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CNN Sunday Morning
Army's 101st Searches for Weapons on Foot
Aired May 11, 2003 - 10:13 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: In northern Iraq, the Army's 101st Airborne Division has been grounded. The unit is searching for weapons on foot. Jane Arraf takes us to the northern city of Mosul where troops are generally being received with cheers there.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: USA! USA!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: USA! USA!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: USA! USA!
JANE ARRAF, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): With more feeling than precision, these kids are trying to chant USA. It's not something you're likely to hear in Baghdad or the south of Iraq, but further north here in Mosul, American soldiers on patrol get a much warmer reception.
In other cities, soldiers are patrolling from inside armored vehicles but in Mosul they're on ground level. This squad from the Army's 101 Airborne Division is on a joint patrol with members of the new Iraqi police force. One of the things they're on the lookout for is weapons.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They did say that there's possible weapons up here. So we took this guy here along with the police interpreter to see if there's a possible small arms cache.
ARRAF: What they did find is a bombed and looted ammunition depot. Then an explosion. Ammunition exploding and a fire set by kids.
(on camera): This is a huge problem in the rest of Iraq and a big problem here in this city as well, unexploded ordnance. These tiny things are little bits of dynamite. They come from antiaircraft casings and could seriously hurt somebody.
We want people to know not to come to this place says the Lieutenant Bassam (ph). There are lots of explosives and it's dangerous for children. The Iraqi policemen think it's dangerous, too, that there are so many guns inside people's homes. Do the American soldiers know this, they ask us?
Perhaps the bond with the Iraqi kids is because the soldiers are actually patrolling on foot and perhaps because they're far from home and pretty young themselves.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Word.
I didn't think any of the people would like us but it's a totally different story. Kids especially love us, that's awesome.
ARRAF: The soldiers can't go anywhere without being mobbed in a good way.
I love the Americans says one kid. I love Iraq say the others. For once, there's no contradiction.
Jane Arraf, CNN, Mosul in northern Iraq.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
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 11, 2003 - 10:13 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: In northern Iraq, the Army's 101st Airborne Division has been grounded. The unit is searching for weapons on foot. Jane Arraf takes us to the northern city of Mosul where troops are generally being received with cheers there.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: USA! USA!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: USA! USA!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: USA! USA!
JANE ARRAF, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): With more feeling than precision, these kids are trying to chant USA. It's not something you're likely to hear in Baghdad or the south of Iraq, but further north here in Mosul, American soldiers on patrol get a much warmer reception.
In other cities, soldiers are patrolling from inside armored vehicles but in Mosul they're on ground level. This squad from the Army's 101 Airborne Division is on a joint patrol with members of the new Iraqi police force. One of the things they're on the lookout for is weapons.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They did say that there's possible weapons up here. So we took this guy here along with the police interpreter to see if there's a possible small arms cache.
ARRAF: What they did find is a bombed and looted ammunition depot. Then an explosion. Ammunition exploding and a fire set by kids.
(on camera): This is a huge problem in the rest of Iraq and a big problem here in this city as well, unexploded ordnance. These tiny things are little bits of dynamite. They come from antiaircraft casings and could seriously hurt somebody.
We want people to know not to come to this place says the Lieutenant Bassam (ph). There are lots of explosives and it's dangerous for children. The Iraqi policemen think it's dangerous, too, that there are so many guns inside people's homes. Do the American soldiers know this, they ask us?
Perhaps the bond with the Iraqi kids is because the soldiers are actually patrolling on foot and perhaps because they're far from home and pretty young themselves.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Word.
I didn't think any of the people would like us but it's a totally different story. Kids especially love us, that's awesome.
ARRAF: The soldiers can't go anywhere without being mobbed in a good way.
I love the Americans says one kid. I love Iraq say the others. For once, there's no contradiction.
Jane Arraf, CNN, Mosul in northern Iraq.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
