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CNN Live At Daybreak

Congressional Delegation Visits Landstuhl

Aired April 21, 2003 - 06:13   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: Let's go to Germany now, shall we. House Speaker Dennis Hastert and a congressional delegation are at the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany, and of course that's where many of the U.S. troops injured in Iraq are being treated. They're planning a news conference this morning. We believe it's already happened.
David Jolley joins us live by phone from Landstuhl.

Has it happened yet -- David?

DAVID JOLLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Carol, no, there has not yet been a press conference. Everything's running a little bit late. As you say, the high level delegation arrived here at Landstuhl Hospital. They're currently touring the wards. There are several hundred Operation Iraqi Freedom wounded on the wards here in Landstuhl, so it could take some time before the press conference is convened. Landstuhl obviously very much on the map with the story of the POWs returned on Saturday back to the States and of course Jessica Lynch in the last few days.

Very much a support the military trip, not -- no real political agenda, we're being told. They're due to visit Stuttgart later this afternoon, European Central Command later this afternoon. And then in the next few days they're going to be flying on to Cypress and to Oxford in Great Britain where they will be visiting an airbase.

But not a great deal of detail coming out yet. We're still waiting for the press conference -- Carol.

COSTELLO: I'm just counting the number in the delegation, one, two, three, four, five, six, seven and Dennis Hastert makes eight in this delegation. I know you don't know the answer to this question, so I won't ask you that question as for you know who's paying for this trip. But I was wondering are the soldiers welcoming them? Like what are they doing, are they going to individual hospital rooms and saying hello?

JOLLEY: As far as we know, obviously no access to the hospital, we're not able to film the wards so we don't know exactly what's going on inside. But we believe, speaking to the spokesman on the ground here, that they will be touring the wards, perhaps meeting their own constituents. A number of people from their own constituents are here wounded. But we don't really know much detail at the moment until they emerge from the hospital and then hold the press conference -- Carol. COSTELLO: Is this going to be sort of a regular thing? Do you think more congressional delegations will be on their way to Germany after this one leaves?

JOLLEY: Very difficult to say. I think the feeling here is it's from a media point of view, obviously. The war is now over or seemingly over, things are winding down. I very much doubt that there will be more congressional visits after this one. Obviously this could change if missing in action wounded are found and then flown via Ramstein to Landstuhl Hospital. Obviously this will renew interest in the German side of things and we could see some more visits. But at present, I very much doubt it. This is probably the last one we're going to see.

COSTELLO: Yes. And quickly now, just bring us up to date as to how many injured troops are still in Germany.

JOLLEY: Well this is very difficult to say because what they give us is the overall figure. We know that Landstuhl is obviously the principal hospital that has treated Operation Iraqi Freedom wounded and to date they have treated 665 wounded. We're expecting another flight later this afternoon with 62 on board, so I'll leave you to do the math, but obviously this figure growing all the time.

COSTELLO: Understand. David Jolley, many thanks, live from Landstuhl, Germany this morning.

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 21, 2003 - 06:13   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Let's go to Germany now, shall we. House Speaker Dennis Hastert and a congressional delegation are at the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany, and of course that's where many of the U.S. troops injured in Iraq are being treated. They're planning a news conference this morning. We believe it's already happened.
David Jolley joins us live by phone from Landstuhl.

Has it happened yet -- David?

DAVID JOLLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Carol, no, there has not yet been a press conference. Everything's running a little bit late. As you say, the high level delegation arrived here at Landstuhl Hospital. They're currently touring the wards. There are several hundred Operation Iraqi Freedom wounded on the wards here in Landstuhl, so it could take some time before the press conference is convened. Landstuhl obviously very much on the map with the story of the POWs returned on Saturday back to the States and of course Jessica Lynch in the last few days.

Very much a support the military trip, not -- no real political agenda, we're being told. They're due to visit Stuttgart later this afternoon, European Central Command later this afternoon. And then in the next few days they're going to be flying on to Cypress and to Oxford in Great Britain where they will be visiting an airbase.

But not a great deal of detail coming out yet. We're still waiting for the press conference -- Carol.

COSTELLO: I'm just counting the number in the delegation, one, two, three, four, five, six, seven and Dennis Hastert makes eight in this delegation. I know you don't know the answer to this question, so I won't ask you that question as for you know who's paying for this trip. But I was wondering are the soldiers welcoming them? Like what are they doing, are they going to individual hospital rooms and saying hello?

JOLLEY: As far as we know, obviously no access to the hospital, we're not able to film the wards so we don't know exactly what's going on inside. But we believe, speaking to the spokesman on the ground here, that they will be touring the wards, perhaps meeting their own constituents. A number of people from their own constituents are here wounded. But we don't really know much detail at the moment until they emerge from the hospital and then hold the press conference -- Carol. COSTELLO: Is this going to be sort of a regular thing? Do you think more congressional delegations will be on their way to Germany after this one leaves?

JOLLEY: Very difficult to say. I think the feeling here is it's from a media point of view, obviously. The war is now over or seemingly over, things are winding down. I very much doubt that there will be more congressional visits after this one. Obviously this could change if missing in action wounded are found and then flown via Ramstein to Landstuhl Hospital. Obviously this will renew interest in the German side of things and we could see some more visits. But at present, I very much doubt it. This is probably the last one we're going to see.

COSTELLO: Yes. And quickly now, just bring us up to date as to how many injured troops are still in Germany.

JOLLEY: Well this is very difficult to say because what they give us is the overall figure. We know that Landstuhl is obviously the principal hospital that has treated Operation Iraqi Freedom wounded and to date they have treated 665 wounded. We're expecting another flight later this afternoon with 62 on board, so I'll leave you to do the math, but obviously this figure growing all the time.

COSTELLO: Understand. David Jolley, many thanks, live from Landstuhl, Germany this morning.

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