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Iraqi Reaction to Possible Lifting of Sanctions

Aired May 08, 2003 - 13:11   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: The White House is leading the drive at the United Nations to lift those economic sanctions, but how do the Iraqi people feel about all that?
CNN's Karl Penhaul in Baghdad, and he has some answers for us. Of course, the Iraqi people don't have a lot of electricity, so maybe they don't know much about all of this -- but nevertheless, what are you hearing, Karl?

KARL PENHAUL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: They haven't got a national media yet either, so spreading the word is also a little bit difficult. But, as ever, obviously a question of sanctions is a very complex issue, and so it will take a little time for the opinions to filter through. Mixed opinions, though. We've talked to some Iraqis on the street today, and they say if the easing of sanctions leads to an easier lifestyle for them in terms of access to food, in terms of access to goods and services, then that would be welcome.

Others, of course, still concerned about the issue of oil, which will obviously form part of the debate on whether U.N. sanctions can be lifted, because, obviously, the U.N. has -- or has had control of the sale of Iraqi oil, and the distribution of revenues from that. But take a listen to some of the opinions that we heard from Iraqis on the street during the day.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If sanctions were removed from Iraq, that will be free. We can do whatever we want. That we participate -- be participant with other world.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Bush said so, we don't know if Bush said the truth or he will lie on us like Saddam and like other leaders we get. Because we didn't get any leader that's -- take care of us. We hope the Iraqis can take care of us, we hope the American leaders take care of us.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PENHAUL: Certainly, many of the Iraqis that we've spoken to concerned about the central issue of oil. They seem to believe that coalition forces are still after the oil. And one might expect that when the U.N. Security Council starts the debate, and certainly four of the five permanent members are home to some of the major oil corporations in the world, and so seemingly, there will be a hot debate there about how to lift the sanctions. O'BRIEN: CNN's Karl Penhaul in Baghdad. Karl, before you get away, I wanted to ask you if you had any details on this report that a U.S. soldier was slain on a bridge there in Baghdad. Some conflicting information. Jamie McIntyre, our lead Pentagon correspondent, indicates it might have been sniper fire. The Associated Press is reporting that somebody actually walked right up to the soldier with a pistol, a brazen attack in broad daylight and did it. Can you sort that out for us?

PENHAUL: Still a little too early. The military are playing this one fairly close to their chest so far. We expect a full briefing later on this evening. What we are hearing is pretty much from here that an Iraqi dressed in civilian clothes approached the soldier as he stood on a Baghdad bridge and fired off a shot. I haven't heard those reports of sniper fire from here.

That said, every day and every night in Baghdad, we do hear fire from both -- well, generally from long-range weapons. And so, certainly, not out of the question this soldier could have been hit by sniper fire.

O'BRIEN: Karl, without going too far with this, what does that tell you about general feelings in Baghdad right now about the U.S. presence there? Are things continuing -- are they going sour? Are things improving, as electricity comes back on, for example? I'm asking you to make a sweeping generalization, I know, but if you could try, I'd appreciate it.

PENHAUL: One, I guess, must distinguish between the majority of people and amongst the majority, yes, there are people with very legitimate concerns about when will their power be turned on, when will their water be turned on. They're also worried, a few months down the line, about access to food.

But just because they're disenchanted a little bit with the slow pace of what's going on now doesn't necessarily mean that they will pick up a gun. Obviously, yes, small minorities are still armed, or have armed themselves from some of the gun markets around Baghdad possibly, and are taking potshots at the U.S. military, but there's no sign, from what we can see, no sign here of a real organized underground guerrilla resistance to the U.S. or coalition presence here.

O'BRIEN: All right. Thank you for that explanation. It helps quite a bit. Karl Penhaul in Baghdad for us. We appreciate it.

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 May 8, 2003 - 13:11   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: The White House is leading the drive at the United Nations to lift those economic sanctions, but how do the Iraqi people feel about all that?
CNN's Karl Penhaul in Baghdad, and he has some answers for us. Of course, the Iraqi people don't have a lot of electricity, so maybe they don't know much about all of this -- but nevertheless, what are you hearing, Karl?

KARL PENHAUL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: They haven't got a national media yet either, so spreading the word is also a little bit difficult. But, as ever, obviously a question of sanctions is a very complex issue, and so it will take a little time for the opinions to filter through. Mixed opinions, though. We've talked to some Iraqis on the street today, and they say if the easing of sanctions leads to an easier lifestyle for them in terms of access to food, in terms of access to goods and services, then that would be welcome.

Others, of course, still concerned about the issue of oil, which will obviously form part of the debate on whether U.N. sanctions can be lifted, because, obviously, the U.N. has -- or has had control of the sale of Iraqi oil, and the distribution of revenues from that. But take a listen to some of the opinions that we heard from Iraqis on the street during the day.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If sanctions were removed from Iraq, that will be free. We can do whatever we want. That we participate -- be participant with other world.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Bush said so, we don't know if Bush said the truth or he will lie on us like Saddam and like other leaders we get. Because we didn't get any leader that's -- take care of us. We hope the Iraqis can take care of us, we hope the American leaders take care of us.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PENHAUL: Certainly, many of the Iraqis that we've spoken to concerned about the central issue of oil. They seem to believe that coalition forces are still after the oil. And one might expect that when the U.N. Security Council starts the debate, and certainly four of the five permanent members are home to some of the major oil corporations in the world, and so seemingly, there will be a hot debate there about how to lift the sanctions. O'BRIEN: CNN's Karl Penhaul in Baghdad. Karl, before you get away, I wanted to ask you if you had any details on this report that a U.S. soldier was slain on a bridge there in Baghdad. Some conflicting information. Jamie McIntyre, our lead Pentagon correspondent, indicates it might have been sniper fire. The Associated Press is reporting that somebody actually walked right up to the soldier with a pistol, a brazen attack in broad daylight and did it. Can you sort that out for us?

PENHAUL: Still a little too early. The military are playing this one fairly close to their chest so far. We expect a full briefing later on this evening. What we are hearing is pretty much from here that an Iraqi dressed in civilian clothes approached the soldier as he stood on a Baghdad bridge and fired off a shot. I haven't heard those reports of sniper fire from here.

That said, every day and every night in Baghdad, we do hear fire from both -- well, generally from long-range weapons. And so, certainly, not out of the question this soldier could have been hit by sniper fire.

O'BRIEN: Karl, without going too far with this, what does that tell you about general feelings in Baghdad right now about the U.S. presence there? Are things continuing -- are they going sour? Are things improving, as electricity comes back on, for example? I'm asking you to make a sweeping generalization, I know, but if you could try, I'd appreciate it.

PENHAUL: One, I guess, must distinguish between the majority of people and amongst the majority, yes, there are people with very legitimate concerns about when will their power be turned on, when will their water be turned on. They're also worried, a few months down the line, about access to food.

But just because they're disenchanted a little bit with the slow pace of what's going on now doesn't necessarily mean that they will pick up a gun. Obviously, yes, small minorities are still armed, or have armed themselves from some of the gun markets around Baghdad possibly, and are taking potshots at the U.S. military, but there's no sign, from what we can see, no sign here of a real organized underground guerrilla resistance to the U.S. or coalition presence here.

O'BRIEN: All right. Thank you for that explanation. It helps quite a bit. Karl Penhaul in Baghdad for us. We appreciate it.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com