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CNN Live Saturday
U.S. Military Apologizes For Friendly Fire
Aired September 13, 2003 - 16:03 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.
FREDERICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: The U.S. military today apologized for a friendly fire gun battle that left at least eight Iraqis and one Jordanian dead. Nic Robertson has more from Baghdad -- Nic.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Fredricka, the people of the town of Fallujah are close to where this incident took place, began burying the dead policemen today. It was a day full of anger for many of those people in Fallujah. Many of them coming out on the streets with weapons, Ak-47's. These weapons, any weapons on the streets of Iraq are banned. They're made illegal by the coalition.
Not only were there these automatic weapons, there was some heavy machine guns, also banned and outlawed and men carrying rocket- propelled grenades. They have scarfs wrapped around their heads and they claim to be a member of the Iraqi resistance who claim to be attacking U.S. troops. They said that they would continue their fight. Many people very angry with the U.S. troops. Absolutely no sign of the coalition forces in the town of Fallujah staying well out.
But what was very interesting about the dynamic in Fallujah today, the Iraqi policemen, who essentially have taken control of the town of Fallujah a few months ago from the U.S. forces, they were staying well off the streets for the most part, out of the way, did not challenge the gunmen.
The gunmen, the so-called Iraqi resistance fighters, really for several hours during the day, controlled the situation in Fallujah. This is the first time we've seen something like this on the streets of Iraq since the coalition forces arrived here several months ago.
In the hospital where some of the policemen are being treated, some of the injured policemen in this incident, there were concerns about why this had taken place. People say why weren't there communications between the police and the U.S. forces who shot at them. Some of the policemen even saying that it was so obvious when they were being shot at, they thought it was some sort of conspiracy against them.
But certainly the words that we've heard from the coalition later in the day today, unreservedly apologizing to the people of Fallujah for their loss. Those words really not getting a warm reception at all. That in the town of Fallujah -- Fredricka?
WHITFIELD: Nic Robertson from Baghdad, thank you very much.
Well, this is one of the problems that Secretary Powell has it face as he embarks on his first visit to Iraq since the fall of the Saddam Hussein regime.
Earlier today in Geneva, he met with the other veto-wielding members of the United Nations security council. They discussed the U.S.-sponsored resolution to bring the international community into the rebuilding of Iraq. It's a contentious issue. Afterwards Powell said, there was was some narrowing of differences, but more work still needs to be done.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: I will leave this meeting encouraged with the points of convergence, but also recognizing that there's still some difficulties and differences that have to be worked out. What we are all committed to, as the secretary-general said, is to put authority back into the hands of the Iraqi people.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHIFEIDL: Colin Powell is scheduled to be on Wolf Blitzer's "LATE EDITION" tomorrow. Be sure to tune at Noon Eastern time on Sunday.
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 13, 2003 - 16:03 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDERICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: The U.S. military today apologized for a friendly fire gun battle that left at least eight Iraqis and one Jordanian dead. Nic Robertson has more from Baghdad -- Nic.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Fredricka, the people of the town of Fallujah are close to where this incident took place, began burying the dead policemen today. It was a day full of anger for many of those people in Fallujah. Many of them coming out on the streets with weapons, Ak-47's. These weapons, any weapons on the streets of Iraq are banned. They're made illegal by the coalition.
Not only were there these automatic weapons, there was some heavy machine guns, also banned and outlawed and men carrying rocket- propelled grenades. They have scarfs wrapped around their heads and they claim to be a member of the Iraqi resistance who claim to be attacking U.S. troops. They said that they would continue their fight. Many people very angry with the U.S. troops. Absolutely no sign of the coalition forces in the town of Fallujah staying well out.
But what was very interesting about the dynamic in Fallujah today, the Iraqi policemen, who essentially have taken control of the town of Fallujah a few months ago from the U.S. forces, they were staying well off the streets for the most part, out of the way, did not challenge the gunmen.
The gunmen, the so-called Iraqi resistance fighters, really for several hours during the day, controlled the situation in Fallujah. This is the first time we've seen something like this on the streets of Iraq since the coalition forces arrived here several months ago.
In the hospital where some of the policemen are being treated, some of the injured policemen in this incident, there were concerns about why this had taken place. People say why weren't there communications between the police and the U.S. forces who shot at them. Some of the policemen even saying that it was so obvious when they were being shot at, they thought it was some sort of conspiracy against them.
But certainly the words that we've heard from the coalition later in the day today, unreservedly apologizing to the people of Fallujah for their loss. Those words really not getting a warm reception at all. That in the town of Fallujah -- Fredricka?
WHITFIELD: Nic Robertson from Baghdad, thank you very much.
Well, this is one of the problems that Secretary Powell has it face as he embarks on his first visit to Iraq since the fall of the Saddam Hussein regime.
Earlier today in Geneva, he met with the other veto-wielding members of the United Nations security council. They discussed the U.S.-sponsored resolution to bring the international community into the rebuilding of Iraq. It's a contentious issue. Afterwards Powell said, there was was some narrowing of differences, but more work still needs to be done.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: I will leave this meeting encouraged with the points of convergence, but also recognizing that there's still some difficulties and differences that have to be worked out. What we are all committed to, as the secretary-general said, is to put authority back into the hands of the Iraqi people.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHIFEIDL: Colin Powell is scheduled to be on Wolf Blitzer's "LATE EDITION" tomorrow. Be sure to tune at Noon Eastern time on Sunday.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
