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Iraqi Parliament Pledges Loyalty to Saddam Hussein
Aired March 19, 2003 - 13:14 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.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Iraq's National Assembly met today, pledging loyalty to Saddam Hussein, no surprise there. And the nation's information minister says American troops who expect a cakewalk will be surprised.
CNN's Nic Robertson reporting from Baghdad.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SR. INTL. CORRESPONDENT: Iraq's information minister Mohammed Al-Sahaf, handing out advice, advice he said the U.S. troops and officers, saying they should open their eyes, they're being deceived by their leadership. He's telling them the invasion of Iraq is going to be a picnic. He said any attack on Iraq is doomed to failure.
MUHAMMED SAEED SAHAF, IRAQI INFORMATION MINISTER: They're deceiving their soldiers and their officers that aggressing against Iraq will be like a picnic. While this is a very stupid lie they are telling their soldiers, what they are facing is definite death.
ROBERTSON: Information minister Sahaf also saying at this time a war or aggression against Iraq was a violation of international law and a violation of the U.N. charter. Also, we've heard from Iraq's National Assembly today, who met in session. We've often seen them meet in these sessions before. This is often a signal to the Iraqi people, support for president Saddam Hussein. This is what we heard from members of the National Assembly today.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Everyone in Iraq is Saddam Hussein. Iraq is protected by his Almighty and by its own army. We urge them not to continue with their foolish act. They will be resisted.
ROBERTSON: Indeed, after the meeting of the National Assembly, a letter was sent from the assembly to President Saddam Hussein, saying that they support the president at this time. The message going out here to the Iraqi people, to the international community, is that President Saddam Hussein has full support, and he's not about to leave the country at anytime.
On the streets of Baghdad today, the city very much slowing down. Less traffic on the roads, as we get later into the day. Also, many of the shops, almost all of the shops here, shuttered up, boarded up. Most people off the streets. The busy streets normally in the center of Baghdad, streets that it takes a long time to drive down because there's normally so much traffic, just very, very empty. You're able to drive down them very, very quickly today. Very few signs of life in the city.
Many people, it appears, staying out of the city center, staying toward their homes. This is a city of five million people. Most of the people in this city have been unable to leave the city. They do not have the money to try and get out of the country, to try and get to relatives, perhaps, in the countryside. Many of the five billion people here expecting to stay in Baghdad, for what they expect to be a war anytime now.
Nic Robertson, CNN, Baghdad.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
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 March 19, 2003 - 13:14 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Iraq's National Assembly met today, pledging loyalty to Saddam Hussein, no surprise there. And the nation's information minister says American troops who expect a cakewalk will be surprised.
CNN's Nic Robertson reporting from Baghdad.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SR. INTL. CORRESPONDENT: Iraq's information minister Mohammed Al-Sahaf, handing out advice, advice he said the U.S. troops and officers, saying they should open their eyes, they're being deceived by their leadership. He's telling them the invasion of Iraq is going to be a picnic. He said any attack on Iraq is doomed to failure.
MUHAMMED SAEED SAHAF, IRAQI INFORMATION MINISTER: They're deceiving their soldiers and their officers that aggressing against Iraq will be like a picnic. While this is a very stupid lie they are telling their soldiers, what they are facing is definite death.
ROBERTSON: Information minister Sahaf also saying at this time a war or aggression against Iraq was a violation of international law and a violation of the U.N. charter. Also, we've heard from Iraq's National Assembly today, who met in session. We've often seen them meet in these sessions before. This is often a signal to the Iraqi people, support for president Saddam Hussein. This is what we heard from members of the National Assembly today.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Everyone in Iraq is Saddam Hussein. Iraq is protected by his Almighty and by its own army. We urge them not to continue with their foolish act. They will be resisted.
ROBERTSON: Indeed, after the meeting of the National Assembly, a letter was sent from the assembly to President Saddam Hussein, saying that they support the president at this time. The message going out here to the Iraqi people, to the international community, is that President Saddam Hussein has full support, and he's not about to leave the country at anytime.
On the streets of Baghdad today, the city very much slowing down. Less traffic on the roads, as we get later into the day. Also, many of the shops, almost all of the shops here, shuttered up, boarded up. Most people off the streets. The busy streets normally in the center of Baghdad, streets that it takes a long time to drive down because there's normally so much traffic, just very, very empty. You're able to drive down them very, very quickly today. Very few signs of life in the city.
Many people, it appears, staying out of the city center, staying toward their homes. This is a city of five million people. Most of the people in this city have been unable to leave the city. They do not have the money to try and get out of the country, to try and get to relatives, perhaps, in the countryside. Many of the five billion people here expecting to stay in Baghdad, for what they expect to be a war anytime now.
Nic Robertson, CNN, Baghdad.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
