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CNN Wolf Blitzer Reports

Third Graders Busted For Drug Possession; Kerry Calls For Lott's Resignation After Remarks at Thurmond Birthday Celebration

Aired December 11, 2002 - 17:00   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.


WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: A big surprise today: why did the United States let a ship full of SCUD missiles go free? We’ll have details. Also, the prospect of nuclear war, the White House makes a direct threat. And, a school shocker, who brought the drugs in, the answer may surprise you. Finally, congressional chaos: learn who stormed the chamber.
A special edition of WOLF BLITZER REPORTS starts right now.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice over): They call it a pirate ship. It's full of SCUD missiles, so why is it free to sail on?

ARI FLEISCHER, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: There is no clear authority to seize a shipment of SCUD missiles.

BLITZER: A missile factory, a chemical plant, and a nuclear research site, the hunt goes on in Iraq. One hundred forty-six other nations have banned them but the U.S. may be ready to use landmines in a war with Iraq. Sealing a deal, Qatar gives the U.S. military a home away from home. And, they're called super chickens but half are contaminated, why they can make you sick.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANNOUNCER: This is a special edition of WOLF BLITZER REPORTS. Live from the Persian Gulf. Reporting from Doha, Qatar here's Wolf Blitzer.

BLITZER (on camera): Thanks very much for joining us. It's no secret the United States has nuclear weapons but it's certainly not every day that the United States threatens to use them. Topping our Persian Gulf headlines this hour, tough talk, what's really behind this nuclear threat and who's it aimed at? Tough questions aimed at Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld here in Qatar. A journalist takes him to task and he responds directly.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We can see that as the U.S. continues mobilizing and massing troops in the region. Don't you think that you are ignoring U.N. efforts and resolutions?

DONALD RUMSFELD, DEFENSE SECRETARY: That's quite a question. I suppose the short answer is no. How could you even ask that question when it was the Iraqi regime that ignored 16 resolutions of the United Nations over a period of many, many years? Second, how could you even ask that question given the fact that it was the United States that went to the United Nations and received a unanimous vote in the Security Council? Not one vote opposing it, so a question that is premised that the United States is ignoring the United Nations is obviously misplaced.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Also, was it a mistake the United States lets a ship full of SCUD missiles go free? Did Spain and the United States have the right to stop that ship in the first place? That mystery ship was, of course, loaded with SCUD missiles and it was headed towards Yemen. Let's get the report now from the Pentagon. CNN's Kris Osborn is there.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KRIS OSBORN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): The decision to allow the So San and its cargo of SCUD missiles to complete its journey to Yemen was made at the highest levels of the U.S. government.

COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: We had assurances that these missiles were for Yemeni defensive purposes. Under no circumstances would they be going anywhere else.

OSBORN: However, a senior official tells CNN the Bush administration made it clear that it did not believe Yemen had any strategic need for such weapons. CNN has learned the U.S. Navy had been conducting secret 24-hour surveillance of the ship for several weeks. Now, the U.S. has been assured that this shipment of SCUD missiles was the last in a group of shipments that date back several years.

And, while U.S. military officials praise Yemeni cooperation in the war on terror, they also express concern over the idea of additional SCUD missiles being in the region. Speaking in Qatar, Defense Secretary Rumsfeld said such interdictions will continue on suspect ships.

RUMSFELD: A vessel was stopped by a multinational naval force. There were questions about its flag, questions about its cargo, and questions about its destination. The operation was conducted peacefully. No one was injured and it turns out that the contents of the ship was not what was manifested on the cargo list.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

OSBORN (on camera): Now, U.S. officials make the point that this interdiction was, in fact, a way to highlight their new, more aggressive policy to crack down on the trafficking of weapons of mass destruction. That being said, some at the very least in this instance are raising the question about whether the U.S. and its coalition members went too far -- Wolf. BLITZER: Kris Osborn at the Pentagon thanks very much Kris for that report. So, why did the United States let those missiles go? Bigger issues are involved as CNN's National Correspondent Frank Buckley reports from the White House.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FRANK BUCKLEY, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice over): The president has said the war on terror...

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Beating this enemy requires fighting a different kind of war.

BUCKLEY: And it has resulted in different and sometimes awkward alliances for the U.S., example Yemen.

BUSH: As far as Yemen goes, Yemen is a country that I've had a very good discussion with the president of Yemen. I made it clear to him, as well as other presidents of nations, that you're either with us or you're not with us and then if you're with us, we expect results.

BUCKLEY: The same country that was criticized by the U.S. for not fully cooperating in the investigation of the bombing of the USS Cole in 2000 is now a key partner of the U.S. in the war on terror, the most recent illustration of that, the CIA Predator attack last month in Yemen that killed six suspected al Qaeda members.

But such cooperation comes at a price. In the case of Yemen, when it buys missiles from a country the U.S. considers to be a part of the president's axis of evil, North Korea, the administration isn't happy, forced to explain why in this case it's OK for North Korea to sell missiles.

POWELL: We recognize that it was going to a country that we have good relations with.

BUCKLEY: Pakistan another example, its support in the war on terrorism critical. Its history of weapons deals with North Korea including transfers of nuclear technology a major irritant. Experts say it's proof of the hard reality facing Mr. Bush.

LEE HAMILTON, WOODROW WILSON CENTER: Likewise, if you're fighting against al Qaeda, whether it's Yemen or Saudi Arabia, you have to make some adjustments in policy and you have to strike some bargains in order to fight the war effectively.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BUCKLEY (on camera): And in the case of the U.S. and Yemen, U.S. officials say they've been assured that those missiles will not go beyond Yemen. They will not be going to another country or to any organization and the officials in Yemen have assured also that they will not be purchasing any more missiles from North Korea. And, Wolf, we should also point out the comments there from George Bush were previous comments not comments from today. BLITZER: Frank, why is the Bush administration right now today at this very sensitive moment warning of all out retaliation, all options on the table, perhaps even the nuclear option if anyone, including the Iraqis of course, were to use weapons of mass destruction? What's behind that declaration?

BUCKLEY: Well, this is a declaration that pulls together U.S. policy as it has been a reiteration of that policy but it's coordinated now, put together, and administration officials clearly trying to signal, indicate to Saddam Hussein that any use of weapons of mass destruction against U.S. forces, if there is military action, would be met with, as it's put in this paper, overwhelming force and that would include any of the U.S. options that could include nuclear weapons as well.

BLITZER: Frank Buckley at the White House, Franks thanks very much. The Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld is here tonight in Qatar. He's getting ready to witness some of the exercises, the war games, currently underway in this part of the world but first he had an important piece of business to do upon his arrival also, a key to an American offensive.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice over): The first stop for Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld in Qatar, signing an agreement that will formally expand U.S. access to the huge Al Udaid Air Base in the small but strategically important Persian Gulf state.

RUMSFELD: There is no question but that the agreement will enable us to strengthen our long-term strategic cooperation.

BLITZER: At issue, an air base with a 15,000-foot runway, the longest in the region. That base will be critical if the U.S. goes to war against Iraq. Thursday, the defense secretary makes a quick visit to the U.S. military's temporary headquarters at the Osalia (ph) military base also here in Qatar. His visit by all accounts comes at a delicate moment in the standoff with Iraq and the war against terror.

U.N. weapons inspectors, as well as U.S. intelligence agencies, are attempting to determine whether the Iraqis lied in their nearly 12,000 page declaration documenting their weapons programs. U.S. and Spanish warships intercepted a cargo ship off the coast of Yemen carrying a dozen SCUD missiles and related missile parts.

There are also fresh al Qaeda terror threats backed up by actual deeds, most recently in Bali, Indonesia and Mombasa, Kenya. To further underscore current jitters, the Bush administration has now released a new strategy document with a blunt warning. If rogue nations use weapons of mass destruction, all U.S. retaliatory options, including the nuclear option, will be on the table. A similar warning was delivered to Saddam Hussein just before the Gulf War a dozen years ago.

JAMES BAKER, FORMER SECRETARY OF STATE: He must also realize, and I'd like to stress this point, that should he use chemical or biological weapons there will be the most severe consequences.

BLITZER: That warning is said to have deterred the Iraqi leader from unleashing artillery shells, rockets, or missiles with chemical or biological weapons.

BLITZER (on camera): Rumsfeld's visit here to Qatar also coincides with current U.S. war games designed to prepare U.S. troops for a possible war against Iraq. The defense secretary wants to make sure his military commander, General Tommy Franks, has a battle plan ready to go at a moment's notice and one that works.

