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CNN Wolf Blitzer Reports

Modesto Police Search Scott Peterson's Home

Aired February 18, 2003 - 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: It's Wednesday, February 18, 2003. I'm Wolf Blitzer in Washington.
Some of the top stories making headlines right now.

Modesto police searching the home of Scott Peterson; his pregnant wife Laci disappeared Christmas Eve. Police say he's not a suspect, but he hasn't been eliminated either. We'll go live to Modesto for the latest in this investigation.

And subway inferno. It's every commuter's nightmare. At least 120 people are dead. Find out what police are saying about the lone suspect.

But first, an escalation in the war of words with Iraq.

President Bush's trying to move the showdown with Iraq to the next phase. The administration could start circulating a new war resolution at the U.N., perhaps even as early as tomorrow. But many members are not sharing the President's enthusiasm.

We have two reports. CNN's Chris Burns is over at the White House. Our senior U.N. correspondent Richard Roth is at the United Nations in New York.

Let's begin with Chris Burns -- Chris.

CHRIS BURNS, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, the Bush administration digging in its heels, even though its chief ally, Britain, is facing some serious vox pop pressure.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BURNS (voice-over): After millions took to the streets around the world over the weekend, President Bush tries to keep the threat of war on track, and defend his leading ally, British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Any time somebody shows courage, and when it comes to peace, that the people will eventually understand that.

First of all, you know, decides by protests is like, I'm going to decide policy based upon a focus group. The role of a leader is to decide policy based upon the security, in this case, the security of the people. BURNS: But Bush and Blair appear to differ on the importance of a new U.N. Security Council resolution before attacking Iraq, one that would declare Baghdad in material breach of resolution 1441, aimed at scrapping any weapons of mass destruction.

BUSH: The second resolution would be useful. We don't need a second resolution.

TONY BLAIR, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: I still believe that we should have a second resolution. I believe that for a very clear reason: 1441 either has to be followed through and implemented, or it's going to be ignored.

BURNS: And Turkey's support is looking shakier. Ankara is reportedly holding out for billions more in aid before letting in U.S. forces that could invade northern Iraq. U.S. officials are considering a Plan B for such an invasion, just in case.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BURNS: So despite the setbacks for the Bush administration in the last few days, they are pressing ahead for a new resolution. They are expressing confidence that they can, President Bush leaving it up to the diplomats to handle the wordsmithing -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Chris Burns at the White House. Thanks, Chris, for that report.

Over at the United Nations, nonaligned countries and others are getting a chance to voice their opinions on the showdown with Iraq.

For more on that, we turn once again to our senior U.N. correspondent, Richard Roth -- Richard.

RICHARD ROTH, CNN SENIOR U.N. CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Wolf.

Friday the members of the Security Council went at it in public session on Iraq policy. Now it's the turn of the nonmembers of the Security Council.

We can take a look now, live, inside the Security Council. Brazil is speaking. Turkey just followed up. Of course, these nonaligned members and other developing countries, a huge majority favor going along with the inspection process and diplomacy, and not towards war.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DUMISANI SHADRACK KUMALO, SOUTH AFRICAN AMBASSADOR TO THE U.N.: How long the inspections should be allowed to continue in Iraq? We would wish to remind that there are no time limitations stipulated for inspections in Resolution 1441.

JAVAD ZARIF, IRANIAN AMBASSADOR TO THE U.N.: We are increasingly hearing that the United Nations should show backbone and courage, or become an irrelevant talking society. (END VIDEO CLIP)

ROTH: Well, Iranian Ambassador Zarif there would disagree with President Bush's call to have the U.N. be backbone and show some strength. Many of the Council members heard applause from the other members of this U.N. on Friday.

As for Iraq, well, Iraq's ambassador, Mohamad Aldouri delivered a speech full with some of the old rhetoric, but also challenging the other members of the U.N. to come to its aid.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MOHAMMED ALDOURI, IRAQI AMBASSADOR TO THE U.N. (through translator): We call upon all of the member states to shoulder their responsibilities. And in particular the member states of the Security Council to show their responsibility in accordance to the U.N. charter, which emphasizes the peaceful solution.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROTH: Here at the Security Council, though, the real work will be in the hallways on whether there will indeed be a second Security Council resolution. U.S. and U.K. diplomats have been meeting. There may be a resolution that's presented to the council later this week, of course, Wolf, that could slip.

Meanwhile, Chief Weapons Inspector Hans Blix has met with several countries, including Russia, Germany and the United States.

Go ahead, Wolf.

BLITZER: Richard Roth at the United Nations. Thanks, Richard, very much.

Meanwhile, inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency got their first interview with a key Iraqi scientist, and he told them the United States is lying about its country's nuclear program.

Our senior international correspondent Nic Robertson has details now from Baghdad.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) Mahmoud said he was interviewed by the nuclear experts about the aluminum tubing that Iraq had been importing.

Now according to dossiers put forward by both the British and American governments, there was a possibility that this aluminum tubing could have been used as part of a centrifuge to enrich uranium as part of Iraq's nuclear weapons program.

The deputy director general of the al Rashid State Company says that this wasn't the case, that it told the inspectors that the tubing had been imported to make missiles. Also, U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell said two weeks ago at the U.N. Security Council that Iraq had been importing increasingly high -- more highly-specialized, higher tolerance aluminum tubing. This scientist saying that that wasn't the case. The specifications had remained the same.

One interesting point that he made, however, was that he said he would only go through the interview with an audio tape recorder. The reason he cited for that was that in 1993, an interview with a U.N. weapons inspectors then, he said, had been quoted out of context.

Now, it is only the nuclear weapons experts here that are allowing Iraqi scientists to go through the interviews with tape recorders. The chemical, biological and missile experts here are still refusing to allow Iraqi scientists to use audiotape recorders in interviews. And for that reason, for the last 10 days, those chemical, biological, and missile experts have not been able to interview any Iraqi scientist.

Nic Robertson, CNN, Baghdad.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: When the first President Bush put together a coalition that defeated Iraq in the Persian Gulf War a dozen years ago, Dan Quayle, of course, was at his right hand. The former vice president is joining us now, live from Phoenix, Arizona.

Mr. Vice President, thanks once again, for joining us. As you take a look right now at this situation, is there any way, in your opinion, a war with Iraq can be avoided?

DAN QUAYLE, FORMER VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: It's going to be very problematic. Two things could happen.

One, he could go into exile which has been discussed, and I'm sure people are talking to him on a continuous basis.

Secondly, he could change his mind and show that he is going to disarm.

My judgment is he will do neither of those. And unfortunately, it looks like we are going to have to use force to enforce these U.N. resolutions. And we'll be talking about, in a few weeks or months, what the post-Saddam regime in Iraq's going to look like.

BLITZER: So far, the current President Bush doesn't seem to have created the kind of coalition that you and the first President Bush put together before the Persian Gulf War. Even close allies like Germany, France, Belgium, not yet onboard.

What's the problem, in your opinion?

QUAYLE: This is a far more challenging, and very complex situation, compared to what President Bush's father had to deal with. Ours was a case of expelling the Iraqi military from Kuwait. There had been an invasion of one country into another country. It was the first post-Cold War crisis. It had to be resolved, and resolved correctly.

The objective there was simply to get him out of Kuwait. It was not to capture Saddam Hussein. It was not to go to Baghdad. And therefore, the military objective was much easier achieved than this military objective, which will be to see a regime change.

And I could say this, that no President wants to make that decision to go to war, to use force, to put our men and women into harm's way. President Bush, if he uses force, it will be done very reluctantly, but this is what leadership is all about.

But the situation today is more complex, and you also have a different world today. You've got the European situation, and I can speak of the German situation. I think Chancellor Schroeder has always been somewhat envious of the United States, has always had a little bit of the anti-Americanism even when he was in the Bundestag coming up the ranks. And I don't think he really reflects the majority of German people.

On the other hand, I think Chirac does reflect the majority of the French people, and their lack of support for United States.

But watch, Wolf. Watch this change, because I think that they will eventually come to a position where they will not oppose what President Bush is going to have to do.

I use the words not oppose. Not necessarily support, but not oppose.

BLITZER: They won't necessarily stand in the way. France won't necessarily use its veto, is what you're suggesting.

QUAYLE: Well...

BLITZER: But let me get back to one of the points you just made. Because even a dozen years later, people don't understand. And you've heard this, I'm sure, before. Why didn't your administration finish the job after Kuwait was liberated? That was the objective, but there was a conventional wisdom at that time that the people of Iraq would simply rise up and overthrow Saddam Hussein.

