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CNN Live Today
Retired U.S. General Arrives in Baghdad
Aired April 21, 2003 - 10:11 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: We've been calling it the new Iraq here for a few days, but the actual new Iraq begins to take shape today, and not just on the drawing board in reality. Retired General Jay Garner is in Baghdad today. He'll be overseeing the reconstruction process and be doing it starting with a clean slate, beginning with the restoration of basic needs like water and electricity.
CNN's Rula Amin is in the Iraqi capital. Let's check in with her right now and get the latest.
Hello, Rula.
RULA AMIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Leon.
You know, Garner is going to be overseeing also not only the reconstruction of Iraq, but also the distributing of foreign aid to about 24 million Iraqis, about 60 percent of them are dependent on food rations. And Garner will also make sure there is an interim Iraq government in place before he leaves Iraq.
How long with that take? Today he said there is no timeline. It will take as much time as needed. His first stop in Baghdad was an Iraqi hospital. It was a hospital that was looted before, and a hospital that had a lot of the war casualties. The doctors and the staff there had a lot of requests, a lot of demands and complaints. He said he would try to help, but he will need time. Now we came to Baghdad with about 19 aids.
However, his staff will grow in just about a few weeks to 450. He will also need the help of Iraqis. Regular Iraqis, the troops, are already trying to recruit Iraqis who can speak English and have skills, and have the desire to help rebuild this country.
At the same time, the security issue is still a major issue that stands in the way of bringing Iraqis back to a normal life. And also the pursuing of Iraqi officials continues. Two Iraqi officials have been arrested overnight.
One of them is Heman Abdul Hallek (ph). He was a minister in the government of Saddam Hussein. At one point, he was also the minister of information.
Another person was the son-in-law of Saddam Hussein. He is husband of his wife, Hala (ph). He was in Syria.
What's interesting is that the INC, the Iraqi National Congress, the opposition group, they were the ones, they say, who convinced him to come back from Syria to Iraq. He came back, he turned himself over to the INC, and then they were handing him over to the U.S. army. This is for the first time we see INC people actually mediating between former Iraqi officials and the U.S. Army in place now in Baghdad -- Leon.
HARRIS: Thank you very much, Rula. Lots of work to be done there obviously. We'll check back with you later on.
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 - 10:11 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: We've been calling it the new Iraq here for a few days, but the actual new Iraq begins to take shape today, and not just on the drawing board in reality. Retired General Jay Garner is in Baghdad today. He'll be overseeing the reconstruction process and be doing it starting with a clean slate, beginning with the restoration of basic needs like water and electricity.
CNN's Rula Amin is in the Iraqi capital. Let's check in with her right now and get the latest.
Hello, Rula.
RULA AMIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Leon.
You know, Garner is going to be overseeing also not only the reconstruction of Iraq, but also the distributing of foreign aid to about 24 million Iraqis, about 60 percent of them are dependent on food rations. And Garner will also make sure there is an interim Iraq government in place before he leaves Iraq.
How long with that take? Today he said there is no timeline. It will take as much time as needed. His first stop in Baghdad was an Iraqi hospital. It was a hospital that was looted before, and a hospital that had a lot of the war casualties. The doctors and the staff there had a lot of requests, a lot of demands and complaints. He said he would try to help, but he will need time. Now we came to Baghdad with about 19 aids.
However, his staff will grow in just about a few weeks to 450. He will also need the help of Iraqis. Regular Iraqis, the troops, are already trying to recruit Iraqis who can speak English and have skills, and have the desire to help rebuild this country.
At the same time, the security issue is still a major issue that stands in the way of bringing Iraqis back to a normal life. And also the pursuing of Iraqi officials continues. Two Iraqi officials have been arrested overnight.
One of them is Heman Abdul Hallek (ph). He was a minister in the government of Saddam Hussein. At one point, he was also the minister of information.
Another person was the son-in-law of Saddam Hussein. He is husband of his wife, Hala (ph). He was in Syria.
What's interesting is that the INC, the Iraqi National Congress, the opposition group, they were the ones, they say, who convinced him to come back from Syria to Iraq. He came back, he turned himself over to the INC, and then they were handing him over to the U.S. army. This is for the first time we see INC people actually mediating between former Iraqi officials and the U.S. Army in place now in Baghdad -- Leon.
HARRIS: Thank you very much, Rula. Lots of work to be done there obviously. We'll check back with you later on.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