BLITZER (voice over): In recent months Rumsfeld, a hands-on kind of defense secretary, has repeatedly asked his military chiefs to refine their strategy. Pentagon sources tell CNN that process is now effectively complete.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (on camera): And please join me tomorrow when I go one- on-one with the defense secretary here in Qatar. We'll have that interview on a special edition of WOLF BLITZER REPORTS. That's at 5:00 p.m. Eastern tomorrow, 2:00 p.m. Pacific.

Here's your chance to weigh in on this very important story. Our web question of the day is this. If the United States is attacked with weapons of mass destruction, should a nuclear response be on the table? We'll have the results later in this broadcast. Vote at cnn.com/wolf. While you're there, I'd love to hear from you. Send me your comments. I'll try to read some of them on the air each day at the end of this program. That's also where you can read my daily online column, cnn.com/wolf.

Turning now to the search for weapons in Iraq, more U.N. weapons inspectors were on the move today. CNN's Nic Robertson is reporting tonight from Baghdad.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, a massive change in the landscape here from what we're seeing with the weapons inspectors. There are so many teams out during the day it's very difficult to keep up with them during the day to find out exactly what there doing, by day's end, a U.N. briefing.

What we're told today, eight different sites inspected. Now there are some 70 weapons inspectors in country now, 43 of the chemical/biological/missile experts, 27 of the nuclear experts. We understand today that teams went to some dual use sites. These are sites that produce armament but there was equipment there that works the high-precision, high tolerances. The teams wanted to inspect that.

They wanted to inspect a uranium ore plant that was heavily bombed during the 1991 Gulf War. They wanted to make sure that was still shut down. It was. They visited sites that had new construction on them. They wanted to know what was happening in that new construction, one of those sites making parts for Iraq's T-72 tanks, making parts for some of Iraq's surface-to-air missiles.

Also, they visited a pharmaceutical company following up on information there wanting to make sure exactly what was going on at that facility. So, quite an array of sites visited and this an indication now that the weapons inspection program is perhaps getting up and running, getting out, really speeding up the pace of their work here -- Wolf.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: Nic Robertson reporting from Baghdad, Nic thanks very much. Before you bite into that next piece of chicken, we have a warning for you, something you probably will want to know. We've got a consumer alert. We'll tell you all about it. And SCUD missile killers, what can take them out before they kill civilians? We've got the pictures for you.

Also, should the United States use landmines? Pentagon officials respond to accusations they're breaking an international agreement. And why a secret American spy agency designed for overseas intelligence is being used in the United States, we have a CNN exclusive report; but first, a look at news making headlines around the world.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice over): Political violence, Mexico's lower house of congress is back in session after a violent protest forced lawmakers to briefly suspend their meeting. Demonstrators broke down at least two doors in an attempt to enter the chamber while lawmakers were discussing new taxes. Lawmakers put up barricades and called in security forces. The protesters want more funding for education and social programs.

Chavez under fire, a general strike against Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is in its tenth day. Opponents are calling on Chavez to resign. This strike is seriously affecting the oil industry in Venezuela, the world's fifth largest oil producer.

Blair gets defensive, British Prime Minister Tony Blair says the news media are presenting a warped view of his wife, Cherie's behavior. Mrs. Blair admits she made mistakes in her dealings with an Australian conman who helped her buy two apartments in Bristol, England but she denies doing anything wrong. Her husband says the matter has been totally distorted in the press.

Robot dad, inspired by his daughter's dreams, a man in Vietnam now devotes his attention to robotics. His workshop designs have evolved to include everything from a robotic dinosaur to dancing mannequins.

Walking robot, Japan's number two carmaker also is a growing force in robotics. Honda is out with an upgraded child-size walking robot. It also can climb stairs and recognize human voices, and that's our look around the world.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Welcome back to our special coverage. I'm Wolf Blitzer reporting tonight live from the Persian Gulf. SCUD missiles are not necessarily very accurate but they can be very deadly. Of course, Iraq launched dozens of SCUDs during the Persian Gulf War in 1991. If there's another war and if there's another barrage, especially against Israel, the Israelis now say they may have a new answer. CNN's Chris Burns reports from Jerusalem.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRIS BURNS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): The scenario, Iraq has fired SCUD missiles at Israel which launches Aero missiles like this one to intercept them. Every second counts. It takes just eight minutes for the SCUDs to hit their targets. Satellite and radar surveillance track the missiles from the moment they're launched.

In this exercise, the Aero obliterates the missile by exploding near it high in the atmosphere. There is a backup SCUD killer, the lower flying U.S. Patriot missile designed as a bullet to hit a bullet. This one recently tested successfully in Israel's Nagab Desert.

BRIG. GEN. YAIR DRORI, ISRAELI AIR FORCE: It can give Israel and its civilians a safety feeling about the next conflict.

BURNS: During the 1991 Gulf War, U.S. Patriot missiles attempted to intercept Iraqi SCUDs but critics say most Patriots missed their mark and crashed back over populated areas. The Patriot has been improved over the past decade and the U.S. and Israel together spend more than $2 billion to develop and build the Aero, SCUD killers at $3 million each, though there have been failures.

DRORI: We are definitely better prepared for the next full conflict.

BURNS: Critics say the costly project is largely unnecessary that U.S. forces can destroy or neutralize Saddam Hussein's SCUDs on the ground, that Israel can track the origins of the missiles could increase the chance of an Israeli retaliation with a risk of shaking any support from moderate Arab countries. U.S. officials say they're pressing Israel to show restraint, though Israel insists on defending itself. Also part of the guessing game just how many SCUD killers Israel has.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Enough.

BURNS (on camera): Enough to calm the civilian population here and enough to intercept whatever SCUDs Saddam may send this way. Israelis hope the moment of truth will never come. Chris Burns CNN, Jerusalem.

(END VIDEOTAPE) BLITZER: And they express controversy over the possible use of U.S. landmines if it goes to the war against Iraq. The newspaper "USA Today" is reporting that the Pentagon, the U.S. military already has stockpiled landmines near the Iraqi border.

The Clinton administration promised to move away from the use of landmines though not ready yet to ban their use entirely. The subject is causing some heartburn among critics of the whole notion of using landmines. Let's get some analysis right now from our CNN Military Analyst General Don Sheppherd. The problem here is what?

MAJ. GEN. DON SHEPPHERD, CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Well, the problem is not the use of the landmines in war, which is area denial. Everybody understands that. The problem is what happens after the war? They are hard to find after the war and they're hard to clear. There is an estimate there is somewhere around 100 million of these landmines across the world, including five million in Iraq, five million in Kuwait.

They lay around; 26,000 casualties a year, about 80 percent of them civilian. They cause a lot of damage after the war and they estimate that at the current rate of clearance of landmines, it would take $33 billion, and listen to this, 11 centuries to clear the landmines that are laying out there to make it safe for civilians everywhere, Wolf, emotional subject.

BLITZER: But supporters of landmines in the military argue that there are new high-tech landmines that self destruct over 30 or 60 or 90 days.

SHEPPHERD: Right. The U.S. signed the United Nations Amended Mines Protocol in 1999. It reserved the right to use the landmines but the protocol said that unless the mines are used in a marked area and monitored to prevent civilian casualties, hard to do, they have to be set up to destruct within 30 days. Well, the U.S. destructs within 90 days, which is better than not at all but it's still a real problem that remains out there.

BLITZER: What about this agreement to let the Yemeni government continue to have these SCUD missiles? It surprised a lot of people.

SHEPPHERD: This is a flaky deal. We started last night on the story and I'll tell you basically the Yemenis are going to get their SCUD missiles. They've had some before. They're going to be allowed to keep them. The idea is self defense, well self defense against what, Saudi Arabia to the north, Oman and UAE to the east, Qatar also to the north, Djibouti and Somalia to the south? So, you have to say what is this self destruction again?

This Yemeni deal is very, -- it's a very suspect deal but what we've got is we have no right legally to seize these missiles that were bought from North Korea legally and the nation of Yemen has the right to buy them so we're kind of caught in a no win situation here.

BLITZER: They're pretty expensive though, these SCUD missiles, the North Korean version. The Yemeni government is pretty poor. SHEPPHERD: Yes, the mystery is why is the Yemeni government who's trying to court favor with the west, the United States, trying to be cooperative, we're trying to construct a new relationship with them, why are they going to North Korea to buy these things? This doesn't make a lot of sense. Hopefully diplomacy will be able to solve this over time.

BLITZER: All right, General Sheppherd thanks for joining me here in Qatar.

SHEPPHERD: You bet.

BLITZER: We have a lot more coming up. Coming up in next on this special edition of WOLF BLITZER REPORTS, a super secret U.S. government spy agency turns its eyes from afar to the homeland in the fight against terror.

