NR: "Essentially, America
has been underwriting the peace."
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Length: 4:11
LARGE (48.4 MB)
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SMALL (5.1 MB)
An hour later, another update on the withdrawal,
focusing on how the residents feel about it. Also,
Michael has his just-showered towel on hand (which
presumably is now covered in dust from the open
window?)
BETTY
NGUYEN: US combat troops in Iraq are packing up, they
are not coming home, though. They are moving out of
Iraq cities. Our Michael Ware joins us now from
Baghdad.
Michael, this move is part of that security pact
signed by Baghdad and Washington, so how are Iraqis
reacting to this move?
MICHAEL WARE: Well, it's very much a mixed bag of
emotions here, Betty. I mean, in the minority,
there's a group of Iraqis who are very fearful. In
fact, one woman I spoke to said that the concept of
the handover fills her with horror. It's been the US
military that's provided overwatch to keep some of
the warring factions apart. Essentially, America's
been underwriting the peace and there's some Iraqis
who feel that that may now fall apart.
However, by and large, it is a mood of almost
celebration that, "Yes, the Americans are going."
State TV actually has a font 24 hours a day right now
marking the countdown to the US retreat to their
bases. And indeed, June 30, which is the landmark
day, has been declared a national holiday for all
Iraqis. Something, I have to tell you, has aggrieved
some within the US mission here on the ground because
they feel that to celebrate so openly this day belies
the sacrifice of the 4, 318 servicemen and women who
laid down their lives and the tens of thousands more
who were wounded here in Iraq.
So it's truly going to be a day of mixed emotions on
both sides of the fence, Iraqi and American -- Betty.
NGUYEN: Yeah, no doubt. Even to celebrate, too, in
the midst of concerns and questions over whether the
Iraqi security forces can even handle the load once
the US troops pull out. But they are not actually
coming home, these US troops. Where will they be
going, what will they be doing?
WARE: What they're doing is, they are pulling back to
bases outside of the city. Now, you can imagine,
during the course of this war, the US forces have had
a proliferation of major bases -- called FOBS,
Forward Operating Bases -- smaller bases, patrol
bases, joint security stations... I mean, anything
from 10,000 personnel sized facilities down to
something that just fits 30.
Now, dozens and dozens of these have been closed, so
the troops are withdrawing, pulling back into large
bases outside the city limits that have been
pre-approved between Baghdad and Washington. And by
and large, they won't be able to move outside of
those bases. Not unless they're directly attacked and
exercising their right of self-defence or unless they
go cap in hand and ask the Iraqi government for
permission to leave. However, over the next 18
months, the Bush administration that started this war
ended it by signing this agreement that dictated the
timetable for the withdrawal -- over those 18 months,
all these troops bit by bit will eventually be pulled
out and there will be no US combat boots left here on
Iraqi soil. And what happens after that is anyone's
guess -- Betty.
NGUYEN: Yeah, that is true, but I guess in that case
they won't be facing what you're facing right now.
Behind you is that sandstorm. It is the craziest
looking thing from here because it's nothing but
yellow in the background. What's going on there?
WARE: Well, this is Iraq. It's yet another sandstorm.
Indeed, a bunch of oil companies that were coming in
here -- their representatives -- to sign oil deals
for June 30 can't make it. That event's been
postponed. This is just a regular part of business
and obviously it requires frequent showering, which
at your suggestion I did just before I came on air.
So thank you for that personal hygiene note, Betty.
NGUYEN: Well, you look great. I noticed your hair did
look a little wet, I figured you took my advice, and
you may have to do quite a few of those today with
that sandstorm there, so get used to it.
All right, Michael, we appreciate it. We'll be
chatting with you shortly. Thanks.