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CNN Wolf Blitzer Reports

U.S. Embassy in Monrovia Under Attack

Aired July 21, 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: The United States embassy under attack in Liberia. As some Americans are flown to safety, will hundreds more be evacuated? We'll take you live into a country that's now in chaos.
WOLF BLITZER REPORTS starts right now.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): Americans caught in the crossfire.

JEFF KOINANGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I can tell you that there are mortar shells falling all around the U.S. embassy here in Monrovia.

BLITZER: An emergency in Liberia, the White House weighs the options.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We're concerned about our people.

BLITZER: Iraq, on the scene of an ambush.

LT. COL. JOHN KEN, U.S. ARMY: They cut two soldiers out from the seat belts and with the subsequent fire they may have saved their life.

BLITZER: He says, she says, the Kobe Bryant case, what's at stake for the superstar and what's in store for the alleged victim?

Did leaks leak a grand jury to get tough with Martha Stewart, her lawyers want answers?

And, reducing your risk of Alzheimer's as easy as eating a tuna sandwich?

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANNOUNCER: CNN live this hour, WOLF BLITZER REPORTS live from the nation's capital with correspondents from around the world. WOLF BLITZER REPORTS starts now.

BLITZER: It's Monday, July 21, 2003. Hello from Washington, I'm Wolf Blitzer reporting.

Americans are caught in the middle of chaos right now in Liberia. Members of an elite team of U.S. Marines were flown in to beef up U.S. security at the United States embassy as mortar fire continued to reign down on the Liberian capital. At least one shell slammed into the U.S. compound itself and the Marine helicopters evacuated almost two dozen American citizens.

The United States embassy is in Liberia's capital, Monrovia. As the U.N. appeals urgently for peacekeepers the Bush administration is closely watching the situation and weighing its options.

We have two reports, CNN's Suzanne Malveaux, she's over at the White House but we begin with CNN's Jeff Koinange. He's inside the U.S. compound in Monrovia right now. Tell us how bad this situation, Jeff, is?

KOINANGE: I'll tell you, Wolf, there's a lot of chaos in the streets but earlier on today, as you mentioned, mortar shells were falling thick and fast about 100 meters from where I stand, right there, beyond the embassy compound here in the fortified U.S. embassy.

I'll tell you how things first began. A special U.N. -- United States Marine Corps unit, better known as the Fast Track Team, the fast team, based in Rota, Spain, flew into neighboring Sierra Leone. They got onto Black Hawk helicopters and flew in.

As soon as the Marines got out and the helicopters flew out half an hour later it started literally raining with mortar shells. We took cover at that point. At the same time, one embassy building was hit, the commissary, and no injuries were reported at that time.

At the same time, Wolf, several other missiles did land further into downtown Monrovia. We understand one landed on a building killing up to 18 people. We cannot confirm that but we can confirm that Liberians were displaying the bodies of loved ones and relatives right outside the embassy gates.

Around the local JFK Hospital, around that area, mortar shells also fell. They had to evacuate patients into the further part of the hospital, so a lot of chaos and confusion as innocent Liberians were trying to flee away from the mortar shells that were falling -- Wolf.

BLITZER: So, what are the prospects, Jeff, of the entire embassy staff, the ambassador, everyone there including the Marines, including yourself, the other journalists who have sought refuge at the embassy compound of being forced to be evacuated?

KOINANGE: Right now there is no word, no talk about everyone being evacuated, Wolf. We do understand that all American citizens have been urged to congregate here at the U.S. embassy compound for further evacuation but no definite plans have been made yet.

We can tell you that chaos does continue in the streets of Monrovia. The capital is completely paralyzed no drinking or running water, hardly any food, no medication or sanitation, and people are just fleeing as the fighting rages on. The new battle zone in this raging war, Wolf, is right in downtown Monrovia.

BLITZER: CNN's Jeff Koinange, please be careful. Give our best wishes, of course, to all your colleagues and friends over there as well. We'll be checking back with you throughout the night.

There's mounting U.S. pressure for the United States to do something as the Bush administration weighs all its options. For that let's go live to our White House Correspondent Suzanne Malveaux, Suzanne difficult decisions for the president.

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well absolutely, Wolf, under an incredible amount of pressure. I've been talking to White House officials all day who are very frustrated that the situation on the ground, both the rebel forces as well as the Liberian government.

I spoke with a very senior administration official who says, of course, security is the number one priority on the ground but President Bush has not signed the order. He has not made the decision to commit U.S. troops to the area. He is under a lot of pressure from Secretary-General Kofi Annan, who has asked for immediate action as well as the European Union but the administration is still assessing the situation.

What are they waiting for? Well, first the administration had to figure out was it intentional, the U.S. embassy being hit? Were they being targeted? Was it accidental? Secondly, whether or not Nigerian forces, their battalions are actually ready to shuttle out President Charles Taylor to get him out of the country as quickly as possible and that too is another big question. When is Charles Taylor going to leave?

President Bush earlier today hosted Italy's Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi at the Crawford ranch, again emphasizing that, yes, U.S. peacekeepers will be involved in trying to help enforce that ceasefire with the West African nations, the big question when and how?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BUSH: We just sent a group of troops in to protect our interests and we're concerned about our people in Liberia. We're continuing to monitor the situation very closely. We're working with the United Nations to effect policy necessary to get the ceasefire back in place.

We are working with ECOWAS to determine when they would be prepared to move in the peacekeeper troops that I have said we'd be willing to help move into Liberia. We're monitoring the situation very carefully.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: And, Wolf, an illustration of the frustration, the State Department Spokesman Phil Reeker, really condemning the rebels today saying that it was reckless and indiscriminate, the shelling of Monrovia, a real bad situation, chaotic situation on the ground, the Bush administration holding off on those decisions.

BUSH: A horrible situation by all accounts getting worse by the minute. CNN's Suzanne Malveaux at the White House, thanks Suzanne very much. And here's your turn to weigh in on this story. Our web question of the day is this. 'With renewed violence, should the U.S. commit troops to Liberia?" We'll have the results later in this broadcast.

You can vote at cnn.com/wolf. While you're there, I'd love to hear directly 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.

Let's turn now to the Kobe Bryant story. He's scheduled to appear in a Colorado courtroom in little more than two weeks. That's when the NBA star will hear firsthand the sexual assault charge against him but much of the trial will come down to this, he says, she says.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): It's going to be a long, passionate road to trial with everyone involved under enormous pressure and scrutiny, especially Kobe Bryant.

KOBE BRYANT, DEFENDANT: I've been falsely accused of something and I'm innocent.

BLITZER: And his 19-year-old accuser.

MARK HURLBERT, DISTRICT ATTORNEY, EAGLE CO., COLORADO: She's doing okay. She's a strong girl. She is holding up pretty well considering everything.

BLITZER: But this could get ugly very quickly. Wendy Murphy is a former prosecutor.

WENDY MURPHY, FORMER PROSECUTOR: We're going to hear from the defense about her background, her mental health, whether she's ever had sex before.

BLITZER: In a he-says versus she-says confrontation, questions will focus on the circumstances surrounding the incident, the actual physical evidence, and any eyewitness accounts.

Roy Black is a criminal defense attorney.

ROY BLACK, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Why did she go up to his hotel room at or around midnight? Obviously, how long was she there and what happened?

MURPHY: It doesn't matter why she went up to his room. I don't care if she went up there buck naked. It doesn't matter because no one, no matter what their lot in life, no matter what they're doing deserves to be sexually assaulted against their will.

BLITZER: Black, who successfully defended William Kennedy Smith a decade ago on a rape charge, sharply disagrees.

BLACK: If Wendy is looking for jurors who don't think it's important that the woman goes buck naked up to a man's hotel room at midnight, then I'll tell you I don't know where you're going to find those kind of jurors.

BLITZER: The D.A., 34 years old, who got the job only in May will face extraordinary scrutiny as well.

HURLBERT: This decision came only after reviewing all the evidence, testimonial evidence and physical evidence. The standards are the same in this case as in any other case.

BLACK: Not a word he said there is true. First of all, he said it's going to be treated like any other case and, of course, we know that's not true. He also says he did this investigation before he made up his mind yet the first press conference he gave before he did any investigation he called the woman a victim and said she had been through a horrible time.

BLITZER: Bryant, who was drafted by the NBA when he was only 17 years old skipped college and the potential life lessons that go with it. I spoke to him about that transition in February just before the NBA All Star Game in Atlanta.

