Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Live Sunday
Blair Makes Surprise Visit to British Troops in Iraq
Aired January 04, 2004 - 11:04 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.
SEAN CALLEBS, CNN ANCHOR: British Prime Minister Tony Blair was actually in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, on vacation when that crash happened, but he left there today for a secret mission, a surprise visit to British troops in southern Iraq. CNN's Satinder Bindra is in Baghdad with the very latest information. Good day to you, Satinder.
SATINDER BINDRA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good day, Sean. The British prime minister arriving here at about 11:00 in the morning. Now, he came here to meet and greet some 10,000 U.S. troops who are stationed in Iraq. A large number of these troops are located in Basra, which is Iraq's second largest city in the south.
Today, the prime minister addressed his troops. He said he wanted to thank them for fighting so well in the war, but he also told them, it's not just winning wars which is important, they must also win the peace and win Iraqi hearts and minds.
Sean, also today, the United States forces here released video, combat video of a raid they launched on Thursday against a Sunni mosque here in Baghdad. Now this video shows troops, U.S. troops entering the mosque. They are accompanied by the ICDC, the Iraqi Civil Defense Corps members. Now, while they were in the mosque U.S. forces say they recovered explosives, they recovered arms, they recovered a fair amount of bomb-making material. Members of this mosque say what U.S. forces found was just some AK-47s, and they say these AK-47s are normally used to provide security to the mosque. United States forces also saying today they were aware of all cultural and religious sensitivities while they entered this mosque. Sean?
CALLEBS: Well, Satinder, you touch on it. It was a sensitive operation and certainly hit a nerve in the Middle East. Do you think that is the reason they are releasing these pictures at this time?
BINDRA: Wes, they are releasing this video at this time because there's been a fair amount of anger and criticism against this raid out in the streets of Baghdad. Some people say their religious sensitivities have been hurt after reports that a Koran was torn inside the mosque. Of course, U.S. troops, through their senior commanders, deny that any such thing happened. Back to you.
CALLEBS: OK, Satinder Bindra in Baghdad, thanks very much for that information.
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 - 11:04 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SEAN CALLEBS, CNN ANCHOR: British Prime Minister Tony Blair was actually in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, on vacation when that crash happened, but he left there today for a secret mission, a surprise visit to British troops in southern Iraq. CNN's Satinder Bindra is in Baghdad with the very latest information. Good day to you, Satinder.
SATINDER BINDRA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good day, Sean. The British prime minister arriving here at about 11:00 in the morning. Now, he came here to meet and greet some 10,000 U.S. troops who are stationed in Iraq. A large number of these troops are located in Basra, which is Iraq's second largest city in the south.
Today, the prime minister addressed his troops. He said he wanted to thank them for fighting so well in the war, but he also told them, it's not just winning wars which is important, they must also win the peace and win Iraqi hearts and minds.
Sean, also today, the United States forces here released video, combat video of a raid they launched on Thursday against a Sunni mosque here in Baghdad. Now this video shows troops, U.S. troops entering the mosque. They are accompanied by the ICDC, the Iraqi Civil Defense Corps members. Now, while they were in the mosque U.S. forces say they recovered explosives, they recovered arms, they recovered a fair amount of bomb-making material. Members of this mosque say what U.S. forces found was just some AK-47s, and they say these AK-47s are normally used to provide security to the mosque. United States forces also saying today they were aware of all cultural and religious sensitivities while they entered this mosque. Sean?
CALLEBS: Well, Satinder, you touch on it. It was a sensitive operation and certainly hit a nerve in the Middle East. Do you think that is the reason they are releasing these pictures at this time?
BINDRA: Wes, they are releasing this video at this time because there's been a fair amount of anger and criticism against this raid out in the streets of Baghdad. Some people say their religious sensitivities have been hurt after reports that a Koran was torn inside the mosque. Of course, U.S. troops, through their senior commanders, deny that any such thing happened. Back to you.
CALLEBS: OK, Satinder Bindra in Baghdad, thanks very much for that information.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
