Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Live Saturday
U.S. Black Hawk Shot Down Near Tikrit
Aired October 25, 2003 - 14:26 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.
ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN ANCHOR: Well, as the U.S. eases some security restrictions in Baghdad, despite new attacks on U.S. forces, we go now for details. Let's talk to CNN's Baghdad Bureau Chief Jane Arraf. Jane, what's happening there?
JANE ARRAF, CNN BAGHDAD BUREAU CHIEF: Andrea, just wanted to tell you first of all about that incident with the Black Hawk shot down near Tikrit, Saddam's home town, of course. Now, the U.S. military has revised injuries in that incident to one. They had originally said that five U.S. soldiers were believed to have been injured when the helicopter was, apparently according to witnesses quoted by news reports, shot down.
Now, it also received rocket-propelled grenade fire and possibly small arms fire on the ground. But the U.S. military says only one and not five U.S. soldiers were hurt.
As you mentioned though, here in Baghdad things are looking a little better. The curfew that has been in place since the end of the war, which had been eased a couple of weeks ago, will be lifted entirely in the capital starting on Sunday. And another major event, the reopening of a major bridge linking east Baghdad and west Baghdad.
This is the July 14th Bridge. It spans the Tigris and is very close to the republic palace where coalition officials say. Now, it had been closed for security reasons since the end of the war, but U.S. officials now say it's safe enough to open it. And for Iraqis, that means a much short drive, possibly more shops opening, and a lot less of that traffic congestion that they've been fuming in since the end the war -- Andrea.
KOPPEL: So do you think, Jane, that this will help boost morale among Baghdadees (ph)?
ARRAF: It certainly gives them one less thing to be upset about. There's almost nothing worse than being -- if you're Iraqi, being trapped in traffic for more than an hour at times because of security closures, soldiers in the streets. Certainly, this will make traffic flow better and it could actually help the economy a little bit. So it is certainly a big step in the right direction -- Andrea.
KOPPEL: A bit of good news, after so much negative news. Jane Arraf in Baghdad, thank you.
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 October 25, 2003 - 14:26 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN ANCHOR: Well, as the U.S. eases some security restrictions in Baghdad, despite new attacks on U.S. forces, we go now for details. Let's talk to CNN's Baghdad Bureau Chief Jane Arraf. Jane, what's happening there?
JANE ARRAF, CNN BAGHDAD BUREAU CHIEF: Andrea, just wanted to tell you first of all about that incident with the Black Hawk shot down near Tikrit, Saddam's home town, of course. Now, the U.S. military has revised injuries in that incident to one. They had originally said that five U.S. soldiers were believed to have been injured when the helicopter was, apparently according to witnesses quoted by news reports, shot down.
Now, it also received rocket-propelled grenade fire and possibly small arms fire on the ground. But the U.S. military says only one and not five U.S. soldiers were hurt.
As you mentioned though, here in Baghdad things are looking a little better. The curfew that has been in place since the end of the war, which had been eased a couple of weeks ago, will be lifted entirely in the capital starting on Sunday. And another major event, the reopening of a major bridge linking east Baghdad and west Baghdad.
This is the July 14th Bridge. It spans the Tigris and is very close to the republic palace where coalition officials say. Now, it had been closed for security reasons since the end of the war, but U.S. officials now say it's safe enough to open it. And for Iraqis, that means a much short drive, possibly more shops opening, and a lot less of that traffic congestion that they've been fuming in since the end the war -- Andrea.
KOPPEL: So do you think, Jane, that this will help boost morale among Baghdadees (ph)?
ARRAF: It certainly gives them one less thing to be upset about. There's almost nothing worse than being -- if you're Iraqi, being trapped in traffic for more than an hour at times because of security closures, soldiers in the streets. Certainly, this will make traffic flow better and it could actually help the economy a little bit. So it is certainly a big step in the right direction -- Andrea.
KOPPEL: A bit of good news, after so much negative news. Jane Arraf in Baghdad, thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
