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CNN Live At Daybreak

Another U.S. Soldier Killed in Iraq

Aired July 31, 2003 - 05:02   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: Oh, it has happened again. Another U.S. soldier has been killed in Iraq. Two of his buddies were also hurt in that attack.
Let's go live to Baghdad now to Rym Brahimi to find out what happened -- hello, Rym.

RYM BRAHIMI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Carol.

Indeed, one soldier from the 4th Infantry Division and two other of his colleagues, one soldier actually was killed from the 4th Infantry Division and two of his colleagues were wounded and that happened at a tactical operations center that's outside of Baghdad toward the north. It's actually located not very far from a town known as Ba'qubah. And that's where, if you remember, a couple of days ago a couple of soldiers were killed in a grenade attack as they were guarding a children's hospital.

This happened, this recent event, this soldier killed from the 4th Infantry Division, fell under small arms fire. It happened at 11:45 p.m. last night, basically as if the assailants are making sure that every single day one soldier is killed here in Iraq. So that's obviously something that the U.S. authorities had hoped would die down after the death of Uday and Qusay Hussein, but still it seems that there's this relentlessness rhythm of attacks against U.S. soldiers -- Carol.

COSTELLO: And, Rym, there's also better news coming out of Iraq this morning. Paul Bremmer talked to reporters and talked about the new government of Iraq.

BRAHIMI: Well, that's right. Paul Bremmer was actually touring the foreign ministry of Iraq today and he spoke to diplomats. He was accompanied by a few reporters. And he actually said that he could well see elections take place some time next year.

Let's listen to how he put it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

L. PAUL BREMER, U.S./IRAQ ADMINISTRATOR: The question is how long will it take them to write a constitution and have it approved by the Iraqi people. But it is certainly not unrealistic to think that we could have elections by midyear 2004.

(END VIDEO CLIP) BRAHIMI: Now, as you know, there is currently in place a governing council that's been, the 25 members of that governing council have all been more or less hand picked by the U.S. authorities. And if, indeed, there are elections next year, well, that would mean that the governing council, who's representativity has been questioned not only by a lot of Iraqis, but also by members of the international community, well, that would be replaced by a body or a government that would actually have been elected by the Iraqi people -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Rym Brahimi reporting 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



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Aired July 31, 2003 - 05:02   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Oh, it has happened again. Another U.S. soldier has been killed in Iraq. Two of his buddies were also hurt in that attack.
Let's go live to Baghdad now to Rym Brahimi to find out what happened -- hello, Rym.

RYM BRAHIMI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Carol.

Indeed, one soldier from the 4th Infantry Division and two other of his colleagues, one soldier actually was killed from the 4th Infantry Division and two of his colleagues were wounded and that happened at a tactical operations center that's outside of Baghdad toward the north. It's actually located not very far from a town known as Ba'qubah. And that's where, if you remember, a couple of days ago a couple of soldiers were killed in a grenade attack as they were guarding a children's hospital.

This happened, this recent event, this soldier killed from the 4th Infantry Division, fell under small arms fire. It happened at 11:45 p.m. last night, basically as if the assailants are making sure that every single day one soldier is killed here in Iraq. So that's obviously something that the U.S. authorities had hoped would die down after the death of Uday and Qusay Hussein, but still it seems that there's this relentlessness rhythm of attacks against U.S. soldiers -- Carol.

COSTELLO: And, Rym, there's also better news coming out of Iraq this morning. Paul Bremmer talked to reporters and talked about the new government of Iraq.

BRAHIMI: Well, that's right. Paul Bremmer was actually touring the foreign ministry of Iraq today and he spoke to diplomats. He was accompanied by a few reporters. And he actually said that he could well see elections take place some time next year.

Let's listen to how he put it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

L. PAUL BREMER, U.S./IRAQ ADMINISTRATOR: The question is how long will it take them to write a constitution and have it approved by the Iraqi people. But it is certainly not unrealistic to think that we could have elections by midyear 2004.

(END VIDEO CLIP) BRAHIMI: Now, as you know, there is currently in place a governing council that's been, the 25 members of that governing council have all been more or less hand picked by the U.S. authorities. And if, indeed, there are elections next year, well, that would mean that the governing council, who's representativity has been questioned not only by a lot of Iraqis, but also by members of the international community, well, that would be replaced by a body or a government that would actually have been elected by the Iraqi people -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Rym Brahimi reporting 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



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