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CNN Live Today
FBI on Scene of Car Bomb Attack That Destroyed Baghdad Hotel; Another Explosion Outside of Hotel in Iraq
Aired March 18, 2004 - 10:00 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.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, we're at CNN headquarters in Atlanta. I'm Daryn Kagan. And first, we go ahead and check the headlines.
U.S. officials say the FBI is now on the scene of the car bomb attack that destroyed a Baghdad hotel. The FBI is assisting Iraqi policeman investigating the blast that killed seven people. Twenty- two fewer than originally thought. Rescuers have now called off the search for survivors.
Today, there was another explosion outside of a hotel in Iraq. This time it was in the southern city of Basra. That area is under the control of British forces. At least four people died in that attack.
The conflict in Iraq is coming up on the one-year mark. President Bush plans to commemorate the milestone with an address to troops at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. The event is expected to take place about two hours from now; you'll see it live here on CNN. Fort Campbell is home to the 101 Airborne Division. The base lost 60 soldiers in Iraq, more than any other military post.
Pakistan's status with the U.S. has been elevated. It is now "major non-NATO ally." That's a relationship that makes it easier to transfer military hardware for use in the war on terror. Secretary of State Colin Powell conferred the designation as he wrapped up his trip to the region. Pakistan has recently stepped up military operations against Taliban and al Qaeda hideouts along the Afghan border.
And in Madrid, Spanish state radio reports four more suspects have been arrested in connection with last week's commuter train bombings. Five other suspects are due in court for their alleged role in the attacks that killed 201 people.
The first hour of CNN LIVE TODAY begins right now.
Live this hour, the fortunes of war on Capitol Hill. A House subcommittee holding a hearing to discuss the riches of Saddam Hussein, how best to return it to the country that he plundered.
And we're going to begin in Baghdad. That's where rescue crews have abandoned any hope of finding survivors from yesterday's thunderous suicide bombing. The blast was captured on videotape as an interview was being conducted a half mile away. Investigators say the car was packed with more than 1,000 pounds of explosives, and the ruins of nearby buildings were still smoldering on this morning after. As the smoke rises, the death toll does not. In fact, the U.S. military now believes that only seven people were killed, not 29 as previously reported.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BRIG. GEN. MARK KIMMITT, DEPUTY OPS. DIR., U.S. MILITARY: At this point it is not definitive whether the hotel was the target, because it is unclear why the bomber would not have driven the car closer to the hotel and exploded the bomb right next to the hotel for more damage. Given that's in the middle of the street, there is a chance and there's a likelihood that this might not have been a target; that the vehicle may have prematurely detonated or may have been hit by another vehicle, rear-ended causing the detonation.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAGAN: An Army spokesman tells CNN, the attack resembles other bombings that the military believes were carried out by the terror group Ansar al Islam or the Zarqawi network.
CNN's Walter Rogers says that outraged Iraqis converged on the scene. And we're going to have a chance to talk with Walt about the mood there, some 20 hours after yesterday's bombing. That will be coming up in just a moment.
Meanwhile, President Bush is on route this morning to Fort Campbell, Kentucky. That Army base has lost 60 soldiers in Iraq, the most of any military installation in the country.
Our Kathleen Koch is at the White House with a preview of the president's message -- Kathleen.
KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Daryn, President Bush will be serving a dual role this morning, both commander and consoler in chief. Of course Fort Campbell, Kentucky is home to the 101 Airborne, its 20,000 members recently returned from Iraq. Though, as you pointed out, some 60 soldiers died there. President Bush, this morning will be meeting privately with the family members of the fallen soldiers. Afterwards in the speech to the troops, the president will express the nation's gratitude for what he recall their service and sacrifice in defending freedom.
The president will talk about the war on terror and the need for the United States to remain strong and resolute in the face -- in what -- in the face of what he calls his "time of testing." Mr. Bush will talk about what the U.S. has accomplished in the war on terror -- what the U.S. has accomplished, I should say, in Iraq, the removal of a brutal regime. And also the president will discuss how important it is for the U.S. to work toward furthering both freedom and democracy there.
Now, this will be President Bush's second visit to Fort Campbell, Kentucky. He was there in November of 2001, shortly after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. And the president's visit today is part of a week of events commemorating the one-year anniversary of the U.S. led invasion of Iraq.
And President Bush, while in public opinion polls, he scores well for his handling of the nation's defense and war on terror. A new CNN/"USA Today"/Gallup poll finds that Americans are increasingly concerned, less optimistic about the war in Iraq, and how it has been going there. Fifty-five percent of those surveyed believe that it was worth going to war versus 68 percent a year ago. And more Americans, 48 percent of those polled, believe the situation in Iraq will degrade to chaos and civil war versus remaining stable after U.S. troops pull out.
So, Daryn, a growing pessimism reflected as Americans look back at Iraq one year after the war.
KAGAN: Kathleen Koch at the White House.
Telling our viewers to stay with CNN for live coverage of President Bush's address to the troops, coming up in just a couple of hours. The speech is due to get under way around noon Eastern, 9:00 Pacific.
And now the latest in Kosovo, the former Yugoslav province battered by its worst violence since the end of the war five years ago. Great Britain says it will send about 200 extra troops, trying to bolster peacekeeping forces there. NATO says an American and Italian units are already on their way.
Twenty-two people have been killed since ethnic fighting erupted yesterday between Serbs and Albanians. Earlier today on "AMERICAN MORNING," we spoke to a former NATO Supreme Allied Commander Wesley Clark who oversaw the mission there. He is calling for the U.S. to restore diplomatic leadership and stability to the region.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WESLEY CLARK, FMR. NATO SUPREME ALLIED CMDR.: The political process has essentially been frozen for several years. We need to move ahead on a final status determination for Kosovo, this is the requirement. The international community simply must face up to this requirement and develop the political means to reduce the tension. It's a longstanding flashpoint. But political problems have to be dealt with. And in this context you cannot freeze them.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAGAN: The latest violence apparently began when ethnic Albanians blamed Serbs for the drowning of three children and began rampaging in revenge.
Now a chance to talk with our Walter Rogers, on the scene in Baghdad, the site of that hotel bombing yesterday. The death toll not as high as originally thought but tensions are very high and frustration with a lack of security on the part of Iraqis as well. I had a chance to ask Walter just a couple of minutes ago, what it's like some 22-hours after yesterday's bombing.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WALTER RODGERS, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: I think the Iraqis, in this particular neighborhood in Baghdad, where the car bomb went off last night, those who survived are dumbfounded. Walking around the streets this morning, I was talking to some of them. And I kept hearing them asking in Arabic, "laish (ph)? Laish?" Which is why, why? And there is no answer to that question.
It was a murderous assault here last night. Bits of a car -- cars -- eight cars were destroyed, and they were just shredded in shrapnel like this. This is razor sharp and they just exploded in every direction. That's why you had over 40 injured people, in addition to 17 fatalities.
Again, there's no answer to the why in all this, except it's presumed the insurgents, the perpetrators are trying to destabilize the American effort to sow some kind of civil society here, hopefully even a democracy. Although it would appear, at least in the eyes of many Iraqis, we're still a long way from that -- Daryn.