And how young is too young? Police in Florida have arrested two kids for having marijuana at school. Just wait until you hear how old they were, the full story coming up, but first today's news quiz. How many seniors have tried marijuana, ten percent, 25 percent, 50 percent, 75 percent, the answer coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: A CNN exclusive, why a spy agency that peaks on terrorist states is looking within the borders of the United States, that's coming up on WOLF BLITZER REPORTS. We're back in one minute.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: All this week we've been getting a rare inside glimpse into a super secret U.S. spy agency, the National Imagery and Mapping Agency. Since its inception, it's been tracking terrorists. It's using eyes in the skies to try to find what's going on but since 9/11 its satellites have played an increasingly important role. Our National Security Correspondent David Ensor takes us behind the scenes for a rare look inside a spy agency very few of us ever heard of.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DAVID ENSOR, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Heidi Smith works in a non-descript building in the Washington Navy Yard for an intelligence agency that normally focuses on the rest of the world, not the United States. Her assignment at NIMA, using satellite photos to help police and firemen respond to natural disasters such as hurricanes and earthquakes. On September 11 last year, the job suddenly mushroomed.

HEIDI SMITH, NIMA IMAGERY ANALYST: This is the large smoke plume emanating from Ground Zero.

ENSOR: But you can't actually see very well, can you, I mean there's so much smoke?

SMITH: You're right. Once the smoke plume had cleared, we can look at some tenants' commercial imagery from the 15th. It's pretty clear the main buildings that were impacted. I mean it was the World Trade Towers. What FEMA was really interested in from us is what's the periphery of that damage? Which buildings surrounding that complex had been impacted?

ENSOR: It was a disaster all right but not a natural one. Heidi Smith and others worked with satellite photos to produce real time maps of the damage for fire and rescue crews. Since 9/11, an agency that once focused on national security threats outside the country and at home only on natural disasters, now uses its spy satellites, aircraft and analysts to help secure the nation.

SMITH: So we're no longer knee-jerking just to disasters but we're planning and also responding to homeland security initiatives as well.

ENSOR: For the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics last February, NIMA prepared tools for the Secret Service, local police, and FBI, to help them secure the venues of the games.

JOANNE ISHAM, NIMA EPUTY DIRECTOR: We also provide fly throughs and a three-dimensional types of models as well as CDs that would help a person feel like you're in the area.

ENSOR: With NIMA's products, law enforcement could see where their spotters needed to be and which buildings had to be secured so no terrorist sniper could get a line of site on an event. On July 4, when a man started shooting passengers at Los Angeles Airport, NIMA instantly provided key logistical help to the FBI.

DONALD GOOD, FBI AGENT: They were able within minutes of that shooting at the terminal in the airport to depict a picture of the airport and the exact location with latitude and longitude of where that shooting occurred, and it was exceptionally helpful.

ENSOR: Despite all this, make no mistake about it, NIMA is an intelligence agency created to spy on others.

ENSOR (on camera): Under U.S. law and the Constitution, the agency must get special permission before it can train powerful surveillance satellites on targets inside the United States. Not even tough post 9/11 laws like the Patriot and Homeland Security Acts have changed that.

JOHN PIKE, GLOBALSECURITY.ORG: I think that the big challenge for NIMA is going to be to make sure that the regulations that are in place on the one hand make the imagery quickly and readily available to homeland security agencies when needed but that the spy satellites don't turn into some sort of Big Brother in the sky.

LT. GEN. JAMES CLAPPER (RET), NIMA DIRECTOR: We have very rigorous processes that we must go through if we're going to for example, use national technical means in a domestic context.

ENSOR: But the satellite photos Heidi Smith uses to help first responders in this country are commercially made by private companies, so there are fewer restrictions. The commercial imagery she uses turns into pixels at about one meter resolution, so it would not be able to read license plates or identify individuals as America's classified spy satellites reportedly can. It is good enough though to make a difference. Do you think you may have saved a life somewhere along the way?

SMITH: Definitely. I would say so.

ENSOR: Well, how does that make you feel?

SMITH: Proud.

ENSOR: David Ensor CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: It's been one year since the first and only person formally charged in connection with the September 11 terrorist attacks has indeed been charged. Zacarias Moussaoui has been in solitary confinement all this time. Now, wait until you hear how he's holding up behind bars.

And concerns about chicken -- new tests reveal some scary stuff may be making its way into your refrigerator. We'll have the full report in just a moment. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANNOUNCER: We return to a special edition of WOLF BLITZER REPORTS: LIVE FROM THE PERSIAN GULF. Reporting from Doha, Qatar, here's Wolf Blitzer.

BLITZER: Welcome back. Coming up a shocker in Florida -- two young third grade kids busted for allegedly selling pot. We'll have details.

He's the only person formally charged in connection with the September 11 terrorist attacks, Zacarias Moussaoui. He's been in jail now for one year since his indictment. But since then, his complex case has raised all sorts of questions and the progress in that case has been extremely slow. CNN's Deborah Feyerick has an update now on Moussaoui's mental slide.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Zacarias Moussaoui spends his days in solitary confinement, pouring over documents and brutally criticizing his court-appointed lawyers when he's not busy ignoring them all while preparing to defend himself. Those close to Moussaoui say his isolation seems to be taking a mental toll. Visiting him in a Virginia jail recently, his mother said her son seems increasingly outside reality.

AISHA EL WAFI, MOUSSAOUI'S MOTHER (through translator): I found that he was much more locked up in his own mind than he used to beach. And he doesn't trust anybody. FEYERICK: Adding to Moussaoui's growing aggravation, says his mother, he wants to pick his own lawyers. The problem is those he's picked aren't licensed to practice in Virginia. Plus, he wants to call certain witnesses. But possibly the most important one, suspected planner and moneyman, Ramzi Bin Al-Shibh, is under heavy U.S. guard at an undisclosed location. So far, he isn't likely to take the stand.

Defense lawyer Joshua Dratel represented one of four terrorists at U.S. embassy bombings trial.

(on camera): How much does it undermines a defendant's case either psychologically or practically when they feel they can't get access to somebody who have information that could help them?

JOSHUA DRATEL, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Well, it undermines it completely in the sense that if you have a witness who you feel will exculpate your client and you don't have access to the witness, it's devastating for the defense.

FEYERICK (voice-over): Moussaoui's mom says her son also looks different, that he has lost weight and seems smaller. Before any trial begins, she believes, his mental state should be rechecked and treated if necessary. She is scared Moussaoui doesn't truly understand how much trouble he's in.

EL WAFI (through translator): He keeps on telling me, "Trust me, Mommy. I love you. I haven't done anything. I'm going to be out soon."

FEYERICK: And so, Aisha El Wafi waits and worries her son will only get worse, locked away from the world knowing he's facing the death penalty.

EL WAFI (through translator): It's completely inhuman. And it could affect the way any human being thinks.

FEYERICK: Deborah Feyerick, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: They turn up in high school but how often do they turn up in elementary school -- illegal drugs. What are they doing there? We'll have a surprising report for you. Plus, Paula Poundstone clearly gets a Christmas present early. The latest on the controversy surrounding her and the custody of her kids.

And before you sit down for dinner, check the menu. There are new health concerns about chicken. We'll have the details in just a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: A stunning surprise from two third graders earlier today. You'll be amazed by what you hear. That's coming up when this special WOLF BLITZER REPORTS returns in one minute. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Earlier we asked -- how many high school seniors have tried marijuana? The answer, 50 percent.

From Florida today an almost unbelievable story about two young kids and drug possession. Two third graders now face felony charges after they were found with more than a dozen bags of marijuana. Reporter Steve Barrett of our affiliate, WPTV, tells us precisely what happened.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

STEVE BARRETT, WPTV CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Cops say they really have no idea yet where the marijuana came from.

LT. STEVE CLAUS, FORT ST. LUCIE POLICE: We're investigating to determine exactly where there has been a report, numerous reports of where it has come from. One was that it was found in the street. Another is that another juvenile had provided those two -- one of the two kids.

BARRETT: Meanwhile, parents are floored by the thought of 9- year-olds with drugs on campus, caught between anger and disbelief.

TRICIA TAYLOR, RIVERS EDGE PARENT: Very upsetting! Very upsetting! I mean how are they getting into the school with all that -- with that much pot? I mean, you know, when you got an 8-year-old that goes to that school, it's upsetting.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, I don't think -- I don't think the kids actually know what it is.

BARRETT: The school sent this note home explaining the best they could what has happened here.

CAROLYN LONG, RIVERS EDGE PARENT: I was totally shocked to hear that young kids had it, you know. It's just unbelievable. When they first said on the news that this was in a school, I was thinking more like the high school or something like that.

