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CNN Live At Daybreak
Washington Reaction to Downing of Chinook Helicopter
Aired November 03, 2003 - 06:39 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: President Bush did express his condolences over this incident, but he has not reacted publicly. Will he today?
Let's head live to D.C. and CNN's Bill Prasad.
Good morning -- Bill.
BILL PRASAD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.
Pentagon officials may know more today about what caused that helicopter to crash. Witnesses on the ground say it was shot down with a shoulder-fired missile.
Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld says there are enormous numbers of portable anti-aircraft missiles in Iraq, and that U.S. and coalition forces have secured thousands of weapons and ammunition dumps. He calls the last few days tragic, but he says they are necessary to fight a war that is difficult and complicated.
On Capitol Hill, some legislators are pressuring the president to ask for more international help and send more U.S. troops to Iraq.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. RICHARD GEPHARDT (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I think it's unreasonable for us to be the dominant and main force there, when the rest of the world should be helping us with these problems.
SEN. JOSEPH BIDEN (D), FOREIGN RELATIONS COMMITTEE: I'm going to say something very, very unpopular that's going to get me in trouble at home. In the short term we may need more American forces in there while we're training these people.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PRASAD: White House spokesman Trent Duffy says the stakes are high in Iraq; that terrorists seek to kill coalition forces and innocent Iraqis, because they want us to run, but our will and resolve are unshakable. Duffy did not disclose Mr. Bush's personal reaction, saying only that the president will be updated as the situation warrants. And perhaps Mr. Bush will have something to say about what happened this weekend during a trip to Alabama later today.
We are live in Washington this morning. I'm Bill Prasad. Carol -- back to you.
COSTELLO: And CNN will be all over that. Bill Prasad, many thanks.
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 November 3, 2003 - 06:39 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: President Bush did express his condolences over this incident, but he has not reacted publicly. Will he today?
Let's head live to D.C. and CNN's Bill Prasad.
Good morning -- Bill.
BILL PRASAD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.
Pentagon officials may know more today about what caused that helicopter to crash. Witnesses on the ground say it was shot down with a shoulder-fired missile.
Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld says there are enormous numbers of portable anti-aircraft missiles in Iraq, and that U.S. and coalition forces have secured thousands of weapons and ammunition dumps. He calls the last few days tragic, but he says they are necessary to fight a war that is difficult and complicated.
On Capitol Hill, some legislators are pressuring the president to ask for more international help and send more U.S. troops to Iraq.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. RICHARD GEPHARDT (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I think it's unreasonable for us to be the dominant and main force there, when the rest of the world should be helping us with these problems.
SEN. JOSEPH BIDEN (D), FOREIGN RELATIONS COMMITTEE: I'm going to say something very, very unpopular that's going to get me in trouble at home. In the short term we may need more American forces in there while we're training these people.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PRASAD: White House spokesman Trent Duffy says the stakes are high in Iraq; that terrorists seek to kill coalition forces and innocent Iraqis, because they want us to run, but our will and resolve are unshakable. Duffy did not disclose Mr. Bush's personal reaction, saying only that the president will be updated as the situation warrants. And perhaps Mr. Bush will have something to say about what happened this weekend during a trip to Alabama later today.
We are live in Washington this morning. I'm Bill Prasad. Carol -- back to you.
COSTELLO: And CNN will be all over that. Bill Prasad, many thanks.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
