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CNN Live At Daybreak

Major Roadblocks in Baghdad

Aired May 06, 2003 - 05:07   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: Saddam Hussein's son Qusay reportedly took nearly $1 billion in cash from Iraq's central bank. The story appears in today's "New York Times." The "Times" reports the amount of cash was so large, three tractor trailers were needed to carry it. It's believed the alleged removal was ordered by Saddam. Some U.S. officials questioned by the "Times" think the money was transported into Syria.
Slowly, the city of Baghdad is moving towards normalcy.

But as CNN's Nic Robertson reports, there are still major roadblocks in the way.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): At a booming roadside gun market in Baghdad, rifles and automatic machine guns are available in abundance. In this no questions asked bazaar, it seems whatever your weapon of choice, it's available, even with a pair of trendy trainers thrown in.

Across town at a hospital casualty ward where gunshot victims like this are routinely carried in, the cost of the proliferation of these weapons of limited destruction is counted in the number of dead and wounded arriving each day. This man lucky, only small bullet fragments removed from his gunshot wound.

Outside police stations across the capital, police officers, newly returned to uniform and work, began their day. For some, their first job to tidy up after a month's absence. For others, priority to persuade squatters who have moved into the police station because they say their houses have been destroyed, telling them that it is time to leave.

Priority now, according to Iraq's U.S. civil administrator Jay Garner, who was touring the southern city of Basra, is to get a government in place.

LT. GEN. JAY GARNER (RET.), U.S./IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION ADMINISTRATION: May is a key month for setting the conditions for the rest of the time, I think, because what you have now is, I think you can see the beginnings of a settlement, the beginning of stability.

ROBERTSON: Garner also told reporters on the trip he expects a nine person interim government to be formed by the middle of May, to be ethnically and religiously mixed and to be drawn from exiled and local politicians. Diplomatic confidence in that vision of stability taking shape in the opening of the old British embassy in Baghdad. Last used in 1991, it will only be designated the British office in Baghdad until an Iraqi government it can have relations with is formed.

At Baghdad's zoo, keepers now looking after the former president's elder son Uday's pet lion cubs, received $20 from the U.S. civil administration, bringing them into line with many other former government employees.

(on camera): And in another step towards the new Iraq promised by U.S. civil administrator Jay Garner, Iraq's foremost female politician and suspect biowarfare expert, Huda Ammash, turned herself in to U.S. troops.

Nic Robertson, CNN, Baghdad.

(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 May 6, 2003 - 05:07   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Saddam Hussein's son Qusay reportedly took nearly $1 billion in cash from Iraq's central bank. The story appears in today's "New York Times." The "Times" reports the amount of cash was so large, three tractor trailers were needed to carry it. It's believed the alleged removal was ordered by Saddam. Some U.S. officials questioned by the "Times" think the money was transported into Syria.
Slowly, the city of Baghdad is moving towards normalcy.

But as CNN's Nic Robertson reports, there are still major roadblocks in the way.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): At a booming roadside gun market in Baghdad, rifles and automatic machine guns are available in abundance. In this no questions asked bazaar, it seems whatever your weapon of choice, it's available, even with a pair of trendy trainers thrown in.

Across town at a hospital casualty ward where gunshot victims like this are routinely carried in, the cost of the proliferation of these weapons of limited destruction is counted in the number of dead and wounded arriving each day. This man lucky, only small bullet fragments removed from his gunshot wound.

Outside police stations across the capital, police officers, newly returned to uniform and work, began their day. For some, their first job to tidy up after a month's absence. For others, priority to persuade squatters who have moved into the police station because they say their houses have been destroyed, telling them that it is time to leave.

Priority now, according to Iraq's U.S. civil administrator Jay Garner, who was touring the southern city of Basra, is to get a government in place.

LT. GEN. JAY GARNER (RET.), U.S./IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION ADMINISTRATION: May is a key month for setting the conditions for the rest of the time, I think, because what you have now is, I think you can see the beginnings of a settlement, the beginning of stability.

ROBERTSON: Garner also told reporters on the trip he expects a nine person interim government to be formed by the middle of May, to be ethnically and religiously mixed and to be drawn from exiled and local politicians. Diplomatic confidence in that vision of stability taking shape in the opening of the old British embassy in Baghdad. Last used in 1991, it will only be designated the British office in Baghdad until an Iraqi government it can have relations with is formed.

At Baghdad's zoo, keepers now looking after the former president's elder son Uday's pet lion cubs, received $20 from the U.S. civil administration, bringing them into line with many other former government employees.

(on camera): And in another step towards the new Iraq promised by U.S. civil administrator Jay Garner, Iraq's foremost female politician and suspect biowarfare expert, Huda Ammash, turned herself in to U.S. troops.

Nic Robertson, CNN, Baghdad.

(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