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CNN Live At Daybreak
New Concerns in New Iraq
Aired May 13, 2003 - 05:32 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: Now to new concerns in the new Iraq. The country's majority Shiite population is enthusiastic about the return of their religious leader, and that's an understatement. The problem is he clearly wants a fundamentalist government in Iraq and the U.S. has said that is not going to happen.
We'll take you live to Najaf for more from our Jane Arraf -- good morning, Jane.
JANE ARRAF, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.
Well, we've just heard from the exiled spiritual leader himself. In case you're wondering why I'm dressed like this, we're actually at the headquarters of the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq. And it is required. This might be an indication of what sort of state that they might like to have, although from the press conference that Mohammed Baqer al-Hakim has given, he's not very willing to provide specific details.
Now, we tried to pin him down on what kind of Islamic state they would want if they were in power. And what he has said is that it should be a democratic state that respects Islamic values.
Now, he will not be specific on what exactly that means. It may be that he doesn't know exactly what kind of state, what kind of Islamic values, what kind of Islamic law would be acceptable and doable in this country, where the Shias are definitely a majority, but there are many other different ethnic groups.
But he does clearly have political ambitions. He says his group would take part in an interim government and a government further on.
And from the reception he received yesterday after returning from 23 years in exile, he does have a considerable amount of support -- Carol.
COSTELLO: I was just wondering, he's been getting a lot of local support, as well. Literally hundreds of thousands of people greeted him as he came into Najaf, right?
ARRAF: Well, there certainly were a lot. We saw probably about 10,000 people. That was just in the square of the courtyard and the surrounding streets. And there were so many people it seemed as if they lifted his convoy of cars.
Now, he gave a very emotional speech, obviously. It's been the first time that he has been allowed to speak in more than 20 years in his home country and in his home city. It's the city of his birth and a holy city to Shia Muslims all over the world.
But clearly they were overjoyed that he had been allowed to return and overjoyed at the prospect that Shia Muslims finally will have political representation in this country -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Jane Arraf reporting live from Najaf this morning.
Many thanks.
The Shiite clerics' demand that coalition forces get out of Iraq is being echoed by Iran's leader. Iranian President Mohammad Khatami is on day two of a visit to Lebanon. A few hours from now, he'll address a rally of mainly Hezbollah members, and they'll be listening for signs of any change in the current Iranian support for the group. Secretary of State Colin Powell has told both Iran and Syria that support for Hezbollah must end.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
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Aired May 13, 2003 - 05:32 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Now to new concerns in the new Iraq. The country's majority Shiite population is enthusiastic about the return of their religious leader, and that's an understatement. The problem is he clearly wants a fundamentalist government in Iraq and the U.S. has said that is not going to happen.
We'll take you live to Najaf for more from our Jane Arraf -- good morning, Jane.
JANE ARRAF, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.
Well, we've just heard from the exiled spiritual leader himself. In case you're wondering why I'm dressed like this, we're actually at the headquarters of the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq. And it is required. This might be an indication of what sort of state that they might like to have, although from the press conference that Mohammed Baqer al-Hakim has given, he's not very willing to provide specific details.
Now, we tried to pin him down on what kind of Islamic state they would want if they were in power. And what he has said is that it should be a democratic state that respects Islamic values.
Now, he will not be specific on what exactly that means. It may be that he doesn't know exactly what kind of state, what kind of Islamic values, what kind of Islamic law would be acceptable and doable in this country, where the Shias are definitely a majority, but there are many other different ethnic groups.
But he does clearly have political ambitions. He says his group would take part in an interim government and a government further on.
And from the reception he received yesterday after returning from 23 years in exile, he does have a considerable amount of support -- Carol.
COSTELLO: I was just wondering, he's been getting a lot of local support, as well. Literally hundreds of thousands of people greeted him as he came into Najaf, right?
ARRAF: Well, there certainly were a lot. We saw probably about 10,000 people. That was just in the square of the courtyard and the surrounding streets. And there were so many people it seemed as if they lifted his convoy of cars.
Now, he gave a very emotional speech, obviously. It's been the first time that he has been allowed to speak in more than 20 years in his home country and in his home city. It's the city of his birth and a holy city to Shia Muslims all over the world.
But clearly they were overjoyed that he had been allowed to return and overjoyed at the prospect that Shia Muslims finally will have political representation in this country -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Jane Arraf reporting live from Najaf this morning.
Many thanks.
The Shiite clerics' demand that coalition forces get out of Iraq is being echoed by Iran's leader. Iranian President Mohammad Khatami is on day two of a visit to Lebanon. A few hours from now, he'll address a rally of mainly Hezbollah members, and they'll be listening for signs of any change in the current Iranian support for the group. Secretary of State Colin Powell has told both Iran and Syria that support for Hezbollah must end.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
y