BRYANT: I mean it's tough to make the jump, so a person is going to be faced with a lot of challenges, some ups and some downs. I can't speak on behalf of other players but I can only speak on behalf of myself and in that situation, you know, it was best for me to skip college and go straight to the pros. It worked out well.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: This high profile case obviously will have a tremendous impact on both the accuser and the accused. We'll take a much closer look at the emotional effects on her and the financial effects on him. That's coming up later this hour.

Death by remote control, we'll take you live to Baghdad where yet another American soldier was killed today. Find out why U.S. troops might not be able to count on Iraqi police for much help.

A multi-state search, a nationwide investigation and now the dramatic developments in the disappearance of two missing New Hampshire children.

And later, new information on the foods you can eat that can help prevent Alzheimer's disease. Before you eat supper tonight you'll want to watch this story.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: It's official now. New Hampshire has charged Manuel Gehring with two counts of first degree murder in the apparent deaths of his two children. The bodies are still missing.

CNN's Sean Callebs is at the CNN Center with the latest on this horrible story -- Sean. SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Indeed, Wolf. Manuel Gehring is scheduled to arrive in Concord, New Hampshire at some point tomorrow. His arraignment is not expected until Wednesday.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CALLEBS (voice-over): The two children, Sarah 14, and 11-year- old Philip Gehring, have been the focus of an intensive multi-state search for more than two weeks, authorities saying they now believe their father, 44-year-old Manuel Gehring killed his children with a gun hiding the bodies.

PETER HEED, NEW HAMPSHIRE ATTORNEY GENERAL: Manuel Gehring has been indicted by the Hillsboro County Grand Jury for two counts of first degree murder relating to the death of his children.

CALLEBS: Gehring was arrested in California on July 10. New Hampshire investigators say Gehring is being brought back to the state and should be there Tuesday. Authorities say Gehring left the city of Concord after arguing with his children following a July 4 fireworks show.

Using credit card receipts, investigators traced him across country chiefly on Interstate 80 through Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Nevada, ending in Gilroy, California where Gehring was arrested. Despite the indictment, police say the hunt for the two children goes on.

HEED: Even though Mr. Gehring has been charged the investigation is not over. We still have not found the bodies but the search is not over. That will continue.

CALLEBS: Gehring had been in a bitter custody battle with his former wife. He had already been charged with interfering with custody after Gehring did not return the children July 6 as he had promised. The children's mother, Teresa Knight, filed court papers saying that in a very agitated and angry phone call he refused to abide by the agreement.

Without providing details, authorities did say they hope to provide information soon that will help locate the children's bodies.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CALLEBS: The assistant attorney general of New Hampshire says authorities do not have a specific location where the bodies of the two children may be but they are apparently concentrating their search in areas near Interstate 80 in Illinois and Ohio and the FBI and Concord Police are expected to take Gehring to those areas -- Wolf.

BLITZER: CNN's Sean Callebs with that. Thanks Sean very much.

The anatomy of an attack, coming up how did Iraqi guerrillas carry out a deadly attack on U.S. troops today? We're live in Baghdad for the answers.

And, even if he's acquitted in court, will Kobe Bryant be guilty in the eyes of advertisers?

And, after conquering the world of golf yesterday what's Ben Curtis doing today? We'll show you when we come back.

First, let's take a shot at our news quiz.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER (voice-over): What is the culinary connection to the site of this year's British Open? Is it Yorkshire pudding, the sandwich, scones, or haggis? The answer coming up.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: The casualty count in Iraq rose once again today when a United States soldier was killed and others were injured in a roadside ambush. President Bush calls such attacks -- and I'm quoting now -- "part of the war to liberate Iraq."

Our senior international correspondent Nic Robertson has been witnessing firsthand what's going on. He's joining us now live from Baghdad -- Nic.

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, this killing today brings to a total of 36 the number of U.S. soldiers killed in hostile acts since President Bush declared on the first of May the end of major hostilities.

This attack occurred about 10:30 in the morning on a major highway on the northeastern outskirts of Baghdad.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ROBERTSON (voice-over): Inch by inch the aftermath of the latest guerrilla-style attack on U.S. forces is cleared off the scorched tarmac, the carcass of a Humvee lifted towards a waiting truck.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There was two people killed and three injured, the injuries, one American soldier was killed and one Iraqi was killed.

ROBERTSON: Thirty dollars the cost of renting the truck to get rid of the wreckage from this Baghdad highway.

(on camera): Although the precise details of this attack are not yet clear it appears to have been very similar to previous attacks, a remote-controlled explosive device set off by people waiting for the U.S. troops to pass by.

(voice-over): Security still tight, no attackers spotted when the troops arrived but praise for Iraqis who witnessed the explosion.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They immediately went to the vehicle and they cut out -- the seat belts were stuck and they cut two soldiers out from the seat belts and with the subsequent fire they may have saved their lives.

ROBERTSON: Fearful of retribution by the attackers, the father and son declined to describe on camera how they saves U.S. lives, even Iraqi police who rushed to help now distance themselves.

LT. SHAKER ABID AL AMEER, IRAQI POLICE (through translator): I have nothing to do with the American forces. My interest is my countrymen. I am here to protect them from the Americans and Israelis.

ROBERTSON: The recovery complete, troops pull out and looters move in scavenging the charred remains of the Humvee.

"This is a new line of business" he says. "We need something good for Iraq for our future. We need the killings and explosions to be over and done," slim pickings for these entrepreneurs of misfortune.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROBERTSON: And, I talked to the translator who was working with the U.S. troops who turned up at that site. He told me he wasn't afraid to go out that he wanted to do a good job with the U.S. troops that he felt perhaps about 50 percent of his friends feel that way.

But he says one of the problems they have, a lot of Iraqis have this problem, if they stand up and say, yes, we support the Americans they say we want to do that but we don't feel we can do it until we can point to something, point to the security and say, yes, it's improved. So, people while wanting to support very afraid, Wolf, still to stand up and say that publicly.

BLITZER: You spoke to that one Iraqi, Nic, who spoke about Americans being there with Israelis. Saddam Hussein in all of his audiotapes keeps talking about Zionists, Israelis who are with the U.S. Obviously all of that is ridiculous but how prevalent, do people really believe Israelis are on the ground working with the coalition forces inside Iraq?

ROBERTSON: Rumors here really abound. There are articles in some of the new newspapers that have emerged in the last few months talking about Israeli, Zionist plots, Israelis coming to take over businesses, coming to reclaim property in Iraq. These are daily occurrences. These are the sorts of things people got used to hearing under Saddam Hussein.

There are so many rumors and some of them are so preposterous but people still clutch on to them and some people believe them. Even policemen, even this policeman who was working almost hand-in-hand with the troops when they were there, when they were gone he had to revert back to language that he felt safe hiding behind -- Wolf.

BLITZER: CNN's Nic Robertson in Baghdad for us. Be careful over there, Nic, thanks very much.

Since President Bush declared an end to major combat in Iraq on May 1, as Nic reported, 93 U.S. troops have died, 36 of them by what's called hostile fire, 57 of the deaths were non-hostile, the results of non-hostile causes.

The war in Iraq and its aftermath are peaking interest in one of the country's other contentious conflicts and one group is working to ensure the lessons of Vietnam are taught accurately.

CNN's Kathleen Koch explains.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Reveille, the way former Marine Gil Woodside heard it every day in Vietnam. Now, he and these visiting history teachers wake up to news of U.S. troops casualties in Iraq. For their students back home, Vietnam no longer seems like ancient history.

GIL WOODSIDE, TEACHER: It has effect on the students because now they're interested in what war is like.

CHUCH TAFT, TEACHER: They want to know why we got involved in a war that is arguable halfway around the world because they see people questioning us getting involved in a war nearly halfway around the world now.

KOCH: The 84 teachers were brought to Washington from around the country by the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund. Its concern that the Vietnam War's history be taught fairly and frequently, especially with U.S. troops again in a divisive conflict.

TRICIA EDWARDS, VIETNAM VETERANS MEMORIAL FUND: Being in an armed conflict now it really relates to Vietnam. It helps to engage students and I think there's a real fear that some of those lessons of Vietnam won't be learned.

KOCH: Instructor Tom Dzicek students met Vietnam veterans not part of an all volunteer army, one of many reasons he says Iraq is no Vietnam.

TOM DZICEK, INSTRUCTOR: It's different in the sense that whole units are going to Iraq. Vietnam was kind of a revolving issue where a man or a woman went over there for a year's tour and then revolved back. The protest issue wasn't as prevalent in Iraq as it was in Vietnam so you've got a couple of distinct differences.

KOCH (on camera): The conference included not only veterans telling their stories but peace advocates sharing a very different point of view.

(voice-over): Still, Vietnam Red Cross worker Susan McLean believes even Americans against war now are careful not to condemn the troops.

