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Attack on British Convoy Leaves One Soldier Dead, Another Wounded; How White House Plans to Deal With Cost of Rebuilding Iraq

Aired August 28, 2003 - 11:01   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: Up first this hour on CNN, the violence in Iraq. It is now leading to more coalition casualties. A British soldier was killed and another one was wounded today in an attack on their convoy.
Our senior international correspondent Walter Rodgers joins us now from Baghdad.

Walt has more on this latest incident and the still dangerous situation in Iraq -- hello, Walt.

WALTER RODGERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Leon.

The British were out on a patrol north of Basra returning to Basra. That's in extreme eastern Iraq. They came upon a diversion, if you will, an obstruction in the road, so they detoured through a village. When they got into the village, there was an angry crowd waiting for the British Army patrol. The crowd started shouting at the British. The British fired two warning shots, we're told, whereupon it took on all the semblances of an ambush, because the Iraqis began firing rocket propelled grenades at the British.

The British were able to get out of there, but not without one British soldier killed and another wounded. The British did make it back to Basra, but only under helicopter cover.

Now, the ranking U.S. general here in Iraq, Lieutenant General Ricardo Sanchez, says he would welcome more multinational troops to Iraq for the statement it would send about global support for the U.S. mission here. However, General Sanchez says he does not think he needs any more U.S. troops on the ground now. He says what he really needs is better Iraqi intelligence assets, more cooperation from Iraqis.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LT. GEN. RICARDO SANCHEZ, GROUND FORCES COMMANDER: When you look at the troop to task ratio and the missions that have been assigned to this command, it is clear to me that at this point in time, given the missions and given the tasks, it is not a function of additional soldiers. Putting more soldiers on the ground is not going to solve the problem when I don't have the intelligence to act on it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

RODGERS: Now, the Spanish have sent 1,700 troops to Iraq. They relieved some U.S. Marines in the Diwaniyah area. Those U.S. Marines have been here since the war. Those are the kinds of troops, that is, the Spanish troops, 1,700 of them, that the Bush administration would like to see here because, of course, it sends a signal of broad support for the coalition.

Incidentally, one of the reasons, of course, or two of the reasons that the U.S. does not want more troops here, both from the White House to the Pentagon to the commander here on the ground is it would probably be very unpopular politically in the United States. And, in addition to that, it would make an even bigger American footprint, military footprint in Iraq, portraying the Americans as a growing occupying force. That's the last thing that virtually anyone wants now, the Bush White House or the Iraqis -- Leon.

HARRIS: Walt, any sign at all that the Iraqi Governing Council is actually going to be taking a much more visible role any time soon?

RODGERS: Well, this is a very difficult, this is a very difficult proposition. You know, the Iraqis want democracy. They say they want democracy. And they say, but what they really want immediately is clean water and electricity. And so far there's nothing to indicate that the control is going to slide from the American military forces which are here over to the -- over to any Iraqi civilian council. It just isn't there. The situation remains very unstable here. Kidnappings continue, robberies continue here. There just isn't the kind of stability which is necessary for an Iraqi civilian council to take over. That's why the U.S. military is trying to maintain a firm grip on the situation -- Leon.

HARRIS: Walt Rodgers describing the situation for us.

Walt reporting live from Baghdad.

Thanks, Walt.

Be careful -- Fred.

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Leon, now to the cost of rebuilding Iraq and how the Bush administration plans to handle it.

For that, we turn to CNN's senior White House correspondent John King.

John is in Crawford, Texas -- and, John, it certainly sounds like an uphill battle for the president.

JOHN KING, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fredricka, an uphill battle in terms of a fight with Congress over that money, not so much the price tag, but, in the view of some members in Congress, the administration is withholding key information. But if you just listen to Walt Rodgers, you understand one of the reasons the White House says it is so urgent to get more money into the reconstruction effort.

What the White House believes is that the security situation will improve if the psychological situation improves, if the Iraqi people see more power lines being built, have more water running in their homes, see schools being built and recreational centers being built, that the psychology of Iraq will change some. That is one reason they hope to speed up a reconstruction effort that most do concede now is behind just a bit.

Now, we are told the administration will look for the money in two phases. Initially, an emergency budget request, due to go up from the White House within a matter of weeks. Congress is about to come back from its summer recess. That will be, we are told, in the $2.5 to $3 billion range. Then there will be a much bigger supplemental budget request this fall to pay not only for the reconstruction effort, but for the military troops' deployment, as well.

So the administration is going to seek billions more from Congress. Look for the money to be approved, Fredricka, but also look for tough questions. Many members in Congress say they are not getting the information they want about the reconstruction plans, about how long the troops will be there, about the details of the efforts inside Iraq. So with the hearings and the process the give the administration the money, many in Congress are going to raise some tough skeptical questions about the president's policies -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right, John King in Crawford.

Thanks very much.