There were uprisings from the Shiites in the south, the Kurds in the north. But the Bush administration, at that time, apparently, at least what the historians are now writing, didn't give them enough support to go ahead and eliminate Saddam Hussein.

QUAYLE: Well, let me answer that for you. There's a couple of steps I have to take you through.

First, and you know this, you've had it reported, the objective was to get the Iraqi armed forces and military out of Kuwait. There was never a stated objective to have a regime change, to get Saddam Hussein.

As a matter of fact, Wolf, there was an agreement among the international coalition, and in particular the Arab countries, that Saddam Hussein would not be a specific target, that we would not have the objective of going in and getting him.

That was agreed upon, putting the coalition together. We didn't think that we'd have to go get him. We thought the Iraqi people, as you said, would take care of that.

So anyway, that was the objective going in, and there was never any recommendation from the military, there was never any recommendation from the political leaders inside the Bush administration, that we should, in fact, go after Saddam Hussein.

And there's been a lot of reporting that, you know, some of the generals recommended this. That's not the case. You know, I was there. I know what the chain of command is. I know what the recommendations were, and I know what the decision was.

Now, going forward. Right after the close of the war, the 100- hour War, once the ground campaign started, there was an uprising in the southwest part of Iraq, and the Shiites were moving. And in hindsight, you could go back and say, Well, perhaps we should have been a little bit more helpful. And in hindsight, you could probably say a few other things.

And I'm going to choose my words very carefully here. Because if we had known that Saddam Hussein would be in power 11, 12 years later; if we had known that he was pursuing and was as close to getting the nuclear weapon and had as much stockpile in the chemical and biological weapons as we found after we got the inspectors in there, there may have been a different decision from the get go. There may have been a different decision, as we put the coalition together, saying that Saddam Hussein cannot stay in power.

But those are things we didn't know at the time the decision was made. And I think that President Bush the first, 41, as we affectionately call it, made absolutely the right decision, and nobody's second guessing that decision.

BLITZER: Mr. Vice President, we only have a few seconds left. But how important is it, this time around, to either capture, arrest, if you will, Saddam Hussein, or kill him?

QUAYLE: It's imperative.

And in fact, there will be a regime change. You can't be half- hearted about this. Once we go, and it looks like we are going to go unless the two things, exile or he just totally changes his mind on disarmament, Saddam Hussein will have to go. There'll have to be a regime change. Anything less than that will not be successful.

The most challenging aspect will not be getting Saddam Hussein out of power. I think the most challenging aspect, putting Iraq back together, getting some semblance of democracy and seeing what the post-Saddam regime looks like.

BLITZER: Yesterday, General Wesley Clark, the former NATO commander, predicted a two-week war. What do you think?

QUAYLE: I hope it that short. It could be a little bit longer, but I think the military objective of getting Saddam Hussein will be achieved. I don't think it's going to be as easy as some have indicated on your show and other statements.

War has -- is always unpredictable. And, yes, we have the rosy scenario that it's going to be quick and easy and a matter of days. I hope so, but I won't be terribly surprised if it takes us a little bit longer.

BLITZER: Vice President Dan Quayle, the former vice president of the United States, recalling what happened a dozen years ago. Always good to speak with you, Mr. Vice President, thanks very much.

QUAYLE: Thank you.

BLITZER: Thank you.

And here's your chance to weigh in on the story. Our "Web Question of the Day" is this: "Do you strongly support US military action against Iraq? Strongly oppose it? Or are you somewhere in between?" We'll have the results later in this broadcast. Please vote at cnn.com/wolf.

And while you're there, I'd like 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, of course, where you can read my daily online column, cnn.com/wolf.

A man under suspicion for the disappearance of his wife has his home searched once again. Is this a break in the case of Laci Peterson, or is her husband Scott being unfairly targeted? We'll go live to Modesto.

Also, subway inferno. More than 200 dead or missing. Find out what police know about the suspect.

And credit card theft on a massive scale. Millions of victims. Could you be one of them? Find out what you can do to protect yourself.

All that, but first, today's "News Quiz."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

(voice-over): Which branch of the US military has the most troops in the Persian Gulf right now? Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines? The answer, coming up.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) BLITZER: Welcome back.

In what could be a significant development, police searched the home of Laci Peterson once again today, for only the second time since she disappeared Christmas Eve.

CNN's Rusty Dornin is in Modesto, California, and she has details -- Rusty.

RUSTY DORNIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, as you said, this is the second time since Laci Peterson disappeared on Christmas Eve that Modesto police detectives have knocked on Scott Peterson's door armed with a search warrant.

Apparently he did answer the door. He has been very cooperative and stayed around the house in the front yard while the investigators began their search.

They did impound, however, a truck that he bought about two weeks ago and took that away. Otherwise, they've been here about six hours. Police say, still, he is not a suspect, but he has not been eliminated, either.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DOUG RIDENOUR, DETECTIVE, MODESTO POLICE: Mr. Peterson is not in custody, nor was he taken anywhere. He took a few items, both work related and personal, and left the area while we were searching his home.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DORNIN: What was interesting, was about an hour ago, Scott Peterson returned driving an SUV and handed police a piece of paper. Perhaps it had to do with the search warrant. We're not really sure. Drove off and did not take any more questions.

Now we've had the van here, police van collecting evidence has been here all day. We've seen them put folders in, bags, grocery bags filled with what -- we're not sure what, police are not saying what. Meantime a collection of journalists broadcast in front, and, of course, neighbors and curiosity seekers have gathered.

Reporters here say they did see Amy Rocha, Laci's sister, go into the house with investigators. That was about two hours ago. We have not seen her come out yet.

What has been so interesting about all of this, Wolf, was the impoundment of this vehicle that Scott Peterson bought at a dealership five weeks after his wife disappeared -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Rusty Dornin with the latest from Modesto on this tragic story. Thanks very much, Rusty, for that information.

Joining me now from the CNN Center to talk a little bit more about what this late development means, CNN's Mike Brooks, himself a former police detective.

Mike what do you make? Is this simply trying to squeeze Scott Peterson a bit?

MIKE BROOKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, the first search warrant was served on December 22nd, two days after Laci's disappearance. Now, almost two months later, we have a second. And they're calling it a follow-up search warrant, but very interesting.

I also find it very interesting, too, that Laci's sister came over. Talking to some other investigators today who are still active in law enforcement, we were bantering around, what does this mean? What does the second search warrant mean?

To us, and to me, it means that most likely they have stumbled upon something, and they're going in and looking for some specific, more information, inside of the house.

Now, they were there a long time. So, and as Rusty said, they took out some folders and grocery bags. What they usually do with grocery bags is, if there's some physical evidence, they will take that, put it into grocery bags, and then take it out. Just because if there's anything wet, or something like that, the brown paper is used by evidence technicians all the time.

But again, and his car only two weeks old. That also is interesting why they took the car. Now -- but again, his -- and his car only two weeks old. That's -- that also is interesting, why they took the car. Do they -- there's a lot of different angles we could go with, but it would be pure speculation. I don't like to speculate, but I find it very interesting that they did serve another warrant. And again, keeping in mind, that there has to be some probable cause for the judge to sign a second search warrant.

BLITZER: Well, I was going to pick up on exactly that point.

In order to get a search warrant, or get a judge to sign off on a search warrant, probable cause. How much probable cause do they need to go back into that house?

BROOKS: Quite a bit.

You know, and the warrant itself will be very specific look about what they're looking for. It sounds like they were looking on the grounds again, in the shed, his car. So these were probably all listed in the search warrant and he brought some piece of paper back, and maybe it was, again speculation, something that they asked him to go get.

A lot of questions remain unanswered, Wolf. And law enforcement, they're being particularly mum in this case, which is also very interesting.

BLITZER: All right. Mike Brooks with a little bit more insight for us on this Laci Peterson mystery. Thanks very much, Mike, for that useful information. When we come back, 21 dead at a Chicago nightclub. A judge weighs in on the issue of criminal contempt. We'll have a live report.

Also, terror underground. Why did a man throw a firebomb into a crowded subway car? We'll have details.

And how the Air Force Academy handles reports of sexual assault. We'll look at the case of five cadets. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(INTERRUPTED BY CNN COVERAGE OF BREAKING NEWS)

BLITZER: And it's a shocking story; 120 people are believed dead in South Korea after a man who may have been mentally ill started a fire on a crowded subway train.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

(voice-over): In South Korea's third largest city, the morning commute in one instant became every subway rider's nightmare.

