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CNN Live Today

U.S. Marines Receive Warm Welcome in Monrovia

Aired August 14, 2003 - 10:00   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, CNN ANCHOR: And we are going to begin in Liberia where the Marines have landed. They were among the U.S. troops whisked by helicopter into war-ravaged nation to provide armed support for the Nigerian peacekeepers on the ground already. Let's go now to the Liberian capital Monrovia where rebels handed over the city a short time ago. And our Jeff Koinange was there. He joins us now with the very latest. Hello, Jeff.
JEFF KOINANGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello there, Leon. And anyone who had doubts about U.S. boots on the ground, well, look behind me. Right there, Leon. The CH-46 helicopters have been landing all this morning. I've never seen this airport at Roberts so busy in all of my life here, Leon.

We can tell you that earlier on several helicopters carrying scores of U.S. Marines landed here. They poured out and they secured this airport perimeter. Right now they occupy the northern part of this terminal in their Humvees and their trucks. They are ready for action.

And we got to speak to Captain Jerry Jarvis earlier on from the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit about his mission here. And this is what he had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CAPT. JERRY JARVIS, USMC: For us right now our major concern is that we do have a quick reaction force here. Part of the reason for doing that is that we're not limited by weather in that sometimes if you've got a low ceiling it impacts aviation assets. Now with the quick reaction force ashore we can respond more quickly if we need to.

As far as other concerns, with the flow of humanitarian assistance that should be coming in the next few days, hopefully, we're hoping that will help relieve the suffering of the people of Liberia and try to get back to a state of normalcy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KOINANGE: And the state of normalcy is beginning to come to this capital, Leon. We can tell you exactly two hours ago the official handing-over ceremony of the Free Port of Monrovia, LURD rebels got into their vehicles and drove out 25 miles west of the city. The peacekeepers, most west Africans and Americans, went and secured the port.

And then tens of thousands of Liberians -- you should have seen them. Amazing scenes of them crossing the bridge for the very first time in two months, looking for family members, looking for loved ones.

Once that port is secured, Leon, it's the hope that aide workers will bring in much needed food aid, much needed relief. Even as those helicopters get ready to leave -- I'll just step out of the shot -- and you can see them going back to the ships off the coast of Liberia, Leon. The Americans are definitely here. Impressive show of force, Leon.

HARRIS: Well, Jeff, do us a favor as we're watching these helicopters here taking off and continuing their mission of fairying of people and the equipment there in Monrovia. Give us a sense of what it was like when those helicopters this morning first arrived.

KOINANGE: It was unbelievable, Leon. You know there was at least several hundred Liberians standing outside the gates here. They weren't allowed in because of security reasons. But they were there cheering, applauding, jubilating. They know they've been waiting for this moment for the longest time.

You know there's been a lot of talk about whether the U.S. was ever going to deploy troops on the ground. Yes, the west Africans has been here for about a week to ten days. But once those CH-46s landed, you should have seen the scenes here. Unbelievable celebrations. Liberians finally feel that peace is returning to their troubled nation. A sense of normalcy and, most importantly, that the guns will finally be silent -- Leon.

HARRIS: All right, we'll have to leave you there as our eyes and ears to see how long that situation stays that way. Here's hoping the best for all concerned. Thank you very much. Jeff Koinange reporting live for us from Monrovia in Liberia.

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 August 14, 2003 - 10:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: And we are going to begin in Liberia where the Marines have landed. They were among the U.S. troops whisked by helicopter into war-ravaged nation to provide armed support for the Nigerian peacekeepers on the ground already. Let's go now to the Liberian capital Monrovia where rebels handed over the city a short time ago. And our Jeff Koinange was there. He joins us now with the very latest. Hello, Jeff.
JEFF KOINANGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello there, Leon. And anyone who had doubts about U.S. boots on the ground, well, look behind me. Right there, Leon. The CH-46 helicopters have been landing all this morning. I've never seen this airport at Roberts so busy in all of my life here, Leon.

We can tell you that earlier on several helicopters carrying scores of U.S. Marines landed here. They poured out and they secured this airport perimeter. Right now they occupy the northern part of this terminal in their Humvees and their trucks. They are ready for action.

And we got to speak to Captain Jerry Jarvis earlier on from the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit about his mission here. And this is what he had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CAPT. JERRY JARVIS, USMC: For us right now our major concern is that we do have a quick reaction force here. Part of the reason for doing that is that we're not limited by weather in that sometimes if you've got a low ceiling it impacts aviation assets. Now with the quick reaction force ashore we can respond more quickly if we need to.

As far as other concerns, with the flow of humanitarian assistance that should be coming in the next few days, hopefully, we're hoping that will help relieve the suffering of the people of Liberia and try to get back to a state of normalcy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KOINANGE: And the state of normalcy is beginning to come to this capital, Leon. We can tell you exactly two hours ago the official handing-over ceremony of the Free Port of Monrovia, LURD rebels got into their vehicles and drove out 25 miles west of the city. The peacekeepers, most west Africans and Americans, went and secured the port.

And then tens of thousands of Liberians -- you should have seen them. Amazing scenes of them crossing the bridge for the very first time in two months, looking for family members, looking for loved ones.

Once that port is secured, Leon, it's the hope that aide workers will bring in much needed food aid, much needed relief. Even as those helicopters get ready to leave -- I'll just step out of the shot -- and you can see them going back to the ships off the coast of Liberia, Leon. The Americans are definitely here. Impressive show of force, Leon.

HARRIS: Well, Jeff, do us a favor as we're watching these helicopters here taking off and continuing their mission of fairying of people and the equipment there in Monrovia. Give us a sense of what it was like when those helicopters this morning first arrived.

KOINANGE: It was unbelievable, Leon. You know there was at least several hundred Liberians standing outside the gates here. They weren't allowed in because of security reasons. But they were there cheering, applauding, jubilating. They know they've been waiting for this moment for the longest time.

You know there's been a lot of talk about whether the U.S. was ever going to deploy troops on the ground. Yes, the west Africans has been here for about a week to ten days. But once those CH-46s landed, you should have seen the scenes here. Unbelievable celebrations. Liberians finally feel that peace is returning to their troubled nation. A sense of normalcy and, most importantly, that the guns will finally be silent -- Leon.

HARRIS: All right, we'll have to leave you there as our eyes and ears to see how long that situation stays that way. Here's hoping the best for all concerned. Thank you very much. Jeff Koinange reporting live for us from Monrovia in Liberia.

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