KAGAN: Well, it seems on that point that they might be successful. The sense of frustration that Iraqis have about a lack of security seems to be expressing itself in a strong anti-American sentiment.
ROGERS: Well, that's true. And there's a modicum of justification in that, because the United States is indeed the occupying power in Baghdad. And under international law, it is the responsibility of the United States to provide the security to these people. Now, of course, it's a tradeoff. Part of that tradeoff, of course is that Saddam Hussein is gone, but the people here constantly complain they do not have security. And increasingly, that's the case.
There was the bombing, a smaller car bombing in Basra today. Also in a hotel district. Up in Fallujah, the American Army was going to the mayor's office and suddenly it came under fire. There was a huge firefight. The Americans -- or the Iraqis, we don't know who. But there were two fatalities there, a child in that firefight in Fallujah and a Muslim sheik. It's a very violent part of the world and there's very little security. And where there's no security, there's no stability. And without stability, it's very barren ground for the germination of democracy -- Daryn.
KAGAN: But Walter, it's hard to have it both ways. You don't have the security, and yet there's that strong resentment about the civil presence of the Americans. You can't want the Americans out and then also want a stronger presence?
ROGERS: Well, that's -- hey, you're preaching to the choir. Here's the difficulty there. The Iraqis are a proud people with a long national heritage. They don't like being occupied. The Americans are the most recent occupier. Now in fairness, most Iraqis realize that if the Americans go this place comes unglued; that is if the Americans go prematurely. They are indeed fearful of a civil war, so they had to blame.
Someone in the streets behind me last night, when there was anger everywhere, they started yelling at the American soldiers who came in to help them. They blamed the nearest bodies they could find. But this morning walking through there, you heard the more predictable reaction in the Arab world. They weren't blaming the Islamist militants. They were saying, somehow, the Israelis are behind this. You always hear that when tragedy strikes the Arab world -- Daryn.
KAGAN: A lot of motion. A lot of violence as you were pointing out. Walter Rodgers in Baghdad. Thank you for that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAGAN: Funny, I can talk and be on television all at the same time. In case you couldn't tell, we were able to tape that just a little bit before we went on the air. Thanks to Walter Rodgers for staying up just a little bit longer. He's been on duty almost 24 hours.
We'll have more on the Baghdad blast. Why was the Hotel Lebanon targeted in the first place? What could be done to protect civilian targets?
Also, Iraq one year later. Our Rym Brahimi joins us to look back at the night when American bombs rained down on Baghdad, as she stood witness.
And later, the story of one man's life chained forever in an instant.
This is CNN LIVE TODAY. We're all watching live pictures from Andrews Air Force Base. President Bush on board Marine 1. It has just landed and pulled up to Air Force 1. President Bush will be getting out any moment heading to Fort Campbell, Kentucky; he'll be talking to the 101 Airborne Division. You'll see that speech later today live here on CNN.
Right now, a quick break. We're back after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAGAN: Live picture from Andrews Air Force Base. There you see Mr. and Mrs. Bush making their way to Air Force 1 on their way to Fort Campbell Kentucky. That's where the president will be addressing the Army's 101 Airborne Division. The Screaming Eagles are housed there. The Screaming Eagles lost 60 soldiers in the Iraq War, that is the most of any post in the U.S.
And you'll see that speech later, live today right here on CNN. President Bush expected to speak just a few minutes past noon Eastern. And we'll go as the president and Mrs. Bush load up on to Air Force 1.
Security is on high alert in Iraq. Two bombings in two days. Security analyst, Kelly McCann joins us to tell us why the Lebanon Hotel in Baghdad was targeted in one of those blasts, and whether other locations may be at risk.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAGAN: Want to get back now to yesterday's suicide bombing in Baghdad and what made the hotel such a prime target for terrorists in the first place.
For that we're turning to CNN contributor Kelly McCann, an expert in security and terrorism, and someone just back from Baghdad himself.
Kelly, Good morning.
KELLY MCCANN, CNN SECURITY ANALYST: Hey, Daryn.
KAGAN: Let's look at this particular hotel. A soft target?
MCCANN: Absolutely. In fact there was no real security around it. There weren't any T-barricades. There wasn't any bomb blast mitigations. We keyhole in here, you'll see also an interesting concept was that it is in line of sight from the Palestine Hotel. Which means there was an immediacy for being able to report on this bomb being going off. With smoke in the background, the Palestine being generally in that direction and looking across the way.
But this particular sight, OK, that I've drawn here for you, is the way security is usually run at the more sophisticated places. Keep in mind that bombing yesterday happened where there was not this level of sophistication. Normally there's human guards that basically have observation points, that can establish a norm, look for surveillance. And these are usually co-located with RPK machine guns, able to stop a vehicle that may come charging into an area, et cetera, before it becomes an issue.
So you've got all these eyes on the ground that I'm drawing here. These would be the sectors of fire. In addition to that, you've got physical control. There will be a bomb mitigation blast barricade that drives traffic as far away from the site as possible, to increase the blast wave propagation's chance of failing. So you're pushing traffic away.
Then you've also got control access points, where vehicles have to pass and go through a chicane area that would create a blast containment area. So even if a vehicle did, as a rouse come into this site, it would be checked. And even if it did detonate, it's still far away.
And then you've got fail-safe measures. You'd have Hesco barricades up here that simply can't be rammed. The vehicle can't get through them. And you would also have RPG netting, so the Rags can't come in from anywhere that terrorists would have that line of fire. So you can see what I drew right there, Daryn. The site that blew up yesterday was significantly different.
KAGAN: What I have been reading, though, is a lot of the Arab businessmen who pick hotels like this, pick it for that exact reason. They don't want to be in a place that is loaded up with security, anything that could be associated with anything western or anything American.
MCCANN: One hundred percent right. But remember, senior officers of ORASCOM and Egypt Motorola were staying at this site. It just goes to show this adversary, and there are many of them all over in Iraq, they really don't care about that. The proprietor's philosophy was exactly as you stated. He wanted people to know there was a multicultural clientele. He wanted them to know that he wasn't over the top of security and wasn't allying with a lot of the coalition forces. But it just didn't work -- Daryn.
KAGAN: This hotel also not in the Green Zone. How big of a difference is the security within the Green Zone versus outside?
MCCANN: Vast. We've got a graphic to show that. If we can pull that up, I'll show you here that the Green Zone is a very large area. It used to be a palace. And of course, palace had security innate to it. So there was that. Then they co-opted some blocks, basically here to increase the size of it. As you drive into the Green Zone, I mean it's like going into another city. It's protected by the U.S. military. It's at really risk by indirect firing weapons that could originate from outside and land in the Green Zone. But certainly there's not going to be a vehicle that can ram into this thing or have armed shooters loose on the inside. It is very, very different when you're staying outside of the Green Zone -- Daryn.
KAGAN: And real quickly, just as we mentioned, you are just back from Baghdad. What was your general impression of the security and the city?
MCCANN: The security is -- as people get there they ramp up their knowledge base. It's getting better. However, there's a huge influx of contractors, NGOs, et cetera, people who aren't security smart necessarily. They're looking at basically as a business enterprise, you know, putting up wire systems, getting the water working, the electricity. That isn't the core competency of security. So there are going to be some challenges over the next four to six months -- Daryn.
