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Who Will Be in Charge of Rebuilding Iraq?
Aired April 08, 2003 - 15:50 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: The United States and Britain have left little doubt about who creates and controls the battlefield in Iraq. But who will be in charge of rebuilding the country and caring for it in the meantime? That's an issue CNN's Richard Blystone has been looking into.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RICHARD BLYSTONE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Who is in charge here? British forces have said they are too busy to play sheriff in Basra. British and American leaders have proclaimed again and again that humanitarian aid is high on their priority list.
But clearly their troops weren't prepared to hand out supplies amid scenes like this. And neither are relief agencies, now chafing on the sidelines, their tons of food still stacked in warehouses. And some they say the liberators could lose their welcome fast.
HUSSAIN AL-SHAHRISTANI, IRAQI REFUGEE AND COUNCIL: And unless something is done very, very quickly to remedy this situation, show respect for the people, protect them, provide for them, I think we are heading towards a big misunderstanding.
BLYSTONE: Who will be in charge? The Pentagon would like to be the one to oversee distribution of aid. The man who will be U.S. viceroy in Iraq, retired General Jay Garner, has said he'll be responsible for it. He reports to the war commander, General Tommy Franks. For relief organizations, that's not acceptable.
DAVID WIMHURST, U.N. HUM. AFFAIRS OFFICE: We do not see humanitarian aid as being an adjunct to military force. Armies that are fighting are parties to the conflict. By definition, they are not impartial.
BLYSTONE: With the war already nearly three weeks old and pacification far from complete, there is an even longer slog ahead for the humanitarians.
ANTONIA PARADELA, U.N. WORLD FOOD PROGRAM: Food is going to become a massive issue when people run out of food in a month's time. And secondly, all the Iraqi population will need the food rations they were receiving from the Oil for Food Program. It's going to be a massive enterprise, possibly the largest humanitarian operation ever.
BLYSTONE (on camera): No matter how the war goes, there is still a battle to be won or lost here. Richard Blystone, CNN, Kuwait.
(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 April 8, 2003 - 15:50 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: The United States and Britain have left little doubt about who creates and controls the battlefield in Iraq. But who will be in charge of rebuilding the country and caring for it in the meantime? That's an issue CNN's Richard Blystone has been looking into.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RICHARD BLYSTONE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Who is in charge here? British forces have said they are too busy to play sheriff in Basra. British and American leaders have proclaimed again and again that humanitarian aid is high on their priority list.
But clearly their troops weren't prepared to hand out supplies amid scenes like this. And neither are relief agencies, now chafing on the sidelines, their tons of food still stacked in warehouses. And some they say the liberators could lose their welcome fast.
HUSSAIN AL-SHAHRISTANI, IRAQI REFUGEE AND COUNCIL: And unless something is done very, very quickly to remedy this situation, show respect for the people, protect them, provide for them, I think we are heading towards a big misunderstanding.
BLYSTONE: Who will be in charge? The Pentagon would like to be the one to oversee distribution of aid. The man who will be U.S. viceroy in Iraq, retired General Jay Garner, has said he'll be responsible for it. He reports to the war commander, General Tommy Franks. For relief organizations, that's not acceptable.
DAVID WIMHURST, U.N. HUM. AFFAIRS OFFICE: We do not see humanitarian aid as being an adjunct to military force. Armies that are fighting are parties to the conflict. By definition, they are not impartial.
BLYSTONE: With the war already nearly three weeks old and pacification far from complete, there is an even longer slog ahead for the humanitarians.
ANTONIA PARADELA, U.N. WORLD FOOD PROGRAM: Food is going to become a massive issue when people run out of food in a month's time. And secondly, all the Iraqi population will need the food rations they were receiving from the Oil for Food Program. It's going to be a massive enterprise, possibly the largest humanitarian operation ever.
BLYSTONE (on camera): No matter how the war goes, there is still a battle to be won or lost here. Richard Blystone, CNN, Kuwait.
(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
