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CNN Sunday Morning

U.S. Forces Launch Operation to Hunt Down Illegal Weapons in Iraq

Aired June 15, 2003 - 07:28   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.


HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Now to Iraq, where U.S. forces have launched a massive operation to hunt down illegal weapons and suspected militia leaders. We go live to Baghdad now and CNN's Jane Arraf for the details.
Good afternoon to you there, Jane.

JANE ARRAF, CNN BAGHDAD BUREAU CHIEF: Hello, Heidi.

Well, an amnesty for heavy weapons and concealed weapons ended at midnight last night. And with that, U.S. forces have launched searches in the town of Fallujah, west of Baghdad, as well as in other parts of the country, including the capital.

Now, in Fallujah they have gone out with tanks and armored vehicles and done house-to-house searches to try to find weapons caches and suspected attackers. This particular operation that we were with took about three hours, shorter than expected.

They did find some bomb making materials but no major arms caches. And some officials said that they were keeping the search narrowly focused to not disturb residents. An indication that they're taking very seriously anger in that town and in other towns, of what many Iraqis see a disproportionate use of force.

Now, while these searches are continuing at night, by day, U.S. forces are trying to win the hearts of people in Fallujah and other places. They're doing that by doing things like rebuilding playgrounds, building soccer fields and even pumping gas.

In this incident, an American soldiers pumped, themselves, Iraqi gas into Iraqi cars at one gas station. An indication that they're not just there to do house to house searches and search for weapons. They really do want to get the town back on it's feet -- Heidi.

COLLINS: Jane, why are people so reluctant to turn in their weapons? Their personal security, obviously at stake, but are they afraid of other Iraqis, or is it the U.S. soldiers that they are most concerned about?

ARRAF: Mostly other Iraqis. This really went from a country that was under such control, under a dictatorship with a very firm control on things, there was virtually no common crime. People really didn't worry very much about having their car jacked, or armed robberies, or murders, and it's just been an explosion of crime since the government fell, and there has been a vacuum in authority, and a vacuum in the police system.

This morning, for instance, we've been talking to a businessman who described to us being bound, beaten and robbed at gunpoint. In a separate incident, he had his car stolen, and it's not that uncommon. And until things become a lot more secure, people just are not going to give up their weapons. They would rather risk those fines and other punishments than risk being robbed at gunpoint -- Heidi.

COLLINS: Jane, as far as the aid you're talking about now with this Operation Spartan Scorpion and the gas that we've seen, is this doing anything for the attitude of the Iraqi people, as far as acceptance of the U.S. soldiers being in that area?

ARRAF: It's generally helped some places where they've been able to make a difference, but really the main thing is still that most people are without jobs. They don't have government ministries running. There are a lot of people who are out of work. There is no real private industry out, because the situation is so insecure, and until you get people really working again, you probably will not see an outpouring of support for the U.S. forces. Right now, the only thing that a lot of people see is the forces in the streets doing house to house searches, killing people, in some cases -- and insecurity and joblessness in the daytime. It is slowly getting better, but much more slowly than many people would like -- Heidi.

COLLINS: And more raids expected this week. All right, Jane Arraf, coming to us live this morning from Baghdad. Thanks so much.

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




in Iraq>


Aired June 15, 2003 - 07:28   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Now to Iraq, where U.S. forces have launched a massive operation to hunt down illegal weapons and suspected militia leaders. We go live to Baghdad now and CNN's Jane Arraf for the details.
Good afternoon to you there, Jane.

JANE ARRAF, CNN BAGHDAD BUREAU CHIEF: Hello, Heidi.

Well, an amnesty for heavy weapons and concealed weapons ended at midnight last night. And with that, U.S. forces have launched searches in the town of Fallujah, west of Baghdad, as well as in other parts of the country, including the capital.

Now, in Fallujah they have gone out with tanks and armored vehicles and done house-to-house searches to try to find weapons caches and suspected attackers. This particular operation that we were with took about three hours, shorter than expected.

They did find some bomb making materials but no major arms caches. And some officials said that they were keeping the search narrowly focused to not disturb residents. An indication that they're taking very seriously anger in that town and in other towns, of what many Iraqis see a disproportionate use of force.

Now, while these searches are continuing at night, by day, U.S. forces are trying to win the hearts of people in Fallujah and other places. They're doing that by doing things like rebuilding playgrounds, building soccer fields and even pumping gas.

In this incident, an American soldiers pumped, themselves, Iraqi gas into Iraqi cars at one gas station. An indication that they're not just there to do house to house searches and search for weapons. They really do want to get the town back on it's feet -- Heidi.

COLLINS: Jane, why are people so reluctant to turn in their weapons? Their personal security, obviously at stake, but are they afraid of other Iraqis, or is it the U.S. soldiers that they are most concerned about?

ARRAF: Mostly other Iraqis. This really went from a country that was under such control, under a dictatorship with a very firm control on things, there was virtually no common crime. People really didn't worry very much about having their car jacked, or armed robberies, or murders, and it's just been an explosion of crime since the government fell, and there has been a vacuum in authority, and a vacuum in the police system.

This morning, for instance, we've been talking to a businessman who described to us being bound, beaten and robbed at gunpoint. In a separate incident, he had his car stolen, and it's not that uncommon. And until things become a lot more secure, people just are not going to give up their weapons. They would rather risk those fines and other punishments than risk being robbed at gunpoint -- Heidi.

COLLINS: Jane, as far as the aid you're talking about now with this Operation Spartan Scorpion and the gas that we've seen, is this doing anything for the attitude of the Iraqi people, as far as acceptance of the U.S. soldiers being in that area?

ARRAF: It's generally helped some places where they've been able to make a difference, but really the main thing is still that most people are without jobs. They don't have government ministries running. There are a lot of people who are out of work. There is no real private industry out, because the situation is so insecure, and until you get people really working again, you probably will not see an outpouring of support for the U.S. forces. Right now, the only thing that a lot of people see is the forces in the streets doing house to house searches, killing people, in some cases -- and insecurity and joblessness in the daytime. It is slowly getting better, but much more slowly than many people would like -- Heidi.

COLLINS: And more raids expected this week. All right, Jane Arraf, coming to us live this morning from Baghdad. Thanks so much.

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




in Iraq>