KAGAN: We'll be watching it. Kelly McCann thanks for your expertise this morning, appreciate it.
MCCANN: Thanks, Daryn.
KAGAN: And a reminder to our viewers to stay with CNN for live coverage of President Bush's address to U.S. troops at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. His speech is due to get underway around noon Eastern, nine Pacific.
We'll be back after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAGAN: This just in to CNN, we're getting word out of Britain that British police say they have closed a part of a train line, the Euro Star cross channel line near Dover. And they have arrested a man on anti-terror laws. A section of the line was closed according to officials. They say one man was arrested under the terrorism laws and that he is helping police with their investigation.
So once again, a section of the Euro Star cross channel train line near Dover has been shut down. And one man arrested under apparent violation of anti-terror laws. More on that out of Britain as it becomes available.
Meanwhile, we look at other stories making news across America. Marcus Wesson will be back in court this afternoon in Fresno, California for allegedly murdering nine family members. Yesterday's arraignment was postponed 24 hours to give him time to hire an attorney. Wesson says he does not want a public defender.
In Las Vegas, an extradition hearing is expected tomorrow for Charles McCoy Jr. He was arrested there shortly after being publicly identified as a suspect in the Columbus, Ohio highway shootings. Authorities say they were tipped off by a 63-year-old man who spotted McCoy at a casino, talked with him briefly, and then found McCoy's car at a nearby hotel.
In New York, jurors today are expected to begin deliberations in the case against former Tyco executive Dennis Koslowski and Mark Schwartz. Closing arguments concluded yesterday, six months after the trial began. The defendants are accused of plundering Tyco for hundreds of millions of dollars.
The search for survivors has been suspended in Baghdad as another car bomb rocks Iraq. The headlines in just a moment.
Also this...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SPEC. LANCE GEISLEMANN, U.S. ARMY: And I remember I tried to roll over and my leg wouldn't go with me. And then I really thought it was broken really bad.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAGAN: On the ground and minus leg, but now working to rebuild his life. We'll hear Army Specialist Lance Geislemann and his survival story when we come back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAGAN: Here are the top stories at this hour.
President Bush is on route to Fort Campbell, Kentucky, the U.S. base. It was the most to loose the most personnel in Iraq. Tomorrow marks the first anniversary of the war's opening strike. Mr. Bush is due to address the troop less than two hours from now.
Authorities in Spain have arrested four more suspects in connection with the deadly train bombing in Madrid, one week ago today. Spain's state radio says the newest suspects are all north Africans and were arrested within Spain's borders. Six suspects were already in custody. Two hundred people died in last week's explosions, 10 in all clustered in a span of only minutes.
Pakistan has launched a new offensive this morning to flush out al Qaeda operatives taking refuge near the Afghan border. Government troops, paramilitary forces heavy guns and helicopters are enlisting in an intensified crackdown on militants. Sixteen soldiers and 24 suspected rebels were killed in the same area Tuesday in the bloodiest fighting of the renewed mission.
A life-size wax figure of Adolf Hitler is drawing some heat in Berlin. It's believed to be the country's first public display of the Nazi leader since the end of World War II. The spokesman for the Culture Ministry says the display, which includes figures of allied leaders Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin is considered art and therefore it does not violate Germany's strict ban on Nazi memorabilia.
Coalition officials in Iraq have again revised the number of people killed in yesterday's suicide bombing in Baghdad. That death toll now stands at 70 compared to the earlier estimate of 29. Nearly three dozen Iraqi civilians were wounded. There have been no arrests in the attack and no claims of responsibility. Coalition officials say it bears all the trademarks of an Islamic militant group.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KIMMITT: If you take a look at the fact that a suicide bomber was used, clearly the intent was not for a military purpose, but for a spectacular purpose, an attempt to kill as many civilians as possible.
And if you look at the symbology (ph) of trying to attack inside the center of a city rather than a military target , those were some of the fingerprints, those are some of the techniques we have come to associate with terrorist bombings, whether it was Zarqawi's group, Ansar al Islam, al Qaeda, we don't have definitive proof of that yet.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAGAN: Investigators are also focusing on the timing of yesterday's attack. It came as the Iraqi governing council invited the U.N.'s return to Iraq to help establish a caretaker government and a city wide sweep for insurgents had just been launched.
Earlier today, less than 24 hours after the Baghdad attack, a car bomb exploded in Basra. At least four people died in that blast which was also outside of a hotel. Basra is in southeastern Iraq and is the largest city in the largely Shi'ite region.
Tomorrow marks the first anniversary of the Iraq war, when U.S.- led forces launched the first attacks on targets in Iraq. Those explosions rumbled under foot and echoed around the world. Our next guest was on the scene to bear witness. Rym Brahimi is in London today -- Rym.
RYM BRAHIMI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Daryn. Good to be talking to you again.
KAGAN: We look back on that night one year ago, what really stands out in your mind?
BRAHIMI: You know, the whole buildup of tension is what really stands out. Just before coming on the set, Daryn, I actually called a friend in Baghdad. That's one thing we can do now. They have mobile phones which aren't allowed before as you know I was trying to reminisce with her. She was reminding me as well of these things.
It was so tense. People were lining up for fuel in the streets. We were really tense because the ultimatum of course we knew approximately everybody knew when to expect or what night we were going to expect the first bombings.
People were also crowding the market places during the day. In the evening, slowly just putting things away, trying to make sense and be organized for whatever was going to happen.
In our case, of course, we had to move. We left the ministry of information that we suspected might be a potential target and we moved everything to the Palestine hotel. They just had an end of reign atmosphere over the city -- Daryn.
KAGAN: I was in Kuwait City at the same time, Rym. And of course it wasn't as intense, but there was the same fear hanging overhead. This big question of weapons of mass destruction and not knowing if and when Saddam Hussein was going to use those. As we know, he's used them on his own people. Can you talk about that fear within Baghdad?
BRAHIMI: That's true. It was certainly a fear among many people. Nobody knew what the situation was with that. I think everybody was confident that there wasn't anything in terms of nuclear, but in terms of chemical and biological, especially maybe chemical, that's why people were worried. Not just us reporters, but also, I think, a lot of people. They just didn't know what to expect.
So there was this fear. Of course people didn't have the means that a lot of foreign reporters had to sort of buy these metal boxes. We all thought there would be an E-bomb (ph) something coming from the other side.
Nobody knew what to expect on either side. People did what they could. Those that were really, really afraid -- there were two tendencies. Some people thought we'd be safe in Baghdad because we would never throw something like that in Baghdad People took their kids and went to the country side.
One of the friends I spoke to was actually just telling me now she remembers very well trying to look around her apartment with her only son that she brought up on her own as a single mother. She said they were looking through the department to go north to Kirkuk and see what they wanted to take with them.
And she said it was really bizarre, she said we didn't want to take anything because we loved our apartment. We just left everything in Baghdad and went up to Kirkuk and didn't turn back until the end of the war. KAGAN: Was she eventually able to go back and take back that apartment?
BRAHIMI: Yes. She came back. She now lives in Baghdad again. She looks at everything with a mixture of obviously like everybody, happy of course that Saddam Hussein is not in power, but extremely sad at the current situation in Baghdad. Extraordinarily, though, there is not a sense of defeatism, There's a lot of sadness, frustration, anger even.