BARRETT: The pot was in small bags, the kind sold for $5 to $10, but the principal of the school insists that the two boys weren't selling or using drugs on her campus.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You know I cannot speak for what happened off my campus. But in terms of here, I feel very comfortable with what happened and how it was handled. And again, absolutely nothing like that occurred on this campus.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: That report from our reporter, Steve Barrett, of our affiliate, WPTV.

There's this other story we're following now. A California judge has returned Paula Poundstone's children to her custody, ending an ordeal that began some 18 months ago with her arrest for drunk driving. CNN's Brian Cabell is joining us now live. He has details -- Brian.

BRIAN CABELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, it's been a long year- and-a-half for Paula Poundstone. A year-and-a-half since she was arrested for endangering her adopted children and for alleged lewd conduct. Now, the lewd conduct charge as eventually dropped, but she admitted to endangering.

She was driving the children to get ice cream while she was intoxicated. Her three kids were sent to foster homes and two other kids, for whom she was the foster parent, were taken away permanently. But today, Poundstone got her three adopted children back, full custody. Social workers will check on her for six months and she has another three-and-a-half years probation to serve and 200 hours of community service, but she's back to being a full time parent.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PAULA POUNDSTONE, COMEDIAN: The mistakes that I made I made because I -- you know, I drank too much. I think I'm not going to -- you know, I think that's not going to happen again. I think I'm not going to drink any more.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Am I going to make mistakes as a parent? Sadly, every day, I will. I will continue to make mistakes. I hope that, you know, I don't make the kind of mistakes that endanger the children, but you know; I'm looking around for the perfect parent and I haven't seen them yet.

CABELL: Poundstone who spent six months in alcohol rehab has continued to work during this personal ordeal. She's incorporated her troubles into her stand-up routine, but of course, as this has been anything but a laughing matter.

Poundstone and her attorneys say they'd like to sue someone. They don't think she was treated fairly by the court system, but they don't know whom to sue. And her priority now, she says, is getting back to her family life and getting ready for Christmas --Wolf.

BLITZER: Good ideas for her to do. Brian Cabell, thanks very much for that report. Before you head out to dinner tonight, we have a story you probably will want to hear about. Check out this consumer alert. A survey finds scary stuff in chicken available in stores across the United States. We'll have a closer look. And Stanford University announces a controversial research project. Some are calling it cloning. We'll have details. That's just ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: There is a development that's just happening now involving the uproar surrounding recent comments by Senate Republican leader, Trent Lott. Our Congressional correspondent Jonathan Karl is standing by with this late-breaking development -- Jon.

JONATHAN KARL, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts, a Democrat who is very seriously thinking of running for president himself, has put out a statement calling on Trent Lott to resign as majority leader of the U.S Senate. The statement reads in part -- quote -- "Trent Lott's statements place a cloud over his leadership because there can never be an appearance of racism or bigotry in any high position of leadership, particularly in the United States Senate. It saddens me greatly to suggest this, but in the interest of the Senate, his party and the nation, I believe Trent Lott should step aside as majority leader."

Now, of course, that is the decision for the Republicans not for a top Democrat like John Kerry. But Kerry's comments came after Trent Lott went on a conservative talk radio show today, "The Sean Hannity Show" on WABC, and apologized again for his remarks about Strom Thurmond. On that show, Trent Lott said -- quote -- "My comments conveyed things I did not intend, and I regret it, and I apologize, and I hope we can move on."

But as I said, John Kerry's statement calling on Trent Lott to resign as majority leader came after Trent Lott's latest apology. He clearly is not satisfied with it neither are many Democrats. But I can tell you, Wolf, many Republicans up here are now beginning to support Trent Lott, condemn his comments but accept his apology.

BLITZER: All right, Jonathan Karl with that development. Thanks very much, Jon, for that report.

Meanwhile, there's more bad news for Americans who like to eat chicken. A consumer magazine says it's found harmful bacteria in chickens that were bought at stores across the United States. CNN medical correspondent, Elizabeth Cohen has this report.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): When "Consumer Reports" went shopping for chicken in 25 cities nationwide, half of the chickens they bought were infected with bacteria, salmonella or campylobacter. And there's more -- 37 percent of the birds purchased were infected with a strain of bacteria that was resistant to one antibiotic. That means if you were to eat some of the chicken and it wasn't cooked thoroughly, you could then get sick and certain antibiotics wouldn't help.

EDWARD GROTH, CONSUMERS UNION: If it's a resistant strain of bacteria, it won't respond to the antibiotic that's given initially and the doctor may have to try two or three drugs before they find one that works.

COHEN: The Food and Drug Administration says in 1999, 11,477 people got sick from chicken infected with campylobacter that was resistant to floroclemolones (ph), one of the strongest classes of antibiotics around.

So what makes chickens resistant to bacteria in the first place? "Consumer Reports" says it's because the industry gives the birds too many antibiotics, the bacteria then learn how to outsmart the drugs. The poultry industry disagrees saying, "Giving antibiotics to chicken isn't to blame. Campylobacter in particular is known to have a high level of natural resistance to antibiotics." They add that antibiotics are only given to birds when necessary.

RICHARD CARNEVALE, ANIMAL HEALTH INSTITUTE: Chickens might be given antibiotics in their drinking water or their feed to prevent the outbreak of infections.

COHEN: So what can a consumer do? When shopping, put chicken in its own plastic bag, like the ones you put your produce in so the juices don't leak onto other foods in the basket. Keep uncooked chicken separate from other foods during preparation. Wash utensils, cooking surfaces and hands thoroughly in hot, soapy water and cook chicken to 170 to 180 degrees. Experts recommend using a thermometer when cooking because chicken can look done but still harbor dangerous bacteria.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COHEN: Now, as we said in this report, half of the chicken in this study were contaminated. That's down from a similar 1997 study where nearly three-quarters of the chicken were infected --Wolf.

BLITZER: Elizabeth, as someone who loves chicken, I'm obviously concerned like I'm sure a lot of our viewers are right now. What should the government be doing? The federal government, state governments, I thought they should be taking care of this.

COHEN: Right, food safety experts say that the government is not taking care of this. They say they need to have more inspectors on the job. They need to be more careful about their job and they also say that the government needs to set limits about when antibiotics can be used so that they won't be used as often --Wolf.

BLITZER: All right, Elizabeth Cohen with some disturbing news. Thanks very much for that report.

We have another report. New research at Stanford University is reviving the debate over cloning. Scientists at the elite California university plan to produce stem cells for medical research by taking DNA from diseased, adult human cells and then transferring them into eggs.

Some experts say the procedure is the same thing as human cloning. The Stanford scientists insist their research will not involve cloning embryos. They say their research will be geared towards treating cancer.

Time is running out for you to weigh in on our "Web Question of The Day." That question is this -- if the United States is attacked with weapons of mass destruction, should a nuclear response be on the table? Log on to CNN/Wolf. That's where you can vote. We'll have the results immediately, when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Here's our "Picture of The Day." Something you're going to only see here on CNN. The son of the Amir of Qatar, where I am right now, hosted a 10-k road race earlier today. The Ethiopian, Hili Gombry Solace (ph) won the race, taking seconds off the world record to win -- get this -- the million dollar prize. Hili (ph) also won two gold medals at the 2000 Olympic games in Sydney, Australia. This master of the marathon trained as a boy by running 10 kilometers to and from school each day. Good for you, Hili (ph).

Now, here's how you're weighing in on our "Web Questions of The Day." If the United States is attacked with weapons of mass destruction, should a nuclear response be on the table? Look at this -- 62 percent of you say yes, 38 percent of you say no. Remember, this is not scientific poll.

Some of your e-mails right now. Gail writes this -- "Iraq isn't allowed a sling shot to defend themselves but we give Yemen the SCUDs back. More attacks on U.S. interests have come from Yemen than Iraq. Our greed for oil is glaringly obvious."

Sandra asks -- "If Yemen bought the SCUD missiles legally, then why the deception by both North Korea and Yemen of hiding them in cement? This smacks of a cover-up and the U.S. is the target."

And this from Raymond -- "To retaliate with nuclear weapons is by far the most inane an insane proposal this administration has come out with. The annihilation and attacks against America that would result would be incomprehensible."

We'll get to more e-mails tomorrow. That's all the time we have today. Join me tomorrow at the same time right here at 5:00 p.m. Eastern. I'll speak one-on-one with the visiting United States defense secretary, Donald Rumsfeld. He's here in Qatar with me. Until then, thanks very much for watching. I'm Wolf Blitzer reporting live from the Persian Gulf. "LOU DOBBS MONEYLINE" is coming up next.

