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CNN Live Today
U.S. Expects More Attacks by Insurgents
Aired November 25, 2003 - 10:35 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.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Turning now to the situation in Iraq, where insurgents are increasingly trying to intimidate Iraqis to keep them from cooperating with the U.S., but U.S. officials insist that tactic won't succeed.
Our Walter Rodgers is live in Baghdad with the very latest.
Hello to you, Walter.
WALTER RODGERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Heidi.
The top U.S. general in this region now says the attacks on the American and coalition forces in this region are down by half. He credits that to a much more aggressive offensive policy by the U.S.- led forces in the area, trying to suppress the insurgents. If my arithmetic is correct, that would be about 20 attacks on American forces on a daily basis these days. It was up to 40 two weeks ago. So good news that in that sense.
However, none of this is to suggest that the insurgents themselves have been defeated, as the U.S. administrator in Iraq, ambassador Paul Bremer, indicated.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PAUL BREMER, U.S. ADMINISTRATOR IN IRAQ: The former regime loyalists and jihadists have always pursued a policy of intimidation. They have failed to intimidate the coalition. They have now begun a pattern of terrorizing innocent Iraqis in an effort to drive them away from the goal they share with the coalition, a democratic and peaceful Iraq. They will not succeed.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
RODGERS: Whether or not they succeed, however, remains to be seen, because as Ambassador Bremer also said, he expects an increase in what he calls terrorism in the weeks and months ahead, especially as there's a transition towards more civilian and more Iraqi government, Iraqi sovereignty here. He flatly predicted there will be an increase in the violence, because he said, the insurgents, the guerrillas, will be out to sabotage the transition to civilian government here -- Heidi.
COLLINS: Walter Rodgers, thanks so much for the very latest there, coming to us 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 25, 2003 - 10:35 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Turning now to the situation in Iraq, where insurgents are increasingly trying to intimidate Iraqis to keep them from cooperating with the U.S., but U.S. officials insist that tactic won't succeed.
Our Walter Rodgers is live in Baghdad with the very latest.
Hello to you, Walter.
WALTER RODGERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Heidi.
The top U.S. general in this region now says the attacks on the American and coalition forces in this region are down by half. He credits that to a much more aggressive offensive policy by the U.S.- led forces in the area, trying to suppress the insurgents. If my arithmetic is correct, that would be about 20 attacks on American forces on a daily basis these days. It was up to 40 two weeks ago. So good news that in that sense.
However, none of this is to suggest that the insurgents themselves have been defeated, as the U.S. administrator in Iraq, ambassador Paul Bremer, indicated.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PAUL BREMER, U.S. ADMINISTRATOR IN IRAQ: The former regime loyalists and jihadists have always pursued a policy of intimidation. They have failed to intimidate the coalition. They have now begun a pattern of terrorizing innocent Iraqis in an effort to drive them away from the goal they share with the coalition, a democratic and peaceful Iraq. They will not succeed.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
RODGERS: Whether or not they succeed, however, remains to be seen, because as Ambassador Bremer also said, he expects an increase in what he calls terrorism in the weeks and months ahead, especially as there's a transition towards more civilian and more Iraqi government, Iraqi sovereignty here. He flatly predicted there will be an increase in the violence, because he said, the insurgents, the guerrillas, will be out to sabotage the transition to civilian government here -- Heidi.
COLLINS: Walter Rodgers, thanks so much for the very latest there, coming to us 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