And her dream -- I asked her if she was optimistic. She said, I want to see our lives as they were before, without Saddam, with the freedom we have now but without seeing Americans on the streets as occupiers We want Americans as friends not occupiers.
KAGAN: That's really hard for Americans on this side to understand. This sense of frustration that the Iraqis have, they don't want the occupation then they get mad at the Americans for the lack of security when something happens, like the bombing today in Basra or the one yesterday in Baghdad.
BRAHIMI: I think there is a sense of frustration. And it is difficult to understand if you haven't actually been inside Iraq and if you don't know where they're coming from.
And what happens, again this friend was explaining this to me today. I spoke to a couple other people. The sense is that, again, they have nothing. They say, we have nothing against Americans and we want them to be our friends. We can have trade ties and whatever they want, that's fine.
But it's the sense of almost humiliation that that country has to be occupied, that they can't sort this out themselves. Also they say there's a lot of hatred against Americans and a lot of other countries in the world and there's a lot of anger against Americans Other issues apart from Iraq. A lot of people in Iraq feel they are paying the price because a lot of these so-called foreign terrorists, if you will, are coming into Iraq, from what we understand and perpetrating their attacks in Iraq.
So they feel they are victims of the American occupation but that they shouldn't be associated to them because they say we were just happy going on with our lives but now we're caught in between all these different conflicts that the Americans are attracting on us. Also as the occupying power, it is the U.S.' responsibility, this is something that Iraqis know to protect the Iraqi citizens.
And there's a sense that the security that they did enjoy before albeit under a very tough regime is totally gone and they don't know when that's going to come back.
Daryn, we've spoken about this before, how people are afraid to send their children to school. How people are sometimes pulling their children at home especially little girls because they are afraid of rapes and kidnappings that have become so common now -- Daryn. KAGAN: It is a difficult and challenging time in Iraq. Not just for Iraq but how it will play out for the Middle East and the rest of the world. Rym, thanks for sharing your reflections of Iraq a year ago and today.
BRAHIMI: Thank you.
KAGAN: Many Americans returning from Iraq bearing the scars of war, both physical and psychological wounds that underlay the randomness of death in combat. Also the unpredictability of their lives ahead. CNN's David Mattingly has that.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GEISLEMANN: I remember I tried to roll over and my leg wouldn't go with me. Then I really thought it was broken really bad.
DAVID MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In an instant clouded by dust and conclusion Lance Geiselmann's tank was destroyed, his two close friends were killed. Near death himself, Geiselmann somehow survived. And now hopes to defy doctors who say he may never walk again.
But the attack also left psychological wounds. Problems common to soldiers wounded in combat.
SGT. DECARLTON ARMSTRONG, U.S. ARMY: I freaked my wife out. I thought we were taking fire.
MATTINGLY: These injured soldiers talk of nightmare, anxiety, anger and marriage difficulties. There's also the deep feeling of guilt for leaving buddies behind.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Feeling like I abandoned them. Not being able to support them.
MATTINGLY: Army doctors say 40 percent of soldiers in combat report some psychological symptoms. The number drops dramatically with stepped up counseling, mandatory screening and a waiting time upon returning home.
Geiselmann has received counseling and the nightmares he had early on seem to have gone away leaving him to focus on his physical recovery and his young family.
GEISELMANN: I want to be able to walk by myself. That's my long-term goal. And for everything to go back the way it was. Before I left.
MATTINGLY: A mission possibly more difficult than any he survived in Iraq.
David Mattingly, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE) KAGAN: It's about 20 minutes before the top of the hour. Coming up next, we'll head to new York and get a check of the action on wall street.
(STOCK REPORT)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAGAN: It's nearly eight months before America votes and John Kerry taking a little vacation. The Democratic nominee is taking a five-day break from the campaign trail. He'll spend time with his wife at their Idaho vacation home. Kerry has not planned any fund raisers or campaign events before Tuesday when he and his wife are scheduled to leave Idaho.
Kerry's break in the campaigning has taken pundits by surprise. The Massachusetts senator is facing mounting criticism in some of the most relentless is from the white house. Our senior White House correspondent John King looks at how international policy is stoking the latest political fight.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOHN KING, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Senator Kerry began with his assessment of Iraq one year later.
SEN. JOHN KERRY (D-MA), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We're still bogged down in Iraq. And the administration stubbornly holds the failed unilateral policies that drive potential, significant, important, long-standing allies away from us.
KING: The Democratic challengers said Mr. Bush had broken promises to the troops deployed overseas and veterans here at home.
KERRY: This president has had his chance. And this president has not delivered.
KING: Senator Kerry called for adding 40,000 troops to an Army he says is stretched too thin. And he took issue with the president's critique that the Massachusetts senator would give the United Nations too much sway over whether to go to war.
KERRY: While we should seek allies. We must, and we will, never give anyone else a veto over the national security of our nation.
KING: At the Reagan Library, a far different view from the vice president who likened the war on terrorism to President Reagan's hard line against Soviet communism.
DICK CHENEY, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: America's friends know they can trust and America's know they can fear the decisive leadership of President George W. Bush.
KING: The vice president suggested Senator Kerry is anything but decisive. CHENEY: In January, he was asked on TV if he was, quote, "one of the anti-war candidates." He replied, I am. He now says he was voting only to, quote, "threaten the use of force. Not actually use force."
KING: Mr. Cheney said the he voted against major weapons systems critical to the war on terrorism and insulted U.S. allies shedding blood in Iraq.
CHENEY: It is not an impressive record for someone who aspires to become commander in chief in this time of testing for our country.
KING: The president closes the week with two speeches timed to coincide with the one year anniversary with the Iraq war including one Thursday with Army troops at Fort Campbell, Kentucky.
John King, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAGAN: Courtney Love is back in the headlines. We'll tell you about her late night antics and her latest arrest when we come back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAGAN: There you go. Yeah. At least we pixellated it. Punk rocker Courtney Love was a little over the top on the late show with David Letterman. Letterman took her risque antics with good humor, but Love might not be invited back any time soon.
And then her evening got worse from there. While performing at a Manhattan nightclub, Love tossed a mike stand into the crowd, clipping a patron in the head. The injured man pressed charges and Love was arrested. Tough night.
Hey, do you recognize this face? She won an Oscar in "All the Kings Men" which was her film debut. Her real asset was her voice. Mercedes McCambridge, best known for her voice as the demon in "The Exorcist," a role for which she did not receive on screen credit at first. She died earlier this month. She was just a few days shy of turning 88.
Should homosexuality be against the law? Some people in one Tennessee town think so. That story is coming up in the next hour.
First though, you've heard of running of the bulls. How about running of the brides? We'll tell you about the rush when we come back
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAGAN: At Filene's Basement in Atlanta they have their wedding dresses. Now all they need are the fiancees. Don't let a little detail like that stop you at these prices. Every gown is on sale for $249. That is a steal considering some of them originally cost thousands of dollars. By the way, it's not important to pick the right size off the rack it's just a bargaining chip. Once the dress is in hand you keep swapping until you find one that fits, if you survive the rush.
