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CNN Live At Daybreak

Troops in Afghanistan Celebrate Holiday with Caution

Aired July 04, 2002 - 05:03   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: So how are U.S. forces in Afghanistan celebrating this holiday, especially in light of this week's apparent friendly fire accident?

CNN's Nic Robertson is live at the Bagram Air Base -- Nic, I guess the rocket's red glare takes on its original meaning where you are.

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It does, indeed, and perhaps that's the reason that there won't be any fireworks here this year, or at least preplanned fireworks. When you talk to soldiers around here, they say that whenever they hear a detonation -- there are mines being let off, because this area is still heavily mined -- it gives them a bit of a nervous twitch. So I think everyone's decided to stay away from fireworks here this year.

Security here is high, but the name of today really is fun. And there was a fun run -- actually, if you can call it a fun run, because it did start at 5:30 a.m. for some 300 soldiers this morning. It was won by an Englishman, I think, who perhaps forgot that this was a day of fun and went out to win the race.

There are other things going on here today, as well. There's a basketball match going on, several basketball matches down by the flight line. There's soccer games going on. There's horseshoe throwing competitions.

But to give it a little bit more of a real holiday feel there's also a barbecue and a lot of people lining up this lunchtime to get a real barbecue. Mostly at lunchtimes here people just get MREs. So that's a real treat for today -- Carol.

COSTELLO: What's on the grill?

ROBERTSON: Well, they have all sorts here. There's T-bone steaks and pretty much anything that cooks here can lay their hands on appears to be out there. They're getting crab, shrimp, as well. And there seems to be -- some of the officers are out there cooking it up for some of the regular soldiers, as well. There's a real holiday spirit here.

You talk to people here, they do say they miss the things they would have at home, maybe going to the beach with a girlfriend or being with the wife and the children. But they say they're here to do a job, that they recognize that this job is very important and it is towards the spirit of independence. They say that really means so much more to them this Fourth of July than last Fourth of July -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Well, happy Fourth to you. Do you celebrate the Fourth? You do.

ROBERTSON: I do, indeed.

COSTELLO: Especially since you're there amongst the U.S. soldiers.

Thank you.

Nic Robertson reporting live from Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan.

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