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CNN Live At Daybreak

Running Out of Time?

Aired July 04, 2003 - 06:04   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: A group of senators just back from Iraq says the U.S. is running out of time to establish a democracy there.
As CNN's Jamie McIntyre reports, the Iraqi resistance is getting bolder and perhaps smarter.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN SR. PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Convinced the commonly-held belief that Saddam Hussein may still be alive is fueling the guerrilla warfare, the U.S. has now put a $25 million bounty on Saddam's head, and is offering $15 million for either of his sons.

U.S. senators just back from Iraq are unanimous that getting Saddam is the key to restoring peace.

SEN. JOHN WARNER (R), VIRGINIA: Believe me, he's not 10 feet tall, he's 10 feet in the ground.

MCINTYRE: Despite the inability of the U.S. military to quash the resistance so far, the commander of U.S. forces insists more troops is not the answer.

LT. GEN. RICARDO S. SANCHEZ, CMDR., COALITION TASK FORCE: In terms of needing any more forces, I don't need any more forces.

MCINTYRE: But fresh troops are needed to relieve the battle- weary forces, especially non-American troops, says one of the senators.

SEN. CARL LEVIN (D), MICHIGAN: First, we must end the feud with Germany and France and with the U.N. We must seek the help of those countries. We must seek the support and the participation of NATO and the U.N.

MCINTYRE: The senators toured Iraq for three days and got classified briefings from U.S. and British commanders.

SEN. MARK DAYTON (D), MINNESOTA: We were told that the next 60 to 90 days would be crucial, and that while it will take time, time is not on our side.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That there is an organized resistance to the American presence, and they're getting smarter about the way they do it. SEN. JACK REED (D), RHODE ISLAND: One fear is that these three groups will somehow find common cause against us, and that would be a significant problem.

MCINTYRE (on camera): Among the sobering insights offered by some of the senators: a prediction that the United States would be in Iraq for a long time with a large number of troops.

Jamie McIntyre, CNN, the Pentagon.

(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 July 4, 2003 - 06:04   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: A group of senators just back from Iraq says the U.S. is running out of time to establish a democracy there.
As CNN's Jamie McIntyre reports, the Iraqi resistance is getting bolder and perhaps smarter.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN SR. PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Convinced the commonly-held belief that Saddam Hussein may still be alive is fueling the guerrilla warfare, the U.S. has now put a $25 million bounty on Saddam's head, and is offering $15 million for either of his sons.

U.S. senators just back from Iraq are unanimous that getting Saddam is the key to restoring peace.

SEN. JOHN WARNER (R), VIRGINIA: Believe me, he's not 10 feet tall, he's 10 feet in the ground.

MCINTYRE: Despite the inability of the U.S. military to quash the resistance so far, the commander of U.S. forces insists more troops is not the answer.

LT. GEN. RICARDO S. SANCHEZ, CMDR., COALITION TASK FORCE: In terms of needing any more forces, I don't need any more forces.

MCINTYRE: But fresh troops are needed to relieve the battle- weary forces, especially non-American troops, says one of the senators.

SEN. CARL LEVIN (D), MICHIGAN: First, we must end the feud with Germany and France and with the U.N. We must seek the help of those countries. We must seek the support and the participation of NATO and the U.N.

MCINTYRE: The senators toured Iraq for three days and got classified briefings from U.S. and British commanders.

SEN. MARK DAYTON (D), MINNESOTA: We were told that the next 60 to 90 days would be crucial, and that while it will take time, time is not on our side.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That there is an organized resistance to the American presence, and they're getting smarter about the way they do it. SEN. JACK REED (D), RHODE ISLAND: One fear is that these three groups will somehow find common cause against us, and that would be a significant problem.

MCINTYRE (on camera): Among the sobering insights offered by some of the senators: a prediction that the United States would be in Iraq for a long time with a large number of troops.

Jamie McIntyre, CNN, the Pentagon.

(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.