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CNN Live Sunday

More Violence In Iraq Claims Another American Life

Aired December 07, 2003 - 16:13   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.


FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: In Iraq, the head of U.S. forces predicts an increase in attacks against his troops there. Lieutenant General Ricardo Sanchez says, as more power is handed over to the Iraqis, look for more violence there. And that was true today.
Our Walt Rodgers is in Baghdad with more on another attack against a U.S. convoy -- Walter.

WALTER RODGERS, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Fredericka. Well, General Sanchez continues to insist the Americans are winning here in Iraq, despite nearly daily fatalities in attacks against U.S. soldiers. General Sanchez was forced to acknowledge there are still 5,000 active Iraqi guerrillas out there, and they in have a vote on the battlefield, and they're going to vote against the Americans winning here.

He indicated, however, that this is an open-ended proposition, because he could not give an outdate for the American troops. Additionally, he said he will try to fight to keep the Iraqis off balance, but he warned there will be increasingly bloody attacks in the months ahead.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GENERAL RICARDO SANCHEZ, COMMANDER, U.S. FORCES: We're going to have some periods where there will be increased violence in the coming months. And in terms of length, you know, whether we're talking years, at this point, it would be speculation on my part. But I think clearly, through the spring and into the June timeframe we ought to expect to continue -- a continued violence.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

RODGERS: The American soldier who was killed was with the 101st Airborne Division in Mosul. He was driving with two compatriots in a Humvee. There was a very horrendous explosion from a roadside bomb. Again, one soldier killed, two others wounded.

And in Baghdad, there was a rocket attack or an attempted rocket attack on U.S. forces, but the rocket misfired and two Iraqis were killed. In Baghdad also, at that same briefing, General Sanchez was asked how the hunt for Saddam Hussein is going. And he had to say it was like looking for a needle in a haystack.

What was the effect of not finding him? Here was his answer.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) SANCHEZ: The killing or capturing of Saddam Hussein will have an impact on the level of violence, but it will not end it. At least not immediately. That is not the end-all solution to the problem that we're facing here.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

RODGERS: Even as the attacks on U.S. forces continue here in Iraq, the United States is trying to escalate the transfer of security responsibility away from U.S. troops in handing it over to the new Iraqi police and army. The United States target is to have 40,000 Iraqi defense forces, soldiers, on stream within the next year. Also, an additional 40,000 Iraqi Civil Defense Corps.

Still, the Iraqis are skeptical that they'll be up to the task the Americans are expecting of them -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right. Walter Rodgers, thank you very much for that report. And we'll have more on how coalition forces are trying to improve the situation in Iraq a little later on in our show.

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 December 7, 2003 - 16:13   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: In Iraq, the head of U.S. forces predicts an increase in attacks against his troops there. Lieutenant General Ricardo Sanchez says, as more power is handed over to the Iraqis, look for more violence there. And that was true today.
Our Walt Rodgers is in Baghdad with more on another attack against a U.S. convoy -- Walter.

WALTER RODGERS, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Fredericka. Well, General Sanchez continues to insist the Americans are winning here in Iraq, despite nearly daily fatalities in attacks against U.S. soldiers. General Sanchez was forced to acknowledge there are still 5,000 active Iraqi guerrillas out there, and they in have a vote on the battlefield, and they're going to vote against the Americans winning here.

He indicated, however, that this is an open-ended proposition, because he could not give an outdate for the American troops. Additionally, he said he will try to fight to keep the Iraqis off balance, but he warned there will be increasingly bloody attacks in the months ahead.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GENERAL RICARDO SANCHEZ, COMMANDER, U.S. FORCES: We're going to have some periods where there will be increased violence in the coming months. And in terms of length, you know, whether we're talking years, at this point, it would be speculation on my part. But I think clearly, through the spring and into the June timeframe we ought to expect to continue -- a continued violence.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

RODGERS: The American soldier who was killed was with the 101st Airborne Division in Mosul. He was driving with two compatriots in a Humvee. There was a very horrendous explosion from a roadside bomb. Again, one soldier killed, two others wounded.

And in Baghdad, there was a rocket attack or an attempted rocket attack on U.S. forces, but the rocket misfired and two Iraqis were killed. In Baghdad also, at that same briefing, General Sanchez was asked how the hunt for Saddam Hussein is going. And he had to say it was like looking for a needle in a haystack.

What was the effect of not finding him? Here was his answer.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) SANCHEZ: The killing or capturing of Saddam Hussein will have an impact on the level of violence, but it will not end it. At least not immediately. That is not the end-all solution to the problem that we're facing here.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

RODGERS: Even as the attacks on U.S. forces continue here in Iraq, the United States is trying to escalate the transfer of security responsibility away from U.S. troops in handing it over to the new Iraqi police and army. The United States target is to have 40,000 Iraqi defense forces, soldiers, on stream within the next year. Also, an additional 40,000 Iraqi Civil Defense Corps.

Still, the Iraqis are skeptical that they'll be up to the task the Americans are expecting of them -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right. Walter Rodgers, thank you very much for that report. And we'll have more on how coalition forces are trying to improve the situation in Iraq a little later on in our show.

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