TO ORDER A COPY OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.





Lott's Resignation After Remarks at Thurmond Birthday Celebration>


Aired December 11, 2002 - 17:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: A big surprise today: why did the United States let a ship full of SCUD missiles go free? We’ll have details. Also, the prospect of nuclear war, the White House makes a direct threat. And, a school shocker, who brought the drugs in, the answer may surprise you. Finally, congressional chaos: learn who stormed the chamber.
A special edition of WOLF BLITZER REPORTS starts right now.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice over): They call it a pirate ship. It's full of SCUD missiles, so why is it free to sail on?

ARI FLEISCHER, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: There is no clear authority to seize a shipment of SCUD missiles.

BLITZER: A missile factory, a chemical plant, and a nuclear research site, the hunt goes on in Iraq. One hundred forty-six other nations have banned them but the U.S. may be ready to use landmines in a war with Iraq. Sealing a deal, Qatar gives the U.S. military a home away from home. And, they're called super chickens but half are contaminated, why they can make you sick.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANNOUNCER: This is a special edition of WOLF BLITZER REPORTS. Live from the Persian Gulf. Reporting from Doha, Qatar here's Wolf Blitzer.

BLITZER (on camera): Thanks very much for joining us. It's no secret the United States has nuclear weapons but it's certainly not every day that the United States threatens to use them. Topping our Persian Gulf headlines this hour, tough talk, what's really behind this nuclear threat and who's it aimed at? Tough questions aimed at Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld here in Qatar. A journalist takes him to task and he responds directly.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We can see that as the U.S. continues mobilizing and massing troops in the region. Don't you think that you are ignoring U.N. efforts and resolutions?

DONALD RUMSFELD, DEFENSE SECRETARY: That's quite a question. I suppose the short answer is no. How could you even ask that question when it was the Iraqi regime that ignored 16 resolutions of the United Nations over a period of many, many years? Second, how could you even ask that question given the fact that it was the United States that went to the United Nations and received a unanimous vote in the Security Council? Not one vote opposing it, so a question that is premised that the United States is ignoring the United Nations is obviously misplaced.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Also, was it a mistake the United States lets a ship full of SCUD missiles go free? Did Spain and the United States have the right to stop that ship in the first place? That mystery ship was, of course, loaded with SCUD missiles and it was headed towards Yemen. Let's get the report now from the Pentagon. CNN's Kris Osborn is there.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KRIS OSBORN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): The decision to allow the So San and its cargo of SCUD missiles to complete its journey to Yemen was made at the highest levels of the U.S. government.

COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: We had assurances that these missiles were for Yemeni defensive purposes. Under no circumstances would they be going anywhere else.

OSBORN: However, a senior official tells CNN the Bush administration made it clear that it did not believe Yemen had any strategic need for such weapons. CNN has learned the U.S. Navy had been conducting secret 24-hour surveillance of the ship for several weeks. Now, the U.S. has been assured that this shipment of SCUD missiles was the last in a group of shipments that date back several years.

And, while U.S. military officials praise Yemeni cooperation in the war on terror, they also express concern over the idea of additional SCUD missiles being in the region. Speaking in Qatar, Defense Secretary Rumsfeld said such interdictions will continue on suspect ships.

RUMSFELD: A vessel was stopped by a multinational naval force. There were questions about its flag, questions about its cargo, and questions about its destination. The operation was conducted peacefully. No one was injured and it turns out that the contents of the ship was not what was manifested on the cargo list.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

OSBORN (on camera): Now, U.S. officials make the point that this interdiction was, in fact, a way to highlight their new, more aggressive policy to crack down on the trafficking of weapons of mass destruction. That being said, some at the very least in this instance are raising the question about whether the U.S. and its coalition members went too far -- Wolf. BLITZER: Kris Osborn at the Pentagon thanks very much Kris for that report. So, why did the United States let those missiles go? Bigger issues are involved as CNN's National Correspondent Frank Buckley reports from the White House.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FRANK BUCKLEY, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice over): The president has said the war on terror...

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Beating this enemy requires fighting a different kind of war.

BUCKLEY: And it has resulted in different and sometimes awkward alliances for the U.S., example Yemen.

BUSH: As far as Yemen goes, Yemen is a country that I've had a very good discussion with the president of Yemen. I made it clear to him, as well as other presidents of nations, that you're either with us or you're not with us and then if you're with us, we expect results.

BUCKLEY: The same country that was criticized by the U.S. for not fully cooperating in the investigation of the bombing of the USS Cole in 2000 is now a key partner of the U.S. in the war on terror, the most recent illustration of that, the CIA Predator attack last month in Yemen that killed six suspected al Qaeda members.

But such cooperation comes at a price. In the case of Yemen, when it buys missiles from a country the U.S. considers to be a part of the president's axis of evil, North Korea, the administration isn't happy, forced to explain why in this case it's OK for North Korea to sell missiles.

POWELL: We recognize that it was going to a country that we have good relations with.

BUCKLEY: Pakistan another example, its support in the war on terrorism critical. Its history of weapons deals with North Korea including transfers of nuclear technology a major irritant. Experts say it's proof of the hard reality facing Mr. Bush.

LEE HAMILTON, WOODROW WILSON CENTER: Likewise, if you're fighting against al Qaeda, whether it's Yemen or Saudi Arabia, you have to make some adjustments in policy and you have to strike some bargains in order to fight the war effectively.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BUCKLEY (on camera): And in the case of the U.S. and Yemen, U.S. officials say they've been assured that those missiles will not go beyond Yemen. They will not be going to another country or to any organization and the officials in Yemen have assured also that they will not be purchasing any more missiles from North Korea. And, Wolf, we should also point out the comments there from George Bush were previous comments not comments from today. BLITZER: Frank, why is the Bush administration right now today at this very sensitive moment warning of all out retaliation, all options on the table, perhaps even the nuclear option if anyone, including the Iraqis of course, were to use weapons of mass destruction? What's behind that declaration?

BUCKLEY: Well, this is a declaration that pulls together U.S. policy as it has been a reiteration of that policy but it's coordinated now, put together, and administration officials clearly trying to signal, indicate to Saddam Hussein that any use of weapons of mass destruction against U.S. forces, if there is military action, would be met with, as it's put in this paper, overwhelming force and that would include any of the U.S. options that could include nuclear weapons as well.

BLITZER: Frank Buckley at the White House, Franks thanks very much. The Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld is here tonight in Qatar. He's getting ready to witness some of the exercises, the war games, currently underway in this part of the world but first he had an important piece of business to do upon his arrival also, a key to an American offensive.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice over): The first stop for Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld in Qatar, signing an agreement that will formally expand U.S. access to the huge Al Udaid Air Base in the small but strategically important Persian Gulf state.

RUMSFELD: There is no question but that the agreement will enable us to strengthen our long-term strategic cooperation.

BLITZER: At issue, an air base with a 15,000-foot runway, the longest in the region. That base will be critical if the U.S. goes to war against Iraq. Thursday, the defense secretary makes a quick visit to the U.S. military's temporary headquarters at the Osalia (ph) military base also here in Qatar. His visit by all accounts comes at a delicate moment in the standoff with Iraq and the war against terror.

U.N. weapons inspectors, as well as U.S. intelligence agencies, are attempting to determine whether the Iraqis lied in their nearly 12,000 page declaration documenting their weapons programs. U.S. and Spanish warships intercepted a cargo ship off the coast of Yemen carrying a dozen SCUD missiles and related missile parts.

There are also fresh al Qaeda terror threats backed up by actual deeds, most recently in Bali, Indonesia and Mombasa, Kenya. To further underscore current jitters, the Bush administration has now released a new strategy document with a blunt warning. If rogue nations use weapons of mass destruction, all U.S. retaliatory options, including the nuclear option, will be on the table. A similar warning was delivered to Saddam Hussein just before the Gulf War a dozen years ago.

JAMES BAKER, FORMER SECRETARY OF STATE: He must also realize, and I'd like to stress this point, that should he use chemical or biological weapons there will be the most severe consequences.

BLITZER: That warning is said to have deterred the Iraqi leader from unleashing artillery shells, rockets, or missiles with chemical or biological weapons.

BLITZER (on camera): Rumsfeld's visit here to Qatar also coincides with current U.S. war games designed to prepare U.S. troops for a possible war against Iraq. The defense secretary wants to make sure his military commander, General Tommy Franks, has a battle plan ready to go at a moment's notice and one that works.

