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CNN Sunday Morning
U.S. Military Launches Operation Desert Scorpion
Aired June 15, 2003 - 10:35 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.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Now to Iraq and the venomous sting of U.S. forces. The military launched Operation Desert Scorpion today. Its mission -- to target insurgents and confiscate illegal weapons. CNN's Jane Arraf is live from Baghdad. Hello, Jane.
JANE ARRAF, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Fredricka. Well, with that amnesty for illegal weapons passing without a huge success in having weapons returned, and pockets of what the U.S. military still calls "resistance," out there in many places, the military has launched raids in cities and towns across Iraq, including Fallujah. Now, that's west of Baghdad, and it's been the scene of continuing violence and great anger towards U.S. troops.
Now, the military units of the 3rd Infantry Division fanned out of the city last night, through the city, house to house searches in some areas, looking for illegal weapons caches and suspected attackers. Some of them, they say, still Baath Party loyalists and others who have been plotting these continued attacks on U.S. soldiers.
Now, scenes that we have seen repeated in Fallujah, and in other places, of people, including families and children, being rounded up, their hands tied behind their backs. Now, this has gone into the local lore, and it's part of what's fueling the anger. But as well as those searches, the military has been adopting a carrot part of the carrot and stick approach, and that's in the form of humanitarian aid. It's been helping rebuild playgrounds, soccer fields in Fallujah and pumping gas.
Now, U.S. soldiers were out in the city, actually filling Iraqi cars with gasoline. They don't do this every day, but it is a sign that as well as cracking down on illegal guns, that the military is very keen to help people get back on their feet and get that city back working again -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: Thank you, Jane, from Baghdad.
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 June 15, 2003 - 10:35 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Now to Iraq and the venomous sting of U.S. forces. The military launched Operation Desert Scorpion today. Its mission -- to target insurgents and confiscate illegal weapons. CNN's Jane Arraf is live from Baghdad. Hello, Jane.
JANE ARRAF, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Fredricka. Well, with that amnesty for illegal weapons passing without a huge success in having weapons returned, and pockets of what the U.S. military still calls "resistance," out there in many places, the military has launched raids in cities and towns across Iraq, including Fallujah. Now, that's west of Baghdad, and it's been the scene of continuing violence and great anger towards U.S. troops.
Now, the military units of the 3rd Infantry Division fanned out of the city last night, through the city, house to house searches in some areas, looking for illegal weapons caches and suspected attackers. Some of them, they say, still Baath Party loyalists and others who have been plotting these continued attacks on U.S. soldiers.
Now, scenes that we have seen repeated in Fallujah, and in other places, of people, including families and children, being rounded up, their hands tied behind their backs. Now, this has gone into the local lore, and it's part of what's fueling the anger. But as well as those searches, the military has been adopting a carrot part of the carrot and stick approach, and that's in the form of humanitarian aid. It's been helping rebuild playgrounds, soccer fields in Fallujah and pumping gas.
Now, U.S. soldiers were out in the city, actually filling Iraqi cars with gasoline. They don't do this every day, but it is a sign that as well as cracking down on illegal guns, that the military is very keen to help people get back on their feet and get that city back working again -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: Thank you, Jane, from Baghdad.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
