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CNN Live At Daybreak
Three U.S. Soldiers Killed in Couple of Convoy Attacks
Aired November 24, 2003 - 05:31 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: Taking a look now at the latest developments out of Iraq, three U.S. soldiers killed in a couple of convoy attacks. In one attack in Mosul, the bodies of two U.S. soldiers were dragged from their car by a crowd of Iraqis. Military sources say the soldiers were stripped of their personal effects and their weapons.
Four American civilian contractors were wounded last night when a bomb exploded at an oil compound near Kirkuk. And Rend Rahim Francke has been named Iraq's first ambassador to the U.S. in 13 years.
Well, it has been eight months since the first bombs fell in Iraq and more than six moths since the first bombs fell in Iraq and more than six months since President Bush declared end to major combat.
Many Iraqis had high expectations of a much better life without Saddam Hussein.
But as CNN's Christiane Amanpour reports, many are now losing hope.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): At Baghdad University's Language College, students tell us they are still high on their newfound freedom. "Freedom of opinion, freedom of speech, freedom of thought," says Bishar. But the conversation quickly turns pessimistic. Bishar uses English to make sure we understand.
BISHAR: I think there is no good future in Iraq nowadays because there's no security.
AMANPOUR: Nineteen-year-old Rhym (ph) says the lack of security makes it hard just to get to school. Things have not turned out as most Iraqis hoped. "It's been eight months since the end of the war," she says, "and nothing has improved. "America is meant to be a great country that can do anything. Why can't it control the violence?"
And all these months later, 27-year-old Hadi Salah (ph) is astounded that power cuts can still last for days.
HADI SALAH: And we didn't ask the American government to send us to moon. No. No. It's very simple. Our problems is very simple like electricity, the water.
AMANPOUR: Nineteen-year-old Hamza (ph) now sees only a bleak future, unsure whether the Americans will be able to bring the democracy and stability they promised. "It's possible," she says, "but not in my lifetime. We've come to a point where I don't think anything good is going to happen and I wish I could leave this country, because it's frightening."
(on camera): Although American officials publicly present a sunny picture of flowering democracy here, a CIA report leaked this month has a much grimmer assessment of ordinary Iraqis losing faith in the United States, its staying power and its ability to fulfill its promises. This, in turn, is said to be fueling the growing insurgency.
(voice-over): There used to be 30,000 phone lines to this particular Baghdad neighborhood. But eight months after the U.S. bombed the central exchange during the war, there is still no service. Sajad (ph), the telephone engineer, says this is the kind of thing that fuels people's resentment. "If the Americans show they're accomplishing something for the Iraqi people," he says, "naturally the people will accept them. But they're not seeing anything from the Americans yet, so it's natural that the resistance is growing."
Sajad and his team are racing to try to accomplish something for this neighborhood, getting the phone back up by the end of the year. Meanwhile, back at the university, Jaffah Saheb (ph) clings to the hope that the U.S. current crackdown on the guerrillas will succeed. "We have a saying here, when a bull is slaughtered, he gives a few last kicks. We hope these are the last kicks of the terrorists."
Christiane Amanpour, CNN, Baghdad.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: And despite the ongoing casualties in Iraq, U.S. military officials say they are winning.
You can see that report on our Web site, cnn.com, AOL keyword: CNN.
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 24, 2003 - 05:31 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Taking a look now at the latest developments out of Iraq, three U.S. soldiers killed in a couple of convoy attacks. In one attack in Mosul, the bodies of two U.S. soldiers were dragged from their car by a crowd of Iraqis. Military sources say the soldiers were stripped of their personal effects and their weapons.
Four American civilian contractors were wounded last night when a bomb exploded at an oil compound near Kirkuk. And Rend Rahim Francke has been named Iraq's first ambassador to the U.S. in 13 years.
Well, it has been eight months since the first bombs fell in Iraq and more than six moths since the first bombs fell in Iraq and more than six months since President Bush declared end to major combat.
Many Iraqis had high expectations of a much better life without Saddam Hussein.
But as CNN's Christiane Amanpour reports, many are now losing hope.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): At Baghdad University's Language College, students tell us they are still high on their newfound freedom. "Freedom of opinion, freedom of speech, freedom of thought," says Bishar. But the conversation quickly turns pessimistic. Bishar uses English to make sure we understand.
BISHAR: I think there is no good future in Iraq nowadays because there's no security.
AMANPOUR: Nineteen-year-old Rhym (ph) says the lack of security makes it hard just to get to school. Things have not turned out as most Iraqis hoped. "It's been eight months since the end of the war," she says, "and nothing has improved. "America is meant to be a great country that can do anything. Why can't it control the violence?"
And all these months later, 27-year-old Hadi Salah (ph) is astounded that power cuts can still last for days.
HADI SALAH: And we didn't ask the American government to send us to moon. No. No. It's very simple. Our problems is very simple like electricity, the water.
AMANPOUR: Nineteen-year-old Hamza (ph) now sees only a bleak future, unsure whether the Americans will be able to bring the democracy and stability they promised. "It's possible," she says, "but not in my lifetime. We've come to a point where I don't think anything good is going to happen and I wish I could leave this country, because it's frightening."
(on camera): Although American officials publicly present a sunny picture of flowering democracy here, a CIA report leaked this month has a much grimmer assessment of ordinary Iraqis losing faith in the United States, its staying power and its ability to fulfill its promises. This, in turn, is said to be fueling the growing insurgency.
(voice-over): There used to be 30,000 phone lines to this particular Baghdad neighborhood. But eight months after the U.S. bombed the central exchange during the war, there is still no service. Sajad (ph), the telephone engineer, says this is the kind of thing that fuels people's resentment. "If the Americans show they're accomplishing something for the Iraqi people," he says, "naturally the people will accept them. But they're not seeing anything from the Americans yet, so it's natural that the resistance is growing."
Sajad and his team are racing to try to accomplish something for this neighborhood, getting the phone back up by the end of the year. Meanwhile, back at the university, Jaffah Saheb (ph) clings to the hope that the U.S. current crackdown on the guerrillas will succeed. "We have a saying here, when a bull is slaughtered, he gives a few last kicks. We hope these are the last kicks of the terrorists."
Christiane Amanpour, CNN, Baghdad.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: And despite the ongoing casualties in Iraq, U.S. military officials say they are winning.
You can see that report on our Web site, cnn.com, AOL keyword: CNN.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
