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CNN Live Saturday
Civilian Police Force in Baghdad Allowed to Carry Weapons
Aired April 19, 2003 - 13:13 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.
JONATHAN KARL, CNN ANCHOR: Today in Baghdad, the new civilian police force continues to take shape and it's taking on muscle as well. CNN's Jim Clancy is standing by in Baghdad with more on that -- Jim.
JIM CLANCY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And it is a new police force, John, that's trying to reshape itself as a change from the old from the past. A force that is more sensitive to the needs of the Iraqi, that is not driven by politics and will not use fear and intimidation to enforce the law equally for everyone.
A show of support from the U.S. authorizing the distribution of AK-47 assault rifles. Now, the police have been saying they need this, they need this as a deterrent, as an enforcement tool against looters to bring a sharp end to that here in the capital. They also say that they need that in order to protect themselves.
Now, it wasn't directly connected to it, but they did have some major success. Baghdad Police, of course, being credited with the arrest of Hikmat al-Azzawi, he is the former finance minister, the former deputy prime minister in the regime of Saddam Hussein regime. Also a man said to be able to point a finger of where hidden millions of dollars, even billions of dollars may be located. Remember, President Saddam Hussein has been accused for a long time of having hidden away billions of dollars from the oil wealth of Iraq in private accounts. The finance minister is thought might know something about that.
Meantime, the U.S. Marine officer that's been liaising between the police and the U.S. Military says that coupled with that arrest, it is an important step being taken by Baghdad Police right now in the streets.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAJ. MARK STAINBROOK, U.S. MARINE CORPS.: One of their concerns is they want to win the respect of the Iraqi people and for them, to show that they're not part of the old regime, is a great help. They're under a lot of pressure from different sides, from the Iraqi who want a fair, but firm police force from the U.S. Military, I'm sure. And from political parties that are forming within Iraq. They want to remain independent of that. And this arrest will definitely give them some legitimacy, some confidence, and be something of great pride for all of the officers there.
(END VIDEO CLIP) CLANCY: There are indeed political forces at work in Iraq right now, in the capital they were seen on the streets. Now, this is a common theme that we're going to see repeated over and over again as politicians and political factions come to the surface. Many of them are going to adopt U.S. out of Iraq platform.
Now, it is very important to note here, there isn't a time frame on all of this. But clearly the Iraqis from day one are sending the message; we want to do it ourselves. We want to build democracy our way. We want to choose our own leaders. In many respects, this may bode ill for people who have come from the outside, like Ahmad Chalabi, who's said to be favored by some in the Bush administration. Iraqis sending a clear message on that front, they don't want anyone handpicked by the United States to run their country -- Jon.
KARL: Jim, an incredible process. I think that police force will be eagerly anticipated. Do we have any idea of the size of the police force that would be needed to return order to Baghdad? What they're looking for?
CLANCY: One of the problems is, Jon, that there were so many different police forces. Sometimes spying on one another to make sure that no coups were hatched in the regime that it's hard to put a figure on. The Baghdad Police were said to number anywhere from 40 to 60,000 officers; now, only a fraction of that have come back. They are said to be screened as they return, the U.S. military saying that it wants people that are dedicated of doing a good job, representing the people, protecting the people and serving them. Not a dictator -- Jon.
KARL: All right. Jim Clancy in Baghdad, thanks a lot.
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 April 19, 2003 - 13:13 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JONATHAN KARL, CNN ANCHOR: Today in Baghdad, the new civilian police force continues to take shape and it's taking on muscle as well. CNN's Jim Clancy is standing by in Baghdad with more on that -- Jim.
JIM CLANCY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And it is a new police force, John, that's trying to reshape itself as a change from the old from the past. A force that is more sensitive to the needs of the Iraqi, that is not driven by politics and will not use fear and intimidation to enforce the law equally for everyone.
A show of support from the U.S. authorizing the distribution of AK-47 assault rifles. Now, the police have been saying they need this, they need this as a deterrent, as an enforcement tool against looters to bring a sharp end to that here in the capital. They also say that they need that in order to protect themselves.
Now, it wasn't directly connected to it, but they did have some major success. Baghdad Police, of course, being credited with the arrest of Hikmat al-Azzawi, he is the former finance minister, the former deputy prime minister in the regime of Saddam Hussein regime. Also a man said to be able to point a finger of where hidden millions of dollars, even billions of dollars may be located. Remember, President Saddam Hussein has been accused for a long time of having hidden away billions of dollars from the oil wealth of Iraq in private accounts. The finance minister is thought might know something about that.
Meantime, the U.S. Marine officer that's been liaising between the police and the U.S. Military says that coupled with that arrest, it is an important step being taken by Baghdad Police right now in the streets.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAJ. MARK STAINBROOK, U.S. MARINE CORPS.: One of their concerns is they want to win the respect of the Iraqi people and for them, to show that they're not part of the old regime, is a great help. They're under a lot of pressure from different sides, from the Iraqi who want a fair, but firm police force from the U.S. Military, I'm sure. And from political parties that are forming within Iraq. They want to remain independent of that. And this arrest will definitely give them some legitimacy, some confidence, and be something of great pride for all of the officers there.
(END VIDEO CLIP) CLANCY: There are indeed political forces at work in Iraq right now, in the capital they were seen on the streets. Now, this is a common theme that we're going to see repeated over and over again as politicians and political factions come to the surface. Many of them are going to adopt U.S. out of Iraq platform.
Now, it is very important to note here, there isn't a time frame on all of this. But clearly the Iraqis from day one are sending the message; we want to do it ourselves. We want to build democracy our way. We want to choose our own leaders. In many respects, this may bode ill for people who have come from the outside, like Ahmad Chalabi, who's said to be favored by some in the Bush administration. Iraqis sending a clear message on that front, they don't want anyone handpicked by the United States to run their country -- Jon.
KARL: Jim, an incredible process. I think that police force will be eagerly anticipated. Do we have any idea of the size of the police force that would be needed to return order to Baghdad? What they're looking for?
CLANCY: One of the problems is, Jon, that there were so many different police forces. Sometimes spying on one another to make sure that no coups were hatched in the regime that it's hard to put a figure on. The Baghdad Police were said to number anywhere from 40 to 60,000 officers; now, only a fraction of that have come back. They are said to be screened as they return, the U.S. military saying that it wants people that are dedicated of doing a good job, representing the people, protecting the people and serving them. Not a dictator -- Jon.
KARL: All right. Jim Clancy in Baghdad, thanks a lot.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