(WEATHER REPORT)
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Hotel; Another Explosion Outside of Hotel in Iraq>
Aired March 18, 2004 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, we're at CNN headquarters in Atlanta. I'm Daryn Kagan. And first, we go ahead and check the headlines.
U.S. officials say the FBI is now on the scene of the car bomb attack that destroyed a Baghdad hotel. The FBI is assisting Iraqi policeman investigating the blast that killed seven people. Twenty- two fewer than originally thought. Rescuers have now called off the search for survivors.
Today, there was another explosion outside of a hotel in Iraq. This time it was in the southern city of Basra. That area is under the control of British forces. At least four people died in that attack.
The conflict in Iraq is coming up on the one-year mark. President Bush plans to commemorate the milestone with an address to troops at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. The event is expected to take place about two hours from now; you'll see it live here on CNN. Fort Campbell is home to the 101 Airborne Division. The base lost 60 soldiers in Iraq, more than any other military post.
Pakistan's status with the U.S. has been elevated. It is now "major non-NATO ally." That's a relationship that makes it easier to transfer military hardware for use in the war on terror. Secretary of State Colin Powell conferred the designation as he wrapped up his trip to the region. Pakistan has recently stepped up military operations against Taliban and al Qaeda hideouts along the Afghan border.
And in Madrid, Spanish state radio reports four more suspects have been arrested in connection with last week's commuter train bombings. Five other suspects are due in court for their alleged role in the attacks that killed 201 people.
The first hour of CNN LIVE TODAY begins right now.
Live this hour, the fortunes of war on Capitol Hill. A House subcommittee holding a hearing to discuss the riches of Saddam Hussein, how best to return it to the country that he plundered.
And we're going to begin in Baghdad. That's where rescue crews have abandoned any hope of finding survivors from yesterday's thunderous suicide bombing. The blast was captured on videotape as an interview was being conducted a half mile away. Investigators say the car was packed with more than 1,000 pounds of explosives, and the ruins of nearby buildings were still smoldering on this morning after. As the smoke rises, the death toll does not. In fact, the U.S. military now believes that only seven people were killed, not 29 as previously reported.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BRIG. GEN. MARK KIMMITT, DEPUTY OPS. DIR., U.S. MILITARY: At this point it is not definitive whether the hotel was the target, because it is unclear why the bomber would not have driven the car closer to the hotel and exploded the bomb right next to the hotel for more damage. Given that's in the middle of the street, there is a chance and there's a likelihood that this might not have been a target; that the vehicle may have prematurely detonated or may have been hit by another vehicle, rear-ended causing the detonation.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAGAN: An Army spokesman tells CNN, the attack resembles other bombings that the military believes were carried out by the terror group Ansar al Islam or the Zarqawi network.
CNN's Walter Rogers says that outraged Iraqis converged on the scene. And we're going to have a chance to talk with Walt about the mood there, some 20 hours after yesterday's bombing. That will be coming up in just a moment.
Meanwhile, President Bush is on route this morning to Fort Campbell, Kentucky. That Army base has lost 60 soldiers in Iraq, the most of any military installation in the country.
Our Kathleen Koch is at the White House with a preview of the president's message -- Kathleen.
KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Daryn, President Bush will be serving a dual role this morning, both commander and consoler in chief. Of course Fort Campbell, Kentucky is home to the 101 Airborne, its 20,000 members recently returned from Iraq. Though, as you pointed out, some 60 soldiers died there. President Bush, this morning will be meeting privately with the family members of the fallen soldiers. Afterwards in the speech to the troops, the president will express the nation's gratitude for what he recall their service and sacrifice in defending freedom.
The president will talk about the war on terror and the need for the United States to remain strong and resolute in the face -- in what -- in the face of what he calls his "time of testing." Mr. Bush will talk about what the U.S. has accomplished in the war on terror -- what the U.S. has accomplished, I should say, in Iraq, the removal of a brutal regime. And also the president will discuss how important it is for the U.S. to work toward furthering both freedom and democracy there.
Now, this will be President Bush's second visit to Fort Campbell, Kentucky. He was there in November of 2001, shortly after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. And the president's visit today is part of a week of events commemorating the one-year anniversary of the U.S. led invasion of Iraq.
And President Bush, while in public opinion polls, he scores well for his handling of the nation's defense and war on terror. A new CNN/"USA Today"/Gallup poll finds that Americans are increasingly concerned, less optimistic about the war in Iraq, and how it has been going there. Fifty-five percent of those surveyed believe that it was worth going to war versus 68 percent a year ago. And more Americans, 48 percent of those polled, believe the situation in Iraq will degrade to chaos and civil war versus remaining stable after U.S. troops pull out.
So, Daryn, a growing pessimism reflected as Americans look back at Iraq one year after the war.
KAGAN: Kathleen Koch at the White House.
Telling our viewers to stay with CNN for live coverage of President Bush's address to the troops, coming up in just a couple of hours. The speech is due to get under way around noon Eastern, 9:00 Pacific.
And now the latest in Kosovo, the former Yugoslav province battered by its worst violence since the end of the war five years ago. Great Britain says it will send about 200 extra troops, trying to bolster peacekeeping forces there. NATO says an American and Italian units are already on their way.
Twenty-two people have been killed since ethnic fighting erupted yesterday between Serbs and Albanians. Earlier today on "AMERICAN MORNING," we spoke to a former NATO Supreme Allied Commander Wesley Clark who oversaw the mission there. He is calling for the U.S. to restore diplomatic leadership and stability to the region.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WESLEY CLARK, FMR. NATO SUPREME ALLIED CMDR.: The political process has essentially been frozen for several years. We need to move ahead on a final status determination for Kosovo, this is the requirement. The international community simply must face up to this requirement and develop the political means to reduce the tension. It's a longstanding flashpoint. But political problems have to be dealt with. And in this context you cannot freeze them.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAGAN: The latest violence apparently began when ethnic Albanians blamed Serbs for the drowning of three children and began rampaging in revenge.
Now a chance to talk with our Walter Rogers, on the scene in Baghdad, the site of that hotel bombing yesterday. The death toll not as high as originally thought but tensions are very high and frustration with a lack of security on the part of Iraqis as well. I had a chance to ask Walter just a couple of minutes ago, what it's like some 22-hours after yesterday's bombing.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WALTER RODGERS, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: I think the Iraqis, in this particular neighborhood in Baghdad, where the car bomb went off last night, those who survived are dumbfounded. Walking around the streets this morning, I was talking to some of them. And I kept hearing them asking in Arabic, "laish (ph)? Laish?" Which is why, why? And there is no answer to that question.
It was a murderous assault here last night. Bits of a car -- cars -- eight cars were destroyed, and they were just shredded in shrapnel like this. This is razor sharp and they just exploded in every direction. That's why you had over 40 injured people, in addition to 17 fatalities.
Again, there's no answer to the why in all this, except it's presumed the insurgents, the perpetrators are trying to destabilize the American effort to sow some kind of civil society here, hopefully even a democracy. Although it would appear, at least in the eyes of many Iraqis, we're still a long way from that -- Daryn.
KAGAN: Well, it seems on that point that they might be successful. The sense of frustration that Iraqis have about a lack of security seems to be expressing itself in a strong anti-American sentiment.