As many as 600 people were on trains or in the subway station in Daegu, when a fire reported to have been ignited by a single suspect, engulfed one train, then spread to a passing train. A power failure kept the doors from opening in some cars, trapping passengers inside.

The victims died from burns, trampling, and suffocation. Witnesses say the suspect lit a container filled with some kind of liquid.

The man was playing with a cigarette lighter, said this witness. An elderly person asked him not to do so and pushed him. Suddenly the man dropped the lighter and a fire started.

Police have interrogated the suspect at a local hospital where he was treated. He's described as a man in his 50s, and officials are looking into reports that he is mentally unstable.

At the scene, firefighters managed to rescue more than 100 people, but could not get to many others because of intense heat and toxic fumes. Some trapped victims reportedly called loved ones on cell phones during their final moments.

Some bodies are burned beyond recognition. The final death count may not be known until police can collect DNA evidence in the coming days.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: Here in the United States, a Chicago judge says authorities will have to produce more evidence before he'll OK criminal charges against the owners of the E2 nightclub. Twenty-one people died in the stampede at the club. Our Chicago bureau chief Jeff Flock is joining us once again with more on that -- Jeff.

JEFF FLOCK, BUREAU CHIEF, CNN CHICAGO: Indeed, Wolf, something of a surprise here today. The city had gone into court today and asked that the judge hold the owners of the E2 nightclub in criminal contempt.

He flew in the face of that, and said that he would have to have more evidence if he was to do that.

Taking it back to the scene here early yesterday morning. It is a scene that city attorneys in Chicago as well as the mayor said should never have happened. Because Mayor Richard Daly, who himself lost his mother to a stroke two days ago, emerged today to say, essentially, the club owners were responsible, and he asked that they be held in criminal contempt of an order that ordered them to shut the club down.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RICHARD DALY, MAYOR, CHICAGO: The city will go to court today to file criminal contempt charges against the owners of the club which was operating in violation of a court order that was issued last July, citing a number of building code violations.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FLOCK: But as this makeshift memorial outside the club grows, the plot thickened. The Chicago judge that they asked to hold the owners in criminal contempt decided to not do that. He said he needed more evidence, and the case was not clear.

That did not stop, however, the city's corporation counsel from coming out and saying that this club had not been cooperative with the city at all and they were still guilty in the city's eyes.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARA GEORGES, CITY CORPORATION COUNSEL: But if the city put a padlock on the doors, they would have cut the padlock. If the city put a sign on the door, they would have cut down the sign. Obviously these people were intent on breaking the law. And they broke the law.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FLOCK: Wolf, real quick, here is the dispute. The court order says you can't operate the second floor of the club. As you can see, there's a -- on the first floor, a restaurant. The second floor is where the club is. But the club says its understanding is the second floor of the club itself, which is the second floor of the second floor. That appears to be the dispute.

That's the latest from here, Wolf. Back to you.

BLITZER: Thanks very much, Jeff Flock. This is such a chilling story. I can't even think about it, but I appreciate your reporting. Thanks very much.

Chemical attack drills in the desert. We'll take you to Kuwait where U.S. troops are preparing for war. Will they be protected against a worst-case scenario?

Plus, blaming the victims. Accusation of rape and cover-up at the U.S. Air Force Academy. And a diet supplement implicated in the deaths of an Orioles pitching prospect. Find out what may have contributed to the sudden death of a right-hander at spring training when we come back.

You're watching CNN, the most trusted name in news.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): Earlier, we asked which branch of the U.S. military has the most troops in the Persian Gulf right now? The answer, Army. To date, there are almost 200,000 U.S. troops from all of the military branches in the Gulf region within striking distance of Iraq.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: Welcome back to CNN, I'm Wolf Blitzer. Coming up, the military buildup on a day -- and a day in the life of U.S. troops.

Find out how they're preparing for a chemical weapons attack.

(NEWS ALERT)

BLITZER: The man in charge of American troops on the ground in Kuwait tells CNN the U.S. military is ready if the call for a war against Iraq comes from the White House. In an interview with our Bill Hemmer, Lieutenant General David McKiernan says the battles this time around will be different from the Persian Gulf War and American troops would have a new focus.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LT. GEN. DAVID MCKIERNAN, U.S. ARMY: The military will be asked to find weapons of mass destruction and to be part of the process that takes those out of the hands of this regime and to disarm weapons of mass destruction...

BILL HEMMER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): Have you thought about...

MCKIERNAN: ... if we're called upon to execute this mission.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: As tens of thousands of U.S. troops play a waiting game in the Kuwaiti desert, they're also preparing for the what-ifs, including the possibility of chemical and biological warfare. CNN's Ryan Chilcote gives us a closer look at some of the training that's under way as part of our ongoing series, "The Military Buildup: A Day in The Life."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RYAN CHILCOTE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Chemical and biological training drills are now daily events.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All right. Go up to your buddy, put the mask right up to his face. He'll hold it for you, all right? Reach over, pull the head harness over his or her head.

CHILCOTE: Inspecting protective masks for pinholes, goggles for scratches, practicing how to put their mask on, the hood over it. The troops walk through it all first and then do it under the gun.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The mask, you have nine seconds to put it on and get it on properly. I guess it's kind of crazy if you're kind of rushing it and you could screw up. You could not. You just have to hurry up and deal with it.

CHILCOTE: They wear their masks on their leg. They know which hand they'll use to grab it...

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Is this in? OK.

CHILCOTE: ... which strap to tighten first and how to make sure there's a good seal. This is new and better gear, which allows servicemen to fight effectively than the gear available during the Gulf War. But it is still difficult to function while wearing it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have a straw on our mask that we can hook our canteens up to drink through. But as far as eating, we won't eat. And relieving ourselves, well, we just relief ourselves in our suit and unfortunately, as uncomfortable as that is, I guess it's better than being out in the chemical environment.

CHILCOTE: Just the prospect of getting what the servicemen called slimed by a nerve agent or any other agent is nerve-racking.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Gas! Gas! Gas!

CHILCOTE: Nine seconds can feel like an eternity, especially for the journalists who are also learning how to use this gear, for whom the benefit of training is quickly apparent.

Ryan Chilcote, CNN with the U.S. forces in Kuwait.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: Well, this is a deadly, deadly serious business. Tomorrow in our series, "The Military Buildup," we'll find how U.S. troops are spending their free time while they wait for a decision on war or peace. As always we want to hear from you. Our "Web Question of The Day" is this -- do you strongly support U.S. military action against Iraq: strongly oppose it or are you somewhere in between? We'll have the results later in this broadcast. Please vote at CNN.com/Wolf.

Snowed in and now digging out, the struggle to get back to normal from a storm that could cause millions to clean up. Most airports are up and running but not all are at full speed. Where are the travel tie-ups? We'll have all of that, but first a look at news making headlines around the world.

A new threat, as tensions continue to mount over North Korea's nuclear program, the north is threatening to abandon the 1953 Armistice Agreement that suspended the Korean War. The north says it fears a U.S. naval blockade and if it happens the 1953 agreement will be history.

Turnabout, here's a switch, a Gulf state warning its citizens about travel to the United States. Citing U.S. anti-terror measures the government of Oman says its citizens may be subject to what it called discriminatory and inappropriate treatment, such as fingerprinting. Even though Oman is a U.S. ally, it's warning its citizens against nonessential travel to the United States.

Hitting the beach, U.S. Marines joined Philippine troops in the training exercise, staging a mock hostage rescue on a Philippine beach. Philippine forces are fighting Muslim rebels who frequently kidnap civilians.

Out in front, the Swiss team has a 3-0 lead in the America's Cup yachting competition. It won today's race in the best of nine series with a 23-second win over defending champion, New Zealand.

Yoko, oh no! Here's another one of those items that will make baby boomers feel old. Yoko Ono, the widow of Beatle, John Lennon, turned 70 today. And that's our look around the world.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: We have a very disturbing story that's coming up right now. The Pentagon has ordered a review of how the Air Force Academy handles sexual assault allegations. That decision after some female cadets say they were reprimanded for reporting they were raped by classmates.

The investigative team at our Denver affiliate, KMGH, broke the story and their reporter, John Ferrugia (ph), has the latest.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): They were women with a dream, to be an Air Force officer.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I realized it was a crime and I wasn't even thinking about disciplinary problems at the academy.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But they say their dream ended when they were sexually assaulted by fellow cadets...

