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CNN Live At Daybreak
Military Training More Iraqis to Take Over Security Responsibilities
Aired September 29, 2003 - 05:35 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: The U.S. military is training more and more Iraqis to take over security responsibilities in Iraq.
CNN's Jason Bellini went along as some American trained Iraqi troops begin work in Saddam Hussein's home town of Tikrit.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JASON BELLINI, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Donning uniforms left over from Saddam Hussein's army, Iraqi Civil Defense Corps troops dressed for what the coalition hopes will be success. Success in their part of what some here refer to as Iraqization, passing more security responsibilities to the Iraqis.
Between the ICDC, police and army, coalition leaders say they plan to add an additional 75,000 Iraqi men to these forces.
(on camera): The plan for the ICDC is for them to be the equivalent of the U.S. National Guard. Separate from the army and the police, their role will be to secure national infrastructure like oil pipelines and electrical power plants.
(voice-over): The class of graduates we followed from Baji, just north of Tikrit, received two weeks of training and a pep talk from a U.S. Army colonel.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And I want to make sure that when people see you that people are proud that you represent their army. BELLINI: Most in this group have military or police backgrounds. Several have no experience.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you. Hang tough. Thank you. BELLINI: On this day, they hit the streets for the first time. The patrol, led by Captain Thomas...
CAPT. THOMAS: Tell them you're in charge now and you take your squad back to the vehicles. BELLINI: ... attracts many spectators but receives no challenges.
CAPT. THOMAS: Now go like this. Go forward. There you go. You're learning. BELLINI (on camera): Are you pretty confident that they'll be all right out there, that, you know, these guys aren't going to get killed out there on the streets?
CAPT. THOMAS: I mean, like with anything, there's always a chance. I mean if we got out there's a chance that we'll get contact. And, I mean, it's, you know, there are some people here that want to have -- want the old regime back in power and they see these guys coming out and trying to, you know, establish a new Iraq, yes, they'll be in some sort of danger. BELLINI: I asked several of the new ICDC soldiers whether they're worried about how fellow Iraqis will receive them. "They will like him, they will love me, because I will give them protection," this soldier says. For now, this corps has no generals, no supreme leader to whom they must prove their loyalty. "Hey, hey, Captain Thomas!" they chant. Spirited men...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They love you, man.
CAPT. THOMAS: Yes, they're a good bunch of guys. BELLINI: ... with a great deal to prove.
Jason Bellini, CNN, Tikrit, Iraq.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: And for more on Iraq, including a special report on the search for weapons of mass destruction, log onto our Web site, cnn.com.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Responsibilities>
Aired September 29, 2003 - 05:35 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: The U.S. military is training more and more Iraqis to take over security responsibilities in Iraq.
CNN's Jason Bellini went along as some American trained Iraqi troops begin work in Saddam Hussein's home town of Tikrit.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JASON BELLINI, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Donning uniforms left over from Saddam Hussein's army, Iraqi Civil Defense Corps troops dressed for what the coalition hopes will be success. Success in their part of what some here refer to as Iraqization, passing more security responsibilities to the Iraqis.
Between the ICDC, police and army, coalition leaders say they plan to add an additional 75,000 Iraqi men to these forces.
(on camera): The plan for the ICDC is for them to be the equivalent of the U.S. National Guard. Separate from the army and the police, their role will be to secure national infrastructure like oil pipelines and electrical power plants.
(voice-over): The class of graduates we followed from Baji, just north of Tikrit, received two weeks of training and a pep talk from a U.S. Army colonel.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And I want to make sure that when people see you that people are proud that you represent their army. BELLINI: Most in this group have military or police backgrounds. Several have no experience.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you. Hang tough. Thank you. BELLINI: On this day, they hit the streets for the first time. The patrol, led by Captain Thomas...
CAPT. THOMAS: Tell them you're in charge now and you take your squad back to the vehicles. BELLINI: ... attracts many spectators but receives no challenges.
CAPT. THOMAS: Now go like this. Go forward. There you go. You're learning. BELLINI (on camera): Are you pretty confident that they'll be all right out there, that, you know, these guys aren't going to get killed out there on the streets?
CAPT. THOMAS: I mean, like with anything, there's always a chance. I mean if we got out there's a chance that we'll get contact. And, I mean, it's, you know, there are some people here that want to have -- want the old regime back in power and they see these guys coming out and trying to, you know, establish a new Iraq, yes, they'll be in some sort of danger. BELLINI: I asked several of the new ICDC soldiers whether they're worried about how fellow Iraqis will receive them. "They will like him, they will love me, because I will give them protection," this soldier says. For now, this corps has no generals, no supreme leader to whom they must prove their loyalty. "Hey, hey, Captain Thomas!" they chant. Spirited men...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They love you, man.
CAPT. THOMAS: Yes, they're a good bunch of guys. BELLINI: ... with a great deal to prove.
Jason Bellini, CNN, Tikrit, Iraq.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: And for more on Iraq, including a special report on the search for weapons of mass destruction, log onto our Web site, cnn.com.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Responsibilities>