BLITZER (voice over): In recent months Rumsfeld, a hands-on kind of defense secretary, has repeatedly asked his military chiefs to refine their strategy. Pentagon sources tell CNN that process is now effectively complete.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (on camera): And please join me tomorrow when I go one- on-one with the defense secretary here in Qatar. We'll have that interview on a special edition of WOLF BLITZER REPORTS. That's at 5:00 p.m. Eastern tomorrow, 2:00 p.m. Pacific.

Here's your chance to weigh in on this very important story. Our web question of the day is this. If the United States is attacked with weapons of mass destruction, should a nuclear response be on the table? We'll have the results later in this broadcast. Vote at cnn.com/wolf. While you're there, I'd love to hear from you. Send me your comments. I'll try to read some of them on the air each day at the end of this program. That's also where you can read my daily online column, cnn.com/wolf.

Turning now to the search for weapons in Iraq, more U.N. weapons inspectors were on the move today. CNN's Nic Robertson is reporting tonight from Baghdad.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, a massive change in the landscape here from what we're seeing with the weapons inspectors. There are so many teams out during the day it's very difficult to keep up with them during the day to find out exactly what there doing, by day's end, a U.N. briefing.

What we're told today, eight different sites inspected. Now there are some 70 weapons inspectors in country now, 43 of the chemical/biological/missile experts, 27 of the nuclear experts. We understand today that teams went to some dual use sites. These are sites that produce armament but there was equipment there that works the high-precision, high tolerances. The teams wanted to inspect that.

They wanted to inspect a uranium ore plant that was heavily bombed during the 1991 Gulf War. They wanted to make sure that was still shut down. It was. They visited sites that had new construction on them. They wanted to know what was happening in that new construction, one of those sites making parts for Iraq's T-72 tanks, making parts for some of Iraq's surface-to-air missiles.

Also, they visited a pharmaceutical company following up on information there wanting to make sure exactly what was going on at that facility. So, quite an array of sites visited and this an indication now that the weapons inspection program is perhaps getting up and running, getting out, really speeding up the pace of their work here -- Wolf.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: Nic Robertson reporting from Baghdad, Nic thanks very much. Before you bite into that next piece of chicken, we have a warning for you, something you probably will want to know. We've got a consumer alert. We'll tell you all about it. And SCUD missile killers, what can take them out before they kill civilians? We've got the pictures for you.

Also, should the United States use landmines? Pentagon officials respond to accusations they're breaking an international agreement. And why a secret American spy agency designed for overseas intelligence is being used in the United States, we have a CNN exclusive report; but first, a look at news making headlines around the world.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice over): Political violence, Mexico's lower house of congress is back in session after a violent protest forced lawmakers to briefly suspend their meeting. Demonstrators broke down at least two doors in an attempt to enter the chamber while lawmakers were discussing new taxes. Lawmakers put up barricades and called in security forces. The protesters want more funding for education and social programs.

Chavez under fire, a general strike against Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is in its tenth day. Opponents are calling on Chavez to resign. This strike is seriously affecting the oil industry in Venezuela, the world's fifth largest oil producer.

Blair gets defensive, British Prime Minister Tony Blair says the news media are presenting a warped view of his wife, Cherie's behavior. Mrs. Blair admits she made mistakes in her dealings with an Australian conman who helped her buy two apartments in Bristol, England but she denies doing anything wrong. Her husband says the matter has been totally distorted in the press.

Robot dad, inspired by his daughter's dreams, a man in Vietnam now devotes his attention to robotics. His workshop designs have evolved to include everything from a robotic dinosaur to dancing mannequins.

Walking robot, Japan's number two carmaker also is a growing force in robotics. Honda is out with an upgraded child-size walking robot. It also can climb stairs and recognize human voices, and that's our look around the world.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Welcome back to our special coverage. I'm Wolf Blitzer reporting tonight live from the Persian Gulf. SCUD missiles are not necessarily very accurate but they can be very deadly. Of course, Iraq launched dozens of SCUDs during the Persian Gulf War in 1991. If there's another war and if there's another barrage, especially against Israel, the Israelis now say they may have a new answer. CNN's Chris Burns reports from Jerusalem.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRIS BURNS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): The scenario, Iraq has fired SCUD missiles at Israel which launches Aero missiles like this one to intercept them. Every second counts. It takes just eight minutes for the SCUDs to hit their targets. Satellite and radar surveillance track the missiles from the moment they're launched.

In this exercise, the Aero obliterates the missile by exploding near it high in the atmosphere. There is a backup SCUD killer, the lower flying U.S. Patriot missile designed as a bullet to hit a bullet. This one recently tested successfully in Israel's Nagab Desert.

BRIG. GEN. YAIR DRORI, ISRAELI AIR FORCE: It can give Israel and its civilians a safety feeling about the next conflict.

BURNS: During the 1991 Gulf War, U.S. Patriot missiles attempted to intercept Iraqi SCUDs but critics say most Patriots missed their mark and crashed back over populated areas. The Patriot has been improved over the past decade and the U.S. and Israel together spend more than $2 billion to develop and build the Aero, SCUD killers at $3 million each, though there have been failures.

DRORI: We are definitely better prepared for the next full conflict.

BURNS: Critics say the costly project is largely unnecessary that U.S. forces can destroy or neutralize Saddam Hussein's SCUDs on the ground, that Israel can track the origins of the missiles could increase the chance of an Israeli retaliation with a risk of shaking any support from moderate Arab countries. U.S. officials say they're pressing Israel to show restraint, though Israel insists on defending itself. Also part of the guessing game just how many SCUD killers Israel has.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Enough.

BURNS (on camera): Enough to calm the civilian population here and enough to intercept whatever SCUDs Saddam may send this way. Israelis hope the moment of truth will never come. Chris Burns CNN, Jerusalem.

(END VIDEOTAPE) BLITZER: And they express controversy over the possible use of U.S. landmines if it goes to the war against Iraq. The newspaper "USA Today" is reporting that the Pentagon, the U.S. military already has stockpiled landmines near the Iraqi border.

The Clinton administration promised to move away from the use of landmines though not ready yet to ban their use entirely. The subject is causing some heartburn among critics of the whole notion of using landmines. Let's get some analysis right now from our CNN Military Analyst General Don Sheppherd. The problem here is what?

MAJ. GEN. DON SHEPPHERD, CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Well, the problem is not the use of the landmines in war, which is area denial. Everybody understands that. The problem is what happens after the war? They are hard to find after the war and they're hard to clear. There is an estimate there is somewhere around 100 million of these landmines across the world, including five million in Iraq, five million in Kuwait.

They lay around; 26,000 casualties a year, about 80 percent of them civilian. They cause a lot of damage after the war and they estimate that at the current rate of clearance of landmines, it would take $33 billion, and listen to this, 11 centuries to clear the landmines that are laying out there to make it safe for civilians everywhere, Wolf, emotional subject.

BLITZER: But supporters of landmines in the military argue that there are new high-tech landmines that self destruct over 30 or 60 or 90 days.

SHEPPHERD: Right. The U.S. signed the United Nations Amended Mines Protocol in 1999. It reserved the right to use the landmines but the protocol said that unless the mines are used in a marked area and monitored to prevent civilian casualties, hard to do, they have to be set up to destruct within 30 days. Well, the U.S. destructs within 90 days, which is better than not at all but it's still a real problem that remains out there.

BLITZER: What about this agreement to let the Yemeni government continue to have these SCUD missiles? It surprised a lot of people.

SHEPPHERD: This is a flaky deal. We started last night on the story and I'll tell you basically the Yemenis are going to get their SCUD missiles. They've had some before. They're going to be allowed to keep them. The idea is self defense, well self defense against what, Saudi Arabia to the north, Oman and UAE to the east, Qatar also to the north, Djibouti and Somalia to the south? So, you have to say what is this self destruction again?

This Yemeni deal is very, -- it's a very suspect deal but what we've got is we have no right legally to seize these missiles that were bought from North Korea legally and the nation of Yemen has the right to buy them so we're kind of caught in a no win situation here.

BLITZER: They're pretty expensive though, these SCUD missiles, the North Korean version. The Yemeni government is pretty poor. SHEPPHERD: Yes, the mystery is why is the Yemeni government who's trying to court favor with the west, the United States, trying to be cooperative, we're trying to construct a new relationship with them, why are they going to North Korea to buy these things? This doesn't make a lot of sense. Hopefully diplomacy will be able to solve this over time.

BLITZER: All right, General Sheppherd thanks for joining me here in Qatar.

SHEPPHERD: You bet.

BLITZER: We have a lot more coming up. Coming up in next on this special edition of WOLF BLITZER REPORTS, a super secret U.S. government spy agency turns its eyes from afar to the homeland in the fight against terror.