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Rape is murder of the soul.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: ... and they claimed they were abandoned by the academy.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: If you report you're crazy because nobody's going to believe you.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And even for those who stay, the message is clear.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The message is that rape is acceptable and don't say anything about it.

JOHN DALLAGER, AIR FORCE ACADEMY SUPT.: It's an issue that many people are very uncomfortable talking about, much less addressing from a professional standpoint.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: General John Dallager is superintendent of the Air Force Academy.

DALLAGER: But we're going to do that. We're not going to sweep it under the rug.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Since the Air Force became aware of our investigation; Dallager has been meeting with groups of cadets, including victims of sexual assault. And he has met more than once with the secretary of the Air Force and other high officials to figure out how to address what has become a major political and operational problem.

DALLAGER: They will be sending a team that will be arriving here later this week to take a look at -- from a soup to nuts approach, education, training, processes, et cetera...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Dealing with sexual assault?

DALLAGER: ... dealing with sexual assault.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What is clear is that under his command, there has been little effort to assess the overall problem of sexual assault. In fact, the administration doesn't even know the number of women cadets who have reported sexual assault to the academy's medical team.

DALLAGER: That is an area that, again, needs to be improved.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (on camera): On the survey, was there a question about -- have you ever been sexually assaulted?

DALLAGER: No.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): The general had the opportunity to find out the scope of the problem, putting out a sexual assault survey in mid-January. DALLAGER: That was not one of the questions and I'll be very candid and tell you that probably should have been a question.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: While the administration is aware of dozens of reported sects all assaults, only 20 cases were officially reported for investigation in the past seven years.

(on camera): How many cadets at this institution have been court-martialed for sexually assaulting another cadet?

DALLAGER: Cadet, assaulting another cadet, none that I'm aware of have been successfully or have been court-martialed.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Not one?

DALLAGER: Not one.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): So does the superintendent believe the women who reported sexual assault?

DALLAGER: Yes, we have no reason not to believe them.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (on camera): Is the program fair to women?

DALLAGER: And that's exactly what we have to look at and I would submit to you, based upon the feedback we're getting, that the expectations and even the intent of the effort, the realities of it, are falling short. So we need to take that on.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Does that mean changing the culture here?

DALLAGER: Oh, yes. Yes. I mean to me, culture, climate, atmosphere, education, training, perceptions, feedback, how the system works. That's a tough challenge, but we've addressed it and we're going to attempt to do better at it.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: That report from our affiliate reporter, John Ferrugia (ph) from KMGH in Denver.

And in response to the claims by the female cadets, the officer who has direct command over the cadet wing at the U.S. Air Force Academy tells CNN this -- and I'm quoting -- "Allegations that sexual misconduct goes unpunished at the Air Force Academy are unfounded and untrue. Each case is evaluated on its own merits with a view toward respecting the best interests of the Air Force, the victim and the accused."

That statement from Brigadier General Taco Gilbert, the commander of the 34th Training Wing. We'll continue to follow this story as well.

Heading east? Not so fast. Up next, Daryn Kagan's in Boston with your winter weather advisory. DARYN KAGAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, they are used to some snow, of course, in Boston, but 27 inches in the last 24 hours? It is a lot. It means people have to be creative about getting around. We're going to talk with some Bostonians ahead. In fact, we're going to change the name. We're going to call it the "Wolf Blizzard Show." More on that just ahead after the break.

BLITZER: Daryn Kagan, we'll change the name, too. Thanks very much.

Don't forget to vote on our "Web Question of The Day." Do you strongly support U.S. military action against Iraq: strongly oppose it or are you somewhere in between? Go to CNN.com/Wolf. That's where you can vote. Stay with CNN, you're watching the most trusted name for news.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: The Northeast is digging out from one of its worst winter storms ever. CNN's Daryn Kagan is joining us now live from Boston where it's still pretty bad, isn't it, Daryn?

KAGAN: It is still snowing, believe it or not, Wolf. You know I rode the train up from New York City this morning and I thought oh, Bostonians won't care about this; they're used to snow. But talking to some gals on the street, they have put it in perspective.

This is Julie and Elizabeth. And Julie, you explained to me, this snow that's almost as tall as you are, this wasn't here yesterday, any of it.

JULIE: No, none of it was here. This was huge for us.

KAGAN: And you had a surprise outside of your front door.

JULIE: Yes, I pretty much couldn't open the door to my apartment.

KAGAN: How'd you get out?

JULIE: I pushed with my boyfriend.

KAGAN: Love to have the boyfriend there. And Elizabeth, you had to cross country ski?

ELIZABETH: Yes, I put on my skis right outside my door and went all the way to work without stopping.

KAGAN: Amazing! But they are doing it with a smile on their face. This is a people -- just the Bostonians making it is best of it that they can, having a good attitude, of course, not this year in New England and in Boston. But it's been a problem up and down across the East Coast. Let's take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) KAGAN (voice-over): From the White House, to the United Nations, it all looks pretty much the same. After the snow piled up, people were cleaning up.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I dug out yesterday, but woke up this morning and it was back to square one.

KAGAN: Boston was the last big city to be hit before the snow pushed out to sea. Logan Airport got 27.5 inches of snow. That's the biggest accumulation since the city started keeping records back in 1892. Still, the mayor says this storm wasn't as bad as the blizzard of '78.

MAYOR TOM MENINO, BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS: Yes, we did have a record snowfall, but I believe the city of Boston can pull this off in good shape. We didn't have the winds. We didn't have the water that we had in '78.

KAGAN: A roof on an industrial building collapsed in Hopedale, Massachusetts, causing one injury.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The buildings collapsed from 15 feet to the ground and then there's a 10-foot snow load on top of the collapsed roof.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Boy, you were describing the inside of the building?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Everything's crushed right down to the ground.

KAGAN: Government offices in Washington remained close asked and there were school closings from West Virginia to Connecticut. More than 30 deaths are blamed on the storm. Two children were found dead in the snow-covered car in northeast Baltimore. A third child, who was hospitalized, says he and his friends were listening to CDs inside the car when they lost consciousness. East Coast airports began to reopen today, but many passengers continued to wait.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My wife and daughter got out on the 7:15 flight yesterday morning. They were the last two seats. I was supposed to follow at 2:40. They're in Tampa. I'm watching snow, hoping to get out today.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How long have you been here?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Since 10:00 yesterday morning.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What have you been doing?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Walking around, standing in lines, reading, drinking coffee. We had a nice meal in the middle of the afternoon, you know.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So try to make the best of it.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What else can you do?

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: And it is still snowing. Wolf, real quickly, I just want to show you something that Mayor Menino himself showed me. This is what's working in their favor here in Boston. See the snow? It's the light, loose, fluffy stuff made it much easier for them to clean up than it would have been like the heavy, really wet snow. They're thankful to Mother Nature at least for that. Back to you.

BLITZER: Daryn Kagan from Los Angeles who knows nothing about snow, thrust into the middle...

KAGAN: Nothing!

BLITZER: ... of the snowstorm. Daryn Kagan, thanks very much for that report.

Airports closed by the storm are operating once again, but delays and cancellations abound. The FAA says traffic destined for Boston's Logan International, New York's La Guardia, Philadelphia International and Washington Dulles being delayed at departure points. You're advised to check your departure airport to see if your flight is affected. A good chance it probably still is.

Don't forget, time's running out for your turn to weigh in on our "Web Question of The Day." Do you strongly support U.S. military action against Iraq, strongly oppose it or are you somewhere in between? Log on to CNN.com/Wolf. That's where you vote and we'll have the results immediately, and I say, immediately when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: In our "Picture of The Day," nature's fury in a tropical setting. Firefighters in Hawaii have their hands full battling flames sparked by lava from the Kilauea volcano. The Chain of Craters Road that leads to Kilauea has reopened one day after it was shut down by a brushfire. Pretty spectacular.

Here's how you're weighing in on our "Web Question of The Day." Remember we've been asking you -- do you strongly support U.S. military action against Iraq, strongly oppose it or are somewhere in between? Look at this, 47 percent of you support, 46 percent of you oppose, seven percent somewhere in between. You can find the exact vote tally, continue to vote, by the way, on our web page, CNN.com/Wolf. Remember this, is not a scientific poll.

That's all of the time we have today. Please join me again tomorrow at 5:00 p.m. Eastern. Don't forget "SHOWDOWN: IRAQ" weekdays at noon Eastern.

Thanks very much for watching. "LOU DOBBS MONEYLINE" is up next. Jan Hopkins filling in for Lou tonight.

