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CNN Live At Daybreak
Prayer Breakfast at Baghdad Airport
Aired September 11, 2003 - 05:06 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: Americans stationed in Iraq are also remembering the victims of 9/11. There was a prayer breakfast at the Baghdad Airport. Other events, as well.
But let's take you live to Baghdad now and Walter Rodgers -- what else did they do there today, Walter?
WALTER RODGERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.
Well, U.S. troops are maintaining a very high profile presence in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, today, this being the second anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. You see far more U.S. soldiers on the streets than ordinary and many of the buildings in town have much heavier guards in fear, perhaps in anticipation, of yet another attack here.
With 138,000 coalition forces in country, as you might expect, there have been memorial services, especially where U.S. troops are stationed throughout Iraq. Some of those services, this particular one in Baghdad was hosted by Ambassador Paul Bremer, the chief U.S. administrator for Iraq now. He was accompanied by the military chief on the ground here, General Ricardo Sanchez. A piper from the British forces playing mournfully the hymn "Amazing Grace."
More than a few of these soldiers present at these commemorative ceremonies in Iraq actually signed up for the military after the attacks two years ago, then thinking that perhaps they can do something for their country.
In Tikrit, Saddam Hussein's hometown, there was yet another service, again, commemoration of the victims of the September 11 tragedies and terrorist attacks.
Ironically, the Iraqi people are saying and doing little to suggest that they'd commemorate the attacks on the United States two years ago. Most Iraqis at this point, quite frankly, are more concerned with their own security, particularly hoping for the restoration of water and power and, in fact, there has been a substantial restoration of power, particularly in Baghdad. It's now almost completely back to normal -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Oh, that is good news.
You know, I know a lot of the U.S. troops don't want to be there anymore. They want to come home. But with this anniversary here now, is this sort of renewing their faith in why they're there?
RODGERS: Well, the U.S. Army is made up of professional soldiers. It's an all volunteer army. Most of them know why they are here. I should tell you, after spending a week with the 101st last week, you heard very little about remembrance, before today, of course, of the September 11 attacks. Most of these soldiers see themselves as here not so much as a part of the war on terror, but because their senior officers and the commander-in-chief have ordered them to help rebuild Iraq. And that's what most U.S. soldiers are involved in here.
Some, of course, are involved in security patrols, but mostly they're trying to rebuild this country -- digging wells in country villages, restoring schools, helping the Iraqis. U.S. soldiers actually helped bring in the vast majority of Iraq's wheat crop in the northwest corner of this country.
So most of the U.S. soldiers see themselves here as peacemakers and nation builders. The evidence of this being the central front of the war on terror now may be more White House rhetoric than it is reality in this corner of the world -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Walter Rodgers 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 September 11, 2003 - 05:06 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Americans stationed in Iraq are also remembering the victims of 9/11. There was a prayer breakfast at the Baghdad Airport. Other events, as well.
But let's take you live to Baghdad now and Walter Rodgers -- what else did they do there today, Walter?
WALTER RODGERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.
Well, U.S. troops are maintaining a very high profile presence in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, today, this being the second anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. You see far more U.S. soldiers on the streets than ordinary and many of the buildings in town have much heavier guards in fear, perhaps in anticipation, of yet another attack here.
With 138,000 coalition forces in country, as you might expect, there have been memorial services, especially where U.S. troops are stationed throughout Iraq. Some of those services, this particular one in Baghdad was hosted by Ambassador Paul Bremer, the chief U.S. administrator for Iraq now. He was accompanied by the military chief on the ground here, General Ricardo Sanchez. A piper from the British forces playing mournfully the hymn "Amazing Grace."
More than a few of these soldiers present at these commemorative ceremonies in Iraq actually signed up for the military after the attacks two years ago, then thinking that perhaps they can do something for their country.
In Tikrit, Saddam Hussein's hometown, there was yet another service, again, commemoration of the victims of the September 11 tragedies and terrorist attacks.
Ironically, the Iraqi people are saying and doing little to suggest that they'd commemorate the attacks on the United States two years ago. Most Iraqis at this point, quite frankly, are more concerned with their own security, particularly hoping for the restoration of water and power and, in fact, there has been a substantial restoration of power, particularly in Baghdad. It's now almost completely back to normal -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Oh, that is good news.
You know, I know a lot of the U.S. troops don't want to be there anymore. They want to come home. But with this anniversary here now, is this sort of renewing their faith in why they're there?
RODGERS: Well, the U.S. Army is made up of professional soldiers. It's an all volunteer army. Most of them know why they are here. I should tell you, after spending a week with the 101st last week, you heard very little about remembrance, before today, of course, of the September 11 attacks. Most of these soldiers see themselves as here not so much as a part of the war on terror, but because their senior officers and the commander-in-chief have ordered them to help rebuild Iraq. And that's what most U.S. soldiers are involved in here.
Some, of course, are involved in security patrols, but mostly they're trying to rebuild this country -- digging wells in country villages, restoring schools, helping the Iraqis. U.S. soldiers actually helped bring in the vast majority of Iraq's wheat crop in the northwest corner of this country.
So most of the U.S. soldiers see themselves here as peacemakers and nation builders. The evidence of this being the central front of the war on terror now may be more White House rhetoric than it is reality in this corner of the world -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Walter Rodgers 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