And how young is too young? Police in Florida have arrested two kids for having marijuana at school. Just wait until you hear how old they were, the full story coming up, but first today's news quiz. How many seniors have tried marijuana, ten percent, 25 percent, 50 percent, 75 percent, the answer coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: A CNN exclusive, why a spy agency that peaks on terrorist states is looking within the borders of the United States, that's coming up on WOLF BLITZER REPORTS. We're back in one minute.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: All this week we've been getting a rare inside glimpse into a super secret U.S. spy agency, the National Imagery and Mapping Agency. Since its inception, it's been tracking terrorists. It's using eyes in the skies to try to find what's going on but since 9/11 its satellites have played an increasingly important role. Our National Security Correspondent David Ensor takes us behind the scenes for a rare look inside a spy agency very few of us ever heard of.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DAVID ENSOR, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Heidi Smith works in a non-descript building in the Washington Navy Yard for an intelligence agency that normally focuses on the rest of the world, not the United States. Her assignment at NIMA, using satellite photos to help police and firemen respond to natural disasters such as hurricanes and earthquakes. On September 11 last year, the job suddenly mushroomed.

HEIDI SMITH, NIMA IMAGERY ANALYST: This is the large smoke plume emanating from Ground Zero.

ENSOR: But you can't actually see very well, can you, I mean there's so much smoke?

SMITH: You're right. Once the smoke plume had cleared, we can look at some tenants' commercial imagery from the 15th. It's pretty clear the main buildings that were impacted. I mean it was the World Trade Towers. What FEMA was really interested in from us is what's the periphery of that damage? Which buildings surrounding that complex had been impacted?

ENSOR: It was a disaster all right but not a natural one. Heidi Smith and others worked with satellite photos to produce real time maps of the damage for fire and rescue crews. Since 9/11, an agency that once focused on national security threats outside the country and at home only on natural disasters, now uses its spy satellites, aircraft and analysts to help secure the nation.

SMITH: So we're no longer knee-jerking just to disasters but we're planning and also responding to homeland security initiatives as well.

ENSOR: For the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics last February, NIMA prepared tools for the Secret Service, local police, and FBI, to help them secure the venues of the games.

JOANNE ISHAM, NIMA EPUTY DIRECTOR: We also provide fly throughs and a three-dimensional types of models as well as CDs that would help a person feel like you're in the area.

ENSOR: With NIMA's products, law enforcement could see where their spotters needed to be and which buildings had to be secured so no terrorist sniper could get a line of site on an event. On July 4, when a man started shooting passengers at Los Angeles Airport, NIMA instantly provided key logistical help to the FBI.

DONALD GOOD, FBI AGENT: They were able within minutes of that shooting at the terminal in the airport to depict a picture of the airport and the exact location with latitude and longitude of where that shooting occurred, and it was exceptionally helpful.

ENSOR: Despite all this, make no mistake about it, NIMA is an intelligence agency created to spy on others.

ENSOR (on camera): Under U.S. law and the Constitution, the agency must get special permission before it can train powerful surveillance satellites on targets inside the United States. Not even tough post 9/11 laws like the Patriot and Homeland Security Acts have changed that.

JOHN PIKE, GLOBALSECURITY.ORG: I think that the big challenge for NIMA is going to be to make sure that the regulations that are in place on the one hand make the imagery quickly and readily available to homeland security agencies when needed but that the spy satellites don't turn into some sort of Big Brother in the sky.

LT. GEN. JAMES CLAPPER (RET), NIMA DIRECTOR: We have very rigorous processes that we must go through if we're going to for example, use national technical means in a domestic context.

ENSOR: But the satellite photos Heidi Smith uses to help first responders in this country are commercially made by private companies, so there are fewer restrictions. The commercial imagery she uses turns into pixels at about one meter resolution, so it would not be able to read license plates or identify individuals as America's classified spy satellites reportedly can. It is good enough though to make a difference. Do you think you may have saved a life somewhere along the way?

SMITH: Definitely. I would say so.

ENSOR: Well, how does that make you feel?

SMITH: Proud.

ENSOR: David Ensor CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: It's been one year since the first and only person formally charged in connection with the September 11 terrorist attacks has indeed been charged. Zacarias Moussaoui has been in solitary confinement all this time. Now, wait until you hear how he's holding up behind bars.

And concerns about chicken -- new tests reveal some scary stuff may be making its way into your refrigerator. We'll have the full report in just a moment. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANNOUNCER: We return to a special edition of WOLF BLITZER REPORTS: LIVE FROM THE PERSIAN GULF. Reporting from Doha, Qatar, here's Wolf Blitzer.

BLITZER: Welcome back. Coming up a shocker in Florida -- two young third grade kids busted for allegedly selling pot. We'll have details.

He's the only person formally charged in connection with the September 11 terrorist attacks, Zacarias Moussaoui. He's been in jail now for one year since his indictment. But since then, his complex case has raised all sorts of questions and the progress in that case has been extremely slow. CNN's Deborah Feyerick has an update now on Moussaoui's mental slide.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Zacarias Moussaoui spends his days in solitary confinement, pouring over documents and brutally criticizing his court-appointed lawyers when he's not busy ignoring them all while preparing to defend himself. Those close to Moussaoui say his isolation seems to be taking a mental toll. Visiting him in a Virginia jail recently, his mother said her son seems increasingly outside reality.

AISHA EL WAFI, MOUSSAOUI'S MOTHER (through translator): I found that he was much more locked up in his own mind than he used to beach. And he doesn't trust anybody. FEYERICK: Adding to Moussaoui's growing aggravation, says his mother, he wants to pick his own lawyers. The problem is those he's picked aren't licensed to practice in Virginia. Plus, he wants to call certain witnesses. But possibly the most important one, suspected planner and moneyman, Ramzi Bin Al-Shibh, is under heavy U.S. guard at an undisclosed location. So far, he isn't likely to take the stand.

Defense lawyer Joshua Dratel represented one of four terrorists at U.S. embassy bombings trial.

(on camera): How much does it undermines a defendant's case either psychologically or practically when they feel they can't get access to somebody who have information that could help them?

JOSHUA DRATEL, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Well, it undermines it completely in the sense that if you have a witness who you feel will exculpate your client and you don't have access to the witness, it's devastating for the defense.

FEYERICK (voice-over): Moussaoui's mom says her son also looks different, that he has lost weight and seems smaller. Before any trial begins, she believes, his mental state should be rechecked and treated if necessary. She is scared Moussaoui doesn't truly understand how much trouble he's in.

EL WAFI (through translator): He keeps on telling me, "Trust me, Mommy. I love you. I haven't done anything. I'm going to be out soon."

FEYERICK: And so, Aisha El Wafi waits and worries her son will only get worse, locked away from the world knowing he's facing the death penalty.

EL WAFI (through translator): It's completely inhuman. And it could affect the way any human being thinks.

FEYERICK: Deborah Feyerick, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: They turn up in high school but how often do they turn up in elementary school -- illegal drugs. What are they doing there? We'll have a surprising report for you. Plus, Paula Poundstone clearly gets a Christmas present early. The latest on the controversy surrounding her and the custody of her kids.

And before you sit down for dinner, check the menu. There are new health concerns about chicken. We'll have the details in just a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: A stunning surprise from two third graders earlier today. You'll be amazed by what you hear. That's coming up when this special WOLF BLITZER REPORTS returns in one minute. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Earlier we asked -- how many high school seniors have tried marijuana? The answer, 50 percent.

From Florida today an almost unbelievable story about two young kids and drug possession. Two third graders now face felony charges after they were found with more than a dozen bags of marijuana. Reporter Steve Barrett of our affiliate, WPTV, tells us precisely what happened.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

STEVE BARRETT, WPTV CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Cops say they really have no idea yet where the marijuana came from.

LT. STEVE CLAUS, FORT ST. LUCIE POLICE: We're investigating to determine exactly where there has been a report, numerous reports of where it has come from. One was that it was found in the street. Another is that another juvenile had provided those two -- one of the two kids.

BARRETT: Meanwhile, parents are floored by the thought of 9- year-olds with drugs on campus, caught between anger and disbelief.

TRICIA TAYLOR, RIVERS EDGE PARENT: Very upsetting! Very upsetting! I mean how are they getting into the school with all that -- with that much pot? I mean, you know, when you got an 8-year-old that goes to that school, it's upsetting.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, I don't think -- I don't think the kids actually know what it is.

BARRETT: The school sent this note home explaining the best they could what has happened here.

CAROLYN LONG, RIVERS EDGE PARENT: I was totally shocked to hear that young kids had it, you know. It's just unbelievable. When they first said on the news that this was in a school, I was thinking more like the high school or something like that.

