vinci: Every time we have to cover an event of great importance, we begin our preparations with a lot of anticipation. All those who are involved in covering these events—from journalists, to producers, to technicians—meet for weeks to discuss and settle how to guarantee the best coverage possible. In this case, we correspondents prepare ourselves to face the worst conditions—for example, a chemical war. We’re ready with the necessary protective equipment, without which we wouldn’t have permission to venture into the areas of conflict. Those of us who have to work within the war zone even undergo series of specific courses that teach us how to adapt to such a hostile environment. Most of our reporters are already in their posts, not just in Baghdad, where CNN is allowed to keep only two reporters and a limited number of crew members, but even in nearby countries like Kuwait and Turkey.

CNN: You’ll be going to Kuwait. What exactly is your assignment?

Vinci: I’ll be one of the reporters who have to cover the events from the viewpoint of American soldiers. My cameraman and I will be literally “embedded” in a US Marines unit. In other words, we’ll eat, sleep and move with them all the time. The only difference, obviously, will be that we won’t go into battle. In short, we’ll cover the war from the front lines. What’s more, we predict we’ll have to stay far from our headquarters in Kuwait for several weeks and therefore we’ll have to have packed all the necessary equipment to accomplish our work. We just won’t be permitted to have a vehicle of our own. The rule is that we can only take with us what we can carry on our backs. For this, we have with us state-of-the-art digital equipment that won’t take up too much space and allow us to film, edit and transmit live from our base. In any case, it will be a real challenge thinking of just protective gear and a pair of satellite telephones that weigh several kilograms adding to all the rest: from a toothbrush to a computer.

CNN: Based on your experience—for example, during your coverage of the war in the former Yugoslavia—what are your expectations and fears, professional and personal, ahead of this new mission?

Vinci: I’m expecting a very tough assignment. The conditions in the desert are very difficult, and we’ll be almost always at the front lines. There will be several dangers. We’re prepared, but ahead of the risk of a chemical or biological attack, the risks are high, and we’ll always have to be alert and equipped to be able to protect ourselves. As for my expectations, I believe that in Southern Iraq, there will be pockets of resistance, seeing that the area is occupied primarily by Shiites who oppose Saddam Hussein’s Sunni regime. Around Baghdad instead there could be very tough clashes. However, I’m concerned it will be the first time I’m covering a conflict from the perspective of the Americans. As you mentioned in your question, I was in Yugoslavia for several years, and in 1999, I reported the effects of the assaults. But this will be the first time that I’ll live through a war with the US Marines. I’m not sure exactly how dangerous it will be, but it’s just going to be different.

CNN: Do you really think there will be a war? Even without the consent of the UN?

Alessio Vinci: I believe that American president George W. Bush himself, British prime minister Tony Blair and a lot of other European leaders—like Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi—have made it clear a lot of times that they would rather resolve this crisis without resorting to war. President Bush seems to have decided for a number of months now to arbitrate in Iraq, to leave aside the UN, while now things are changing. The United Nations is back in the center of the debate. It will be a mistake to think the UN is not playing a key role in managing this crisis. I believe that even the troops actually situated in the region have an identical role: to put pressure on Saddam Hussein. They’ll proceed to respect the UN’s resolution and assure that should diplomacy fail, the nations who want to disarm Iraq know military means to achieve their aim. I believe, in summary, that it will be difficult to establish whether there will be war or not. I imagine there are just two methods that can surely avert this risk: if Saddam steps down, or if the Iraqis overthrow him, but these, at the moment, seem improbable to me.

CNN: When can you say that war will begin? Are you expecting a long conflict? And with what political and military consequences?

Vinci: To foresee the start of a war is very difficult. To foresee the result can be simpler (meaning to say that the Americans have a stronger military). Nevertheless, a victory does not always assure the defeat of the other. It’s enough to think of how much had happened after the first Gulf War when Saddam declared himself the victor despite the fact that many of his troops had been detained and withdrawn from Kuwait. The political consequences—should war happen—depend on the duration of the conflict and the eventual number of casualties. Should the war be long, and casualty rates be high, President Bush’s popularity can take offense. Instead, a quick and well fought war will have the contrary effect. In the Middle East, the situation is very complicated, and even in this case, will be determined by a lot of factors. For example, in the event Iraq decides whether or not to attack Kuwait or Israel, from the reaction that they could take over Iran, in the influx of Kurdish refugees seeking shelter around its confines, or the tension that can arise between the Kurds themselves and the Turks.

CNN: Finally, in the event of an actual war, what role will Europe take, and Italy in particular? Will they have an active role in the conflict?

Vinci: Actually, there are about 15,000 British soldiers in Kuwait, and that number might rise to 25,000. And that’s just the Europeans. A lot of countries like Hungary and then Italy have offered logistic support. In other words, even if this will be a war primarily fought by American and British soldiers, the countries involved will be there until the end. Europe even has to estimate the significant influx of refugees who are able to escape from the war zone. And Italy, through the Mediterranean, will end up being a primary port of entry into Europe.