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




Wounded; How White House Plans to Deal With Cost of Rebuilding Iraq>


Aired August 28, 2003 - 11:01   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Up first this hour on CNN, the violence in Iraq. It is now leading to more coalition casualties. A British soldier was killed and another one was wounded today in an attack on their convoy.
Our senior international correspondent Walter Rodgers joins us now from Baghdad.

Walt has more on this latest incident and the still dangerous situation in Iraq -- hello, Walt.

WALTER RODGERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Leon.

The British were out on a patrol north of Basra returning to Basra. That's in extreme eastern Iraq. They came upon a diversion, if you will, an obstruction in the road, so they detoured through a village. When they got into the village, there was an angry crowd waiting for the British Army patrol. The crowd started shouting at the British. The British fired two warning shots, we're told, whereupon it took on all the semblances of an ambush, because the Iraqis began firing rocket propelled grenades at the British.

The British were able to get out of there, but not without one British soldier killed and another wounded. The British did make it back to Basra, but only under helicopter cover.

Now, the ranking U.S. general here in Iraq, Lieutenant General Ricardo Sanchez, says he would welcome more multinational troops to Iraq for the statement it would send about global support for the U.S. mission here. However, General Sanchez says he does not think he needs any more U.S. troops on the ground now. He says what he really needs is better Iraqi intelligence assets, more cooperation from Iraqis.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LT. GEN. RICARDO SANCHEZ, GROUND FORCES COMMANDER: When you look at the troop to task ratio and the missions that have been assigned to this command, it is clear to me that at this point in time, given the missions and given the tasks, it is not a function of additional soldiers. Putting more soldiers on the ground is not going to solve the problem when I don't have the intelligence to act on it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

RODGERS: Now, the Spanish have sent 1,700 troops to Iraq. They relieved some U.S. Marines in the Diwaniyah area. Those U.S. Marines have been here since the war. Those are the kinds of troops, that is, the Spanish troops, 1,700 of them, that the Bush administration would like to see here because, of course, it sends a signal of broad support for the coalition.

Incidentally, one of the reasons, of course, or two of the reasons that the U.S. does not want more troops here, both from the White House to the Pentagon to the commander here on the ground is it would probably be very unpopular politically in the United States. And, in addition to that, it would make an even bigger American footprint, military footprint in Iraq, portraying the Americans as a growing occupying force. That's the last thing that virtually anyone wants now, the Bush White House or the Iraqis -- Leon.

HARRIS: Walt, any sign at all that the Iraqi Governing Council is actually going to be taking a much more visible role any time soon?

RODGERS: Well, this is a very difficult, this is a very difficult proposition. You know, the Iraqis want democracy. They say they want democracy. And they say, but what they really want immediately is clean water and electricity. And so far there's nothing to indicate that the control is going to slide from the American military forces which are here over to the -- over to any Iraqi civilian council. It just isn't there. The situation remains very unstable here. Kidnappings continue, robberies continue here. There just isn't the kind of stability which is necessary for an Iraqi civilian council to take over. That's why the U.S. military is trying to maintain a firm grip on the situation -- Leon.

HARRIS: Walt Rodgers describing the situation for us.

Walt reporting live from Baghdad.

Thanks, Walt.

Be careful -- Fred.

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Leon, now to the cost of rebuilding Iraq and how the Bush administration plans to handle it.

For that, we turn to CNN's senior White House correspondent John King.

John is in Crawford, Texas -- and, John, it certainly sounds like an uphill battle for the president.

JOHN KING, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fredricka, an uphill battle in terms of a fight with Congress over that money, not so much the price tag, but, in the view of some members in Congress, the administration is withholding key information. But if you just listen to Walt Rodgers, you understand one of the reasons the White House says it is so urgent to get more money into the reconstruction effort.

What the White House believes is that the security situation will improve if the psychological situation improves, if the Iraqi people see more power lines being built, have more water running in their homes, see schools being built and recreational centers being built, that the psychology of Iraq will change some. That is one reason they hope to speed up a reconstruction effort that most do concede now is behind just a bit.

Now, we are told the administration will look for the money in two phases. Initially, an emergency budget request, due to go up from the White House within a matter of weeks. Congress is about to come back from its summer recess. That will be, we are told, in the $2.5 to $3 billion range. Then there will be a much bigger supplemental budget request this fall to pay not only for the reconstruction effort, but for the military troops' deployment, as well.

So the administration is going to seek billions more from Congress. Look for the money to be approved, Fredricka, but also look for tough questions. Many members in Congress say they are not getting the information they want about the reconstruction plans, about how long the troops will be there, about the details of the efforts inside Iraq. So with the hearings and the process the give the administration the money, many in Congress are going to raise some tough skeptical questions about the president's policies -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right, John King in Crawford.

Thanks very much.

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




Wounded; How White House Plans to Deal With Cost of Rebuilding Iraq>