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







Aired February 18, 2003 - 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: It's Wednesday, February 18, 2003. I'm Wolf Blitzer in Washington.
Some of the top stories making headlines right now.

Modesto police searching the home of Scott Peterson; his pregnant wife Laci disappeared Christmas Eve. Police say he's not a suspect, but he hasn't been eliminated either. We'll go live to Modesto for the latest in this investigation.

And subway inferno. It's every commuter's nightmare. At least 120 people are dead. Find out what police are saying about the lone suspect.

But first, an escalation in the war of words with Iraq.

President Bush's trying to move the showdown with Iraq to the next phase. The administration could start circulating a new war resolution at the U.N., perhaps even as early as tomorrow. But many members are not sharing the President's enthusiasm.

We have two reports. CNN's Chris Burns is over at the White House. Our senior U.N. correspondent Richard Roth is at the United Nations in New York.

Let's begin with Chris Burns -- Chris.

CHRIS BURNS, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, the Bush administration digging in its heels, even though its chief ally, Britain, is facing some serious vox pop pressure.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BURNS (voice-over): After millions took to the streets around the world over the weekend, President Bush tries to keep the threat of war on track, and defend his leading ally, British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Any time somebody shows courage, and when it comes to peace, that the people will eventually understand that.

First of all, you know, decides by protests is like, I'm going to decide policy based upon a focus group. The role of a leader is to decide policy based upon the security, in this case, the security of the people. BURNS: But Bush and Blair appear to differ on the importance of a new U.N. Security Council resolution before attacking Iraq, one that would declare Baghdad in material breach of resolution 1441, aimed at scrapping any weapons of mass destruction.

BUSH: The second resolution would be useful. We don't need a second resolution.

TONY BLAIR, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: I still believe that we should have a second resolution. I believe that for a very clear reason: 1441 either has to be followed through and implemented, or it's going to be ignored.

BURNS: And Turkey's support is looking shakier. Ankara is reportedly holding out for billions more in aid before letting in U.S. forces that could invade northern Iraq. U.S. officials are considering a Plan B for such an invasion, just in case.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BURNS: So despite the setbacks for the Bush administration in the last few days, they are pressing ahead for a new resolution. They are expressing confidence that they can, President Bush leaving it up to the diplomats to handle the wordsmithing -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Chris Burns at the White House. Thanks, Chris, for that report.

Over at the United Nations, nonaligned countries and others are getting a chance to voice their opinions on the showdown with Iraq.

For more on that, we turn once again to our senior U.N. correspondent, Richard Roth -- Richard.

RICHARD ROTH, CNN SENIOR U.N. CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Wolf.

Friday the members of the Security Council went at it in public session on Iraq policy. Now it's the turn of the nonmembers of the Security Council.

We can take a look now, live, inside the Security Council. Brazil is speaking. Turkey just followed up. Of course, these nonaligned members and other developing countries, a huge majority favor going along with the inspection process and diplomacy, and not towards war.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DUMISANI SHADRACK KUMALO, SOUTH AFRICAN AMBASSADOR TO THE U.N.: How long the inspections should be allowed to continue in Iraq? We would wish to remind that there are no time limitations stipulated for inspections in Resolution 1441.

JAVAD ZARIF, IRANIAN AMBASSADOR TO THE U.N.: We are increasingly hearing that the United Nations should show backbone and courage, or become an irrelevant talking society. (END VIDEO CLIP)

ROTH: Well, Iranian Ambassador Zarif there would disagree with President Bush's call to have the U.N. be backbone and show some strength. Many of the Council members heard applause from the other members of this U.N. on Friday.

As for Iraq, well, Iraq's ambassador, Mohamad Aldouri delivered a speech full with some of the old rhetoric, but also challenging the other members of the U.N. to come to its aid.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MOHAMMED ALDOURI, IRAQI AMBASSADOR TO THE U.N. (through translator): We call upon all of the member states to shoulder their responsibilities. And in particular the member states of the Security Council to show their responsibility in accordance to the U.N. charter, which emphasizes the peaceful solution.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROTH: Here at the Security Council, though, the real work will be in the hallways on whether there will indeed be a second Security Council resolution. U.S. and U.K. diplomats have been meeting. There may be a resolution that's presented to the council later this week, of course, Wolf, that could slip.

Meanwhile, Chief Weapons Inspector Hans Blix has met with several countries, including Russia, Germany and the United States.

Go ahead, Wolf.

BLITZER: Richard Roth at the United Nations. Thanks, Richard, very much.

Meanwhile, inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency got their first interview with a key Iraqi scientist, and he told them the United States is lying about its country's nuclear program.

Our senior international correspondent Nic Robertson has details now from Baghdad.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) Mahmoud said he was interviewed by the nuclear experts about the aluminum tubing that Iraq had been importing.

Now according to dossiers put forward by both the British and American governments, there was a possibility that this aluminum tubing could have been used as part of a centrifuge to enrich uranium as part of Iraq's nuclear weapons program.

The deputy director general of the al Rashid State Company says that this wasn't the case, that it told the inspectors that the tubing had been imported to make missiles. Also, U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell said two weeks ago at the U.N. Security Council that Iraq had been importing increasingly high -- more highly-specialized, higher tolerance aluminum tubing. This scientist saying that that wasn't the case. The specifications had remained the same.

One interesting point that he made, however, was that he said he would only go through the interview with an audio tape recorder. The reason he cited for that was that in 1993, an interview with a U.N. weapons inspectors then, he said, had been quoted out of context.

Now, it is only the nuclear weapons experts here that are allowing Iraqi scientists to go through the interviews with tape recorders. The chemical, biological and missile experts here are still refusing to allow Iraqi scientists to use audiotape recorders in interviews. And for that reason, for the last 10 days, those chemical, biological, and missile experts have not been able to interview any Iraqi scientist.

Nic Robertson, CNN, Baghdad.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: When the first President Bush put together a coalition that defeated Iraq in the Persian Gulf War a dozen years ago, Dan Quayle, of course, was at his right hand. The former vice president is joining us now, live from Phoenix, Arizona.

Mr. Vice President, thanks once again, for joining us. As you take a look right now at this situation, is there any way, in your opinion, a war with Iraq can be avoided?

DAN QUAYLE, FORMER VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: It's going to be very problematic. Two things could happen.

One, he could go into exile which has been discussed, and I'm sure people are talking to him on a continuous basis.

Secondly, he could change his mind and show that he is going to disarm.

My judgment is he will do neither of those. And unfortunately, it looks like we are going to have to use force to enforce these U.N. resolutions. And we'll be talking about, in a few weeks or months, what the post-Saddam regime in Iraq's going to look like.

BLITZER: So far, the current President Bush doesn't seem to have created the kind of coalition that you and the first President Bush put together before the Persian Gulf War. Even close allies like Germany, France, Belgium, not yet onboard.

What's the problem, in your opinion?

QUAYLE: This is a far more challenging, and very complex situation, compared to what President Bush's father had to deal with. Ours was a case of expelling the Iraqi military from Kuwait. There had been an invasion of one country into another country. It was the first post-Cold War crisis. It had to be resolved, and resolved correctly.

The objective there was simply to get him out of Kuwait. It was not to capture Saddam Hussein. It was not to go to Baghdad. And therefore, the military objective was much easier achieved than this military objective, which will be to see a regime change.

And I could say this, that no President wants to make that decision to go to war, to use force, to put our men and women into harm's way. President Bush, if he uses force, it will be done very reluctantly, but this is what leadership is all about.

But the situation today is more complex, and you also have a different world today. You've got the European situation, and I can speak of the German situation. I think Chancellor Schroeder has always been somewhat envious of the United States, has always had a little bit of the anti-Americanism even when he was in the Bundestag coming up the ranks. And I don't think he really reflects the majority of German people.

On the other hand, I think Chirac does reflect the majority of the French people, and their lack of support for United States.

But watch, Wolf. Watch this change, because I think that they will eventually come to a position where they will not oppose what President Bush is going to have to do.

I use the words not oppose. Not necessarily support, but not oppose.

BLITZER: They won't necessarily stand in the way. France won't necessarily use its veto, is what you're suggesting.

QUAYLE: Well...

BLITZER: But let me get back to one of the points you just made. Because even a dozen years later, people don't understand. And you've heard this, I'm sure, before. Why didn't your administration finish the job after Kuwait was liberated? That was the objective, but there was a conventional wisdom at that time that the people of Iraq would simply rise up and overthrow Saddam Hussein.

