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American Morning

Tony Blair Visits Iraq

Aired May 29, 2003 - 08:03   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.


BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: We want to get back to Iraq right now. This morning, British Prime Minister Tony Blair becomes the first world leader to visit that country since the fall of Saddam Hussein. Mr. Blair arrived earlier today, speaking to British troops.
And from Basra today, Jane Arraf now reports on his visit and more from there on the continued violence -- Jane, good afternoon.

JANE ARRAF, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good afternoon, Bill.

Well, Blair referred to that controversy about the weapons of mass destruction and the controversy that could have cost him his job, sending those British troops here to fight with American troops over Iraq. But he said there's no controversy and no dispute that the entire country was incredibly proud of the soldiers that he was meeting.

He's mainly come here on a good will visit, to thank those soldiers. Now, he arrived this morning. He visited a school to get a bit of a feel of the city that has changed dramatically. And then he went to the port of Umm Qasr, which is slowly coming back to life.

He boarded the HMS Ramsey to thank Royal Marines -- Royal Navy sailors there, as well. And he told them all that the battle isn't over yet. What he's referring to is really the battle to get this country up and running. In Baghdad, as we've seen, it's almost literally a battle, in some cases, with continuing attacks on American soldiers. But here in Basra, it's really about getting electricity running, getting the water back on, getting people back to work, and that's what the soldiers are working on now -- Bill.

HEMMER: Jane, more violence in Baghdad, many miles north of your location in Basra. Another U.S. soldier shot and killed. Details on this are what right now?

ARRAF: Very sketchy. The only thing we really know is that a soldier was killed this morning, it sounds like, as he was on a highway which is a main supply route, about northwest of Baghdad, heading towards a U.S. base. Now, he was shot at by hostile fire, according to that statement. Details are still continuing to come in. But it's the latest in the series of incidents that have killed five soldiers and wounded about a dozen just this week alone. And it's really an upsurge.

Now, these do not appear to be connected incidents. They do not appear to be the same group, according to U.S. officials. But obviously it's very worrying. It indicates there are what they call pockets of resistance, still a significant threat out there to U.S. soldiers -- Bill.

HEMMER: Jane Arraf reporting live in Basra.

Jane, thanks.

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 - 08:03   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: We want to get back to Iraq right now. This morning, British Prime Minister Tony Blair becomes the first world leader to visit that country since the fall of Saddam Hussein. Mr. Blair arrived earlier today, speaking to British troops.
And from Basra today, Jane Arraf now reports on his visit and more from there on the continued violence -- Jane, good afternoon.

JANE ARRAF, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good afternoon, Bill.

Well, Blair referred to that controversy about the weapons of mass destruction and the controversy that could have cost him his job, sending those British troops here to fight with American troops over Iraq. But he said there's no controversy and no dispute that the entire country was incredibly proud of the soldiers that he was meeting.

He's mainly come here on a good will visit, to thank those soldiers. Now, he arrived this morning. He visited a school to get a bit of a feel of the city that has changed dramatically. And then he went to the port of Umm Qasr, which is slowly coming back to life.

He boarded the HMS Ramsey to thank Royal Marines -- Royal Navy sailors there, as well. And he told them all that the battle isn't over yet. What he's referring to is really the battle to get this country up and running. In Baghdad, as we've seen, it's almost literally a battle, in some cases, with continuing attacks on American soldiers. But here in Basra, it's really about getting electricity running, getting the water back on, getting people back to work, and that's what the soldiers are working on now -- Bill.

HEMMER: Jane, more violence in Baghdad, many miles north of your location in Basra. Another U.S. soldier shot and killed. Details on this are what right now?

ARRAF: Very sketchy. The only thing we really know is that a soldier was killed this morning, it sounds like, as he was on a highway which is a main supply route, about northwest of Baghdad, heading towards a U.S. base. Now, he was shot at by hostile fire, according to that statement. Details are still continuing to come in. But it's the latest in the series of incidents that have killed five soldiers and wounded about a dozen just this week alone. And it's really an upsurge.

Now, these do not appear to be connected incidents. They do not appear to be the same group, according to U.S. officials. But obviously it's very worrying. It indicates there are what they call pockets of resistance, still a significant threat out there to U.S. soldiers -- Bill.

HEMMER: Jane Arraf reporting live in Basra.

Jane, thanks.

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