SUSAN MCLEAN, TEACHER: In the way that our vets are welcomed or not welcomed home and they just don't want to go there again. They want to make sure that nothing like that ever happens again. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The names really do read like pages in a book.

KOCH: The toughest part visiting the memorial. Teacher Clara Garcia (ph) found her brother's name there. For her one lesson of war remains true in Vietnam and Iraq.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Let us not forget those who have gone but given us all these rights and freedoms we enjoy. It's there every day.

KOCH: Kathleen Koch, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: Martha Stewart's attorneys on the offensive, how they're raising questions about the government's case.

Whether Kobe Bryant is found guilty or not guilty, the woman accusing him could suffer emotionally for life. We'll talk to an expert.

And, what foods can help prevent Alzheimer's disease? Stay tuned to find out.

First though, this look at news making headlines around the world.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): Investigators in Kenya are trying to figure out why a charter plane crashed on Mt. Kenya killing 12 members of a prominent Atlanta family. Retired physician and philanthropist George Brumley died with is wife and ten children, in-laws, and grandchildren.

Idi Amin, the former dictator of Uganda, is hospitalized in Saudi Arabia. He's said to be in a coma. Relatives say Uganda had denied their request to bury the 80-year-old ex-leader in his homeland when the time comes.

In Iran, a presidential commission is calling for a judicial investigation into the death of a Canadian-Iranian journalist. She died of a fractured skull after three days of police interrogation.

Clashes between police and protesters followed a large demonstration on the island of Corsica. Thousands of people rallied against the arrest of a Corsican separatist, the latest setback for nationalists who want more autonomy from Paris.

A strike by British Airway staff stranded thousands of people at Heathrow Airport in London over the weekend. The one-day walkout forced the airline to cancel at least 400 flights Saturday.

And, summer in the city is a little more bearable for Parisians thanks to an artificial beach set up along a two mile stretch of the Seine. Three thousand metric tons of sand were brought in at a cost of more than $1.5 million, and that's our look around the world.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Kobe Bryant, one of the NBA's most valuable and valued stars. But his status as a marketing icon now very much in doubt. Just ahead, what the experts say about Bryant's future as a pitchman.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: You're looking at live pictures of Air Force One. It's just touched down at Andrews Air Force Base outside of Washington, D.C. The president returning from Crawford, Texas, his ranch there with the first lady. He'll be walking out. There they are now, Mrs. Bush, the president. They've come back from talks with Silvio Berlusconi, the Italian prime minister. They'll be walking down these stairs, boarding Marine One to make that brief flight over to the White House to return, get back to business here in Washington after a weekend on the ranch.

The president's got an enormous amount of issues on his agenda. Right now, Iraq obviously first and foremost. But he has to make a major decision on Liberia as well, whether to deploy U.S. troops in that war-torn country. U.S. troops in the country, where the situation has gone from horrible to even worse. The U.S. embassy compound in Monrovia, the capital today coming under direct fire. No one was hurt, but the situation there clearly tense.

The president now walking along the tarmac going to board Air Force -- Marine One, that is -- to fly over to the South Lawn of the White House. We'll continue to monitor the president's journeys as we always do. Get some more information on that, on what his agenda is for the rest of this week. We'll, of course, be reporting extensively on all of that.

Welcome back to CNN. Straight ahead, the price Kobe Bryant will pay, even if he's not guilty and the emotional effects on the woman who has accused him.

First, though, the latest headlines.

(NEWSBREAK)

BLITZER: More on the Kobe Bryant case that raises serious questions. What will happen, for example, to his endorsement deals worth tens of millions of dollars and other serious questions as well?

CNN's Jen Rogers is live at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

JEN ROGERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right.

Well, Kobe Bryant is really known for his electrifying play at the Los Angeles Lakers home court. But his latest attention-grabbing move may have some marketers more concerns than excited.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ROGERS (voice-over): Kobe Bryant was a slam dunk for corporate America. His skills on the court and his squeaky clean image off made him an ideal pitchman. A perennial endorsement all-star, Bryant banked millions a year on marketing deals. But with his admission of adultery and charges of sexual assault, some say his brand and the brand names he pitches could be tarnished, regardless of the verdict.

DAVID CARTER, THE SPORTS BUSINESS GROUP: Clearly if he's convicted of sexual assault, there will be no endorsements left for him. But if he was to enter some sort of plea bargain, that might allow him to maintain some of those relationships. It just depends on the severity of the outcome of this.

ROGERS: With fans likely to see Bryant in court before they see him back on the court, his marketing partners are playing it safe for now.

Nike, who recently signed the 24-year-old guard to an estimated $45 million contract, said while it couldn't comment on legal matters, he is a great player. Kobe has stated that he is innocent of the charges.

McDonald's says it is premature to speculate about what the outcome of the legal matter is and how it will affect our relationship.

Coca-Cola, whose Sprite adds feature Bryant, stated he remains under contract with us through 2005. We will have no further comment on this matter as it proceeds through the legal system.

Sponsors are often protected by so-called morality clauses, but even if they are invoked, Bryant's bottom line may not be impacted.

JEFFREY TOOBIN, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: What sometimes happens with morality clauses is if the company continues paying the person, but they no longer use them as a spokesperson. That saves litigation with the endorser, but it also allows them to separate themselves in some way.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROGERS: So is Bryant's marketing career doomed? Well, there is, in fact, one camp out there that says if he's acquitted, this whole scandal could actually boost his street image, making Bryant once known mostly as a choir boy, more real and perhaps more marketable -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Jen Rogers outside the Staples Center in L.A. Thanks, Jen, very much.

There's much more than money, of course, at stake here. The high-profile trial promises to be an extremely emotional ordeal for the alleged victim, who was thrust into the spotlight the moment she obviously came forward. Rochelle Frounfelker runs the sexual assault and violence intervention program at Manhattan's Mt. Sinai Hospital. Rochelle is joining us now live from our New York bureau.

Rochelle, thanks for joining us. When a woman shows up at your center, what do you immediately do?

ROCHELLE FROUNFELKER, MT. SINAI HOSPITAL: Well, first off, I want to correct you and say I'm not the director of the program. I'm the Manhattan ED program coordinator.

What I do is I work with people who have gone to the emergency room within a short time after the sexual assault or survive attack of domestic violence and work with them on doing short-term counseling and then referring them out if they're interested in working more long term with someone.

BLITZER: Well, what advice do you give them immediately if they believe they've been raped?

FROUNFELKER: The first thing I would suggest is that someone -- that the individual does go to the hospital and get medical care, even if they're not interested in pursuing the case legally and having things such as the evidence collection kit done. They can get medical care such as STDs and HIV and emergency contraception, and just get checked out and making sure that the person is physically in generally good health.

BLITZER: And what if they say, " You know what? I want to press charges. I want to find this rapist and get him?"

FROUNFELKER: Well, then I would suggest going to the hospital and then part of the procedure, besides getting the medical care, is having an evidence collection kit done. That can be turned over to the police and then the perpetrator is found, they can use any of the evidence from that collection kit in the trial.

BLITZER: Do you notify police right away, assuming police have not yet by then been notified?

FROUNFELKER: No, it really varies. Some people do -- are escorted to the emergency room by the police. They've already reported it. Other people decide maybe a month later that they do want to prosecute. They have up until 30 days after they had the evidence collection kit completed to decide if they would like to continue with the case.

BLITZER: And then you -- do you tell them to get some legal advice? Because obviously, if they're going to press charges they're going to be up against presumably a sharp defense attorney that will question the victim, the alleged victim in this particular case, what they're saying.

FROUNFELKER: Right. Well, I don't actually work with people once they get into the court system very much. Some of our counselors do. But I would say that there definitely is a whole branch of victim-blaming that still goes on in rape trials that, as much education as we try to do with our society, that still goes on and that many times the person feels revictimized during the court proceedings.

BLITZER: Rochelle Frounfelker of the Mt. Sinai Hospital in New York, thanks for joining us.

FROUNFELKER: Thank you very much.

BLITZER: Meanwhile, there's been a new development in another high-profile case. Lawyers for Martha Stewart want an investigation into leaks they say may have prejudiced the grand jury.

CNN's Allan Chernoff is joining us now live from New York with that -- Allan.

ALLAN CHERNOFF, CNNfn CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, those leaks occurred the day before Martha Stewart was actually indicted. Accurate news reports that Ms. Stewart would not be facing criminal insider trading charges related to her sale of ImClone stock. Ms. Stewart's lead defense attorney, Robert Morvillo (ph), today told the judge that she should order the government to conduct an investigation. The prosecutor, Michael Schacter (ph), said there were no leaks from his side, no need for any investigation. He even pointed out that defense attorneys had access to the same information right before the indictment. The judge appeared to be siding with the government, although she did ask for a transcript of instructions to the grand jury and said she wanted to see that before making a final decision on this issue.

