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American Morning

Memorial Day Time to Remember Casualties in Afghanistan

Aired May 27, 2002 - 07:33   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.
JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: Memorial Day is a time for paying tribute to those who have given their lives in battle in the defense of freedom. But fighting for that cause means more than just winning territory; it often means winning the hearts and the minds of the enemy.

It is particularly true in today's Afghanistan, and that's where Anderson Cooper is live this morning. He joins us from Kabul -- good morning to you, my friend.

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: Hey, good morning, Jack. And a good Memorial Day to you and Bill.

I am joining you live, as you said, from the streets of Kabul, where I'm drawing quite a crowd. And I thought it was because we just had lights and cameras out. My interpreter actually tells me it's because most Afghans have never seen an American as pale as I am, so it's a pretty big event for everyone here on the street.

There is, of course, a lot of curiosity about Americans wherever you go in Afghanistan, which is interesting, because under the Taliban there was, of course, a lot of anti-American propaganda. That is something the U.S. military is now actively trying to counteract.

The success of the military mission here has gone a long way to improving the image of Americans here in Afghanistan. But now special forces are undertaking humanitarian missions as well.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER (voice-over): In a poor, run down elementary school on the outskirts of Kabul, students have gathered to give thanks and sing praise. It's Teacher's Day, a celebration of instructors. But the kids here are thankful for more than just that. Today, American soldiers are coming to this classroom. Everyone hopes they'll bring badly needed supplies.

"Our biggest problem is a shortage of books and classroom space," the principal says. "Under the Taliban, we only had six classes of kids. Now we have 12." Schools are free, but supplies cost money, and many families simply can't pay.

MAILA (ph): What is your name?

COOPER (on camera): My name is Anderson, what is your name?

MAILA: Maila.

COOPER: Maila.

In Afghanistan today, the classrooms are overcrowded...

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What is your name?

COOPER: What is my name? My name is Anderson.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Anderson.

COOPER: In Afghanistan today, the classrooms are bare, the schools are overcrowded. The kids aren't asking you for chocolate or candies; they want pencils and pens and notebooks.

(voice-over): When the Green Berets arrive, they bring a truck full of goodies donated by UNICEF. Boxes of books, tents, school supplies. Winning hearts and minds, that's what a cynic might call it. But Sergeant Mike says the mission is much more personal than that.

STAFF SGT. MIKE, U.S. ARMY: Changing hearts and minds, yeah, that's nice. But I'd just like to say I help the people.

COOPER: Special forces have expertise in tactics and weapons, but fighting terror, they say, requires more than just that.

MIKE: I can only take a life of this. And then I'm going to shatter everybody else's life who is related to that person. I've always said you can't change a large group of people with a gun only -- you know, solely with a gun. You have to change them at the personal level. And I know that sounds kind of quasi hippy, especially for a soldier to say, but it's true.

COOPER: Mike and his buddies hope to come back here. They'd like to be able to build bigger classrooms, maybe even a latrine.

MIKE: Coming to school here would be one of my better days. Every soldier knows what it's like to get on a plane wondering if you're going to come home, hearing reports of other soldiers that don't. Yeah, if I make it back, this would be one of my best days.

COOPER: For soldiers and students, a mission to remember. For one tiny school, a very big day.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COOPER: A very moving Memorial Day weekend for many of us here in Kabul -- Jack, back to you.

CAFFERTY: Anderson, thanks very much.

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