Top US commander in Iraq comments on attacks

(10 Jul 2003) 1. Wide of convention centre 2. Security at convention centre 3. Lt. General Ricardo Sanchez, Commander US Forces Iraq arrives at news briefing 4. Cutaway 5. SOUNDBITE: (English) Lt. General Ricardo Sanchez, Commander US Forces Iraq: "In terms of the police asking us to leave, the situation in Fallujah over the last two or three weeks as we know has been a very cooperative and peaceful situation down there where the mayor and the police chief in fact have been very supportive of the efforts that we have been embarked on. It is clearly a right in a democracy for those policemen to demonstrate as they have and, you know, to state their views. And as I stated earlier ma'am that is clearly the objective of the Coalition is to put them in a position at some point where they will in fact be charge of security and stability." 6. Cutaway 7. SOUNDBITE: (English) Lt. General Ricardo Sanchez, Commander US Forces Iraq: "There are some professional assassins that are operating in Baghdad. There is absolutely no question in my mind we are seeing that we just saw that two days ago with the young soldier that was killed in Baghdad University that's a professional assassin a very well trained soldier that knows how to identify his target understand vulnerabilities and know when and how to strike very quickly and then can escape. In terms of a professional military there is no question in my mind that there are former Saddam Fedayeen trained soldiers that are out there, Special Republican Guards soldiers that are still out there continuing with their offensive against us. So in terms of professionalism, clearly there are still soldiers out there that continue to ply their trade against the Coalition forces." 8. Cutaway 9. SOUNDBITE: (English) Lt. General Ricardo Sanchez, Commander US Forces Iraq: "I believe that as the economy begins to improve as the political structure of the country with Iraqis beginning to govern their own country again this will have a tremendous impact on the average Iraqi citizen and their ability to clearly begin to believe that we are not here to govern Iraq." 10. Cutaway 11. SOUNDBITE: (English) Lt. General Ricardo Sanchez, Commander US Forces Iraq: "I think the fact that the spectre of Saddam continues to be present out there whether he is dead or alive will make, is making a significant impact on the people of Iraq and their ability cooperate with the Coalition. That is why is so important in my mind in my assessment that we determine one way or the other the status of Saddam Hussein and his two sons." 12. Wide of news conference STORYLINE: The top US army commander in Iraq warned on Thursday that there were "professional assassins" operating in Baghdad, describing them as loyalist remnants of Saddam's Special Republican guard. Lt Gen Ricardo Sanchez made the comments at a news conference in the Iraqi capital after a US soldier was killed by an assassin at Baghdad university on Sunday. Since the official end of hostilities in Iraq on 1st May there have been a spate of killings of Coalition troops, usually in one-off attacks. Seven US soldiers were wounded in and around Baghdad on Tuesday, while the US-led provisional authority announced a 2,500 US dollars reward for information leading to the arrest of anyone who kills a coalition soldier or Iraqi police officer. On a more positive note Sanchez believed that the volatile situation in Fallujah, where police officers have been demonstrating against the Coalition, had calmed considerably. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...