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CNN Live Today

Baghdad Struggles For Sense of Normalcy

Aired April 14, 2003 - 11:02   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.


LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Now, 90 miles to the south, Baghdad police returned to the streets as looting waned and some degree of daily life seemed to be returning to normal.
CNN's Jim Clancy is in the Iraqi capital. He's going to start things off for us this hour. Hello, Jim. What's the word there?

JIM CLANCY, CNNI CORRESPONDENT: Well, Baghdad continues to burn and a lot of people are asking why.

Certainly much of the fires that have been set across the city, and there's got to be at least a half a dozen of them that are burning right now, Leon, attributed to looters who have gone in, taking everything, office furniture, refrigerators, television sets and carting it off. But at the same time, when the Islamic Library is not only looted but it's torched, people are asking the question: why would anyone do that? Iraqis increasingly incensed that things like the Oil Ministry were protected, but some of the treasures like the Iraqi Museum with artifacts dating back 5,000 years, the manuscripts at the Islamic Museum not protected while the Oil Ministry was protected.

They do not feel that the U.S. has gone far enough in looking after their history, instead focusing on their liberty. And liberty clearly misinterpreted by some as freedom to do whatever they please in the capital.

We talked to Lieutenant Colonel George Smith. He's the Marine in charge of planning for the First Expeditionary Force of Marines, talked to him about the looting and he explained the position of U.S. forces.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LT. COL. GEORGE SMITH, U.S. MARINE CORPS: I think just the sheer scope of the looting. We did not have the manpower to -- to respond to that looting. You know, freedom, one could argue that it's an expression of freedom that the Iraqi people are finally experiencing it. We don't agree with it, but we weren't really in a position to deal with it. And if it did not endanger any of our Marines or sailors' lives here in Baghdad, that's what we were looking for as the trigger event for us to interfere with that looting.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CLANCY: On a more positive note, of course, U.S. Marines did begin joint patrols with -- or Baghdad police officers this day. That's going to improve the situation.

Also, we saw as a result, perhaps, of a growing amount of security in at least some areas of the city, things returning to normal with a vegetable market opening up and allowing people to shop for some of the essentials of life. The bakeries, a few of them have remained open throughout the bombing and throughout the U.S. entry into the capital city. Now it seems life is just beginning to get back to normal.

Leon, it's very important, each sign, one shop opening its doors, while most of the city remained closed can a sign of optimism here.

Back to you.

HARRIS: Now Jim, real quickly, I've heard some of the Marines saying that if they got the electricity restored to all the city, that would do -- that would probably reach 75 percent of the problems that they have to deal with right now. What's the latest on that situation?

CLANCY: I've been out to the power plant a couple of times, Leon and they say that the power plant -- the South Baghdad Power Plant is ready to roll. It's ready to begin -- fire up the boilers and the turbans (ph) will start spinning and the power can go out. They have about 24 hours of work to do on the transmission lines. That may not solve all the problems in the capital but it will solve some of them. So we should see that problem solved in the next couple of days.

Red Cross says the water problem too, in large areas of the city, a pipe was hit. That's being fixed as well.

HARRIS: Good deal. Thanks, Jim. Jim Clancy reporting live for us from Baghdad.

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 14, 2003 - 11:02   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Now, 90 miles to the south, Baghdad police returned to the streets as looting waned and some degree of daily life seemed to be returning to normal.
CNN's Jim Clancy is in the Iraqi capital. He's going to start things off for us this hour. Hello, Jim. What's the word there?

JIM CLANCY, CNNI CORRESPONDENT: Well, Baghdad continues to burn and a lot of people are asking why.

Certainly much of the fires that have been set across the city, and there's got to be at least a half a dozen of them that are burning right now, Leon, attributed to looters who have gone in, taking everything, office furniture, refrigerators, television sets and carting it off. But at the same time, when the Islamic Library is not only looted but it's torched, people are asking the question: why would anyone do that? Iraqis increasingly incensed that things like the Oil Ministry were protected, but some of the treasures like the Iraqi Museum with artifacts dating back 5,000 years, the manuscripts at the Islamic Museum not protected while the Oil Ministry was protected.

They do not feel that the U.S. has gone far enough in looking after their history, instead focusing on their liberty. And liberty clearly misinterpreted by some as freedom to do whatever they please in the capital.

We talked to Lieutenant Colonel George Smith. He's the Marine in charge of planning for the First Expeditionary Force of Marines, talked to him about the looting and he explained the position of U.S. forces.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LT. COL. GEORGE SMITH, U.S. MARINE CORPS: I think just the sheer scope of the looting. We did not have the manpower to -- to respond to that looting. You know, freedom, one could argue that it's an expression of freedom that the Iraqi people are finally experiencing it. We don't agree with it, but we weren't really in a position to deal with it. And if it did not endanger any of our Marines or sailors' lives here in Baghdad, that's what we were looking for as the trigger event for us to interfere with that looting.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CLANCY: On a more positive note, of course, U.S. Marines did begin joint patrols with -- or Baghdad police officers this day. That's going to improve the situation.

Also, we saw as a result, perhaps, of a growing amount of security in at least some areas of the city, things returning to normal with a vegetable market opening up and allowing people to shop for some of the essentials of life. The bakeries, a few of them have remained open throughout the bombing and throughout the U.S. entry into the capital city. Now it seems life is just beginning to get back to normal.

Leon, it's very important, each sign, one shop opening its doors, while most of the city remained closed can a sign of optimism here.

Back to you.

HARRIS: Now Jim, real quickly, I've heard some of the Marines saying that if they got the electricity restored to all the city, that would do -- that would probably reach 75 percent of the problems that they have to deal with right now. What's the latest on that situation?

CLANCY: I've been out to the power plant a couple of times, Leon and they say that the power plant -- the South Baghdad Power Plant is ready to roll. It's ready to begin -- fire up the boilers and the turbans (ph) will start spinning and the power can go out. They have about 24 hours of work to do on the transmission lines. That may not solve all the problems in the capital but it will solve some of them. So we should see that problem solved in the next couple of days.

Red Cross says the water problem too, in large areas of the city, a pipe was hit. That's being fixed as well.

HARRIS: Good deal. Thanks, Jim. Jim Clancy reporting live for us from Baghdad.

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