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CNN Saturday Morning News
National Guard Troops Mobilized to Replace Current troops in Iraq
Aired September 27, 2003 - 07:02 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.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: From the Pentagon, faced with reluctance by other countries to send forces to Iraq, is mobilizing thousands of U.S. troops for service. Some 10,000 National Guard troops are getting orders to mobilize next month. The orders affect the 30th Infantry Brigade from North Carolina and the 39th Infantry Brigade from Arkansas. They were alerted in July that they would eventually be part of a troop replacement rotation for Iraq.
Now, another 5,000 troops have been put on alert for likely service.
Meanwhile, as we reported, there was an attack on a popular Baghdad hotel this morning. The hotel houses U.S. military officers and their staff.
CNN's Harris Whitbeck joining us now from the Iraqi capital with the very latest. Good morning to you, Harris.
HARRIS WHITBECK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Heidi.
Lots to report here today. There were also more Iraqi civilian deaths in Iraq. The latest incident occurred in Fallujah, south of Baghdad, and there U.S. soldiers say they fired upon a civilian vehicle that apparently tried to run a checkpoint that they were guarding.
The U.S. Army says two Iraqis were killed, and there were about four wounded. But agency reporters on the ground say at least four people, including four members of one family, were killed during that shooting. That incident occurred last night in Fallujah.
Meanwhile, here in Baghdad, as you said, the Al Rashid Hotel was attacked early this morning. Some sort of rocket-propelled explosive was launched against the Al Rashid Hotel, which houses senior U.S. and civilian military -- U.S. civilian and military officials. The Al Rashid has been a traditional symbol of the American occupation in Iraq, since it does house these high-level officials there.
The Al Rashid is also close to the convention center, which is the site of press conferences offered by high-ranking military and civilian officials, Heidi.
COLLINS: All right, Harris Whitbeck, certainly a lot going on this morning. Thanks so much for that.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
in Iraq>
Aired September 27, 2003 - 07:02 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: From the Pentagon, faced with reluctance by other countries to send forces to Iraq, is mobilizing thousands of U.S. troops for service. Some 10,000 National Guard troops are getting orders to mobilize next month. The orders affect the 30th Infantry Brigade from North Carolina and the 39th Infantry Brigade from Arkansas. They were alerted in July that they would eventually be part of a troop replacement rotation for Iraq.
Now, another 5,000 troops have been put on alert for likely service.
Meanwhile, as we reported, there was an attack on a popular Baghdad hotel this morning. The hotel houses U.S. military officers and their staff.
CNN's Harris Whitbeck joining us now from the Iraqi capital with the very latest. Good morning to you, Harris.
HARRIS WHITBECK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Heidi.
Lots to report here today. There were also more Iraqi civilian deaths in Iraq. The latest incident occurred in Fallujah, south of Baghdad, and there U.S. soldiers say they fired upon a civilian vehicle that apparently tried to run a checkpoint that they were guarding.
The U.S. Army says two Iraqis were killed, and there were about four wounded. But agency reporters on the ground say at least four people, including four members of one family, were killed during that shooting. That incident occurred last night in Fallujah.
Meanwhile, here in Baghdad, as you said, the Al Rashid Hotel was attacked early this morning. Some sort of rocket-propelled explosive was launched against the Al Rashid Hotel, which houses senior U.S. and civilian military -- U.S. civilian and military officials. The Al Rashid has been a traditional symbol of the American occupation in Iraq, since it does house these high-level officials there.
The Al Rashid is also close to the convention center, which is the site of press conferences offered by high-ranking military and civilian officials, Heidi.
COLLINS: All right, Harris Whitbeck, certainly a lot going on this morning. Thanks so much for that.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
in Iraq>