ROGERS: Well, that's true. And there's a modicum of justification in that, because the United States is indeed the occupying power in Baghdad. And under international law, it is the responsibility of the United States to provide the security to these people. Now, of course, it's a tradeoff. Part of that tradeoff, of course is that Saddam Hussein is gone, but the people here constantly complain they do not have security. And increasingly, that's the case.
There was the bombing, a smaller car bombing in Basra today. Also in a hotel district. Up in Fallujah, the American Army was going to the mayor's office and suddenly it came under fire. There was a huge firefight. The Americans -- or the Iraqis, we don't know who. But there were two fatalities there, a child in that firefight in Fallujah and a Muslim sheik. It's a very violent part of the world and there's very little security. And where there's no security, there's no stability. And without stability, it's very barren ground for the germination of democracy -- Daryn.
KAGAN: But Walter, it's hard to have it both ways. You don't have the security, and yet there's that strong resentment about the civil presence of the Americans. You can't want the Americans out and then also want a stronger presence?
ROGERS: Well, that's -- hey, you're preaching to the choir. Here's the difficulty there. The Iraqis are a proud people with a long national heritage. They don't like being occupied. The Americans are the most recent occupier. Now in fairness, most Iraqis realize that if the Americans go this place comes unglued; that is if the Americans go prematurely. They are indeed fearful of a civil war, so they had to blame.
Someone in the streets behind me last night, when there was anger everywhere, they started yelling at the American soldiers who came in to help them. They blamed the nearest bodies they could find. But this morning walking through there, you heard the more predictable reaction in the Arab world. They weren't blaming the Islamist militants. They were saying, somehow, the Israelis are behind this. You always hear that when tragedy strikes the Arab world -- Daryn.
KAGAN: A lot of motion. A lot of violence as you were pointing out. Walter Rodgers in Baghdad. Thank you for that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAGAN: Funny, I can talk and be on television all at the same time. In case you couldn't tell, we were able to tape that just a little bit before we went on the air. Thanks to Walter Rodgers for staying up just a little bit longer. He's been on duty almost 24 hours.
We'll have more on the Baghdad blast. Why was the Hotel Lebanon targeted in the first place? What could be done to protect civilian targets?
Also, Iraq one year later. Our Rym Brahimi joins us to look back at the night when American bombs rained down on Baghdad, as she stood witness.
And later, the story of one man's life chained forever in an instant.
This is CNN LIVE TODAY. We're all watching live pictures from Andrews Air Force Base. President Bush on board Marine 1. It has just landed and pulled up to Air Force 1. President Bush will be getting out any moment heading to Fort Campbell, Kentucky; he'll be talking to the 101 Airborne Division. You'll see that speech later today live here on CNN.
Right now, a quick break. We're back after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAGAN: Live picture from Andrews Air Force Base. There you see Mr. and Mrs. Bush making their way to Air Force 1 on their way to Fort Campbell Kentucky. That's where the president will be addressing the Army's 101 Airborne Division. The Screaming Eagles are housed there. The Screaming Eagles lost 60 soldiers in the Iraq War, that is the most of any post in the U.S.
And you'll see that speech later, live today right here on CNN. President Bush expected to speak just a few minutes past noon Eastern. And we'll go as the president and Mrs. Bush load up on to Air Force 1.
Security is on high alert in Iraq. Two bombings in two days. Security analyst, Kelly McCann joins us to tell us why the Lebanon Hotel in Baghdad was targeted in one of those blasts, and whether other locations may be at risk.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAGAN: Want to get back now to yesterday's suicide bombing in Baghdad and what made the hotel such a prime target for terrorists in the first place.
For that we're turning to CNN contributor Kelly McCann, an expert in security and terrorism, and someone just back from Baghdad himself.
Kelly, Good morning.
KELLY MCCANN, CNN SECURITY ANALYST: Hey, Daryn.
KAGAN: Let's look at this particular hotel. A soft target?
MCCANN: Absolutely. In fact there was no real security around it. There weren't any T-barricades. There wasn't any bomb blast mitigations. We keyhole in here, you'll see also an interesting concept was that it is in line of sight from the Palestine Hotel. Which means there was an immediacy for being able to report on this bomb being going off. With smoke in the background, the Palestine being generally in that direction and looking across the way.
But this particular sight, OK, that I've drawn here for you, is the way security is usually run at the more sophisticated places. Keep in mind that bombing yesterday happened where there was not this level of sophistication. Normally there's human guards that basically have observation points, that can establish a norm, look for surveillance. And these are usually co-located with RPK machine guns, able to stop a vehicle that may come charging into an area, et cetera, before it becomes an issue.
So you've got all these eyes on the ground that I'm drawing here. These would be the sectors of fire. In addition to that, you've got physical control. There will be a bomb mitigation blast barricade that drives traffic as far away from the site as possible, to increase the blast wave propagation's chance of failing. So you're pushing traffic away.
Then you've also got control access points, where vehicles have to pass and go through a chicane area that would create a blast containment area. So even if a vehicle did, as a rouse come into this site, it would be checked. And even if it did detonate, it's still far away.
And then you've got fail-safe measures. You'd have Hesco barricades up here that simply can't be rammed. The vehicle can't get through them. And you would also have RPG netting, so the Rags can't come in from anywhere that terrorists would have that line of fire. So you can see what I drew right there, Daryn. The site that blew up yesterday was significantly different.
KAGAN: What I have been reading, though, is a lot of the Arab businessmen who pick hotels like this, pick it for that exact reason. They don't want to be in a place that is loaded up with security, anything that could be associated with anything western or anything American.
MCCANN: One hundred percent right. But remember, senior officers of ORASCOM and Egypt Motorola were staying at this site. It just goes to show this adversary, and there are many of them all over in Iraq, they really don't care about that. The proprietor's philosophy was exactly as you stated. He wanted people to know there was a multicultural clientele. He wanted them to know that he wasn't over the top of security and wasn't allying with a lot of the coalition forces. But it just didn't work -- Daryn.
KAGAN: This hotel also not in the Green Zone. How big of a difference is the security within the Green Zone versus outside?
MCCANN: Vast. We've got a graphic to show that. If we can pull that up, I'll show you here that the Green Zone is a very large area. It used to be a palace. And of course, palace had security innate to it. So there was that. Then they co-opted some blocks, basically here to increase the size of it. As you drive into the Green Zone, I mean it's like going into another city. It's protected by the U.S. military. It's at really risk by indirect firing weapons that could originate from outside and land in the Green Zone. But certainly there's not going to be a vehicle that can ram into this thing or have armed shooters loose on the inside. It is very, very different when you're staying outside of the Green Zone -- Daryn.
KAGAN: And real quickly, just as we mentioned, you are just back from Baghdad. What was your general impression of the security and the city?
MCCANN: The security is -- as people get there they ramp up their knowledge base. It's getting better. However, there's a huge influx of contractors, NGOs, et cetera, people who aren't security smart necessarily. They're looking at basically as a business enterprise, you know, putting up wire systems, getting the water working, the electricity. That isn't the core competency of security. So there are going to be some challenges over the next four to six months -- Daryn.