There were uprisings from the Shiites in the south, the Kurds in the north. But the Bush administration, at that time, apparently, at least what the historians are now writing, didn't give them enough support to go ahead and eliminate Saddam Hussein.

QUAYLE: Well, let me answer that for you. There's a couple of steps I have to take you through.

First, and you know this, you've had it reported, the objective was to get the Iraqi armed forces and military out of Kuwait. There was never a stated objective to have a regime change, to get Saddam Hussein.

As a matter of fact, Wolf, there was an agreement among the international coalition, and in particular the Arab countries, that Saddam Hussein would not be a specific target, that we would not have the objective of going in and getting him.

That was agreed upon, putting the coalition together. We didn't think that we'd have to go get him. We thought the Iraqi people, as you said, would take care of that.

So anyway, that was the objective going in, and there was never any recommendation from the military, there was never any recommendation from the political leaders inside the Bush administration, that we should, in fact, go after Saddam Hussein.

And there's been a lot of reporting that, you know, some of the generals recommended this. That's not the case. You know, I was there. I know what the chain of command is. I know what the recommendations were, and I know what the decision was.

Now, going forward. Right after the close of the war, the 100- hour War, once the ground campaign started, there was an uprising in the southwest part of Iraq, and the Shiites were moving. And in hindsight, you could go back and say, Well, perhaps we should have been a little bit more helpful. And in hindsight, you could probably say a few other things.

And I'm going to choose my words very carefully here. Because if we had known that Saddam Hussein would be in power 11, 12 years later; if we had known that he was pursuing and was as close to getting the nuclear weapon and had as much stockpile in the chemical and biological weapons as we found after we got the inspectors in there, there may have been a different decision from the get go. There may have been a different decision, as we put the coalition together, saying that Saddam Hussein cannot stay in power.

But those are things we didn't know at the time the decision was made. And I think that President Bush the first, 41, as we affectionately call it, made absolutely the right decision, and nobody's second guessing that decision.

BLITZER: Mr. Vice President, we only have a few seconds left. But how important is it, this time around, to either capture, arrest, if you will, Saddam Hussein, or kill him?

QUAYLE: It's imperative.

And in fact, there will be a regime change. You can't be half- hearted about this. Once we go, and it looks like we are going to go unless the two things, exile or he just totally changes his mind on disarmament, Saddam Hussein will have to go. There'll have to be a regime change. Anything less than that will not be successful.

The most challenging aspect will not be getting Saddam Hussein out of power. I think the most challenging aspect, putting Iraq back together, getting some semblance of democracy and seeing what the post-Saddam regime looks like.

BLITZER: Yesterday, General Wesley Clark, the former NATO commander, predicted a two-week war. What do you think?

QUAYLE: I hope it that short. It could be a little bit longer, but I think the military objective of getting Saddam Hussein will be achieved. I don't think it's going to be as easy as some have indicated on your show and other statements.

War has -- is always unpredictable. And, yes, we have the rosy scenario that it's going to be quick and easy and a matter of days. I hope so, but I won't be terribly surprised if it takes us a little bit longer.

BLITZER: Vice President Dan Quayle, the former vice president of the United States, recalling what happened a dozen years ago. Always good to speak with you, Mr. Vice President, thanks very much.

QUAYLE: Thank you.

BLITZER: Thank you.

And here's your chance to weigh in on the story. Our "Web Question of the Day" is this: "Do you strongly support US military action against Iraq? Strongly oppose it? Or are you somewhere in between?" We'll have the results later in this broadcast. Please vote at cnn.com/wolf.

And while you're there, I'd like 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, of course, where you can read my daily online column, cnn.com/wolf.

A man under suspicion for the disappearance of his wife has his home searched once again. Is this a break in the case of Laci Peterson, or is her husband Scott being unfairly targeted? We'll go live to Modesto.

Also, subway inferno. More than 200 dead or missing. Find out what police know about the suspect.

And credit card theft on a massive scale. Millions of victims. Could you be one of them? Find out what you can do to protect yourself.

All that, but first, today's "News Quiz."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

(voice-over): Which branch of the US military has the most troops in the Persian Gulf right now? Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines? The answer, coming up.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) BLITZER: Welcome back.

In what could be a significant development, police searched the home of Laci Peterson once again today, for only the second time since she disappeared Christmas Eve.

CNN's Rusty Dornin is in Modesto, California, and she has details -- Rusty.

RUSTY DORNIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, as you said, this is the second time since Laci Peterson disappeared on Christmas Eve that Modesto police detectives have knocked on Scott Peterson's door armed with a search warrant.

Apparently he did answer the door. He has been very cooperative and stayed around the house in the front yard while the investigators began their search.

They did impound, however, a truck that he bought about two weeks ago and took that away. Otherwise, they've been here about six hours. Police say, still, he is not a suspect, but he has not been eliminated, either.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DOUG RIDENOUR, DETECTIVE, MODESTO POLICE: Mr. Peterson is not in custody, nor was he taken anywhere. He took a few items, both work related and personal, and left the area while we were searching his home.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DORNIN: What was interesting, was about an hour ago, Scott Peterson returned driving an SUV and handed police a piece of paper. Perhaps it had to do with the search warrant. We're not really sure. Drove off and did not take any more questions.

Now we've had the van here, police van collecting evidence has been here all day. We've seen them put folders in, bags, grocery bags filled with what -- we're not sure what, police are not saying what. Meantime a collection of journalists broadcast in front, and, of course, neighbors and curiosity seekers have gathered.

Reporters here say they did see Amy Rocha, Laci's sister, go into the house with investigators. That was about two hours ago. We have not seen her come out yet.

What has been so interesting about all of this, Wolf, was the impoundment of this vehicle that Scott Peterson bought at a dealership five weeks after his wife disappeared -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Rusty Dornin with the latest from Modesto on this tragic story. Thanks very much, Rusty, for that information.

Joining me now from the CNN Center to talk a little bit more about what this late development means, CNN's Mike Brooks, himself a former police detective.

Mike what do you make? Is this simply trying to squeeze Scott Peterson a bit?

MIKE BROOKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, the first search warrant was served on December 22nd, two days after Laci's disappearance. Now, almost two months later, we have a second. And they're calling it a follow-up search warrant, but very interesting.

I also find it very interesting, too, that Laci's sister came over. Talking to some other investigators today who are still active in law enforcement, we were bantering around, what does this mean? What does the second search warrant mean?

To us, and to me, it means that most likely they have stumbled upon something, and they're going in and looking for some specific, more information, inside of the house.

Now, they were there a long time. So, and as Rusty said, they took out some folders and grocery bags. What they usually do with grocery bags is, if there's some physical evidence, they will take that, put it into grocery bags, and then take it out. Just because if there's anything wet, or something like that, the brown paper is used by evidence technicians all the time.

But again, and his car only two weeks old. That also is interesting why they took the car. Now -- but again, his -- and his car only two weeks old. That's -- that also is interesting, why they took the car. Do they -- there's a lot of different angles we could go with, but it would be pure speculation. I don't like to speculate, but I find it very interesting that they did serve another warrant. And again, keeping in mind, that there has to be some probable cause for the judge to sign a second search warrant.

BLITZER: Well, I was going to pick up on exactly that point.

In order to get a search warrant, or get a judge to sign off on a search warrant, probable cause. How much probable cause do they need to go back into that house?

BROOKS: Quite a bit.

You know, and the warrant itself will be very specific look about what they're looking for. It sounds like they were looking on the grounds again, in the shed, his car. So these were probably all listed in the search warrant and he brought some piece of paper back, and maybe it was, again speculation, something that they asked him to go get.

A lot of questions remain unanswered, Wolf. And law enforcement, they're being particularly mum in this case, which is also very interesting.

BLITZER: All right. Mike Brooks with a little bit more insight for us on this Laci Peterson mystery. Thanks very much, Mike, for that useful information. When we come back, 21 dead at a Chicago nightclub. A judge weighs in on the issue of criminal contempt. We'll have a live report.

Also, terror underground. Why did a man throw a firebomb into a crowded subway car? We'll have details.

And how the Air Force Academy handles reports of sexual assault. We'll look at the case of five cadets. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(INTERRUPTED BY CNN COVERAGE OF BREAKING NEWS)

BLITZER: And it's a shocking story; 120 people are believed dead in South Korea after a man who may have been mentally ill started a fire on a crowded subway train.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

(voice-over): In South Korea's third largest city, the morning commute in one instant became every subway rider's nightmare.

