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CNN Live Sunday
More Unrest on Streets of Baghdad
Aired September 07, 2003 - 16:04 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: Today's news from Iraq includes a missile attack on a U.S. plane and more unrest on the streets of Baghdad. Senior international correspondent, Walter Rodgers, has the latest.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WALTER ROGERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): U.S. Army sources now confirm that two missiles were fired at a military aircraft as it was taking off from Baghdad International Airport on Saturday morning. The U.S. military says neither of the missiles came close to the plane, still it was a bit unnerving for those on board because the missiles were visible. These aircraft usually carry either electronic countermeasures or flares to deflect the missiles. The missiles apparently came from one of the areas, the neighborhoods west of Baghdad Airport, which, by the way, has always been a hot bed of support for Saddam Hussein, even in the latter days of the war.
U.S. military patrols around the country continue both in Baghdad and all major cities and in the countryside itself. Military sources here in Baghdad say there are anywhere from 12 to 15 separate incidents that is attacks on these convoys and patrols in the course of a day, most of them come to nothing. Some as small as a stone being thrown, nonetheless, they're recorded as hostile actions. It should also be noted that the last American soldier to have been killed here was September 2. So it has been a relatively quiet period.
Still, the level of hostility is up, rather at a medium/high level. There was an angry demonstration in Baghdad Sunday. That demonstration by several hundred people who used to be employed by Saddam Hussein in his palaces, gardeners, electricians, custodians and the like. They were walking around carrying pictures of Saddam Hussein saying with their hearts, with their souls, they support Saddam Hussein. And showing contempt for the Americans, at least one man took off his sandals, which is the ultimate Arab sign of contempt showing the soles of your feet to someone you dislike.
Again, it has been relatively quiet here in Iraq. It is not sure how long that's going to last because there are continuing reports that foreign elements, that is Islamist militants continue to filter into the country.
Walter Rodgers, CNN, Baghdad.
(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 September 7, 2003 - 16:04 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Today's news from Iraq includes a missile attack on a U.S. plane and more unrest on the streets of Baghdad. Senior international correspondent, Walter Rodgers, has the latest.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WALTER ROGERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): U.S. Army sources now confirm that two missiles were fired at a military aircraft as it was taking off from Baghdad International Airport on Saturday morning. The U.S. military says neither of the missiles came close to the plane, still it was a bit unnerving for those on board because the missiles were visible. These aircraft usually carry either electronic countermeasures or flares to deflect the missiles. The missiles apparently came from one of the areas, the neighborhoods west of Baghdad Airport, which, by the way, has always been a hot bed of support for Saddam Hussein, even in the latter days of the war.
U.S. military patrols around the country continue both in Baghdad and all major cities and in the countryside itself. Military sources here in Baghdad say there are anywhere from 12 to 15 separate incidents that is attacks on these convoys and patrols in the course of a day, most of them come to nothing. Some as small as a stone being thrown, nonetheless, they're recorded as hostile actions. It should also be noted that the last American soldier to have been killed here was September 2. So it has been a relatively quiet period.
Still, the level of hostility is up, rather at a medium/high level. There was an angry demonstration in Baghdad Sunday. That demonstration by several hundred people who used to be employed by Saddam Hussein in his palaces, gardeners, electricians, custodians and the like. They were walking around carrying pictures of Saddam Hussein saying with their hearts, with their souls, they support Saddam Hussein. And showing contempt for the Americans, at least one man took off his sandals, which is the ultimate Arab sign of contempt showing the soles of your feet to someone you dislike.
Again, it has been relatively quiet here in Iraq. It is not sure how long that's going to last because there are continuing reports that foreign elements, that is Islamist militants continue to filter into the country.
Walter Rodgers, CNN, Baghdad.
(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
