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CNN Live At Daybreak
U.S. Soldier Killed in Attack in Baghdad
Aired November 04, 2003 - 06:33 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: Donald Rumsfeld calls it a war that is difficult and complicated and tragic. Another U.S. soldier killed four hours ago -- again, the victim of a roadside booby-trap.
Live to Baghdad and Matthew Chance.
Good morning -- Matthew.
MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Thank you, Carol.
A lot of events undermining whatever feeling of security there is in this city, and indeed across this country.
Within the last hour, it's been announced by the Spanish government that they will be withdrawing the majority of their diplomatic staff from the Iraqi capital of Baghdad to the neighboring country of Jordan, citing security reasons for that. They say they will leave a skeleton staff in the city and the embassy will remain open. But the situation obviously is just not tenable for them to keep their diplomats here safely.
A number of other incidents around the country are undermining that security as well. You mentioned the U.S. soldier. We now know that one U.S. soldier was killed, another two were injured, when a roadside bomb was detonated as their convoy drove past it here in the capital, Baghdad.
It's not just U.S. troops coming under fire either. In the southern city of -- or rather, in the city of Karbala to the south of the Iraqi capital of Baghdad a bomb exploded overnight, killing three Iraqi civilians and injuring 12 others.
One of the reasons why this insurgency, which is getting increasingly intense as each day passes it seems, isn't altogether popular with every Iraqi on the streets here. Some support it. Others feel that it is completely the wrong way to go about resisting the U.S. occupation here.
COSTELLO: Yes, you've been talking to the Iraqi people, and Americans want some sense that some Iraqis are grateful for what the United States is trying to do.
CHANCE: Yes. Well, certainly the Iraqi Kurds in the north of this country are still supportive of the United States' presence here, although even they want the United States ultimately to leave.
In the south of the country, the Shiite majority of Iraqis aren't particularly vocal against the U.S. occupation. They're opposed to it in essence, but basically they're prepared to work with it at the moment.
The main problems are focused around the area we're calling the Sunni Triangle, the area of Sunni-Muslim tribesmen from Tikrit to Mosul to Ramadi (ph) to Fallujah and here in Baghdad. That's where the real center of opposition to the U.S. presence is really developing now.
COSTELLO: Matthew Chance 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 November 4, 2003 - 06:33 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Donald Rumsfeld calls it a war that is difficult and complicated and tragic. Another U.S. soldier killed four hours ago -- again, the victim of a roadside booby-trap.
Live to Baghdad and Matthew Chance.
Good morning -- Matthew.
MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Thank you, Carol.
A lot of events undermining whatever feeling of security there is in this city, and indeed across this country.
Within the last hour, it's been announced by the Spanish government that they will be withdrawing the majority of their diplomatic staff from the Iraqi capital of Baghdad to the neighboring country of Jordan, citing security reasons for that. They say they will leave a skeleton staff in the city and the embassy will remain open. But the situation obviously is just not tenable for them to keep their diplomats here safely.
A number of other incidents around the country are undermining that security as well. You mentioned the U.S. soldier. We now know that one U.S. soldier was killed, another two were injured, when a roadside bomb was detonated as their convoy drove past it here in the capital, Baghdad.
It's not just U.S. troops coming under fire either. In the southern city of -- or rather, in the city of Karbala to the south of the Iraqi capital of Baghdad a bomb exploded overnight, killing three Iraqi civilians and injuring 12 others.
One of the reasons why this insurgency, which is getting increasingly intense as each day passes it seems, isn't altogether popular with every Iraqi on the streets here. Some support it. Others feel that it is completely the wrong way to go about resisting the U.S. occupation here.
COSTELLO: Yes, you've been talking to the Iraqi people, and Americans want some sense that some Iraqis are grateful for what the United States is trying to do.
CHANCE: Yes. Well, certainly the Iraqi Kurds in the north of this country are still supportive of the United States' presence here, although even they want the United States ultimately to leave.
In the south of the country, the Shiite majority of Iraqis aren't particularly vocal against the U.S. occupation. They're opposed to it in essence, but basically they're prepared to work with it at the moment.
The main problems are focused around the area we're calling the Sunni Triangle, the area of Sunni-Muslim tribesmen from Tikrit to Mosul to Ramadi (ph) to Fallujah and here in Baghdad. That's where the real center of opposition to the U.S. presence is really developing now.
COSTELLO: Matthew Chance 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.