As many as 600 people were on trains or in the subway station in Daegu, when a fire reported to have been ignited by a single suspect, engulfed one train, then spread to a passing train. A power failure kept the doors from opening in some cars, trapping passengers inside.

The victims died from burns, trampling, and suffocation. Witnesses say the suspect lit a container filled with some kind of liquid.

The man was playing with a cigarette lighter, said this witness. An elderly person asked him not to do so and pushed him. Suddenly the man dropped the lighter and a fire started.

Police have interrogated the suspect at a local hospital where he was treated. He's described as a man in his 50s, and officials are looking into reports that he is mentally unstable.

At the scene, firefighters managed to rescue more than 100 people, but could not get to many others because of intense heat and toxic fumes. Some trapped victims reportedly called loved ones on cell phones during their final moments.

Some bodies are burned beyond recognition. The final death count may not be known until police can collect DNA evidence in the coming days.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: Here in the United States, a Chicago judge says authorities will have to produce more evidence before he'll OK criminal charges against the owners of the E2 nightclub. Twenty-one people died in the stampede at the club. Our Chicago bureau chief Jeff Flock is joining us once again with more on that -- Jeff.

JEFF FLOCK, BUREAU CHIEF, CNN CHICAGO: Indeed, Wolf, something of a surprise here today. The city had gone into court today and asked that the judge hold the owners of the E2 nightclub in criminal contempt.

He flew in the face of that, and said that he would have to have more evidence if he was to do that.

Taking it back to the scene here early yesterday morning. It is a scene that city attorneys in Chicago as well as the mayor said should never have happened. Because Mayor Richard Daly, who himself lost his mother to a stroke two days ago, emerged today to say, essentially, the club owners were responsible, and he asked that they be held in criminal contempt of an order that ordered them to shut the club down.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RICHARD DALY, MAYOR, CHICAGO: The city will go to court today to file criminal contempt charges against the owners of the club which was operating in violation of a court order that was issued last July, citing a number of building code violations.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FLOCK: But as this makeshift memorial outside the club grows, the plot thickened. The Chicago judge that they asked to hold the owners in criminal contempt decided to not do that. He said he needed more evidence, and the case was not clear.

That did not stop, however, the city's corporation counsel from coming out and saying that this club had not been cooperative with the city at all and they were still guilty in the city's eyes.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARA GEORGES, CITY CORPORATION COUNSEL: But if the city put a padlock on the doors, they would have cut the padlock. If the city put a sign on the door, they would have cut down the sign. Obviously these people were intent on breaking the law. And they broke the law.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FLOCK: Wolf, real quick, here is the dispute. The court order says you can't operate the second floor of the club. As you can see, there's a -- on the first floor, a restaurant. The second floor is where the club is. But the club says its understanding is the second floor of the club itself, which is the second floor of the second floor. That appears to be the dispute.

That's the latest from here, Wolf. Back to you.

BLITZER: Thanks very much, Jeff Flock. This is such a chilling story. I can't even think about it, but I appreciate your reporting. Thanks very much.

Chemical attack drills in the desert. We'll take you to Kuwait where U.S. troops are preparing for war. Will they be protected against a worst-case scenario?

Plus, blaming the victims. Accusation of rape and cover-up at the U.S. Air Force Academy. And a diet supplement implicated in the deaths of an Orioles pitching prospect. Find out what may have contributed to the sudden death of a right-hander at spring training when we come back.

You're watching CNN, the most trusted name in news.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): Earlier, we asked which branch of the U.S. military has the most troops in the Persian Gulf right now? The answer, Army. To date, there are almost 200,000 U.S. troops from all of the military branches in the Gulf region within striking distance of Iraq.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: Welcome back to CNN, I'm Wolf Blitzer. Coming up, the military buildup on a day -- and a day in the life of U.S. troops.

Find out how they're preparing for a chemical weapons attack.

(NEWS ALERT)

BLITZER: The man in charge of American troops on the ground in Kuwait tells CNN the U.S. military is ready if the call for a war against Iraq comes from the White House. In an interview with our Bill Hemmer, Lieutenant General David McKiernan says the battles this time around will be different from the Persian Gulf War and American troops would have a new focus.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LT. GEN. DAVID MCKIERNAN, U.S. ARMY: The military will be asked to find weapons of mass destruction and to be part of the process that takes those out of the hands of this regime and to disarm weapons of mass destruction...

BILL HEMMER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): Have you thought about...

MCKIERNAN: ... if we're called upon to execute this mission.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: As tens of thousands of U.S. troops play a waiting game in the Kuwaiti desert, they're also preparing for the what-ifs, including the possibility of chemical and biological warfare. CNN's Ryan Chilcote gives us a closer look at some of the training that's under way as part of our ongoing series, "The Military Buildup: A Day in The Life."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RYAN CHILCOTE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Chemical and biological training drills are now daily events.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All right. Go up to your buddy, put the mask right up to his face. He'll hold it for you, all right? Reach over, pull the head harness over his or her head.

CHILCOTE: Inspecting protective masks for pinholes, goggles for scratches, practicing how to put their mask on, the hood over it. The troops walk through it all first and then do it under the gun.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The mask, you have nine seconds to put it on and get it on properly. I guess it's kind of crazy if you're kind of rushing it and you could screw up. You could not. You just have to hurry up and deal with it.

CHILCOTE: They wear their masks on their leg. They know which hand they'll use to grab it...

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Is this in? OK.

CHILCOTE: ... which strap to tighten first and how to make sure there's a good seal. This is new and better gear, which allows servicemen to fight effectively than the gear available during the Gulf War. But it is still difficult to function while wearing it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have a straw on our mask that we can hook our canteens up to drink through. But as far as eating, we won't eat. And relieving ourselves, well, we just relief ourselves in our suit and unfortunately, as uncomfortable as that is, I guess it's better than being out in the chemical environment.

CHILCOTE: Just the prospect of getting what the servicemen called slimed by a nerve agent or any other agent is nerve-racking.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Gas! Gas! Gas!

CHILCOTE: Nine seconds can feel like an eternity, especially for the journalists who are also learning how to use this gear, for whom the benefit of training is quickly apparent.

Ryan Chilcote, CNN with the U.S. forces in Kuwait.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: Well, this is a deadly, deadly serious business. Tomorrow in our series, "The Military Buildup," we'll find how U.S. troops are spending their free time while they wait for a decision on war or peace. As always we want to hear from you. Our "Web Question of The Day" is this -- do you strongly support U.S. military action against Iraq: strongly oppose it or are you somewhere in between? We'll have the results later in this broadcast. Please vote at CNN.com/Wolf.

Snowed in and now digging out, the struggle to get back to normal from a storm that could cause millions to clean up. Most airports are up and running but not all are at full speed. Where are the travel tie-ups? We'll have all of that, but first a look at news making headlines around the world.

A new threat, as tensions continue to mount over North Korea's nuclear program, the north is threatening to abandon the 1953 Armistice Agreement that suspended the Korean War. The north says it fears a U.S. naval blockade and if it happens the 1953 agreement will be history.

Turnabout, here's a switch, a Gulf state warning its citizens about travel to the United States. Citing U.S. anti-terror measures the government of Oman says its citizens may be subject to what it called discriminatory and inappropriate treatment, such as fingerprinting. Even though Oman is a U.S. ally, it's warning its citizens against nonessential travel to the United States.

Hitting the beach, U.S. Marines joined Philippine troops in the training exercise, staging a mock hostage rescue on a Philippine beach. Philippine forces are fighting Muslim rebels who frequently kidnap civilians.

Out in front, the Swiss team has a 3-0 lead in the America's Cup yachting competition. It won today's race in the best of nine series with a 23-second win over defending champion, New Zealand.

Yoko, oh no! Here's another one of those items that will make baby boomers feel old. Yoko Ono, the widow of Beatle, John Lennon, turned 70 today. And that's our look around the world.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: We have a very disturbing story that's coming up right now. The Pentagon has ordered a review of how the Air Force Academy handles sexual assault allegations. That decision after some female cadets say they were reprimanded for reporting they were raped by classmates.

The investigative team at our Denver affiliate, KMGH, broke the story and their reporter, John Ferrugia (ph), has the latest.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): They were women with a dream, to be an Air Force officer.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I realized it was a crime and I wasn't even thinking about disciplinary problems at the academy.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But they say their dream ended when they were sexually assaulted by fellow cadets...

