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CNN Live At Daybreak

Insurgents Shift Strategy in Iraq?

Aired November 25, 2003 - 06:06   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: General John Abizaid, the American commander on the ground in Iraq, is touring the country now. He and Paul Bremer, the U.S. civilian administrator, stopped for a time this morning to tell our Walter Rodgers that guerrilla tactics have changed. Targets are now Iraqis.
Here's Walter.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WALTER RODGERS, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Predictions of more terrorism in the weeks and months ahead -- that was the forecast from the U.S. administrator in Iraq, Ambassador Paul Bremer. Ambassador Bremer said that the targets will be shifting away from coalition military forces, and he suspected the Iraqi insurgents will now try to disrupt the coming Democratic process here, because he said they are undemocratic and want nothing to do with democracy -- the democracy which the U.S. and the coalition says it's trying to establish.

PAUL BREMER, U.S. CIVILIAN ADMINISTRATOR: The security situation has changed. In the past, attacks against coalition forces were predominant. Now, terrorist attacks against Iraqis are occurring regularly. This is a repugnant, but not unexpected tactic.

RODGERS: The U.S. commander in charge of military forces in the region, General John Abizaid, was embarrassed to admit today that they still have not caught Saddam Hussein, but he added -- quote -- "We will get him." The general said that by June of next year, there will be at least 200,000 Iraqi police and militia in charge, and he said that would indicate that there will be some draw-down of U.S. forces, at least getting U.S. troops out of urban centers.

He also said there has been a reduction in attacks on U.S. forces, but there has been a commensurate increase in attacks on Iraqi civilians.

Walter Rodgers, CNN, Baghdad.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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 25, 2003 - 06:06   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: General John Abizaid, the American commander on the ground in Iraq, is touring the country now. He and Paul Bremer, the U.S. civilian administrator, stopped for a time this morning to tell our Walter Rodgers that guerrilla tactics have changed. Targets are now Iraqis.
Here's Walter.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WALTER RODGERS, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Predictions of more terrorism in the weeks and months ahead -- that was the forecast from the U.S. administrator in Iraq, Ambassador Paul Bremer. Ambassador Bremer said that the targets will be shifting away from coalition military forces, and he suspected the Iraqi insurgents will now try to disrupt the coming Democratic process here, because he said they are undemocratic and want nothing to do with democracy -- the democracy which the U.S. and the coalition says it's trying to establish.

PAUL BREMER, U.S. CIVILIAN ADMINISTRATOR: The security situation has changed. In the past, attacks against coalition forces were predominant. Now, terrorist attacks against Iraqis are occurring regularly. This is a repugnant, but not unexpected tactic.

RODGERS: The U.S. commander in charge of military forces in the region, General John Abizaid, was embarrassed to admit today that they still have not caught Saddam Hussein, but he added -- quote -- "We will get him." The general said that by June of next year, there will be at least 200,000 Iraqi police and militia in charge, and he said that would indicate that there will be some draw-down of U.S. forces, at least getting U.S. troops out of urban centers.

He also said there has been a reduction in attacks on U.S. forces, but there has been a commensurate increase in attacks on Iraqi civilians.

Walter Rodgers, CNN, Baghdad.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.