NR: "One woman said to me,
'Finally I feel liberated.' "
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Length: 5:34
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Another look at the range of emotions unleashed
by the handover.
BETTY
NGUYEN: Hello, everybody. Welcome back on this
Tuesday. You know, it is a landmark day in Iraq. The
day U.S. troops have officially pulled out of the
cities and towns, leaving the security in Iraqis own
hands. We have seen several handover ceremonies and
celebrations. You're looking at some of that. General
Ray Odierno, commander of the Multi-National Forces,
Iraq, spoke about the historic move just moments ago.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ODIERNO: Here in Baghdad, you would know there is a
significant change inside of the cities. There are
thousands among thousands of soldiers that have
pulled out of Baghdad. And there hasn't been any
soldiers in the cities in southern Iraq. There hasn't
been any soldiers in the cities, in Ramadi. There
hasn't been soldiers in the city of Fallujah for
months now and we've been executing this very well.
So, again, here in Iraq, you would see it for
yourself, there is a significant change.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: CNN's Michael Ware has been watching the
action from the capital, in Baghdad, and he joins us
now. As we heard the General say, Michael, this has
been happening for months now. This is just the final
culmination of it. But at the same time, when you see
the celebration in the streets, is it mixed emotion,
mixed reaction when it comes to the U.S. troops who
spent so much time and risked so many of their lives
fighting in this cause?
MICHAEL WARE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You've touched upon
what I believe is something of a sensitive issue
here. Now, look, first, look at it from the Iraqi
perspective. As well-intentioned as it was, for the
Iraqis, what they feel they've been living under
since March 2003 is a foreign occupation. And we're
talking about a fiercely proud and a fiercely
nationalist people. They're tired of having a foreign
tank of any kind in their street. Foreign troops
storming into their houses at night and dragging
their menfolk off to foreign-run prisons.
I mean, that's why they're calling this National
Sovereignty Day. Over and over, I'm hearing, "Iraq
for Iraqis." So, this is an explosion of that kind of
release. One woman said to me, "Finally, I feel
liberated."
Now, for the Americans, it's a different story. It's
a very -- it's not simple -- it's complicated, mixed
emotions. Certainly I know within the U.S. mission
here, there is some sense of agrievement at the fact
that the Iraqis so openly celebrated, that today is a
national holiday, that state TV was running a
countdown fonted on its screen to the handover.
Anchors draped in Iraqis flags. Some of the Americans
here feel that belies the sacrifice that's been made.
Now, four soldiers were killed just yesterday in the
last hours of the U.S.-led war. That means that by
the end of the U.S. phase of this war, the U.S.
command, 4,324 American servicemen and servicewomen
laid down their lives on Iraqi soil. And some are
uncomfortable with the nature of these celebrations.
And, indeed, you know, General Odierno himself was
too busy to attend the official Iraqi ceremony this
morning. I think, perhaps, there might be a time for
America to pause today for a moment to take some
silence and for America to think about those who lost
their lives and gave them voluntarily here in Iraq.
Betty?
NGUYEN: Well said, Michael. Let me ask you something
very quickly. With this handover, are Iraqi security
forces prepared for what's to come?
WARE: Well, they're as prepared as they're going to
be. I mean, they certainly aren't the security forces
they were several years ago. They're still comprised
of large chunks of the militias. There's been lots of
work done to try to reconcile all the sides under one
uniform, one banner. But at the end of the day, if
things go badly, you will see the men within these
uniforms choosing sides.
Also, they simply don't have the combat power to
entirely fight the fight they may face. That's why
the Americans are staying here. 130,000 troops,
American soldiers, Marines, Air Force, Navy are still
here. And they are going to be for some time; under
President Obama's plan till August, under the
agreement the Bush administration signed, they're
allowed to stay for another 18 months.
They're underwriting the stability. They're the
insurance policy, but, they take a back seat role.
They're in a supporting role now. They can only
operate in the urban environments at the behest of
the Iraqi government. So, even if they know where
there is a bad guy, even if they want to go out and
get something or stop something, they have to ask
permission or wait until they're invited, Betty.
NGUYEN: All right. CNN's Michael Ware joining us live
from a sandstorm there in Baghdad, as we've seen many
times. Thank you, Michael.
Here are some numbers that we think are very
important when you look at the American involvement
in Iraq. There are currently 131,000 US troops in
Iraq, now all of them outside the major cities of
Iraq. At the height of the so-called surge the US had
168,000 troops in the country. As we just heard from
Michael Ware, 4,324 US troops have died in Iraq.
31,354 have been wounded in operations there.