BARRETT: The pot was in small bags, the kind sold for $5 to $10, but the principal of the school insists that the two boys weren't selling or using drugs on her campus.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You know I cannot speak for what happened off my campus. But in terms of here, I feel very comfortable with what happened and how it was handled. And again, absolutely nothing like that occurred on this campus.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: That report from our reporter, Steve Barrett, of our affiliate, WPTV.

There's this other story we're following now. A California judge has returned Paula Poundstone's children to her custody, ending an ordeal that began some 18 months ago with her arrest for drunk driving. CNN's Brian Cabell is joining us now live. He has details -- Brian.

BRIAN CABELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, it's been a long year- and-a-half for Paula Poundstone. A year-and-a-half since she was arrested for endangering her adopted children and for alleged lewd conduct. Now, the lewd conduct charge as eventually dropped, but she admitted to endangering.

She was driving the children to get ice cream while she was intoxicated. Her three kids were sent to foster homes and two other kids, for whom she was the foster parent, were taken away permanently. But today, Poundstone got her three adopted children back, full custody. Social workers will check on her for six months and she has another three-and-a-half years probation to serve and 200 hours of community service, but she's back to being a full time parent.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PAULA POUNDSTONE, COMEDIAN: The mistakes that I made I made because I -- you know, I drank too much. I think I'm not going to -- you know, I think that's not going to happen again. I think I'm not going to drink any more.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Am I going to make mistakes as a parent? Sadly, every day, I will. I will continue to make mistakes. I hope that, you know, I don't make the kind of mistakes that endanger the children, but you know; I'm looking around for the perfect parent and I haven't seen them yet.

CABELL: Poundstone who spent six months in alcohol rehab has continued to work during this personal ordeal. She's incorporated her troubles into her stand-up routine, but of course, as this has been anything but a laughing matter.

Poundstone and her attorneys say they'd like to sue someone. They don't think she was treated fairly by the court system, but they don't know whom to sue. And her priority now, she says, is getting back to her family life and getting ready for Christmas --Wolf.

BLITZER: Good ideas for her to do. Brian Cabell, thanks very much for that report. Before you head out to dinner tonight, we have a story you probably will want to hear about. Check out this consumer alert. A survey finds scary stuff in chicken available in stores across the United States. We'll have a closer look. And Stanford University announces a controversial research project. Some are calling it cloning. We'll have details. That's just ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: There is a development that's just happening now involving the uproar surrounding recent comments by Senate Republican leader, Trent Lott. Our Congressional correspondent Jonathan Karl is standing by with this late-breaking development -- Jon.

JONATHAN KARL, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts, a Democrat who is very seriously thinking of running for president himself, has put out a statement calling on Trent Lott to resign as majority leader of the U.S Senate. The statement reads in part -- quote -- "Trent Lott's statements place a cloud over his leadership because there can never be an appearance of racism or bigotry in any high position of leadership, particularly in the United States Senate. It saddens me greatly to suggest this, but in the interest of the Senate, his party and the nation, I believe Trent Lott should step aside as majority leader."

Now, of course, that is the decision for the Republicans not for a top Democrat like John Kerry. But Kerry's comments came after Trent Lott went on a conservative talk radio show today, "The Sean Hannity Show" on WABC, and apologized again for his remarks about Strom Thurmond. On that show, Trent Lott said -- quote -- "My comments conveyed things I did not intend, and I regret it, and I apologize, and I hope we can move on."

But as I said, John Kerry's statement calling on Trent Lott to resign as majority leader came after Trent Lott's latest apology. He clearly is not satisfied with it neither are many Democrats. But I can tell you, Wolf, many Republicans up here are now beginning to support Trent Lott, condemn his comments but accept his apology.

BLITZER: All right, Jonathan Karl with that development. Thanks very much, Jon, for that report.

Meanwhile, there's more bad news for Americans who like to eat chicken. A consumer magazine says it's found harmful bacteria in chickens that were bought at stores across the United States. CNN medical correspondent, Elizabeth Cohen has this report.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): When "Consumer Reports" went shopping for chicken in 25 cities nationwide, half of the chickens they bought were infected with bacteria, salmonella or campylobacter. And there's more -- 37 percent of the birds purchased were infected with a strain of bacteria that was resistant to one antibiotic. That means if you were to eat some of the chicken and it wasn't cooked thoroughly, you could then get sick and certain antibiotics wouldn't help.

EDWARD GROTH, CONSUMERS UNION: If it's a resistant strain of bacteria, it won't respond to the antibiotic that's given initially and the doctor may have to try two or three drugs before they find one that works.

COHEN: The Food and Drug Administration says in 1999, 11,477 people got sick from chicken infected with campylobacter that was resistant to floroclemolones (ph), one of the strongest classes of antibiotics around.

So what makes chickens resistant to bacteria in the first place? "Consumer Reports" says it's because the industry gives the birds too many antibiotics, the bacteria then learn how to outsmart the drugs. The poultry industry disagrees saying, "Giving antibiotics to chicken isn't to blame. Campylobacter in particular is known to have a high level of natural resistance to antibiotics." They add that antibiotics are only given to birds when necessary.

RICHARD CARNEVALE, ANIMAL HEALTH INSTITUTE: Chickens might be given antibiotics in their drinking water or their feed to prevent the outbreak of infections.

COHEN: So what can a consumer do? When shopping, put chicken in its own plastic bag, like the ones you put your produce in so the juices don't leak onto other foods in the basket. Keep uncooked chicken separate from other foods during preparation. Wash utensils, cooking surfaces and hands thoroughly in hot, soapy water and cook chicken to 170 to 180 degrees. Experts recommend using a thermometer when cooking because chicken can look done but still harbor dangerous bacteria.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COHEN: Now, as we said in this report, half of the chicken in this study were contaminated. That's down from a similar 1997 study where nearly three-quarters of the chicken were infected --Wolf.

BLITZER: Elizabeth, as someone who loves chicken, I'm obviously concerned like I'm sure a lot of our viewers are right now. What should the government be doing? The federal government, state governments, I thought they should be taking care of this.

COHEN: Right, food safety experts say that the government is not taking care of this. They say they need to have more inspectors on the job. They need to be more careful about their job and they also say that the government needs to set limits about when antibiotics can be used so that they won't be used as often --Wolf.

BLITZER: All right, Elizabeth Cohen with some disturbing news. Thanks very much for that report.

We have another report. New research at Stanford University is reviving the debate over cloning. Scientists at the elite California university plan to produce stem cells for medical research by taking DNA from diseased, adult human cells and then transferring them into eggs.

Some experts say the procedure is the same thing as human cloning. The Stanford scientists insist their research will not involve cloning embryos. They say their research will be geared towards treating cancer.

Time is running out for you to weigh in on our "Web Question of The Day." That question is this -- if the United States is attacked with weapons of mass destruction, should a nuclear response be on the table? Log on to CNN/Wolf. That's where you can vote. We'll have the results immediately, when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Here's our "Picture of The Day." Something you're going to only see here on CNN. The son of the Amir of Qatar, where I am right now, hosted a 10-k road race earlier today. The Ethiopian, Hili Gombry Solace (ph) won the race, taking seconds off the world record to win -- get this -- the million dollar prize. Hili (ph) also won two gold medals at the 2000 Olympic games in Sydney, Australia. This master of the marathon trained as a boy by running 10 kilometers to and from school each day. Good for you, Hili (ph).

Now, here's how you're weighing in on our "Web Questions of The Day." If the United States is attacked with weapons of mass destruction, should a nuclear response be on the table? Look at this -- 62 percent of you say yes, 38 percent of you say no. Remember, this is not scientific poll.

Some of your e-mails right now. Gail writes this -- "Iraq isn't allowed a sling shot to defend themselves but we give Yemen the SCUDs back. More attacks on U.S. interests have come from Yemen than Iraq. Our greed for oil is glaringly obvious."

Sandra asks -- "If Yemen bought the SCUD missiles legally, then why the deception by both North Korea and Yemen of hiding them in cement? This smacks of a cover-up and the U.S. is the target."

And this from Raymond -- "To retaliate with nuclear weapons is by far the most inane an insane proposal this administration has come out with. The annihilation and attacks against America that would result would be incomprehensible."

We'll get to more e-mails tomorrow. That's all the time we have today. Join me tomorrow at the same time right here at 5:00 p.m. Eastern. I'll speak one-on-one with the visiting United States defense secretary, Donald Rumsfeld. He's here in Qatar with me. Until then, thanks very much for watching. I'm Wolf Blitzer reporting live from the Persian Gulf. "LOU DOBBS MONEYLINE" is coming up next.

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Lott's Resignation After Remarks at Thurmond Birthday Celebration>