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CNN Live At Daybreak
Deadly Convoy Attack in Iraq
Aired August 29, 2003 - 06:02 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: More now on the latest deadly convoy attack in Iraq. It happened northeast of Baghdad.
Let's go live to Baghdad now and CNN's Rym Brahimi.
Hello -- Rym. What happened?
RYM BRAHIMI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello. Well, there are only reports so far of a convoy. You know, usually it's a similar pattern of attack, a convoy being attacked by an improvised explosive device. However, we do not have any confirmation at this stage that this attack resulted in any casualties. There are just reports of attacks somewhere in the north around the area of Baquba maybe, or north of Baghdad rather.
Now, there have been also several raids, is what we definitely know, overnight. That's an area in Baquba about 70 kilometers northeast of Baghdad. It's an area where several U.S. soldiers have died in the past few weeks, attacked by either hand grenades or explosive devices. So, it is one of the parts that belong to the so- called Sunni triangle.
The security, of course, remains a big challenge, Carol, as you know here in Iraq. And a group of people are sounding an alarm bell as to what the coalition is doing not only about security, but also about the economy in the country and the economic performances of the coalition.
An independent economist has spoken to reporters, and he's saying that the way the coalition is going about it could risk turning Iraq into a Banana Republic. One of the main concerns, he says, is if foreign companies come in and invest at 100 percent and that no Iraqis are able to share in that investment, well, then that will be a catastrophe. He says that will lead to a very similar situation as what was happening during the previous regime, except instead of it being led by Uday and Qusay, the two sons of the former president, it would be led by the coalition countries.
So, sounding an alarm bell the economy is not going in the way, says this economist, as that what would lead to a model country that President Bush had envisioned when he toppled the regime -- 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.
Aired August 29, 2003 - 06:02 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: More now on the latest deadly convoy attack in Iraq. It happened northeast of Baghdad.
Let's go live to Baghdad now and CNN's Rym Brahimi.
Hello -- Rym. What happened?
RYM BRAHIMI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello. Well, there are only reports so far of a convoy. You know, usually it's a similar pattern of attack, a convoy being attacked by an improvised explosive device. However, we do not have any confirmation at this stage that this attack resulted in any casualties. There are just reports of attacks somewhere in the north around the area of Baquba maybe, or north of Baghdad rather.
Now, there have been also several raids, is what we definitely know, overnight. That's an area in Baquba about 70 kilometers northeast of Baghdad. It's an area where several U.S. soldiers have died in the past few weeks, attacked by either hand grenades or explosive devices. So, it is one of the parts that belong to the so- called Sunni triangle.
The security, of course, remains a big challenge, Carol, as you know here in Iraq. And a group of people are sounding an alarm bell as to what the coalition is doing not only about security, but also about the economy in the country and the economic performances of the coalition.
An independent economist has spoken to reporters, and he's saying that the way the coalition is going about it could risk turning Iraq into a Banana Republic. One of the main concerns, he says, is if foreign companies come in and invest at 100 percent and that no Iraqis are able to share in that investment, well, then that will be a catastrophe. He says that will lead to a very similar situation as what was happening during the previous regime, except instead of it being led by Uday and Qusay, the two sons of the former president, it would be led by the coalition countries.
So, sounding an alarm bell the economy is not going in the way, says this economist, as that what would lead to a model country that President Bush had envisioned when he toppled the regime -- 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.
