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In Iraq, U.S. Troops Won't be Doing Much New Year's Eve Celebrating
Aired December 31, 2003 - 05:04 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: In Iraq, U.S. troops won't be doing much New Year's Eve celebrating. They'll be hunkering down because of concerns about attacks by insurgents and roadside bombs. Because of the time differences, it will be midnight in Baghdad when it's four o'clock this afternoon Eastern time.
Our Satinder Bindra joins us live from there -- good morning.
SATINDER BINDRA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.
This city is on a terror alert and U.S. forces, as well as Iraqi police, are out and about in this city. Some 12,000 Iraqi police are looking for any suspicious objects like bombs. They're also on the lookout for Fedayeen, or suicide bombers. In the past several days, Carol, there's been at least two bombs that have gone off here in crowded areas in Baghdad. One U.S. soldier has been killed. Also killed, three Iraqi citizens, including two children. Just late last night, two Iraqi policemen were also shot dead.
So there's very little of holiday spirit here. It seems this city is being enveloped by the Baghdad blues or the Baghdad blahs -- back to you.
COSTELLO: And normally, Satinder, Iraqis like to celebrate the new year by belly dancers and they also shoot their guns in the air, right?
BINDRA: That's right. In the past, tradition has been for families to go out to clubs, to restaurants, to hotels, and they also come out in typically Iraqi fashion. They shoot their guns in the air. But this year, because of all the blockades and because of the bombs that went off very close to Christmas, there is a sense of fear in the city. But I should also add that on New Year's Eve there's also a sense of some stock taking. Many Iraqis happy that they have freedom. But they are also very concerned that they don't have security.
Yesterday, just after a bomb went off, people shouting, "No, no to terrorism!" People also shouting, "No, no to America!" because they feel American forces here haven't really provided them the security that they so desperately need -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Satinder Bindra 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
Celebrating>
Aired December 31, 2003 - 05:04 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: In Iraq, U.S. troops won't be doing much New Year's Eve celebrating. They'll be hunkering down because of concerns about attacks by insurgents and roadside bombs. Because of the time differences, it will be midnight in Baghdad when it's four o'clock this afternoon Eastern time.
Our Satinder Bindra joins us live from there -- good morning.
SATINDER BINDRA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.
This city is on a terror alert and U.S. forces, as well as Iraqi police, are out and about in this city. Some 12,000 Iraqi police are looking for any suspicious objects like bombs. They're also on the lookout for Fedayeen, or suicide bombers. In the past several days, Carol, there's been at least two bombs that have gone off here in crowded areas in Baghdad. One U.S. soldier has been killed. Also killed, three Iraqi citizens, including two children. Just late last night, two Iraqi policemen were also shot dead.
So there's very little of holiday spirit here. It seems this city is being enveloped by the Baghdad blues or the Baghdad blahs -- back to you.
COSTELLO: And normally, Satinder, Iraqis like to celebrate the new year by belly dancers and they also shoot their guns in the air, right?
BINDRA: That's right. In the past, tradition has been for families to go out to clubs, to restaurants, to hotels, and they also come out in typically Iraqi fashion. They shoot their guns in the air. But this year, because of all the blockades and because of the bombs that went off very close to Christmas, there is a sense of fear in the city. But I should also add that on New Year's Eve there's also a sense of some stock taking. Many Iraqis happy that they have freedom. But they are also very concerned that they don't have security.
Yesterday, just after a bomb went off, people shouting, "No, no to terrorism!" People also shouting, "No, no to America!" because they feel American forces here haven't really provided them the security that they so desperately need -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Satinder Bindra 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
Celebrating>
