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American Morning

Reaction in Baghdad

Aired July 24, 2003 - 09:16   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 deaths of Saddam Hussein's sons hailed by U.S. officials as a turning point. But already again today, three more American troops were killed. How are Iraqis right now reacting to these developments?
Hassan Fattah is the editor of "Iraq Today." He is live with us now in Baghdad to talk about reaction from there. What have the Iraqis that you have spoken to said about the deaths of Saddam's two sons and whether or not the photos may or may not be released? How urgent is that plea?

HASSAN FATTAH, EDITOR, "IRAQ TODAY": Well, I think it's a very, very important thing for them to see the fact that they are dead, to know that they are dead, but I think even when they talk about it, it's a very bittersweet sort of experience. They're dead, to be sure. I actually have seen the pictures myself, but at the same time, they've died with a lot of secrets and unanswered questions that they would love to have answered. There's been decades and decades of hurt and pain, so many questions left unanswered that go down with them.

HEMMER: Are you saying there's a sense of disappointment then, the fact that they weren't taken alive, or is there more to your answer right there, when you talk about the secrets and the amount of rule they've had over last three or four decades?

FATTAH: Well, I've sent my reporters out over the past two days to basically go and get a sense as to what is going on in the street. What are people really saying? And consistently, most Iraqis are saying, they wish they would have been caught alive. They wish that they would have been questioned, put on trial, and they had to answer to their crimes and the things they had to do for all these years. And I think it's a very sad thing for them as a result, that all these questions, all these issues that they go down with them. In some ways, some Iraqis say they got off easy.

HEMMER: Do they believe right now the number of attacks against U.S. troops in Iraq will lessen as a result of their deaths, or do they believe, Iraqis you talked to, may perhaps increase?

FATTAH: Not necessarily. I mean, I think it's still up to question. But I think one thing is for sure, a lot of the attacks are not necessarily connected to Baathists, and I think we're beginning to find that out, especially today. I think what this calls for is it's a time of reconciliation. We have to change the way this discussion is happening. We seem to continue on with the cycle, and I think that we need some form of reconciliation after all these years of hurt. HEMMER: There's a wire note just crossing right now that talks about a videotape being played on Al Arabiya, an Arab network, in your part of the world, in fact, calling to avenge the deaths of Qusay and Uday. How much does that resonate with the people you talked to in Baghdad?

FATTAH: Yes, I'm sure we'll be hearing a lot of that sort of talk. I think there is an element of that, but I also think that there's a sense and a need for closure, and I do think at least the death of No. 2 and No. 3 really does bring about some closure. Of course, Saddam is still around. We haven't found him. We haven't sad sat and questioned him, nor brought him to answer for his crimes. So I think there's still a lot of questions left to be answered.

HEMMER: Hassan, if we were to pick up a newspaper in Baghdad today, what are they saying? What are they writing about this story today?

FATTAH: Well, it depends who you ask. Some people simply don't believe it, and are demanding to see pictures. Other people are basically complaining, essentially critical of the fact they were killed, that maybe they didn't need to be killed, and still other people are thinking it's time to close the book.

HEMMER: In a word or two, are they aware at all that the photos may come?

FATTAH: There's a rumor, and I believe it's been confirmed actually that the pictures will be shown, and, you know, it's all about sitting and waiting to see when things will happen.

HEMMER: You and us together. That's right, Hassan Fatah, live in Baghdad. Thanks again for talking with us here.

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 July 24, 2003 - 09:16   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: The deaths of Saddam Hussein's sons hailed by U.S. officials as a turning point. But already again today, three more American troops were killed. How are Iraqis right now reacting to these developments?
Hassan Fattah is the editor of "Iraq Today." He is live with us now in Baghdad to talk about reaction from there. What have the Iraqis that you have spoken to said about the deaths of Saddam's two sons and whether or not the photos may or may not be released? How urgent is that plea?

HASSAN FATTAH, EDITOR, "IRAQ TODAY": Well, I think it's a very, very important thing for them to see the fact that they are dead, to know that they are dead, but I think even when they talk about it, it's a very bittersweet sort of experience. They're dead, to be sure. I actually have seen the pictures myself, but at the same time, they've died with a lot of secrets and unanswered questions that they would love to have answered. There's been decades and decades of hurt and pain, so many questions left unanswered that go down with them.

HEMMER: Are you saying there's a sense of disappointment then, the fact that they weren't taken alive, or is there more to your answer right there, when you talk about the secrets and the amount of rule they've had over last three or four decades?

FATTAH: Well, I've sent my reporters out over the past two days to basically go and get a sense as to what is going on in the street. What are people really saying? And consistently, most Iraqis are saying, they wish they would have been caught alive. They wish that they would have been questioned, put on trial, and they had to answer to their crimes and the things they had to do for all these years. And I think it's a very sad thing for them as a result, that all these questions, all these issues that they go down with them. In some ways, some Iraqis say they got off easy.

HEMMER: Do they believe right now the number of attacks against U.S. troops in Iraq will lessen as a result of their deaths, or do they believe, Iraqis you talked to, may perhaps increase?

FATTAH: Not necessarily. I mean, I think it's still up to question. But I think one thing is for sure, a lot of the attacks are not necessarily connected to Baathists, and I think we're beginning to find that out, especially today. I think what this calls for is it's a time of reconciliation. We have to change the way this discussion is happening. We seem to continue on with the cycle, and I think that we need some form of reconciliation after all these years of hurt. HEMMER: There's a wire note just crossing right now that talks about a videotape being played on Al Arabiya, an Arab network, in your part of the world, in fact, calling to avenge the deaths of Qusay and Uday. How much does that resonate with the people you talked to in Baghdad?

FATTAH: Yes, I'm sure we'll be hearing a lot of that sort of talk. I think there is an element of that, but I also think that there's a sense and a need for closure, and I do think at least the death of No. 2 and No. 3 really does bring about some closure. Of course, Saddam is still around. We haven't found him. We haven't sad sat and questioned him, nor brought him to answer for his crimes. So I think there's still a lot of questions left to be answered.

HEMMER: Hassan, if we were to pick up a newspaper in Baghdad today, what are they saying? What are they writing about this story today?

FATTAH: Well, it depends who you ask. Some people simply don't believe it, and are demanding to see pictures. Other people are basically complaining, essentially critical of the fact they were killed, that maybe they didn't need to be killed, and still other people are thinking it's time to close the book.

HEMMER: In a word or two, are they aware at all that the photos may come?

FATTAH: There's a rumor, and I believe it's been confirmed actually that the pictures will be shown, and, you know, it's all about sitting and waiting to see when things will happen.

HEMMER: You and us together. That's right, Hassan Fatah, live in Baghdad. Thanks again for talking with us here.

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