Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Live At Daybreak
In Iraq, Today Marks Anniversary That Has Troops on Alert, Edge
Aired July 17, 2003 - 05:34 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.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: The U.S. is locked in a guerrilla war, that's what the commander of U.S. forces in Iraq is now saying. Troops there have lost 148 of their comrades so far and they face new attacks every day. General John Abizaid says the -- said there is nothing that American troops can't handle, but he says they face an increasingly organized campaign against U.S. forces.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEN. JOHN ABIZAID, COMMANDER, U.S. CENTRAL COMMAND: I would describe as a classical guerrilla type campaign against us. It's low intensity conflict, in our doctrinal terms, but it's war however you describe it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and other Pentagon officials have insisted that attacks on U.S. forces are too sporadic and disorganized to qualify as a guerrilla campaign.
Iraq is a country of conflict and confusion, tension and suspicion. Today marks an anniversary that has American troops on alert and on edge.
From Iraq's ancient capital of Baghdad, our Rym Brahimi now -- good morning, Rym.
RYM BRAHIMI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Carol.
Indeed, this is the anniversary of the revolution or the coup that was basically executed by the Baath Party 35 years ago. That is when the Baath Party came to power, on the 17th of July, 1968. And this is why everyone here was bracing themselves, in particular, of course, the U.S. troops.
Now, you mentioned the attacks against them. You know, there are dozens of attacks against U.S. troops every day, only some of them that we're able to report. If you just look at the past 24 to 48 hours, I've jotted down a list here. A U.S. soldier was killed on Wednesday when his convoy was attacked. Three others were wounded. One U.S. Marine died falling off a roof. There was a surface to air missile attack against the U.S. plane near the airport yesterday. And at 2:00 a.m. this morning, a police station in the northwest of the capital, where U.S. troops are stationed, came under small arms and grenade fire. No one was hurt there. But just to give you an idea of how many attacks U.S. troops here are subject to. Now, near the convention center, where the coalition authority is based or meets regularly, there was increased security. Soldiers told us that there was beefed up security in that area in particular, as well as some specific points where they may have heard some intelligence in the Iraqi capital. And another incident also on, that took place on Wednesday, Carol. The mayor of a town that's midway between Baghdad and the Syrian border, Hadifa, the mayor and his son were both killed. They were found dead yesterday -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Rym Brahimi live from Baghdad this morning.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Edge>
Aired July 17, 2003 - 05:34 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: The U.S. is locked in a guerrilla war, that's what the commander of U.S. forces in Iraq is now saying. Troops there have lost 148 of their comrades so far and they face new attacks every day. General John Abizaid says the -- said there is nothing that American troops can't handle, but he says they face an increasingly organized campaign against U.S. forces.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEN. JOHN ABIZAID, COMMANDER, U.S. CENTRAL COMMAND: I would describe as a classical guerrilla type campaign against us. It's low intensity conflict, in our doctrinal terms, but it's war however you describe it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and other Pentagon officials have insisted that attacks on U.S. forces are too sporadic and disorganized to qualify as a guerrilla campaign.
Iraq is a country of conflict and confusion, tension and suspicion. Today marks an anniversary that has American troops on alert and on edge.
From Iraq's ancient capital of Baghdad, our Rym Brahimi now -- good morning, Rym.
RYM BRAHIMI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Carol.
Indeed, this is the anniversary of the revolution or the coup that was basically executed by the Baath Party 35 years ago. That is when the Baath Party came to power, on the 17th of July, 1968. And this is why everyone here was bracing themselves, in particular, of course, the U.S. troops.
Now, you mentioned the attacks against them. You know, there are dozens of attacks against U.S. troops every day, only some of them that we're able to report. If you just look at the past 24 to 48 hours, I've jotted down a list here. A U.S. soldier was killed on Wednesday when his convoy was attacked. Three others were wounded. One U.S. Marine died falling off a roof. There was a surface to air missile attack against the U.S. plane near the airport yesterday. And at 2:00 a.m. this morning, a police station in the northwest of the capital, where U.S. troops are stationed, came under small arms and grenade fire. No one was hurt there. But just to give you an idea of how many attacks U.S. troops here are subject to. Now, near the convention center, where the coalition authority is based or meets regularly, there was increased security. Soldiers told us that there was beefed up security in that area in particular, as well as some specific points where they may have heard some intelligence in the Iraqi capital. And another incident also on, that took place on Wednesday, Carol. The mayor of a town that's midway between Baghdad and the Syrian border, Hadifa, the mayor and his son were both killed. They were found dead yesterday -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Rym Brahimi live from Baghdad this morning.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Edge>