Now what exactly was Martha Stewart's attorney up to? He said that he hoped to show the grand jury that indicted Martha Stewart had been prejudices, and if he could show prejudice, he then might ask the court to throw out the charges. Martha Stewart is facing criminal charges of obstruction of justice, conspiracy, making false statements, and securities fraud. She has plead not guilty and her trial is scheduled to begin on January 12 -- Wolf.

BLITZER: CNN's Allan Chernoff with that. Thanks, Allan, very much.

He had unprecedented access to America's closest ally. We'll talk with the author of a book who spent time close -- extremely close to Tony Blair in those critical days leading up to and during the war in Iraq.

And what can you feed your brain -- get this -- to help prevent Alzheimer's disease? The new medical information -- that's coming up.

First, the answer to our "News Quiz."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): Earlier we asked if you knew the culinary connection to the site of this year's British Open. The answer: sandwich. The town that hosted this year's British Open shares the name with the earl of Sandwich, who's credited with inventing the practice of putting meat between two pieces of bread.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Turning now to the death of a British weapons expert Dr. David Kelly. Kelly apparently committed suicide last week. Police are still investigating. His body was found days after he had been questioned by a Parliamentary committee about his allege role in a BBC news report. The report accused the British government of exaggerating a dossier on Iraq's weapons of mass destruction program to make the case for war. The BBC said yesterday Kelly was the main source for its report.

Controversy over the weapons issue and over Kelly's death has follow the British Prime Minister Tony Blair to the Far East. The prime minister was in Beijing today. Earlier he indicated he would cooperate fully with the inquiry into the scientist's death, while repeating his call -- and I'm quoting now -- "for respect and restraint in the matter."

During four crucial weeks in March and April, the build-up toward war and the war itself, Peter Stothard had unprecedented access to Prime Minister Blair. The former editor of "The London Times" has written an important new book on that experience entitled "Thirty Days: Tony Blair and the Test of History." Tony Blair is still being tested.

Peter Stothard is joining us live here in Washington. Peter, thanks very much. He's being tested. How much trouble is he in? Can he survive this political uproar?

PETER STOTHARD, AUTHOR: Yes, he's in big trouble, because what was a side show -- a rall (ph) between his office and the BBC has now become the main show. And it's the main show with a dead body in it. And once that happens in politics, everything can be turned on its head. So yes, he's in trouble.

BLITZER: Is he in trouble within his own Labor Party? Because the conservatives obviously are trying to go after him. But what about his base?

STOTHARD: Well, he's in trouble with the base because they hated the war anyway and they don't like the BBC, you know, so much. So they get a sort of show going with the government versus the BBC.

I think the BBC is in quite a bit of trouble too, though. I mean, the BBC has named David Kelly as a source today. But, you know, why didn't they name when he was alive? And he wasn't a good enough source for that story. I mean, journalists never like to sort of hit on other journalists, but the fact is he wasn't a good enough source for that story and to that extent, Tony Blair's government was right. But once you get a judicial inquiry into this kind of thing, anything can happen.

BLITZER: A lot of people speculating that the head of the BBC -- he may have to go down, too.

STOTHARD: Yes, well, I think at the moment, Tony Blair has got a bit of a 24-hour breathing space because all the focus in the London papers tonight, out tomorrow morning, will be on the divisions in the BBC government. They are very, very anxious about the journalistic direction of the BBC and they're not sure that they were told everything that they needed to be told.

So for the moment, Tony Blair has got a short breathing space. But when you got a judge looking into WMD and a death and a dead body, then, you know, no politician can control that. And Tony Blair likes to control things.

BLITZER: Tony Blair was very close to Bill Clinton. Now he's very close to George W. Bush. Why is this British prime minister, despite public opinion in England, the rest of Europe for that matter, so pro-American?

STOTHARD: Because he believes in the analysis that is much stronger in America than in Britain. What happened to the world after 9/11. To most people in Britain and Europe, 9/11 was a horror show, a horror movie. It went on for a couple of days and then it's something you can barely remember.

For George Bush and Tony Blair, it's something that changed the nature of the world's security. But most people in Britain and Europe don't see it that way.

BLITZER: So for him it was a gut instinct to side with Washington as opposed to anything else.

STOTHARD: Intellectually, he thinks that particular view of world security set out so clearly in his speech to Congress is the correct one and that George Bush agrees with it and the fact that Jacques Chirac and the Germans and a lot of other people don't agree with it, just means in Tony Blair's mind that he's right and they're wrong.

BLITZER: You know this British prime minister as well as any journalist. What does your gut tell you whether or not he can survive the storm?

STOTHARD: Yes, he can survive this storm but it's the worst kind of storm is the one that you can't at all control. And as I say, death does change everything, even in politics.

BLITZER: The body is there and they're going to be investigating a lot of people.

Thanks very much, Peter. Good luck with the book.

STOTHARD: Thank you. BLITZER: What are the foods that researchers now say might help prevent Alzheimer's disease? Our medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen will be here with new information, information you need to know that might help you avoid Alzheimer's.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Here's an incredible story you -- you, meaning you, our viewers, may be able to cut in half the risk of losing your mind to Alzheimer's disease just by eating more fish.

Our medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen is watching this story. Is this for real, Elizabeth?

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's for real in that it's an indication that diet may play a role in Alzheimer's disease. It's part of this growing amount of evidence that points to a role that diet plays in getting Alzheimer's disease.

In this study, researchers in Chicago looked at 815 elderly people and they tracked their diet and they found that over the years that followed, that people who ate fish had a lower risk of getting Alzheimer's disease.

Let's take a look at the exact numbers. What they found is that people who ate fish at least once a week had a 60 percent decrease in their risk of Alzheimer's disease. They believe that it's the omega 3 fatty acids in the fish that might be helping prevent people getting Alzheimer's disease. Those are the same things that actually might help prevent heart disease and stroke as well.

Now this doesn't mean that eating fish is -- you got to go out there and eat lots of fish and that will definitely decrease your risk 60 percent. This is just one study. They're planning to do more. They're planning to start looking at people, say, in their 40s and 50s. Not at age 65, like they did in this study, and that would make the evidence even harder.

BLITZER: But Elizabeth, as you know and as you've reported over the years, there's also mercury in fish and a lot of people are nervous about mercury in the fish. What do you -- how do you balance this?

COHEN: That's right. It really puts people in a conundrum because there are stories like this that say fish is great. And then we tell stories that say fish contains mercury.

Well, here's what you can do. What you can do is you can just avoid fish that are high in mercury -- fish like swordfish and shark are high in mercury. And so you can just decide you don't want to eat those altogether. But remember that for other fish, for fish that are not particularly high in mercury, the National Academy of Sciences has said that even pregnant women and small children can eat three to four servings of those fish a week. And that's quite a bit. So three to four servings a week is enough that you're not putting yourself at too much risk of getting mercury, but you're doing enough that it could prevent Alzheimer's disease and heart disease as well.

BLITZER: Elizabeth, are there any foods we should avoid in order to try to avoid coming down with Alzheimer's?

COHEN: Yes, some studies have shown that if you eat a lot of saturated fat and transfat, that increases your risk of getting Alzheimer's disease, just like it increases your risk of getting heart disease. So that would be the fat in dairy, the fat in meat, and also the fat in processed, baked goods like cookies and cake.

BLITZER: Good advice from Elizabeth Cohen. She always has good advice for us. Thanks very much, Elizabeth.

Our hot "Web Question of the Day" is this -- "With renewed violence, should the United States commit troops to Liberia?" You can vote right now. Go to cnn.com/wolf. We'll have the results when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Here's how you're weighing in our "Web Question of the Day." "With renewed violence, should the U.S. commit troops to Liberia?" Forty-two percent of you say yes; 58 percent say no. Remember, this is not a scientific poll.

Let's get to some of your e-mail.

Kieran writes this: "Helping Liberia is a nice distraction from Iraq. It also makes our action in Iraq seem more justified. By diverting the attention to Liberia, we look more politically correct in a humanitarian sense."

Charles writes: "Why does the Kobe Bryant story demand so much attention? There are people in the United States in need of food, health care and education. Our troops are being killed off one-by-one in Iraq. People are losing their jobs. And we are worried about Kobe Bryant's infidelity."

Keep those e-mail coming. A reminder: we always like to hear what you have to say.

We're back twice a day, Monday through Friday, at noon and 5 p.m. Eastern. I'll see you again tomorrow. Until then, thanks very much for watching.

