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CNN Live At Daybreak

Protest in Iraq Calls Attention to Plight of Prisoners

Aired January 06, 2004 - 06:03   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: Protests over prisoners. The cry is getting louder to either try or let go thousands of men taken prisoner during combat in Iraq. The U.S. military says that is no easy decision.
Let's head live to Baghdad to find out more and CNN's Satinder Bindra.

Hello -- Satinder.

SATINDER BINDRA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Carol.

Yes, that's no easy decision, and the U.S. Army is saying some 9,000 people are now under detention here in Iraq. But this detention is allowed under international law. If the United States determines these people are a security risk, then they can be detained.

But other than that, Carol, there is some other big news here today. Some 700 soldiers are graduating today. It's a proud day for them. They're all Iraqis, and they'll become part of the Iraqi Army's 2nd Battalion. These are a privileged lot. These soldiers are getting paid about $135 a month. That's a princely sum here in Iraq. If you'll recall, soldiers under Saddam Hussein's army were paid about $3 a month.

These revised pay scales, I must add, come after soldiers with the 1st Battalion -- with the Iraqi Army's 1st Battalion complained they were getting about $60 a month and they said that wasn't enough to compensate for the dangers. So, these new soldiers are now getting a revised pay scale. They're much happier.

Ultimately, Carol, the United States says it wants to train about 40,000 Iraqis to join this new army, which will be an army of unity and reconciliation.

Back to you.

COSTELLO: Satinder, I know they were having problems attracting people for an Iraqi army. Are they still?

BINDRA: No, it's a lot better now, because, as I mentioned, the one thing that's really important to them and that's dollars. Their pay scales have almost doubled in the past few weeks. They're getting new hazard pay, and that's making it a lot better for them.

Back to you.

COSTELLO: That's true the world over -- money talks. 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.






Aired January 6, 2004 - 06:03   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Protests over prisoners. The cry is getting louder to either try or let go thousands of men taken prisoner during combat in Iraq. The U.S. military says that is no easy decision.
Let's head live to Baghdad to find out more and CNN's Satinder Bindra.

Hello -- Satinder.

SATINDER BINDRA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Carol.

Yes, that's no easy decision, and the U.S. Army is saying some 9,000 people are now under detention here in Iraq. But this detention is allowed under international law. If the United States determines these people are a security risk, then they can be detained.

But other than that, Carol, there is some other big news here today. Some 700 soldiers are graduating today. It's a proud day for them. They're all Iraqis, and they'll become part of the Iraqi Army's 2nd Battalion. These are a privileged lot. These soldiers are getting paid about $135 a month. That's a princely sum here in Iraq. If you'll recall, soldiers under Saddam Hussein's army were paid about $3 a month.

These revised pay scales, I must add, come after soldiers with the 1st Battalion -- with the Iraqi Army's 1st Battalion complained they were getting about $60 a month and they said that wasn't enough to compensate for the dangers. So, these new soldiers are now getting a revised pay scale. They're much happier.

Ultimately, Carol, the United States says it wants to train about 40,000 Iraqis to join this new army, which will be an army of unity and reconciliation.

Back to you.

COSTELLO: Satinder, I know they were having problems attracting people for an Iraqi army. Are they still?

BINDRA: No, it's a lot better now, because, as I mentioned, the one thing that's really important to them and that's dollars. Their pay scales have almost doubled in the past few weeks. They're getting new hazard pay, and that's making it a lot better for them.

Back to you.

COSTELLO: That's true the world over -- money talks. 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.