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American Morning
A Different Battle
Aired March 31, 2003 - 08:25 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.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: The chief concern for a lot of people, not just for the military, but also the Iraqi people, how they get clean water, drinkable water. There's a massive effort underway to bring a fresh supply of water along a huge water pipeline into the port city of Umm Qasr.
Christiane Amanpour in southern Iraq is watching that and more, and she joins us now live.
Christiane, hello.
CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Bill, hi.
And it is, in fact, getting increasingly hot, and as you say, water is becoming an increasing problem, because while people do have the salty water from the environment, what they don't have is fresh, running drinking water. So that's an effort that people are trying to get to these civilians in Umm Qasr and as far as they can up to Basra as well.
Now, just to talk about the war fighting. That does continue. There have been some -- -- the British air assault, paratroopers are up north of the Rumaylah (ph) airfield, and they, we're told, by another battalion of the paratroopers. And so in general, the war does go on, certainly around Basra. We were outside there today, and we witnessed some tanks firing in response to fire coming out of the city.
In the meantime, they are still trying to win hearts and minds. But we talked to people who told us they were scared of the British attacks, that they were afraid of the lack of food and water, and that, indeed, civilians were being hurt, we were told. Of course, Al Jazeera, the Arab Television Station, which is in Basra right now, has been pumping out pictures of wounded in hospitals. They say that they are civilians.
Now, at the same time, as I said, the British still trying to wage a sort of psychological warfare campaign, air dropping leaflets and the like, trying to convince the people of Basra that they're here to help. They would like to deliver water to Basra, but so far, been up to do it just up a city of the south, which they've mostly controlled. They've been delivering water to the town of Zubayah (ph), and also today, the water pipes were turned on to the people of Umm Qasr. So they're hoping that they'll soon -- quote -- "saturate the area with drinking water, and that will be a powerful tool for them to convince the people of this part of Iraq they're here to stay and here to help and won't go away. In fact, that is proving the toughest message to sell.
HEMMER: Christiane Amanpour reporting. That, as she indicated a massive amount of water, could be 600,000 gallons per day, every day once that thing is opened up.
Christiane, thanks again.
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 31, 2003 - 08:25 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: The chief concern for a lot of people, not just for the military, but also the Iraqi people, how they get clean water, drinkable water. There's a massive effort underway to bring a fresh supply of water along a huge water pipeline into the port city of Umm Qasr.
Christiane Amanpour in southern Iraq is watching that and more, and she joins us now live.
Christiane, hello.
CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Bill, hi.
And it is, in fact, getting increasingly hot, and as you say, water is becoming an increasing problem, because while people do have the salty water from the environment, what they don't have is fresh, running drinking water. So that's an effort that people are trying to get to these civilians in Umm Qasr and as far as they can up to Basra as well.
Now, just to talk about the war fighting. That does continue. There have been some -- -- the British air assault, paratroopers are up north of the Rumaylah (ph) airfield, and they, we're told, by another battalion of the paratroopers. And so in general, the war does go on, certainly around Basra. We were outside there today, and we witnessed some tanks firing in response to fire coming out of the city.
In the meantime, they are still trying to win hearts and minds. But we talked to people who told us they were scared of the British attacks, that they were afraid of the lack of food and water, and that, indeed, civilians were being hurt, we were told. Of course, Al Jazeera, the Arab Television Station, which is in Basra right now, has been pumping out pictures of wounded in hospitals. They say that they are civilians.
Now, at the same time, as I said, the British still trying to wage a sort of psychological warfare campaign, air dropping leaflets and the like, trying to convince the people of Basra that they're here to help. They would like to deliver water to Basra, but so far, been up to do it just up a city of the south, which they've mostly controlled. They've been delivering water to the town of Zubayah (ph), and also today, the water pipes were turned on to the people of Umm Qasr. So they're hoping that they'll soon -- quote -- "saturate the area with drinking water, and that will be a powerful tool for them to convince the people of this part of Iraq they're here to stay and here to help and won't go away. In fact, that is proving the toughest message to sell.
HEMMER: Christiane Amanpour reporting. That, as she indicated a massive amount of water, could be 600,000 gallons per day, every day once that thing is opened up.
Christiane, thanks again.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