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 July 21, 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: The United States embassy under attack in Liberia. As some Americans are flown to safety, will hundreds more be evacuated? We'll take you live into a country that's now in chaos.
WOLF BLITZER REPORTS starts right now.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): Americans caught in the crossfire.

JEFF KOINANGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I can tell you that there are mortar shells falling all around the U.S. embassy here in Monrovia.

BLITZER: An emergency in Liberia, the White House weighs the options.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We're concerned about our people.

BLITZER: Iraq, on the scene of an ambush.

LT. COL. JOHN KEN, U.S. ARMY: They cut two soldiers out from the seat belts and with the subsequent fire they may have saved their life.

BLITZER: He says, she says, the Kobe Bryant case, what's at stake for the superstar and what's in store for the alleged victim?

Did leaks leak a grand jury to get tough with Martha Stewart, her lawyers want answers?

And, reducing your risk of Alzheimer's as easy as eating a tuna sandwich?

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANNOUNCER: CNN live this hour, WOLF BLITZER REPORTS live from the nation's capital with correspondents from around the world. WOLF BLITZER REPORTS starts now.

BLITZER: It's Monday, July 21, 2003. Hello from Washington, I'm Wolf Blitzer reporting.

Americans are caught in the middle of chaos right now in Liberia. Members of an elite team of U.S. Marines were flown in to beef up U.S. security at the United States embassy as mortar fire continued to reign down on the Liberian capital. At least one shell slammed into the U.S. compound itself and the Marine helicopters evacuated almost two dozen American citizens.

The United States embassy is in Liberia's capital, Monrovia. As the U.N. appeals urgently for peacekeepers the Bush administration is closely watching the situation and weighing its options.

We have two reports, CNN's Suzanne Malveaux, she's over at the White House but we begin with CNN's Jeff Koinange. He's inside the U.S. compound in Monrovia right now. Tell us how bad this situation, Jeff, is?

KOINANGE: I'll tell you, Wolf, there's a lot of chaos in the streets but earlier on today, as you mentioned, mortar shells were falling thick and fast about 100 meters from where I stand, right there, beyond the embassy compound here in the fortified U.S. embassy.

I'll tell you how things first began. A special U.N. -- United States Marine Corps unit, better known as the Fast Track Team, the fast team, based in Rota, Spain, flew into neighboring Sierra Leone. They got onto Black Hawk helicopters and flew in.

As soon as the Marines got out and the helicopters flew out half an hour later it started literally raining with mortar shells. We took cover at that point. At the same time, one embassy building was hit, the commissary, and no injuries were reported at that time.

At the same time, Wolf, several other missiles did land further into downtown Monrovia. We understand one landed on a building killing up to 18 people. We cannot confirm that but we can confirm that Liberians were displaying the bodies of loved ones and relatives right outside the embassy gates.

Around the local JFK Hospital, around that area, mortar shells also fell. They had to evacuate patients into the further part of the hospital, so a lot of chaos and confusion as innocent Liberians were trying to flee away from the mortar shells that were falling -- Wolf.

BLITZER: So, what are the prospects, Jeff, of the entire embassy staff, the ambassador, everyone there including the Marines, including yourself, the other journalists who have sought refuge at the embassy compound of being forced to be evacuated?

KOINANGE: Right now there is no word, no talk about everyone being evacuated, Wolf. We do understand that all American citizens have been urged to congregate here at the U.S. embassy compound for further evacuation but no definite plans have been made yet.

We can tell you that chaos does continue in the streets of Monrovia. The capital is completely paralyzed no drinking or running water, hardly any food, no medication or sanitation, and people are just fleeing as the fighting rages on. The new battle zone in this raging war, Wolf, is right in downtown Monrovia.

BLITZER: CNN's Jeff Koinange, please be careful. Give our best wishes, of course, to all your colleagues and friends over there as well. We'll be checking back with you throughout the night.

There's mounting U.S. pressure for the United States to do something as the Bush administration weighs all its options. For that let's go live to our White House Correspondent Suzanne Malveaux, Suzanne difficult decisions for the president.

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well absolutely, Wolf, under an incredible amount of pressure. I've been talking to White House officials all day who are very frustrated that the situation on the ground, both the rebel forces as well as the Liberian government.

I spoke with a very senior administration official who says, of course, security is the number one priority on the ground but President Bush has not signed the order. He has not made the decision to commit U.S. troops to the area. He is under a lot of pressure from Secretary-General Kofi Annan, who has asked for immediate action as well as the European Union but the administration is still assessing the situation.

What are they waiting for? Well, first the administration had to figure out was it intentional, the U.S. embassy being hit? Were they being targeted? Was it accidental? Secondly, whether or not Nigerian forces, their battalions are actually ready to shuttle out President Charles Taylor to get him out of the country as quickly as possible and that too is another big question. When is Charles Taylor going to leave?

President Bush earlier today hosted Italy's Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi at the Crawford ranch, again emphasizing that, yes, U.S. peacekeepers will be involved in trying to help enforce that ceasefire with the West African nations, the big question when and how?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BUSH: We just sent a group of troops in to protect our interests and we're concerned about our people in Liberia. We're continuing to monitor the situation very closely. We're working with the United Nations to effect policy necessary to get the ceasefire back in place.

We are working with ECOWAS to determine when they would be prepared to move in the peacekeeper troops that I have said we'd be willing to help move into Liberia. We're monitoring the situation very carefully.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: And, Wolf, an illustration of the frustration, the State Department Spokesman Phil Reeker, really condemning the rebels today saying that it was reckless and indiscriminate, the shelling of Monrovia, a real bad situation, chaotic situation on the ground, the Bush administration holding off on those decisions.

BUSH: A horrible situation by all accounts getting worse by the minute. CNN's Suzanne Malveaux at the White House, thanks Suzanne very much. And here's your turn to weigh in on this story. Our web question of the day is this. 'With renewed violence, should the U.S. commit troops to Liberia?" We'll have the results later in this broadcast.

You can vote at cnn.com/wolf. While you're there, I'd love to hear directly 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.

Let's turn now to the Kobe Bryant story. He's scheduled to appear in a Colorado courtroom in little more than two weeks. That's when the NBA star will hear firsthand the sexual assault charge against him but much of the trial will come down to this, he says, she says.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): It's going to be a long, passionate road to trial with everyone involved under enormous pressure and scrutiny, especially Kobe Bryant.

KOBE BRYANT, DEFENDANT: I've been falsely accused of something and I'm innocent.

BLITZER: And his 19-year-old accuser.

MARK HURLBERT, DISTRICT ATTORNEY, EAGLE CO., COLORADO: She's doing okay. She's a strong girl. She is holding up pretty well considering everything.

BLITZER: But this could get ugly very quickly. Wendy Murphy is a former prosecutor.

WENDY MURPHY, FORMER PROSECUTOR: We're going to hear from the defense about her background, her mental health, whether she's ever had sex before.

BLITZER: In a he-says versus she-says confrontation, questions will focus on the circumstances surrounding the incident, the actual physical evidence, and any eyewitness accounts.

Roy Black is a criminal defense attorney.

ROY BLACK, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Why did she go up to his hotel room at or around midnight? Obviously, how long was she there and what happened?

MURPHY: It doesn't matter why she went up to his room. I don't care if she went up there buck naked. It doesn't matter because no one, no matter what their lot in life, no matter what they're doing deserves to be sexually assaulted against their will.

BLITZER: Black, who successfully defended William Kennedy Smith a decade ago on a rape charge, sharply disagrees.

BLACK: If Wendy is looking for jurors who don't think it's important that the woman goes buck naked up to a man's hotel room at midnight, then I'll tell you I don't know where you're going to find those kind of jurors.

BLITZER: The D.A., 34 years old, who got the job only in May will face extraordinary scrutiny as well.

HURLBERT: This decision came only after reviewing all the evidence, testimonial evidence and physical evidence. The standards are the same in this case as in any other case.

BLACK: Not a word he said there is true. First of all, he said it's going to be treated like any other case and, of course, we know that's not true. He also says he did this investigation before he made up his mind yet the first press conference he gave before he did any investigation he called the woman a victim and said she had been through a horrible time.

BLITZER: Bryant, who was drafted by the NBA when he was only 17 years old skipped college and the potential life lessons that go with it. I spoke to him about that transition in February just before the NBA All Star Game in Atlanta.

BRYANT: I mean it's tough to make the jump, so a person is going to be faced with a lot of challenges, some ups and some downs. I can't speak on behalf of other players but I can only speak on behalf of myself and in that situation, you know, it was best for me to skip college and go straight to the pros. It worked out well.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: This high profile case obviously will have a tremendous impact on both the accuser and the accused. We'll take a much closer look at the emotional effects on her and the financial effects on him. That's coming up later this hour.

