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American Morning

Donald Rumsfeld Visiting Troops in Iraq

Aired September 05, 2003 - 07:05   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: Now to Iraq. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld just leaving Tikrit a short time ago, personally checking conditions there over the past two days, touring Tikrit earlier today, Saddam Hussein's tribal power base.
Jason Bellini by way of videophone for more on this trip now.

Jason -- good afternoon there.

JASON BELLINI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good afternoon, Bill.

Well, the secretary had a very short visit here to Tikrit. He stayed on the Army base of the 4th Infantry Division the entire time. Security was intense on the Tigris River behind me. We saw Apache helicopters flying during the entirety of his visit.

This same base, where he was today, was attacked just a few nights ago, attacked with mortars. Fortunately, none of them hit the base, but it highlights the security situation here.

We're told that he met with generals at the base, who briefed him on their use of Iraqi forces to try to supplement them, and Iraqi police forces to help protect infrastructure and to help with their tasks, of even helping with the raids here.

Then, he met with soldiers for a brief Q&A, had lunch with 45 soldiers in the commissary where they served fish, hot dogs and hamburgers, and then took off for Mosul -- Bill.

HEMMER: Jason Bellini in Tikrit, thanks.

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 September 5, 2003 - 07:05   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Now to Iraq. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld just leaving Tikrit a short time ago, personally checking conditions there over the past two days, touring Tikrit earlier today, Saddam Hussein's tribal power base.
Jason Bellini by way of videophone for more on this trip now.

Jason -- good afternoon there.

JASON BELLINI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good afternoon, Bill.

Well, the secretary had a very short visit here to Tikrit. He stayed on the Army base of the 4th Infantry Division the entire time. Security was intense on the Tigris River behind me. We saw Apache helicopters flying during the entirety of his visit.

This same base, where he was today, was attacked just a few nights ago, attacked with mortars. Fortunately, none of them hit the base, but it highlights the security situation here.

We're told that he met with generals at the base, who briefed him on their use of Iraqi forces to try to supplement them, and Iraqi police forces to help protect infrastructure and to help with their tasks, of even helping with the raids here.

Then, he met with soldiers for a brief Q&A, had lunch with 45 soldiers in the commissary where they served fish, hot dogs and hamburgers, and then took off for Mosul -- Bill.

HEMMER: Jason Bellini in Tikrit, thanks.

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