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Protests, Other Reaction From Various Cities Around the Globe
Aired March 26, 2003 - 14:48 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.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Before the first air strikes, those opposed to the war took to the streets. Every day, we bring you those protests and other reaction from various cities around the globe.
Today, we take to you a town in Jordan, to Moscow and to London. First to CNN's Matthew Chance in Jordan.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: From here, the road to Baghdad stretches into the distance. This town Ruwasheid prospered before the war, as a truck stop and smugglers' haven. But with conflicts across the desert frontier, the traffic has stopped and livelihoods suspended.
On the roadsides, workshops performed vital surgery on trucks and busses journeying the hundreds of miles to the Iraqi capital. After the war, there may be an economic boom, but mechanics like Achmed (ph) now see their future as bleak.
The border is closed and our work has dried up, he says. We're all worried about the economy of Jordan because Iraq gives us both our oil and our jobs.
And there's anger among those here at what is happening inside Iraq as well. And for Yeyha (ph), a mechanic soaked in oil, it's the U.S., not Saddam Hussein, that's to blame.
This war is unjust. It's pure aggression against Iraq, he says. Iraq didn't attack America. Why should it be invaded so savagely now?
It's true, the war has brought a new influx of money to Ruwasheid with journalists sending rents sky-high, waiting to enter Iraq. But for many in this town, invasion of their Arab neighbor by America and its allies is too high a price -- Matthew Chance, CNN, Ruwasheid, Jordan.
JILL DOUGHERTY, CNN MOSCOW BUREAU CHIEF: And from Moscow, I'm Jill Dougherty, where people are overwhelmingly against the war in Iraq. In fact, a new poll shows that 83 percent of Russians say that they are disturbed and angry about the war. Two-thirds think that the United States started the war in order to control Iraqi oil. And about half of Russians think that the United States wants to be the boss of the world. Another half feared that the war in Iraq could actually lead to a world war. But in spite of all of this anti-war feeling in Russia, it hasn't really translated into many anti-war demonstrations. There have been very few of them. And the ones that have taken place have been pretty sparsely attended, organized mainly by communist organizations.
The most lively discussion of the war in Iraq is actually taking place on the Internet. Again, here, most of the people who are on the Internet in Russia are against the war at this site. And one suggestion coming from one of the people on the Internet site saying that they believe that the street where the United States embassy is located should be renamed to Saddam Hussein Boulevard.
ROBIN OAKLEY, CNN SR. EUROPEAN POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: I'm Robin Oakley in London, where the commitment of British forces to action in Iraq has seen a swing of opinion in the government's favor.
A week ago, an ICM opinion poll had 38 percent in favor of the war. That figure has now let to 54 percent. In the House of Commons behind me here, 200 British lawmakers a week ago voted against a war. But now Tony Blair faces questions rather than criticism.
Street demonstrations, too, have been smaller, perhaps 500,000 against the war out on London streets last weekend compared with more than one million a month ago.
But questions remain in British public opinion. Shock and Awe tactics, many people suspect, have produced shock in the Iraqi population, but not the awe they had expected.
And there are worries, too, about the level of British casualties. Fourteen have died in two helicopter accidents, four by friendly fire and two in combat. That's a total of 20 deaths already in British services compared to the 46 who fell in the whole of the Gulf War.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: We want to thank Robin Oakley and all of our reporters for those reports.
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 26, 2003 - 14:48 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Before the first air strikes, those opposed to the war took to the streets. Every day, we bring you those protests and other reaction from various cities around the globe.
Today, we take to you a town in Jordan, to Moscow and to London. First to CNN's Matthew Chance in Jordan.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: From here, the road to Baghdad stretches into the distance. This town Ruwasheid prospered before the war, as a truck stop and smugglers' haven. But with conflicts across the desert frontier, the traffic has stopped and livelihoods suspended.
On the roadsides, workshops performed vital surgery on trucks and busses journeying the hundreds of miles to the Iraqi capital. After the war, there may be an economic boom, but mechanics like Achmed (ph) now see their future as bleak.
The border is closed and our work has dried up, he says. We're all worried about the economy of Jordan because Iraq gives us both our oil and our jobs.
And there's anger among those here at what is happening inside Iraq as well. And for Yeyha (ph), a mechanic soaked in oil, it's the U.S., not Saddam Hussein, that's to blame.
This war is unjust. It's pure aggression against Iraq, he says. Iraq didn't attack America. Why should it be invaded so savagely now?
It's true, the war has brought a new influx of money to Ruwasheid with journalists sending rents sky-high, waiting to enter Iraq. But for many in this town, invasion of their Arab neighbor by America and its allies is too high a price -- Matthew Chance, CNN, Ruwasheid, Jordan.
JILL DOUGHERTY, CNN MOSCOW BUREAU CHIEF: And from Moscow, I'm Jill Dougherty, where people are overwhelmingly against the war in Iraq. In fact, a new poll shows that 83 percent of Russians say that they are disturbed and angry about the war. Two-thirds think that the United States started the war in order to control Iraqi oil. And about half of Russians think that the United States wants to be the boss of the world. Another half feared that the war in Iraq could actually lead to a world war. But in spite of all of this anti-war feeling in Russia, it hasn't really translated into many anti-war demonstrations. There have been very few of them. And the ones that have taken place have been pretty sparsely attended, organized mainly by communist organizations.
The most lively discussion of the war in Iraq is actually taking place on the Internet. Again, here, most of the people who are on the Internet in Russia are against the war at this site. And one suggestion coming from one of the people on the Internet site saying that they believe that the street where the United States embassy is located should be renamed to Saddam Hussein Boulevard.
ROBIN OAKLEY, CNN SR. EUROPEAN POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: I'm Robin Oakley in London, where the commitment of British forces to action in Iraq has seen a swing of opinion in the government's favor.
A week ago, an ICM opinion poll had 38 percent in favor of the war. That figure has now let to 54 percent. In the House of Commons behind me here, 200 British lawmakers a week ago voted against a war. But now Tony Blair faces questions rather than criticism.
Street demonstrations, too, have been smaller, perhaps 500,000 against the war out on London streets last weekend compared with more than one million a month ago.
But questions remain in British public opinion. Shock and Awe tactics, many people suspect, have produced shock in the Iraqi population, but not the awe they had expected.
And there are worries, too, about the level of British casualties. Fourteen have died in two helicopter accidents, four by friendly fire and two in combat. That's a total of 20 deaths already in British services compared to the 46 who fell in the whole of the Gulf War.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: We want to thank Robin Oakley and all of our reporters for those reports.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