Death by remote control, we'll take you live to Baghdad where yet another American soldier was killed today. Find out why U.S. troops might not be able to count on Iraqi police for much help.

A multi-state search, a nationwide investigation and now the dramatic developments in the disappearance of two missing New Hampshire children.

And later, new information on the foods you can eat that can help prevent Alzheimer's disease. Before you eat supper tonight you'll want to watch this story.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: It's official now. New Hampshire has charged Manuel Gehring with two counts of first degree murder in the apparent deaths of his two children. The bodies are still missing.

CNN's Sean Callebs is at the CNN Center with the latest on this horrible story -- Sean. SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Indeed, Wolf. Manuel Gehring is scheduled to arrive in Concord, New Hampshire at some point tomorrow. His arraignment is not expected until Wednesday.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CALLEBS (voice-over): The two children, Sarah 14, and 11-year- old Philip Gehring, have been the focus of an intensive multi-state search for more than two weeks, authorities saying they now believe their father, 44-year-old Manuel Gehring killed his children with a gun hiding the bodies.

PETER HEED, NEW HAMPSHIRE ATTORNEY GENERAL: Manuel Gehring has been indicted by the Hillsboro County Grand Jury for two counts of first degree murder relating to the death of his children.

CALLEBS: Gehring was arrested in California on July 10. New Hampshire investigators say Gehring is being brought back to the state and should be there Tuesday. Authorities say Gehring left the city of Concord after arguing with his children following a July 4 fireworks show.

Using credit card receipts, investigators traced him across country chiefly on Interstate 80 through Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Nevada, ending in Gilroy, California where Gehring was arrested. Despite the indictment, police say the hunt for the two children goes on.

HEED: Even though Mr. Gehring has been charged the investigation is not over. We still have not found the bodies but the search is not over. That will continue.

CALLEBS: Gehring had been in a bitter custody battle with his former wife. He had already been charged with interfering with custody after Gehring did not return the children July 6 as he had promised. The children's mother, Teresa Knight, filed court papers saying that in a very agitated and angry phone call he refused to abide by the agreement.

Without providing details, authorities did say they hope to provide information soon that will help locate the children's bodies.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CALLEBS: The assistant attorney general of New Hampshire says authorities do not have a specific location where the bodies of the two children may be but they are apparently concentrating their search in areas near Interstate 80 in Illinois and Ohio and the FBI and Concord Police are expected to take Gehring to those areas -- Wolf.

BLITZER: CNN's Sean Callebs with that. Thanks Sean very much.

The anatomy of an attack, coming up how did Iraqi guerrillas carry out a deadly attack on U.S. troops today? We're live in Baghdad for the answers.

And, even if he's acquitted in court, will Kobe Bryant be guilty in the eyes of advertisers?

And, after conquering the world of golf yesterday what's Ben Curtis doing today? We'll show you when we come back.

First, let's take a shot at our news quiz.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER (voice-over): What is the culinary connection to the site of this year's British Open? Is it Yorkshire pudding, the sandwich, scones, or haggis? The answer coming up.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: The casualty count in Iraq rose once again today when a United States soldier was killed and others were injured in a roadside ambush. President Bush calls such attacks -- and I'm quoting now -- "part of the war to liberate Iraq."

Our senior international correspondent Nic Robertson has been witnessing firsthand what's going on. He's joining us now live from Baghdad -- Nic.

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, this killing today brings to a total of 36 the number of U.S. soldiers killed in hostile acts since President Bush declared on the first of May the end of major hostilities.

This attack occurred about 10:30 in the morning on a major highway on the northeastern outskirts of Baghdad.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ROBERTSON (voice-over): Inch by inch the aftermath of the latest guerrilla-style attack on U.S. forces is cleared off the scorched tarmac, the carcass of a Humvee lifted towards a waiting truck.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There was two people killed and three injured, the injuries, one American soldier was killed and one Iraqi was killed.

ROBERTSON: Thirty dollars the cost of renting the truck to get rid of the wreckage from this Baghdad highway.

(on camera): Although the precise details of this attack are not yet clear it appears to have been very similar to previous attacks, a remote-controlled explosive device set off by people waiting for the U.S. troops to pass by.

(voice-over): Security still tight, no attackers spotted when the troops arrived but praise for Iraqis who witnessed the explosion.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They immediately went to the vehicle and they cut out -- the seat belts were stuck and they cut two soldiers out from the seat belts and with the subsequent fire they may have saved their lives.

ROBERTSON: Fearful of retribution by the attackers, the father and son declined to describe on camera how they saves U.S. lives, even Iraqi police who rushed to help now distance themselves.

LT. SHAKER ABID AL AMEER, IRAQI POLICE (through translator): I have nothing to do with the American forces. My interest is my countrymen. I am here to protect them from the Americans and Israelis.

ROBERTSON: The recovery complete, troops pull out and looters move in scavenging the charred remains of the Humvee.

"This is a new line of business" he says. "We need something good for Iraq for our future. We need the killings and explosions to be over and done," slim pickings for these entrepreneurs of misfortune.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROBERTSON: And, I talked to the translator who was working with the U.S. troops who turned up at that site. He told me he wasn't afraid to go out that he wanted to do a good job with the U.S. troops that he felt perhaps about 50 percent of his friends feel that way.

But he says one of the problems they have, a lot of Iraqis have this problem, if they stand up and say, yes, we support the Americans they say we want to do that but we don't feel we can do it until we can point to something, point to the security and say, yes, it's improved. So, people while wanting to support very afraid, Wolf, still to stand up and say that publicly.

BLITZER: You spoke to that one Iraqi, Nic, who spoke about Americans being there with Israelis. Saddam Hussein in all of his audiotapes keeps talking about Zionists, Israelis who are with the U.S. Obviously all of that is ridiculous but how prevalent, do people really believe Israelis are on the ground working with the coalition forces inside Iraq?

ROBERTSON: Rumors here really abound. There are articles in some of the new newspapers that have emerged in the last few months talking about Israeli, Zionist plots, Israelis coming to take over businesses, coming to reclaim property in Iraq. These are daily occurrences. These are the sorts of things people got used to hearing under Saddam Hussein.

There are so many rumors and some of them are so preposterous but people still clutch on to them and some people believe them. Even policemen, even this policeman who was working almost hand-in-hand with the troops when they were there, when they were gone he had to revert back to language that he felt safe hiding behind -- Wolf.

BLITZER: CNN's Nic Robertson in Baghdad for us. Be careful over there, Nic, thanks very much.

Since President Bush declared an end to major combat in Iraq on May 1, as Nic reported, 93 U.S. troops have died, 36 of them by what's called hostile fire, 57 of the deaths were non-hostile, the results of non-hostile causes.

The war in Iraq and its aftermath are peaking interest in one of the country's other contentious conflicts and one group is working to ensure the lessons of Vietnam are taught accurately.

CNN's Kathleen Koch explains.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Reveille, the way former Marine Gil Woodside heard it every day in Vietnam. Now, he and these visiting history teachers wake up to news of U.S. troops casualties in Iraq. For their students back home, Vietnam no longer seems like ancient history.

GIL WOODSIDE, TEACHER: It has effect on the students because now they're interested in what war is like.

CHUCH TAFT, TEACHER: They want to know why we got involved in a war that is arguable halfway around the world because they see people questioning us getting involved in a war nearly halfway around the world now.

KOCH: The 84 teachers were brought to Washington from around the country by the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund. Its concern that the Vietnam War's history be taught fairly and frequently, especially with U.S. troops again in a divisive conflict.

TRICIA EDWARDS, VIETNAM VETERANS MEMORIAL FUND: Being in an armed conflict now it really relates to Vietnam. It helps to engage students and I think there's a real fear that some of those lessons of Vietnam won't be learned.

KOCH: Instructor Tom Dzicek students met Vietnam veterans not part of an all volunteer army, one of many reasons he says Iraq is no Vietnam.

TOM DZICEK, INSTRUCTOR: It's different in the sense that whole units are going to Iraq. Vietnam was kind of a revolving issue where a man or a woman went over there for a year's tour and then revolved back. The protest issue wasn't as prevalent in Iraq as it was in Vietnam so you've got a couple of distinct differences.

KOCH (on camera): The conference included not only veterans telling their stories but peace advocates sharing a very different point of view.

(voice-over): Still, Vietnam Red Cross worker Susan McLean believes even Americans against war now are careful not to condemn the troops.

SUSAN MCLEAN, TEACHER: In the way that our vets are welcomed or not welcomed home and they just don't want to go there again. They want to make sure that nothing like that ever happens again. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The names really do read like pages in a book.