KAGAN: We'll be watching it. Kelly McCann thanks for your expertise this morning, appreciate it.
MCCANN: Thanks, Daryn.
KAGAN: And a reminder to our viewers to stay with CNN for live coverage of President Bush's address to U.S. troops at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. His speech is due to get underway around noon Eastern, nine Pacific.
We'll be back after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAGAN: This just in to CNN, we're getting word out of Britain that British police say they have closed a part of a train line, the Euro Star cross channel line near Dover. And they have arrested a man on anti-terror laws. A section of the line was closed according to officials. They say one man was arrested under the terrorism laws and that he is helping police with their investigation.
So once again, a section of the Euro Star cross channel train line near Dover has been shut down. And one man arrested under apparent violation of anti-terror laws. More on that out of Britain as it becomes available.
Meanwhile, we look at other stories making news across America. Marcus Wesson will be back in court this afternoon in Fresno, California for allegedly murdering nine family members. Yesterday's arraignment was postponed 24 hours to give him time to hire an attorney. Wesson says he does not want a public defender.
In Las Vegas, an extradition hearing is expected tomorrow for Charles McCoy Jr. He was arrested there shortly after being publicly identified as a suspect in the Columbus, Ohio highway shootings. Authorities say they were tipped off by a 63-year-old man who spotted McCoy at a casino, talked with him briefly, and then found McCoy's car at a nearby hotel.
In New York, jurors today are expected to begin deliberations in the case against former Tyco executive Dennis Koslowski and Mark Schwartz. Closing arguments concluded yesterday, six months after the trial began. The defendants are accused of plundering Tyco for hundreds of millions of dollars.
The search for survivors has been suspended in Baghdad as another car bomb rocks Iraq. The headlines in just a moment.
Also this...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SPEC. LANCE GEISLEMANN, U.S. ARMY: And I remember I tried to roll over and my leg wouldn't go with me. And then I really thought it was broken really bad.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAGAN: On the ground and minus leg, but now working to rebuild his life. We'll hear Army Specialist Lance Geislemann and his survival story when we come back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAGAN: Here are the top stories at this hour.
President Bush is on route to Fort Campbell, Kentucky, the U.S. base. It was the most to loose the most personnel in Iraq. Tomorrow marks the first anniversary of the war's opening strike. Mr. Bush is due to address the troop less than two hours from now.
Authorities in Spain have arrested four more suspects in connection with the deadly train bombing in Madrid, one week ago today. Spain's state radio says the newest suspects are all north Africans and were arrested within Spain's borders. Six suspects were already in custody. Two hundred people died in last week's explosions, 10 in all clustered in a span of only minutes.
Pakistan has launched a new offensive this morning to flush out al Qaeda operatives taking refuge near the Afghan border. Government troops, paramilitary forces heavy guns and helicopters are enlisting in an intensified crackdown on militants. Sixteen soldiers and 24 suspected rebels were killed in the same area Tuesday in the bloodiest fighting of the renewed mission.
A life-size wax figure of Adolf Hitler is drawing some heat in Berlin. It's believed to be the country's first public display of the Nazi leader since the end of World War II. The spokesman for the Culture Ministry says the display, which includes figures of allied leaders Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin is considered art and therefore it does not violate Germany's strict ban on Nazi memorabilia.
Coalition officials in Iraq have again revised the number of people killed in yesterday's suicide bombing in Baghdad. That death toll now stands at 70 compared to the earlier estimate of 29. Nearly three dozen Iraqi civilians were wounded. There have been no arrests in the attack and no claims of responsibility. Coalition officials say it bears all the trademarks of an Islamic militant group.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KIMMITT: If you take a look at the fact that a suicide bomber was used, clearly the intent was not for a military purpose, but for a spectacular purpose, an attempt to kill as many civilians as possible.
And if you look at the symbology (ph) of trying to attack inside the center of a city rather than a military target , those were some of the fingerprints, those are some of the techniques we have come to associate with terrorist bombings, whether it was Zarqawi's group, Ansar al Islam, al Qaeda, we don't have definitive proof of that yet.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAGAN: Investigators are also focusing on the timing of yesterday's attack. It came as the Iraqi governing council invited the U.N.'s return to Iraq to help establish a caretaker government and a city wide sweep for insurgents had just been launched.
Earlier today, less than 24 hours after the Baghdad attack, a car bomb exploded in Basra. At least four people died in that blast which was also outside of a hotel. Basra is in southeastern Iraq and is the largest city in the largely Shi'ite region.
Tomorrow marks the first anniversary of the Iraq war, when U.S.- led forces launched the first attacks on targets in Iraq. Those explosions rumbled under foot and echoed around the world. Our next guest was on the scene to bear witness. Rym Brahimi is in London today -- Rym.
RYM BRAHIMI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Daryn. Good to be talking to you again.
KAGAN: We look back on that night one year ago, what really stands out in your mind?
BRAHIMI: You know, the whole buildup of tension is what really stands out. Just before coming on the set, Daryn, I actually called a friend in Baghdad. That's one thing we can do now. They have mobile phones which aren't allowed before as you know I was trying to reminisce with her. She was reminding me as well of these things.
It was so tense. People were lining up for fuel in the streets. We were really tense because the ultimatum of course we knew approximately everybody knew when to expect or what night we were going to expect the first bombings.
People were also crowding the market places during the day. In the evening, slowly just putting things away, trying to make sense and be organized for whatever was going to happen.
In our case, of course, we had to move. We left the ministry of information that we suspected might be a potential target and we moved everything to the Palestine hotel. They just had an end of reign atmosphere over the city -- Daryn.
KAGAN: I was in Kuwait City at the same time, Rym. And of course it wasn't as intense, but there was the same fear hanging overhead. This big question of weapons of mass destruction and not knowing if and when Saddam Hussein was going to use those. As we know, he's used them on his own people. Can you talk about that fear within Baghdad?
BRAHIMI: That's true. It was certainly a fear among many people. Nobody knew what the situation was with that. I think everybody was confident that there wasn't anything in terms of nuclear, but in terms of chemical and biological, especially maybe chemical, that's why people were worried. Not just us reporters, but also, I think, a lot of people. They just didn't know what to expect.
So there was this fear. Of course people didn't have the means that a lot of foreign reporters had to sort of buy these metal boxes. We all thought there would be an E-bomb (ph) something coming from the other side.
Nobody knew what to expect on either side. People did what they could. Those that were really, really afraid -- there were two tendencies. Some people thought we'd be safe in Baghdad because we would never throw something like that in Baghdad People took their kids and went to the country side.
One of the friends I spoke to was actually just telling me now she remembers very well trying to look around her apartment with her only son that she brought up on her own as a single mother. She said they were looking through the department to go north to Kirkuk and see what they wanted to take with them.
And she said it was really bizarre, she said we didn't want to take anything because we loved our apartment. We just left everything in Baghdad and went up to Kirkuk and didn't turn back until the end of the war. KAGAN: Was she eventually able to go back and take back that apartment?
BRAHIMI: Yes. She came back. She now lives in Baghdad again. She looks at everything with a mixture of obviously like everybody, happy of course that Saddam Hussein is not in power, but extremely sad at the current situation in Baghdad. Extraordinarily, though, there is not a sense of defeatism, There's a lot of sadness, frustration, anger even.
