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CNN Sunday Morning

Blair Visits Basra

Aired January 04, 2004 - 07:07   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.


ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN ANCHOR: Now the mission in Iraq. Nearly five weeks after President Bush slipped into Iraq on a surprise Thanksgiving visit, British Prime Minister Tony Blair has made a visit of his own. And his, too, is designed to deliver a message of thanks.
CNN's Satinder Bindra is in Baghdad with the very latest. So Satinder, why did the prime minister choose to go to Basra?

SATINDER BINDRA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Andrea, he went to Basra because most of the 10,000 British troops who are stationed in Iraq are stationed in Basra. Today, they heard their prime minister thank them from "the bottom of his heart." The British prime minister told his troops it was important, not just to win wars, but to win the peace and to win Iraqi hearts and minds.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TONY BLAIR, PRIME MINISTER, GREAT BRITAIN: Well, the Iraqi people won its prosperity. They want security. They want to bring up their families in some peace and decent way of living.

And that's what we're trying to do. And so, we're trying to help them do it. And your role there is, of course, of immense importance.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BINDRA: Now Mr. Blair, Andrea, also justified the war here. He talked about "Saddam Hussein's abhorrent regime." He said this regime had spent billions of dollars in trying to acquire chemical, biological and nuclear weapons. He also said Saddam Hussein had repressed human rights of Iraqi people here. Back to you.

KOPPEL: Satinder Bindra joining us from Baghdad. Thank you, Satinder.

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 January 4, 2004 - 07:07   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN ANCHOR: Now the mission in Iraq. Nearly five weeks after President Bush slipped into Iraq on a surprise Thanksgiving visit, British Prime Minister Tony Blair has made a visit of his own. And his, too, is designed to deliver a message of thanks.
CNN's Satinder Bindra is in Baghdad with the very latest. So Satinder, why did the prime minister choose to go to Basra?

SATINDER BINDRA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Andrea, he went to Basra because most of the 10,000 British troops who are stationed in Iraq are stationed in Basra. Today, they heard their prime minister thank them from "the bottom of his heart." The British prime minister told his troops it was important, not just to win wars, but to win the peace and to win Iraqi hearts and minds.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TONY BLAIR, PRIME MINISTER, GREAT BRITAIN: Well, the Iraqi people won its prosperity. They want security. They want to bring up their families in some peace and decent way of living.

And that's what we're trying to do. And so, we're trying to help them do it. And your role there is, of course, of immense importance.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BINDRA: Now Mr. Blair, Andrea, also justified the war here. He talked about "Saddam Hussein's abhorrent regime." He said this regime had spent billions of dollars in trying to acquire chemical, biological and nuclear weapons. He also said Saddam Hussein had repressed human rights of Iraqi people here. Back to you.

KOPPEL: Satinder Bindra joining us from Baghdad. Thank you, Satinder.

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