KOCH: The toughest part visiting the memorial. Teacher Clara Garcia (ph) found her brother's name there. For her one lesson of war remains true in Vietnam and Iraq.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Let us not forget those who have gone but given us all these rights and freedoms we enjoy. It's there every day.

KOCH: Kathleen Koch, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: Martha Stewart's attorneys on the offensive, how they're raising questions about the government's case.

Whether Kobe Bryant is found guilty or not guilty, the woman accusing him could suffer emotionally for life. We'll talk to an expert.

And, what foods can help prevent Alzheimer's disease? Stay tuned to find out.

First though, this look at news making headlines around the world.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (voice-over): Investigators in Kenya are trying to figure out why a charter plane crashed on Mt. Kenya killing 12 members of a prominent Atlanta family. Retired physician and philanthropist George Brumley died with is wife and ten children, in-laws, and grandchildren.

Idi Amin, the former dictator of Uganda, is hospitalized in Saudi Arabia. He's said to be in a coma. Relatives say Uganda had denied their request to bury the 80-year-old ex-leader in his homeland when the time comes.

In Iran, a presidential commission is calling for a judicial investigation into the death of a Canadian-Iranian journalist. She died of a fractured skull after three days of police interrogation.

Clashes between police and protesters followed a large demonstration on the island of Corsica. Thousands of people rallied against the arrest of a Corsican separatist, the latest setback for nationalists who want more autonomy from Paris.

A strike by British Airway staff stranded thousands of people at Heathrow Airport in London over the weekend. The one-day walkout forced the airline to cancel at least 400 flights Saturday.

And, summer in the city is a little more bearable for Parisians thanks to an artificial beach set up along a two mile stretch of the Seine. Three thousand metric tons of sand were brought in at a cost of more than $1.5 million, and that's our look around the world.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Kobe Bryant, one of the NBA's most valuable and valued stars. But his status as a marketing icon now very much in doubt. Just ahead, what the experts say about Bryant's future as a pitchman.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: You're looking at live pictures of Air Force One. It's just touched down at Andrews Air Force Base outside of Washington, D.C. The president returning from Crawford, Texas, his ranch there with the first lady. He'll be walking out. There they are now, Mrs. Bush, the president. They've come back from talks with Silvio Berlusconi, the Italian prime minister. They'll be walking down these stairs, boarding Marine One to make that brief flight over to the White House to return, get back to business here in Washington after a weekend on the ranch.

The president's got an enormous amount of issues on his agenda. Right now, Iraq obviously first and foremost. But he has to make a major decision on Liberia as well, whether to deploy U.S. troops in that war-torn country. U.S. troops in the country, where the situation has gone from horrible to even worse. The U.S. embassy compound in Monrovia, the capital today coming under direct fire. No one was hurt, but the situation there clearly tense.

The president now walking along the tarmac going to board Air Force -- Marine One, that is -- to fly over to the South Lawn of the White House. We'll continue to monitor the president's journeys as we always do. Get some more information on that, on what his agenda is for the rest of this week. We'll, of course, be reporting extensively on all of that.

Welcome back to CNN. Straight ahead, the price Kobe Bryant will pay, even if he's not guilty and the emotional effects on the woman who has accused him.

First, though, the latest headlines.

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BLITZER: More on the Kobe Bryant case that raises serious questions. What will happen, for example, to his endorsement deals worth tens of millions of dollars and other serious questions as well?

CNN's Jen Rogers is live at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

JEN ROGERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right.

Well, Kobe Bryant is really known for his electrifying play at the Los Angeles Lakers home court. But his latest attention-grabbing move may have some marketers more concerns than excited.

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ROGERS (voice-over): Kobe Bryant was a slam dunk for corporate America. His skills on the court and his squeaky clean image off made him an ideal pitchman. A perennial endorsement all-star, Bryant banked millions a year on marketing deals. But with his admission of adultery and charges of sexual assault, some say his brand and the brand names he pitches could be tarnished, regardless of the verdict.

DAVID CARTER, THE SPORTS BUSINESS GROUP: Clearly if he's convicted of sexual assault, there will be no endorsements left for him. But if he was to enter some sort of plea bargain, that might allow him to maintain some of those relationships. It just depends on the severity of the outcome of this.

ROGERS: With fans likely to see Bryant in court before they see him back on the court, his marketing partners are playing it safe for now.

Nike, who recently signed the 24-year-old guard to an estimated $45 million contract, said while it couldn't comment on legal matters, he is a great player. Kobe has stated that he is innocent of the charges.

McDonald's says it is premature to speculate about what the outcome of the legal matter is and how it will affect our relationship.

Coca-Cola, whose Sprite adds feature Bryant, stated he remains under contract with us through 2005. We will have no further comment on this matter as it proceeds through the legal system.

Sponsors are often protected by so-called morality clauses, but even if they are invoked, Bryant's bottom line may not be impacted.

JEFFREY TOOBIN, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: What sometimes happens with morality clauses is if the company continues paying the person, but they no longer use them as a spokesperson. That saves litigation with the endorser, but it also allows them to separate themselves in some way.

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ROGERS: So is Bryant's marketing career doomed? Well, there is, in fact, one camp out there that says if he's acquitted, this whole scandal could actually boost his street image, making Bryant once known mostly as a choir boy, more real and perhaps more marketable -- Wolf.

BLITZER: Jen Rogers outside the Staples Center in L.A. Thanks, Jen, very much.

There's much more than money, of course, at stake here. The high-profile trial promises to be an extremely emotional ordeal for the alleged victim, who was thrust into the spotlight the moment she obviously came forward. Rochelle Frounfelker runs the sexual assault and violence intervention program at Manhattan's Mt. Sinai Hospital. Rochelle is joining us now live from our New York bureau.

Rochelle, thanks for joining us. When a woman shows up at your center, what do you immediately do?

ROCHELLE FROUNFELKER, MT. SINAI HOSPITAL: Well, first off, I want to correct you and say I'm not the director of the program. I'm the Manhattan ED program coordinator.

What I do is I work with people who have gone to the emergency room within a short time after the sexual assault or survive attack of domestic violence and work with them on doing short-term counseling and then referring them out if they're interested in working more long term with someone.

BLITZER: Well, what advice do you give them immediately if they believe they've been raped?

FROUNFELKER: The first thing I would suggest is that someone -- that the individual does go to the hospital and get medical care, even if they're not interested in pursuing the case legally and having things such as the evidence collection kit done. They can get medical care such as STDs and HIV and emergency contraception, and just get checked out and making sure that the person is physically in generally good health.

BLITZER: And what if they say, " You know what? I want to press charges. I want to find this rapist and get him?"

FROUNFELKER: Well, then I would suggest going to the hospital and then part of the procedure, besides getting the medical care, is having an evidence collection kit done. That can be turned over to the police and then the perpetrator is found, they can use any of the evidence from that collection kit in the trial.

BLITZER: Do you notify police right away, assuming police have not yet by then been notified?

FROUNFELKER: No, it really varies. Some people do -- are escorted to the emergency room by the police. They've already reported it. Other people decide maybe a month later that they do want to prosecute. They have up until 30 days after they had the evidence collection kit completed to decide if they would like to continue with the case.

BLITZER: And then you -- do you tell them to get some legal advice? Because obviously, if they're going to press charges they're going to be up against presumably a sharp defense attorney that will question the victim, the alleged victim in this particular case, what they're saying.

FROUNFELKER: Right. Well, I don't actually work with people once they get into the court system very much. Some of our counselors do. But I would say that there definitely is a whole branch of victim-blaming that still goes on in rape trials that, as much education as we try to do with our society, that still goes on and that many times the person feels revictimized during the court proceedings.

BLITZER: Rochelle Frounfelker of the Mt. Sinai Hospital in New York, thanks for joining us.

FROUNFELKER: Thank you very much.

BLITZER: Meanwhile, there's been a new development in another high-profile case. Lawyers for Martha Stewart want an investigation into leaks they say may have prejudiced the grand jury.

CNN's Allan Chernoff is joining us now live from New York with that -- Allan.

ALLAN CHERNOFF, CNNfn CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, those leaks occurred the day before Martha Stewart was actually indicted. Accurate news reports that Ms. Stewart would not be facing criminal insider trading charges related to her sale of ImClone stock. Ms. Stewart's lead defense attorney, Robert Morvillo (ph), today told the judge that she should order the government to conduct an investigation. The prosecutor, Michael Schacter (ph), said there were no leaks from his side, no need for any investigation. He even pointed out that defense attorneys had access to the same information right before the indictment. The judge appeared to be siding with the government, although she did ask for a transcript of instructions to the grand jury and said she wanted to see that before making a final decision on this issue.