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Rape is murder of the soul.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: ... and they claimed they were abandoned by the academy.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: If you report you're crazy because nobody's going to believe you.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And even for those who stay, the message is clear.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The message is that rape is acceptable and don't say anything about it.

JOHN DALLAGER, AIR FORCE ACADEMY SUPT.: It's an issue that many people are very uncomfortable talking about, much less addressing from a professional standpoint.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: General John Dallager is superintendent of the Air Force Academy.

DALLAGER: But we're going to do that. We're not going to sweep it under the rug.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Since the Air Force became aware of our investigation; Dallager has been meeting with groups of cadets, including victims of sexual assault. And he has met more than once with the secretary of the Air Force and other high officials to figure out how to address what has become a major political and operational problem.

DALLAGER: They will be sending a team that will be arriving here later this week to take a look at -- from a soup to nuts approach, education, training, processes, et cetera...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Dealing with sexual assault?

DALLAGER: ... dealing with sexual assault.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What is clear is that under his command, there has been little effort to assess the overall problem of sexual assault. In fact, the administration doesn't even know the number of women cadets who have reported sexual assault to the academy's medical team.

DALLAGER: That is an area that, again, needs to be improved.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (on camera): On the survey, was there a question about -- have you ever been sexually assaulted?

DALLAGER: No.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): The general had the opportunity to find out the scope of the problem, putting out a sexual assault survey in mid-January. DALLAGER: That was not one of the questions and I'll be very candid and tell you that probably should have been a question.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: While the administration is aware of dozens of reported sects all assaults, only 20 cases were officially reported for investigation in the past seven years.

(on camera): How many cadets at this institution have been court-martialed for sexually assaulting another cadet?

DALLAGER: Cadet, assaulting another cadet, none that I'm aware of have been successfully or have been court-martialed.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Not one?

DALLAGER: Not one.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): So does the superintendent believe the women who reported sexual assault?

DALLAGER: Yes, we have no reason not to believe them.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (on camera): Is the program fair to women?

DALLAGER: And that's exactly what we have to look at and I would submit to you, based upon the feedback we're getting, that the expectations and even the intent of the effort, the realities of it, are falling short. So we need to take that on.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Does that mean changing the culture here?

DALLAGER: Oh, yes. Yes. I mean to me, culture, climate, atmosphere, education, training, perceptions, feedback, how the system works. That's a tough challenge, but we've addressed it and we're going to attempt to do better at it.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: That report from our affiliate reporter, John Ferrugia (ph) from KMGH in Denver.

And in response to the claims by the female cadets, the officer who has direct command over the cadet wing at the U.S. Air Force Academy tells CNN this -- and I'm quoting -- "Allegations that sexual misconduct goes unpunished at the Air Force Academy are unfounded and untrue. Each case is evaluated on its own merits with a view toward respecting the best interests of the Air Force, the victim and the accused."

That statement from Brigadier General Taco Gilbert, the commander of the 34th Training Wing. We'll continue to follow this story as well.

Heading east? Not so fast. Up next, Daryn Kagan's in Boston with your winter weather advisory. DARYN KAGAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, they are used to some snow, of course, in Boston, but 27 inches in the last 24 hours? It is a lot. It means people have to be creative about getting around. We're going to talk with some Bostonians ahead. In fact, we're going to change the name. We're going to call it the "Wolf Blizzard Show." More on that just ahead after the break.

BLITZER: Daryn Kagan, we'll change the name, too. Thanks very much.

Don't forget to vote on our "Web Question of The Day." Do you strongly support U.S. military action against Iraq: strongly oppose it or are you somewhere in between? Go to CNN.com/Wolf. That's where you can vote. Stay with CNN, you're watching the most trusted name for news.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: The Northeast is digging out from one of its worst winter storms ever. CNN's Daryn Kagan is joining us now live from Boston where it's still pretty bad, isn't it, Daryn?

KAGAN: It is still snowing, believe it or not, Wolf. You know I rode the train up from New York City this morning and I thought oh, Bostonians won't care about this; they're used to snow. But talking to some gals on the street, they have put it in perspective.

This is Julie and Elizabeth. And Julie, you explained to me, this snow that's almost as tall as you are, this wasn't here yesterday, any of it.

JULIE: No, none of it was here. This was huge for us.

KAGAN: And you had a surprise outside of your front door.

JULIE: Yes, I pretty much couldn't open the door to my apartment.

KAGAN: How'd you get out?

JULIE: I pushed with my boyfriend.

KAGAN: Love to have the boyfriend there. And Elizabeth, you had to cross country ski?

ELIZABETH: Yes, I put on my skis right outside my door and went all the way to work without stopping.

KAGAN: Amazing! But they are doing it with a smile on their face. This is a people -- just the Bostonians making it is best of it that they can, having a good attitude, of course, not this year in New England and in Boston. But it's been a problem up and down across the East Coast. Let's take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) KAGAN (voice-over): From the White House, to the United Nations, it all looks pretty much the same. After the snow piled up, people were cleaning up.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I dug out yesterday, but woke up this morning and it was back to square one.

KAGAN: Boston was the last big city to be hit before the snow pushed out to sea. Logan Airport got 27.5 inches of snow. That's the biggest accumulation since the city started keeping records back in 1892. Still, the mayor says this storm wasn't as bad as the blizzard of '78.

MAYOR TOM MENINO, BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS: Yes, we did have a record snowfall, but I believe the city of Boston can pull this off in good shape. We didn't have the winds. We didn't have the water that we had in '78.

KAGAN: A roof on an industrial building collapsed in Hopedale, Massachusetts, causing one injury.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The buildings collapsed from 15 feet to the ground and then there's a 10-foot snow load on top of the collapsed roof.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Boy, you were describing the inside of the building?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Everything's crushed right down to the ground.

KAGAN: Government offices in Washington remained close asked and there were school closings from West Virginia to Connecticut. More than 30 deaths are blamed on the storm. Two children were found dead in the snow-covered car in northeast Baltimore. A third child, who was hospitalized, says he and his friends were listening to CDs inside the car when they lost consciousness. East Coast airports began to reopen today, but many passengers continued to wait.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My wife and daughter got out on the 7:15 flight yesterday morning. They were the last two seats. I was supposed to follow at 2:40. They're in Tampa. I'm watching snow, hoping to get out today.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How long have you been here?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Since 10:00 yesterday morning.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What have you been doing?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Walking around, standing in lines, reading, drinking coffee. We had a nice meal in the middle of the afternoon, you know.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So try to make the best of it.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What else can you do?

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: And it is still snowing. Wolf, real quickly, I just want to show you something that Mayor Menino himself showed me. This is what's working in their favor here in Boston. See the snow? It's the light, loose, fluffy stuff made it much easier for them to clean up than it would have been like the heavy, really wet snow. They're thankful to Mother Nature at least for that. Back to you.

BLITZER: Daryn Kagan from Los Angeles who knows nothing about snow, thrust into the middle...

KAGAN: Nothing!

BLITZER: ... of the snowstorm. Daryn Kagan, thanks very much for that report.

Airports closed by the storm are operating once again, but delays and cancellations abound. The FAA says traffic destined for Boston's Logan International, New York's La Guardia, Philadelphia International and Washington Dulles being delayed at departure points. You're advised to check your departure airport to see if your flight is affected. A good chance it probably still is.

Don't forget, time's running out for your turn to weigh in on our "Web Question of The Day." Do you strongly support U.S. military action against Iraq, strongly oppose it or are you somewhere in between? Log on to CNN.com/Wolf. That's where you vote and we'll have the results immediately, and I say, immediately when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: In our "Picture of The Day," nature's fury in a tropical setting. Firefighters in Hawaii have their hands full battling flames sparked by lava from the Kilauea volcano. The Chain of Craters Road that leads to Kilauea has reopened one day after it was shut down by a brushfire. Pretty spectacular.

Here's how you're weighing in on our "Web Question of The Day." Remember we've been asking you -- do you strongly support U.S. military action against Iraq, strongly oppose it or are somewhere in between? Look at this, 47 percent of you support, 46 percent of you oppose, seven percent somewhere in between. You can find the exact vote tally, continue to vote, by the way, on our web page, CNN.com/Wolf. Remember this, is not a scientific poll.

That's all of the time we have today. Please join me again tomorrow at 5:00 p.m. Eastern. Don't forget "SHOWDOWN: IRAQ" weekdays at noon Eastern.

Thanks very much for watching. "LOU DOBBS MONEYLINE" is up next. Jan Hopkins filling in for Lou tonight.

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