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The New Iraq: Gen. Tommy Franks Visits Baghdad
Aired April 17, 2003 - 06:10 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: General Tommy Franks, the U.S. commander of the war in Iraq, went to Baghdad to inspect the situation for himself.
CNN's Chris Plante is over at the Pentagon this morning.
Tommy Franks and company were in one of Saddam Hussein's palaces, apparently smoking cigars.
CHRIS PLANTE, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: That's exactly right. It was decided that it was safe enough for General Franks, who commands the forces in the region, to go into Baghdad. It was, however, decided that it was unsafe enough that while he flew in they had two F-15 fighter jets flying alongside for protection. And when he landed at what is now called Baghdad International Airport, until last week known as Saddam International Airport, he was greeted by an armored motorcade that brought him to one of Saddam Hussein's palaces, or at least it used to be Saddam Hussein's palace.
General Franks met there with a number of his subcommanders to get an up close and personal picture of what was going on on the ground there. And made a phone call to Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld from there and then had a video teleconference with President Bush from that palace.
Now, as you mentioned, they took some time out to smoke cigars and have some photos taken there with fellow soldiers. So it's sort of a landmark occasion when the commander general goes into the capital of the country that he's effectively just conquered in a -- in a three-week war.
General Franks, now today, visiting Kuwait, some humanitarian locations in Kuwait where some of the aid is going out. And here's part of what he had to say to cameras there this morning.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEN. TOMMY FRANKS, U.S. CENTRAL COMMANDER: Now we have put ourselves in a position to be able to help the Iraqi people. And it is such an honor to be with my brothers, my friends here in Kuwait with the leadership of this gentleman to be sure that we provide to the Iraqi people what they need, what they deserve.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PLANTE: So that's a quick visit into Kuwait. He'll head back to his headquarters in Doha, Qatar a little bit later on today. And yesterday, the Pentagon also put out some dollar figures on what this is costing the U.S. taxpayer so far, about $20 billion so far and about 20 or $2 billion more expected per month. Now of that $20 billion, about $3 billion alone went to munitions. And now we're looking at about $2 billion more a month, and about $7 billion in the current budget for reconstruction of Iraq. More expected to come into the pipeline for that reconstruction later on -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Yes, it's not surprising those numbers are so big, because one Tomahawk missile, you told me, costs $600,000.
PLANTE: It's a very expensive proposition going to war and no doubt about it. And this is, of course, on top of a $365 billion defense bill for this year alone. So big dollars here at the Pentagon.
COSTELLO: Yes, and the U.S. is footing the entire bill, unlike the last Persian Gulf War when the United States had some help.
PLANTE: At this point, that is -- that is the case. That's correct.
COSTELLO: All right. Chris Plante, live from the Pentagon, thanks.
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 17, 2003 - 06:10 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: General Tommy Franks, the U.S. commander of the war in Iraq, went to Baghdad to inspect the situation for himself.
CNN's Chris Plante is over at the Pentagon this morning.
Tommy Franks and company were in one of Saddam Hussein's palaces, apparently smoking cigars.
CHRIS PLANTE, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: That's exactly right. It was decided that it was safe enough for General Franks, who commands the forces in the region, to go into Baghdad. It was, however, decided that it was unsafe enough that while he flew in they had two F-15 fighter jets flying alongside for protection. And when he landed at what is now called Baghdad International Airport, until last week known as Saddam International Airport, he was greeted by an armored motorcade that brought him to one of Saddam Hussein's palaces, or at least it used to be Saddam Hussein's palace.
General Franks met there with a number of his subcommanders to get an up close and personal picture of what was going on on the ground there. And made a phone call to Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld from there and then had a video teleconference with President Bush from that palace.
Now, as you mentioned, they took some time out to smoke cigars and have some photos taken there with fellow soldiers. So it's sort of a landmark occasion when the commander general goes into the capital of the country that he's effectively just conquered in a -- in a three-week war.
General Franks, now today, visiting Kuwait, some humanitarian locations in Kuwait where some of the aid is going out. And here's part of what he had to say to cameras there this morning.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEN. TOMMY FRANKS, U.S. CENTRAL COMMANDER: Now we have put ourselves in a position to be able to help the Iraqi people. And it is such an honor to be with my brothers, my friends here in Kuwait with the leadership of this gentleman to be sure that we provide to the Iraqi people what they need, what they deserve.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PLANTE: So that's a quick visit into Kuwait. He'll head back to his headquarters in Doha, Qatar a little bit later on today. And yesterday, the Pentagon also put out some dollar figures on what this is costing the U.S. taxpayer so far, about $20 billion so far and about 20 or $2 billion more expected per month. Now of that $20 billion, about $3 billion alone went to munitions. And now we're looking at about $2 billion more a month, and about $7 billion in the current budget for reconstruction of Iraq. More expected to come into the pipeline for that reconstruction later on -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Yes, it's not surprising those numbers are so big, because one Tomahawk missile, you told me, costs $600,000.
PLANTE: It's a very expensive proposition going to war and no doubt about it. And this is, of course, on top of a $365 billion defense bill for this year alone. So big dollars here at the Pentagon.
COSTELLO: Yes, and the U.S. is footing the entire bill, unlike the last Persian Gulf War when the United States had some help.
PLANTE: At this point, that is -- that is the case. That's correct.
COSTELLO: All right. Chris Plante, live from the Pentagon, thanks.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
