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CNN Live At Daybreak

War in Iraq: Mending Fences

Aired April 03, 2003 - 05:48   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: Away from the front lines, coalition forces have another job to do and that is winning the confidence of the Iraqi people.
CNN's Harris Whitbeck got a glimpse of that effort in southern Iraq.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS WHITBECK, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Early morning on the main highway between Basra and Baghdad, military convoys dominate the roads, civilian traffic light, many apparently afraid to venture out. Those who do find U.S. military checkpoints, lots of them. Heavily armed soldiers search all vehicles and all occupants. Using translators, Civilian Affairs officers ask them about where they come from. For many of these Iraqis, it's the first non-combat contact with U.S. forces.

(on camera): Checkpoints like this will now dot the countryside in southern Iraq. They serve to help secure the area, but they also have other purposes like intelligence gathering and forging relationships with the local population.

(voice-over): Mohammed (ph) and Hasan (ph) returning home after delivering a load of tomatoes to Baghdad. They tell the soldiers they have no electricity, no water. They're living in hell, they say.

Civil Affairs Major Joe Herman (ph) says he hopes to solve problems like these quickly.

MAJOR JOE HERMAN, CIVIL AFFAIRS: You know we're a little hesitant, as anyone would be, if -- picture Iraqis in the United States, it would be the same situation. You would look kind of -- they're waiting to see what we do and how we treat them.

WHITBECK: Yes. Yes.

HERMAN: The better we treat them, the better we'll be accepted.

WHITBECK: For some people here, life has not changed much in 2,000 years. For them, this is just another invasion, one of many through the Euphrates Valley since biblical times.

Harris Whitbeck, CNN, in southern Iraq.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com







Aired April 3, 2003 - 05:48   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Away from the front lines, coalition forces have another job to do and that is winning the confidence of the Iraqi people.
CNN's Harris Whitbeck got a glimpse of that effort in southern Iraq.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS WHITBECK, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Early morning on the main highway between Basra and Baghdad, military convoys dominate the roads, civilian traffic light, many apparently afraid to venture out. Those who do find U.S. military checkpoints, lots of them. Heavily armed soldiers search all vehicles and all occupants. Using translators, Civilian Affairs officers ask them about where they come from. For many of these Iraqis, it's the first non-combat contact with U.S. forces.

(on camera): Checkpoints like this will now dot the countryside in southern Iraq. They serve to help secure the area, but they also have other purposes like intelligence gathering and forging relationships with the local population.

(voice-over): Mohammed (ph) and Hasan (ph) returning home after delivering a load of tomatoes to Baghdad. They tell the soldiers they have no electricity, no water. They're living in hell, they say.

Civil Affairs Major Joe Herman (ph) says he hopes to solve problems like these quickly.

MAJOR JOE HERMAN, CIVIL AFFAIRS: You know we're a little hesitant, as anyone would be, if -- picture Iraqis in the United States, it would be the same situation. You would look kind of -- they're waiting to see what we do and how we treat them.

WHITBECK: Yes. Yes.

HERMAN: The better we treat them, the better we'll be accepted.

WHITBECK: For some people here, life has not changed much in 2,000 years. For them, this is just another invasion, one of many through the Euphrates Valley since biblical times.

Harris Whitbeck, CNN, in southern Iraq.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com