ABC Nightline Tonight (Monday) - looks interesting

Nightline Daily E-Mail
July 7, 2003

TONIGHT'S FOCUS: The headline on the new issue of Time magazine says it all: "Peace is Hell." The major combat operations in Iraq have been over for two months, but seemingly every day comes word of a fresh attack on U.S. soldiers trying to keep the peace. And to the east is that other U.S. military mission that hasn't been much in the headlines but is also proving a tough challenge. Tonight, the business of nation-building for American forces in Iraq and Afghanistan.

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The specter of Saddam still looms large over Iraq. Just this morning the CIA said that audiotape broadcast over al Jazeera on July 4th "is most likely his voice." Addressing the Iraqi people, the voice on the tape said, "I urge you to protect the heroic resistance fighters and not to give the infidel invaders or their aides any information or help." While the voice claimed to have made the recording on June 14th, the CIA couldn't confirm or refute that date. So the mystery lingers.

...snip...

In the past 24 hours, three more Americans died in Iraq, one killed in a bomb attack on a military convoy and two others shot by gunmen hours earlier. That brings to more than 70 the number of American troops killed since the President declared major combat operations over on May 1st. This morning, as he prepared to step down as head of the U.S. Central Command, retiring General Tommy Franks told ABC's Diane Sawyer, "It's not time to send in additional troops." And Franks said rising casualties among coalition occupation forces come in pursuit of "a worthy cause" -- attempting to establish democracy in a long repressed nation.

ABC's Dan Harris will have the latest on the spate of attacks in Iraq, just days after President Bush may have taunted attackers with the phrase, "Bring 'em on."

And from Afghanistan, ABC's Bob Woodruff reminds us of that other U.S. military operation too many of us have taken for granted. More than a year and a half after the fall of Kabul, some 10,000 American troops are still there helping to rebuild the country. But for others, the mission is to continue to root out Al Qaeda and Taliban forces, which are getting bolder anad attacking U.S. troops every fourth or fifth day. While the Karzai government is firmly in place, Afghanistan is not yet stable. And until it is, U.S. forces will stay on to meet the challenge of peacekeeping and nation building.

Chris Bury anchors from Washington. We hope you'll be with us tonight.

Richard Harris and the Nightline Staff
ABCNEWS Washington bureau

ABC was the first network that I saw that noticed the war wasn't over. Now all the networks have figured it out.

It does look like one to watch

It comes on right after the 10pm News. Glad I don't live out East where I'd have to stay up an hour later!

sw

It comes on at 11:00 p.m. in South Louisiana. I usually like Nightline. I find ABC generally is fairer and more balanced, certainly more than the cable 24-hour news services.

depending on where you live

which I imagine is most DUers most of the time :shrug:

Bush's "Bring em on" wasn't smart, forcves are being spread thin, Iraq, Korea, Balkans, Afghanistan, and possibly Liberia. Help from our allies is needed.

Gen William Nash responded to Bury's question about BEO by saying it wasn't useful.....something a colonel might say to rally his troops.

he also quietly RIPPED the carrier landing.

said the admin would be much better served by giving the american public the bird's eye lowdown on how much this adventure will cost, how many troops it will take, and how long we can expect to be there.

very low key, but very effectively counter-admin.

who is this guy Nash?

the view from Iraq is different from that of Bush and Tommy Franks.

the commander of allied ground forces (Gen. Ricardo Sanchez) there says this.....quote:

"on average, thirteen attacks are launched against US and British troops each day.....We're still at war."