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CNN Live Today

Families Anxious for Troops Still in Iraq

Aired June 17, 2003 - 10:20   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.


LEON HARRIS, ANCHOR: We're back as we near 21 minutes after the hour now. While the major fighting may be over in Iraq, the killing there is not.
Fifty U.S. soldiers have been killed since May 1, the latest hit in the back by a sniper in Baghdad. Many of those deaths have come during the latest sweeps against resistance fighters in Iraq. It's called Operation Desert Scorpion, and at least 371 people have been rounded up in a series of military raids across Iraq in that operation.

Meantime, back in this country, the war is not over yet for the families who are waiting for loved ones serving in Iraq.

CNN's Brian Cabell has their story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Major combat operations in Iraq have ended.

BRIAN CABELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): On May 1, the hostilities seemed to be over. Not quite.

Iraq is still a dangerous place for the more than 100,000 American troops that remain behind. Deadly attacks occur almost daily.

In fact, since the president declared victory, more than 40 American soldiers have been killed in Iraq. Some in accidents, some in combat. Including Army Major Matthew Shrand (ph), killed when his convoy was attacked May 26. And Army Private Kenny Nally (ph), also killed May 26 in a vehicle accident in Iraq.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: His favorite saying was, "Mom, you don't understand." And I'm not understanding this right now.

CABELL: It's difficult to understand for anyone whose loved one remains behind in Iraq several weeks after the fighting seemingly ended.

These women from Fort Stewart, Georgia, who don't wish to be identified, say they dread hearing news from Iraq.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I know it's still going on and I don't need to know anymore, you know. To know he's still over there and to hear, you know, them say, "The war is over, everything's fine," and then to turn around and watch the news and it's not OK, kind of contradicts everything.

CABELL: Fort Stewart, home to the 3rd Infantry Division, is mostly empty these days. The 3rd I.D., which suffered about half of the Army's combat deaths during the war, hasn't come home yet. Plans to bring the troops back from Iraq this month were suddenly changed, angering and frustrating the families who were already making plans for a homecoming.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's like, you know, taking that away from you. Taking something you're so looking forward to away from you. It just, you know, blows your mind. You can't handle that.

CABELL: Frustration among families here at Fort Stewart is widespread. Officials here recently met with hundreds of wives wondering why their spouses are still in Iraq.

And from Iraq itself, a CNN crew reports a serious morale problem within the 3rd I.D. Disillusioned junior officers rethinking their plans for an army career.

The garrison commander here says he understands the frustration.

COL. JOHN KIDD, GARRISON COMMANDER: They're disappointed. Disillusioned, well, there may be some. I don't know. But I'm not sure what they'd be disillusioned about, because you know, the Army is pretty much an up-front organization of what you're signing up for.

CABELL: Not much consolation to these, wives who want their men home, or to the soldiers, who heard the war supposedly ended weeks ago, but know that danger can still lurk around every corner.

Brian Cabell, CNN, Fort Stewart, Georgia.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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 17, 2003 - 10:20   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, ANCHOR: We're back as we near 21 minutes after the hour now. While the major fighting may be over in Iraq, the killing there is not.
Fifty U.S. soldiers have been killed since May 1, the latest hit in the back by a sniper in Baghdad. Many of those deaths have come during the latest sweeps against resistance fighters in Iraq. It's called Operation Desert Scorpion, and at least 371 people have been rounded up in a series of military raids across Iraq in that operation.

Meantime, back in this country, the war is not over yet for the families who are waiting for loved ones serving in Iraq.

CNN's Brian Cabell has their story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Major combat operations in Iraq have ended.

BRIAN CABELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): On May 1, the hostilities seemed to be over. Not quite.

Iraq is still a dangerous place for the more than 100,000 American troops that remain behind. Deadly attacks occur almost daily.

In fact, since the president declared victory, more than 40 American soldiers have been killed in Iraq. Some in accidents, some in combat. Including Army Major Matthew Shrand (ph), killed when his convoy was attacked May 26. And Army Private Kenny Nally (ph), also killed May 26 in a vehicle accident in Iraq.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: His favorite saying was, "Mom, you don't understand." And I'm not understanding this right now.

CABELL: It's difficult to understand for anyone whose loved one remains behind in Iraq several weeks after the fighting seemingly ended.

These women from Fort Stewart, Georgia, who don't wish to be identified, say they dread hearing news from Iraq.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I know it's still going on and I don't need to know anymore, you know. To know he's still over there and to hear, you know, them say, "The war is over, everything's fine," and then to turn around and watch the news and it's not OK, kind of contradicts everything.

CABELL: Fort Stewart, home to the 3rd Infantry Division, is mostly empty these days. The 3rd I.D., which suffered about half of the Army's combat deaths during the war, hasn't come home yet. Plans to bring the troops back from Iraq this month were suddenly changed, angering and frustrating the families who were already making plans for a homecoming.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's like, you know, taking that away from you. Taking something you're so looking forward to away from you. It just, you know, blows your mind. You can't handle that.

CABELL: Frustration among families here at Fort Stewart is widespread. Officials here recently met with hundreds of wives wondering why their spouses are still in Iraq.

And from Iraq itself, a CNN crew reports a serious morale problem within the 3rd I.D. Disillusioned junior officers rethinking their plans for an army career.

The garrison commander here says he understands the frustration.

COL. JOHN KIDD, GARRISON COMMANDER: They're disappointed. Disillusioned, well, there may be some. I don't know. But I'm not sure what they'd be disillusioned about, because you know, the Army is pretty much an up-front organization of what you're signing up for.

CABELL: Not much consolation to these, wives who want their men home, or to the soldiers, who heard the war supposedly ended weeks ago, but know that danger can still lurk around every corner.

Brian Cabell, CNN, Fort Stewart, Georgia.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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