And her dream -- I asked her if she was optimistic. She said, I want to see our lives as they were before, without Saddam, with the freedom we have now but without seeing Americans on the streets as occupiers We want Americans as friends not occupiers.
KAGAN: That's really hard for Americans on this side to understand. This sense of frustration that the Iraqis have, they don't want the occupation then they get mad at the Americans for the lack of security when something happens, like the bombing today in Basra or the one yesterday in Baghdad.
BRAHIMI: I think there is a sense of frustration. And it is difficult to understand if you haven't actually been inside Iraq and if you don't know where they're coming from.
And what happens, again this friend was explaining this to me today. I spoke to a couple other people. The sense is that, again, they have nothing. They say, we have nothing against Americans and we want them to be our friends. We can have trade ties and whatever they want, that's fine.
But it's the sense of almost humiliation that that country has to be occupied, that they can't sort this out themselves. Also they say there's a lot of hatred against Americans and a lot of other countries in the world and there's a lot of anger against Americans Other issues apart from Iraq. A lot of people in Iraq feel they are paying the price because a lot of these so-called foreign terrorists, if you will, are coming into Iraq, from what we understand and perpetrating their attacks in Iraq.
So they feel they are victims of the American occupation but that they shouldn't be associated to them because they say we were just happy going on with our lives but now we're caught in between all these different conflicts that the Americans are attracting on us. Also as the occupying power, it is the U.S.' responsibility, this is something that Iraqis know to protect the Iraqi citizens.
And there's a sense that the security that they did enjoy before albeit under a very tough regime is totally gone and they don't know when that's going to come back.
Daryn, we've spoken about this before, how people are afraid to send their children to school. How people are sometimes pulling their children at home especially little girls because they are afraid of rapes and kidnappings that have become so common now -- Daryn. KAGAN: It is a difficult and challenging time in Iraq. Not just for Iraq but how it will play out for the Middle East and the rest of the world. Rym, thanks for sharing your reflections of Iraq a year ago and today.
BRAHIMI: Thank you.
KAGAN: Many Americans returning from Iraq bearing the scars of war, both physical and psychological wounds that underlay the randomness of death in combat. Also the unpredictability of their lives ahead. CNN's David Mattingly has that.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GEISLEMANN: I remember I tried to roll over and my leg wouldn't go with me. Then I really thought it was broken really bad.
DAVID MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In an instant clouded by dust and conclusion Lance Geiselmann's tank was destroyed, his two close friends were killed. Near death himself, Geiselmann somehow survived. And now hopes to defy doctors who say he may never walk again.
But the attack also left psychological wounds. Problems common to soldiers wounded in combat.
SGT. DECARLTON ARMSTRONG, U.S. ARMY: I freaked my wife out. I thought we were taking fire.
MATTINGLY: These injured soldiers talk of nightmare, anxiety, anger and marriage difficulties. There's also the deep feeling of guilt for leaving buddies behind.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Feeling like I abandoned them. Not being able to support them.
MATTINGLY: Army doctors say 40 percent of soldiers in combat report some psychological symptoms. The number drops dramatically with stepped up counseling, mandatory screening and a waiting time upon returning home.
Geiselmann has received counseling and the nightmares he had early on seem to have gone away leaving him to focus on his physical recovery and his young family.
GEISELMANN: I want to be able to walk by myself. That's my long-term goal. And for everything to go back the way it was. Before I left.
MATTINGLY: A mission possibly more difficult than any he survived in Iraq.
David Mattingly, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE) KAGAN: It's about 20 minutes before the top of the hour. Coming up next, we'll head to new York and get a check of the action on wall street.
(STOCK REPORT)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAGAN: It's nearly eight months before America votes and John Kerry taking a little vacation. The Democratic nominee is taking a five-day break from the campaign trail. He'll spend time with his wife at their Idaho vacation home. Kerry has not planned any fund raisers or campaign events before Tuesday when he and his wife are scheduled to leave Idaho.
Kerry's break in the campaigning has taken pundits by surprise. The Massachusetts senator is facing mounting criticism in some of the most relentless is from the white house. Our senior White House correspondent John King looks at how international policy is stoking the latest political fight.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOHN KING, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Senator Kerry began with his assessment of Iraq one year later.
SEN. JOHN KERRY (D-MA), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We're still bogged down in Iraq. And the administration stubbornly holds the failed unilateral policies that drive potential, significant, important, long-standing allies away from us.
KING: The Democratic challengers said Mr. Bush had broken promises to the troops deployed overseas and veterans here at home.
KERRY: This president has had his chance. And this president has not delivered.
KING: Senator Kerry called for adding 40,000 troops to an Army he says is stretched too thin. And he took issue with the president's critique that the Massachusetts senator would give the United Nations too much sway over whether to go to war.
KERRY: While we should seek allies. We must, and we will, never give anyone else a veto over the national security of our nation.
KING: At the Reagan Library, a far different view from the vice president who likened the war on terrorism to President Reagan's hard line against Soviet communism.
DICK CHENEY, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: America's friends know they can trust and America's know they can fear the decisive leadership of President George W. Bush.
KING: The vice president suggested Senator Kerry is anything but decisive. CHENEY: In January, he was asked on TV if he was, quote, "one of the anti-war candidates." He replied, I am. He now says he was voting only to, quote, "threaten the use of force. Not actually use force."
KING: Mr. Cheney said the he voted against major weapons systems critical to the war on terrorism and insulted U.S. allies shedding blood in Iraq.
CHENEY: It is not an impressive record for someone who aspires to become commander in chief in this time of testing for our country.
KING: The president closes the week with two speeches timed to coincide with the one year anniversary with the Iraq war including one Thursday with Army troops at Fort Campbell, Kentucky.
John King, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAGAN: Courtney Love is back in the headlines. We'll tell you about her late night antics and her latest arrest when we come back.
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KAGAN: There you go. Yeah. At least we pixellated it. Punk rocker Courtney Love was a little over the top on the late show with David Letterman. Letterman took her risque antics with good humor, but Love might not be invited back any time soon.
And then her evening got worse from there. While performing at a Manhattan nightclub, Love tossed a mike stand into the crowd, clipping a patron in the head. The injured man pressed charges and Love was arrested. Tough night.
Hey, do you recognize this face? She won an Oscar in "All the Kings Men" which was her film debut. Her real asset was her voice. Mercedes McCambridge, best known for her voice as the demon in "The Exorcist," a role for which she did not receive on screen credit at first. She died earlier this month. She was just a few days shy of turning 88.
Should homosexuality be against the law? Some people in one Tennessee town think so. That story is coming up in the next hour.
First though, you've heard of running of the bulls. How about running of the brides? We'll tell you about the rush when we come back
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KAGAN: At Filene's Basement in Atlanta they have their wedding dresses. Now all they need are the fiancees. Don't let a little detail like that stop you at these prices. Every gown is on sale for $249. That is a steal considering some of them originally cost thousands of dollars. By the way, it's not important to pick the right size off the rack it's just a bargaining chip. Once the dress is in hand you keep swapping until you find one that fits, if you survive the rush.
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Hotel; Another Explosion Outside of Hotel in Iraq>
