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CNN Live At Daybreak
British Prime Minister Tony Blair in Iraq Visiting Troops
Aired May 29, 2003 - 06:03 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: Blair in Basra, the British prime minister spoke to his troops in Basra just about 30 minutes ago. He's the first Western leader to visit since the ouster of Saddam Hussein. Blair's trip comes amidst a reminder that Iraq is still a very dangerous place, as another U.S. soldier is killed by hostile fire.
We take you live to Baghdad now and Matthew Chance.
Bring us up-to-date -- Matthew.
MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Thank you, Carol.
And Tony Blair, the British prime minister, becomes the first Western Leader to visit Iraq since the toppling of Saddam Hussein's regime. He has been addressing some 400 British troops in the southern Iraqi town of Basra outside a former palace of the Iraqi dictator. He'll go on to visit a school in the city and travel on to the port of Umm Qasr.
The prime minister told the troops they have done a fantastic job. He gave them thanks. He said people in Britain really appreciated what they've done here in Iraq.
But the prime minister's office was very clear to stress that this six-hour visit was not meant to be any kind of victory parade, but instead about seeing -- the prime minister seeing for himself exactly what the needs are for the humanitarian concerns and the reconstruction of Iraq, and there are a great deal of problems, as you mentioned, in Iraq, particularly with U.S. troops patrolling the streets of towns and cities elsewhere in the country.
We've had confirmation from CENTCOM, U.S. Army officials saying that yet another U.S. Army soldier has been killed by hostile fire in Iraq. This time, he was killed while traveling on a main supply route at some location in Iraq. The soldier, we're told, was evacuated to the 21st combat support hospital, where he was unfortunately pronounced dead. The soldier's name and unit are at this time being withheld to give time for the military to inform his family and loved ones back at home.
So, all of this underlining just how uncertain and how insecure the security situation still is in Iraq -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Matthew Chance live from Baghdad 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 May 29, 2003 - 06:03 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Blair in Basra, the British prime minister spoke to his troops in Basra just about 30 minutes ago. He's the first Western leader to visit since the ouster of Saddam Hussein. Blair's trip comes amidst a reminder that Iraq is still a very dangerous place, as another U.S. soldier is killed by hostile fire.
We take you live to Baghdad now and Matthew Chance.
Bring us up-to-date -- Matthew.
MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Thank you, Carol.
And Tony Blair, the British prime minister, becomes the first Western Leader to visit Iraq since the toppling of Saddam Hussein's regime. He has been addressing some 400 British troops in the southern Iraqi town of Basra outside a former palace of the Iraqi dictator. He'll go on to visit a school in the city and travel on to the port of Umm Qasr.
The prime minister told the troops they have done a fantastic job. He gave them thanks. He said people in Britain really appreciated what they've done here in Iraq.
But the prime minister's office was very clear to stress that this six-hour visit was not meant to be any kind of victory parade, but instead about seeing -- the prime minister seeing for himself exactly what the needs are for the humanitarian concerns and the reconstruction of Iraq, and there are a great deal of problems, as you mentioned, in Iraq, particularly with U.S. troops patrolling the streets of towns and cities elsewhere in the country.
We've had confirmation from CENTCOM, U.S. Army officials saying that yet another U.S. Army soldier has been killed by hostile fire in Iraq. This time, he was killed while traveling on a main supply route at some location in Iraq. The soldier, we're told, was evacuated to the 21st combat support hospital, where he was unfortunately pronounced dead. The soldier's name and unit are at this time being withheld to give time for the military to inform his family and loved ones back at home.
So, all of this underlining just how uncertain and how insecure the security situation still is in Iraq -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Matthew Chance live from Baghdad 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.
