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On Duty in Iraq

Aired May 26, 2003 - 14:21   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.


KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: It's been almost seven weeks since coalition forces captured Baghdad. Countless U.S. troops are still on duty there, and for them this day set aside to honor the nation's war dead is more than a faint nod to sacrifice.
Let's go to CNN's Matthew Chance who is with some of those troops -- Matthew.

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Thank you, Kyra. This is, indeed, a time to remember those who have sacrificed themselves in battle. It's certainly something that is very prominent in the minds of the many thousands of U.S. troops that are still on active duty here across Iraq and focus on the capital of Baghdad and just underline just how much they are involved in operations still.

I can tell you how much threat they're under. I can tell you there is a developing news story, which we're following, details are very sketchy, but it does appear that according to U.S. Military officials here in Baghdad, there has been an explosion on the outskirts of the city, we understand from those initial reports.

They're saying, those military officials, that three people have been injured, one of them seriously. Details apart from that, though, are still very sketchy. We'll bring you the latest information we have as soon as it comes to us, of course.

In the meantime, we are joined by Captain Andy Helms, who is with the 164 Task Force, part of the Third Infantry Division. They've been in this region for several months. Captain Hilme himself has been, I understand, patrolling these streets for many, many weeks. First of all, let me ask you, Captain, do you have any information about this report that we're hearing now about an explosion in Baghdad?

CAPTAIN ANDREW HILME, THIRD INFANTRY DIVISION, U.S. ARMY: No. I'm just now finding out about it.

CHANCE: OK, nevertheless thought, it does underline a sort of uncertain security situation when, which you must be aware of having patrolled these streets yourself.

HILME: It's -- I think Baghdad is generally secure. When you go out in the city during the daytime, you'll see people going back about their lives, going out to the market, stores are open, people are shopping. But you're going to have to expect setbacks like this. Baghdad is a big city. Almost 5 million people in Baghdad proper, and incidents like this are going to occur.

CHANCE: We're talking here, are we, about remnants of the Saddam Hussein regime. Are those the people we're talking to -- talking about?

HILME: There are still a lot of bad people here in Baghdad, whether they're former Ba'ath Party members, whether they're ex- members of Saddam's Fedayeen, but they still exist in some small numbers here and in and about the city, and they're still very much a threat to not only coalition forces, but those who are trying to help rebuild the Iraqi government.

CHANCE: All right, Captain Hilme, thank you very much for being with us here on CNN.

HILME: You're welcome.

CHANCE: There you have it, Kyra, an assessment of the security situation on the streets of the Iraqi capital of Baghdad from somebody who's been patrolling them, and that incident, we'll bring you details when which when we have it, really underlying the security situation, still very uncertain on this Memorial Day. Back to you.

PHILLIPS: Matthew Chance. 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 May 26, 2003 - 14:21   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: It's been almost seven weeks since coalition forces captured Baghdad. Countless U.S. troops are still on duty there, and for them this day set aside to honor the nation's war dead is more than a faint nod to sacrifice.
Let's go to CNN's Matthew Chance who is with some of those troops -- Matthew.

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Thank you, Kyra. This is, indeed, a time to remember those who have sacrificed themselves in battle. It's certainly something that is very prominent in the minds of the many thousands of U.S. troops that are still on active duty here across Iraq and focus on the capital of Baghdad and just underline just how much they are involved in operations still.

I can tell you how much threat they're under. I can tell you there is a developing news story, which we're following, details are very sketchy, but it does appear that according to U.S. Military officials here in Baghdad, there has been an explosion on the outskirts of the city, we understand from those initial reports.

They're saying, those military officials, that three people have been injured, one of them seriously. Details apart from that, though, are still very sketchy. We'll bring you the latest information we have as soon as it comes to us, of course.

In the meantime, we are joined by Captain Andy Helms, who is with the 164 Task Force, part of the Third Infantry Division. They've been in this region for several months. Captain Hilme himself has been, I understand, patrolling these streets for many, many weeks. First of all, let me ask you, Captain, do you have any information about this report that we're hearing now about an explosion in Baghdad?

CAPTAIN ANDREW HILME, THIRD INFANTRY DIVISION, U.S. ARMY: No. I'm just now finding out about it.

CHANCE: OK, nevertheless thought, it does underline a sort of uncertain security situation when, which you must be aware of having patrolled these streets yourself.

HILME: It's -- I think Baghdad is generally secure. When you go out in the city during the daytime, you'll see people going back about their lives, going out to the market, stores are open, people are shopping. But you're going to have to expect setbacks like this. Baghdad is a big city. Almost 5 million people in Baghdad proper, and incidents like this are going to occur.

CHANCE: We're talking here, are we, about remnants of the Saddam Hussein regime. Are those the people we're talking to -- talking about?

HILME: There are still a lot of bad people here in Baghdad, whether they're former Ba'ath Party members, whether they're ex- members of Saddam's Fedayeen, but they still exist in some small numbers here and in and about the city, and they're still very much a threat to not only coalition forces, but those who are trying to help rebuild the Iraqi government.

CHANCE: All right, Captain Hilme, thank you very much for being with us here on CNN.

HILME: You're welcome.

CHANCE: There you have it, Kyra, an assessment of the security situation on the streets of the Iraqi capital of Baghdad from somebody who's been patrolling them, and that incident, we'll bring you details when which when we have it, really underlying the security situation, still very uncertain on this Memorial Day. Back to you.

PHILLIPS: Matthew Chance. 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