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American Morning
Streets of Baghdad
Aired May 14, 2003 - 09:17 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.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Now to Iraq and the effort to restore security there. Iraqis are saying that Baghdad is slipping into a state of anarchy, and that more needs to be done.
John Vause is in Baghdad, and he's got the latest from there -- John.
JOHN VAUSE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Fredricka.
Well, the Americans here are now hitting back at those reports. Colonel Allen (ph) King from the 3rd ID told us a short time ago that the security situation here is not as bad as some people would have you believe.
And last night, we went out with a scout platoon from the 3rd ID, patrolling what they call zone 14, one of the more dangerous areas of downtown Baghdad.
And to be perfectly honest, it was a very, very quiet night. There was a few domestic disputes. The soldiers got out from the Humvees. They dealt with a mother dealing with her son, who had a knife. There was another situation where squatters had moved into a home, but essentially, it was all routine police work. There was the occasional sound of gunfire in the distance, but the soldiers on the ground told us that, basically, they're just doing routine police work. And they said that the situation in Baghdad certainly wasn't any worse than what you would find in a major metropolitan American city. I won't tell you which cities they named, but they made that comparison.
They also pointed out that there is a cultural situation here, where firing guns into the air is quite common here. They fire the guns when the power comes on; they fire the guns when the power goes off. So that explains why there is a lot of gunshots heard, especially at night.
But to be fair, there is a situation here with security. There have been rapes. There have been murders. There have been revenge killings. But the Americans now pointing out the fact it certainly isn't as bad, especially when you consider what this city has gone through in last month or so -- Fredricka.
HEMMER: And, John, let's talk about the looting there. Some sporadic looting that still takes place on some occasions. U.S. military getting orders now that they can shoot at looters. But Paul Bremer has said this is nothing new, the rules of engagement haven't changed, or have they? VAUSE: Well, this is it. "The New York Times" story that you're quoting about looters being shot, it seems as if Mr. Bremer is contradicting that report. He's saying to the best of his knowledge, the rules of engagement haven't changed. And what we know when the Americans and U.S. soldiers on the ground catch a looter, they hold them for their first offense about 12 hours, and then they take their name. And if they catch them again for a second offense, they lock them up at the airport, put them on community service for a day or two. Similar punishment for people involved in stealing. First offense you get a week. Second offense you get 20 days hard labor, working in the community, and they take them out at the airport.
The big problem, though, is that still isn't any court system. There is no real jail where they can put these people. So what do, they take them away, they make them do some community service.
But certainly, as far as that report about shooting looters, it looks as if Mr. Bremer is shooting that down himself -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: All right, John Vause, thanks very much.
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 14, 2003 - 09:17 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Now to Iraq and the effort to restore security there. Iraqis are saying that Baghdad is slipping into a state of anarchy, and that more needs to be done.
John Vause is in Baghdad, and he's got the latest from there -- John.
JOHN VAUSE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Fredricka.
Well, the Americans here are now hitting back at those reports. Colonel Allen (ph) King from the 3rd ID told us a short time ago that the security situation here is not as bad as some people would have you believe.
And last night, we went out with a scout platoon from the 3rd ID, patrolling what they call zone 14, one of the more dangerous areas of downtown Baghdad.
And to be perfectly honest, it was a very, very quiet night. There was a few domestic disputes. The soldiers got out from the Humvees. They dealt with a mother dealing with her son, who had a knife. There was another situation where squatters had moved into a home, but essentially, it was all routine police work. There was the occasional sound of gunfire in the distance, but the soldiers on the ground told us that, basically, they're just doing routine police work. And they said that the situation in Baghdad certainly wasn't any worse than what you would find in a major metropolitan American city. I won't tell you which cities they named, but they made that comparison.
They also pointed out that there is a cultural situation here, where firing guns into the air is quite common here. They fire the guns when the power comes on; they fire the guns when the power goes off. So that explains why there is a lot of gunshots heard, especially at night.
But to be fair, there is a situation here with security. There have been rapes. There have been murders. There have been revenge killings. But the Americans now pointing out the fact it certainly isn't as bad, especially when you consider what this city has gone through in last month or so -- Fredricka.
HEMMER: And, John, let's talk about the looting there. Some sporadic looting that still takes place on some occasions. U.S. military getting orders now that they can shoot at looters. But Paul Bremer has said this is nothing new, the rules of engagement haven't changed, or have they? VAUSE: Well, this is it. "The New York Times" story that you're quoting about looters being shot, it seems as if Mr. Bremer is contradicting that report. He's saying to the best of his knowledge, the rules of engagement haven't changed. And what we know when the Americans and U.S. soldiers on the ground catch a looter, they hold them for their first offense about 12 hours, and then they take their name. And if they catch them again for a second offense, they lock them up at the airport, put them on community service for a day or two. Similar punishment for people involved in stealing. First offense you get a week. Second offense you get 20 days hard labor, working in the community, and they take them out at the airport.
The big problem, though, is that still isn't any court system. There is no real jail where they can put these people. So what do, they take them away, they make them do some community service.
But certainly, as far as that report about shooting looters, it looks as if Mr. Bremer is shooting that down himself -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: All right, John Vause, thanks very much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
