MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR: Well, he is a lot closer to midnight than we are, CNN's Bill Hemmer. Bill, what's your New Year's resolution?</s>BILL HEMMER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Marty, I resolve not to be here this time next year in Kandahar, Afghanistan. How about that?</s>HEMMER: It is 9:30 local time, Marty. We're just about 2 1/2 hours away from midnight here. And in about three hours time -- why the Marines are doing this at 12:30, I don't know. Why it's not straight up at midnight, we asked the question and we didn't get a very good answer to it. But about 12:30 local time, again, about three from now, there is going to be a rather large explosion. A lot of the munitions found from the Soviet-era, surface-to-air missiles, rocket-propelled grenades that have been collected throughout the grounds here will be rounded up. They have been rounded up for three weeks now. But we are told that this explosion, Marty, will be much greater, much larger, and much bigger than in the past. And we will have it for you live here on CNN in about three hours from now. And Marty, once again, happy New Year to you. And I understand you have a partner there right now. Happy New Year to Daryn as well. And we'll see you guys in '02 very soon. OK?</s>DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Thank you, Bill. You be safe over there.</s>SAVIDGE: Keep your head down, especially when they blow up the land mines.
Troops in Kandahar Prepare for New Year