Now what exactly was Martha Stewart's attorney up to? He said that he hoped to show the grand jury that indicted Martha Stewart had been prejudices, and if he could show prejudice, he then might ask the court to throw out the charges. Martha Stewart is facing criminal charges of obstruction of justice, conspiracy, making false statements, and securities fraud. She has plead not guilty and her trial is scheduled to begin on January 12 -- Wolf.

BLITZER: CNN's Allan Chernoff with that. Thanks, Allan, very much.

He had unprecedented access to America's closest ally. We'll talk with the author of a book who spent time close -- extremely close to Tony Blair in those critical days leading up to and during the war in Iraq.

And what can you feed your brain -- get this -- to help prevent Alzheimer's disease? The new medical information -- that's coming up.

First, the answer to our "News Quiz."

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BLITZER (voice-over): Earlier we asked if you knew the culinary connection to the site of this year's British Open. The answer: sandwich. The town that hosted this year's British Open shares the name with the earl of Sandwich, who's credited with inventing the practice of putting meat between two pieces of bread.

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BLITZER: Turning now to the death of a British weapons expert Dr. David Kelly. Kelly apparently committed suicide last week. Police are still investigating. His body was found days after he had been questioned by a Parliamentary committee about his allege role in a BBC news report. The report accused the British government of exaggerating a dossier on Iraq's weapons of mass destruction program to make the case for war. The BBC said yesterday Kelly was the main source for its report.

Controversy over the weapons issue and over Kelly's death has follow the British Prime Minister Tony Blair to the Far East. The prime minister was in Beijing today. Earlier he indicated he would cooperate fully with the inquiry into the scientist's death, while repeating his call -- and I'm quoting now -- "for respect and restraint in the matter."

During four crucial weeks in March and April, the build-up toward war and the war itself, Peter Stothard had unprecedented access to Prime Minister Blair. The former editor of "The London Times" has written an important new book on that experience entitled "Thirty Days: Tony Blair and the Test of History." Tony Blair is still being tested.

Peter Stothard is joining us live here in Washington. Peter, thanks very much. He's being tested. How much trouble is he in? Can he survive this political uproar?

PETER STOTHARD, AUTHOR: Yes, he's in big trouble, because what was a side show -- a rall (ph) between his office and the BBC has now become the main show. And it's the main show with a dead body in it. And once that happens in politics, everything can be turned on its head. So yes, he's in trouble.

BLITZER: Is he in trouble within his own Labor Party? Because the conservatives obviously are trying to go after him. But what about his base?

STOTHARD: Well, he's in trouble with the base because they hated the war anyway and they don't like the BBC, you know, so much. So they get a sort of show going with the government versus the BBC.

I think the BBC is in quite a bit of trouble too, though. I mean, the BBC has named David Kelly as a source today. But, you know, why didn't they name when he was alive? And he wasn't a good enough source for that story. I mean, journalists never like to sort of hit on other journalists, but the fact is he wasn't a good enough source for that story and to that extent, Tony Blair's government was right. But once you get a judicial inquiry into this kind of thing, anything can happen.

BLITZER: A lot of people speculating that the head of the BBC -- he may have to go down, too.

STOTHARD: Yes, well, I think at the moment, Tony Blair has got a bit of a 24-hour breathing space because all the focus in the London papers tonight, out tomorrow morning, will be on the divisions in the BBC government. They are very, very anxious about the journalistic direction of the BBC and they're not sure that they were told everything that they needed to be told.

So for the moment, Tony Blair has got a short breathing space. But when you got a judge looking into WMD and a death and a dead body, then, you know, no politician can control that. And Tony Blair likes to control things.

BLITZER: Tony Blair was very close to Bill Clinton. Now he's very close to George W. Bush. Why is this British prime minister, despite public opinion in England, the rest of Europe for that matter, so pro-American?

STOTHARD: Because he believes in the analysis that is much stronger in America than in Britain. What happened to the world after 9/11. To most people in Britain and Europe, 9/11 was a horror show, a horror movie. It went on for a couple of days and then it's something you can barely remember.

For George Bush and Tony Blair, it's something that changed the nature of the world's security. But most people in Britain and Europe don't see it that way.

BLITZER: So for him it was a gut instinct to side with Washington as opposed to anything else.

STOTHARD: Intellectually, he thinks that particular view of world security set out so clearly in his speech to Congress is the correct one and that George Bush agrees with it and the fact that Jacques Chirac and the Germans and a lot of other people don't agree with it, just means in Tony Blair's mind that he's right and they're wrong.

BLITZER: You know this British prime minister as well as any journalist. What does your gut tell you whether or not he can survive the storm?

STOTHARD: Yes, he can survive this storm but it's the worst kind of storm is the one that you can't at all control. And as I say, death does change everything, even in politics.

BLITZER: The body is there and they're going to be investigating a lot of people.

Thanks very much, Peter. Good luck with the book.

STOTHARD: Thank you. BLITZER: What are the foods that researchers now say might help prevent Alzheimer's disease? Our medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen will be here with new information, information you need to know that might help you avoid Alzheimer's.

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BLITZER: Here's an incredible story you -- you, meaning you, our viewers, may be able to cut in half the risk of losing your mind to Alzheimer's disease just by eating more fish.

Our medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen is watching this story. Is this for real, Elizabeth?

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's for real in that it's an indication that diet may play a role in Alzheimer's disease. It's part of this growing amount of evidence that points to a role that diet plays in getting Alzheimer's disease.

In this study, researchers in Chicago looked at 815 elderly people and they tracked their diet and they found that over the years that followed, that people who ate fish had a lower risk of getting Alzheimer's disease.

Let's take a look at the exact numbers. What they found is that people who ate fish at least once a week had a 60 percent decrease in their risk of Alzheimer's disease. They believe that it's the omega 3 fatty acids in the fish that might be helping prevent people getting Alzheimer's disease. Those are the same things that actually might help prevent heart disease and stroke as well.

Now this doesn't mean that eating fish is -- you got to go out there and eat lots of fish and that will definitely decrease your risk 60 percent. This is just one study. They're planning to do more. They're planning to start looking at people, say, in their 40s and 50s. Not at age 65, like they did in this study, and that would make the evidence even harder.

BLITZER: But Elizabeth, as you know and as you've reported over the years, there's also mercury in fish and a lot of people are nervous about mercury in the fish. What do you -- how do you balance this?

COHEN: That's right. It really puts people in a conundrum because there are stories like this that say fish is great. And then we tell stories that say fish contains mercury.

Well, here's what you can do. What you can do is you can just avoid fish that are high in mercury -- fish like swordfish and shark are high in mercury. And so you can just decide you don't want to eat those altogether. But remember that for other fish, for fish that are not particularly high in mercury, the National Academy of Sciences has said that even pregnant women and small children can eat three to four servings of those fish a week. And that's quite a bit. So three to four servings a week is enough that you're not putting yourself at too much risk of getting mercury, but you're doing enough that it could prevent Alzheimer's disease and heart disease as well.

BLITZER: Elizabeth, are there any foods we should avoid in order to try to avoid coming down with Alzheimer's?

COHEN: Yes, some studies have shown that if you eat a lot of saturated fat and transfat, that increases your risk of getting Alzheimer's disease, just like it increases your risk of getting heart disease. So that would be the fat in dairy, the fat in meat, and also the fat in processed, baked goods like cookies and cake.

BLITZER: Good advice from Elizabeth Cohen. She always has good advice for us. Thanks very much, Elizabeth.

Our hot "Web Question of the Day" is this -- "With renewed violence, should the United States commit troops to Liberia?" You can vote right now. Go to cnn.com/wolf. We'll have the results when we come back.

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BLITZER: Here's how you're weighing in our "Web Question of the Day." "With renewed violence, should the U.S. commit troops to Liberia?" Forty-two percent of you say yes; 58 percent say no. Remember, this is not a scientific poll.

Let's get to some of your e-mail.

Kieran writes this: "Helping Liberia is a nice distraction from Iraq. It also makes our action in Iraq seem more justified. By diverting the attention to Liberia, we look more politically correct in a humanitarian sense."

Charles writes: "Why does the Kobe Bryant story demand so much attention? There are people in the United States in need of food, health care and education. Our troops are being killed off one-by-one in Iraq. People are losing their jobs. And we are worried about Kobe Bryant's infidelity."

Keep those e-mail coming. A reminder: we always like to hear what you have to say.

We're back twice a day, Monday through Friday, at noon and 5 p.m. Eastern. I'll see you again tomorrow. Until then, thanks very much for watching.

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