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CNN Live At Daybreak

One Area of Iraq Could be Key in Any U.S. Plans to Overthrow Iraqi Leader

Aired April 30, 2002 - 05:09   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.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Well, if the turnout for his 65th birthday is any indication, support for Saddam Hussein appears to be staunch in most of Iraq. But one area of that country could be key in any U.S. plans to overthrow the Iraqi leader.

CNN's Nic Robertson reports from Kirkuk.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A day late, but not lacking in fervor. A birthday parade for President Saddam Hussein, his presence represented by a cardboard cutout mounted on the back of a pickup truck. This is Kirkuk, 300 kilometers north of the capital, Baghdad. Like the other celebrations before, designed to send the twin messages -- President Saddam Hussein is popular and his country supports the Palestinians.

DAYS ABDUL RAZZAQ, GOVERNOR OF KIRKUK: This is an expression of the people's view. It's the people who took to the street.

ROBERTSON: The turnout here huge, according to local officials, who estimate 400,000 came to demonstrate loyalty to the president. That turnout from a region of three and a half million. Noticeably absent among the demonstrators, ethnic Kurds. Just a few small groups in the crowd. Kurds claim a long history in the oil rich area and pre-Gulf War statistics show they made up the majority of Kirkuk's population. While government officials here deny it, Kurdish groups, which are the majority further north and live almost independent of rule from Baghdad, claim Kurds have been expelled from here. Bystanders endorse the official line that there are no problems with Kurds in this town. Everything is good here, says Ali-Hussein (ph). That's because of President Saddam Hussein.

(on camera): If the United States is to topple President Saddam Hussein, Kirkuk could be a key stepping stone in achieving that objective if support from Kurdish groups in the north translates into insurrection here, as it did following the Gulf War in 1991.

(voice-over): That Kurdish uprising was quickly put down and government officials are now moving equally swiftly to condemn reports of U.S. plans for another attack.

TARIQ AZIZ, IRAQI PRIME MINISTER: George Bush is the president of the United States. He can make his decisions in his own country. But he doesn't have the right and he doesn't have the capability to change anything outside his country, and especially in this courageous country, Iraq.

ROBERTSON: Away from the official demonstration, on the apparently tranquil streets of Kirkuk, there appears little likelihood of a new revolt any time soon. However, tighter security here than at celebrations closer to the capital hint at underlying tensions.

Nic Robertson, CNN, Kirkuk, Iraq.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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