Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live Today

West Chester in Shock Over Murder of Nicholas Berg

Aired May 12, 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: A lot for us to get to here in Atlanta. Good morning from CNN headquarters, I'm Daryn Kagan. First to the headlines.
U.S. forces killed at 20 of Muqtada al-Sadr's militiamen in an ongoing battle in Karbala. Seven of Americans were wounded. The operation comes as the move is underway to end the standoff in Najaf. The proposed deal calls for disbanding the Shiite cleric's militia and an agreement by U.S. forces not to enter the holy city.

New violence in Gaza City neighborhood where six Israeli soldiers were killed today. Israeli helicopter gun ships fired missiles in separate attacks, at least three Palestinians had been killed, at least 37 others wounded. Militants say they're holding the remains of the dead soldiers for ransom.

A loyal American soldier or a terrorist spy? A hearing at Fort Lewis, Washington, will determine whether Specialist Ryan Anderson faces a court-martial. He's accused of trying to give al Qaeda information about troop strength and tactics.

And they are looking for money, $25 billion for Iraq and Afghanistan. There you see Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, also the Joint Chief's Chairman Richard Myers are before the Senate Appropriations Committee at this hour.

Also live at this hour, a live briefing taking place in Baghdad as the daily briefing by the Coalition Provisional Authority. There is Dan Senor, the coalition spokesman. Earlier, he was asked about Nicholas Berg. And U.S. officials now say that Nicholas Berg was warned to leave Iraq. His refusal cost him his life, and al Qaeda- linked Web site has posted his videotape beheading with the title, "Abu Musab al Zarqawi Shown Slaughtering an American." That is apparent referenced to an Osama bin Laden associate. The masked men said that the killing was in response to the coalition abuse of Iraqi soldiers.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BRIG. GEN. MARK KIMMITT, DEPUTY OPS DIR., U.S. MILITARY: Elaborate on it.

DAN SENOR, COALITION SPOKESMAN: Sure. Mr. Berg was arrested by the Iraqi police in the Mosul area on March 24. I would refer you to the Iraqi police as to why they arrested him. My understanding is that they suspected that he was involved, engaged in suspicious activities. U.S. authorities were notified. The FBI visited with Mr. Berg on three occasions when he was in Iraqi police detention, and determined that he was not involved with any criminal or terrorist activities. Mr. Berg was released on April 6, and it is my understanding he was advised to leave the country. He, as you know, was found dead on May 8 and his family was notified on May 10.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: We're going to continue to monitor the coalition news conference and bring you any news updates from Baghdad.

Meanwhile, more now on Nicholas Berg. His body could arrive in the U.S. as early as today. His hometown is reeling from the ghastly news. Maria Hinojosa is in West Chester, Pennsylvania with more on that -- Maria.

MARIA HINOJOSA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well Daryn, this is a community that is really just in a state of shock. It's very picturesque, about 45 minutes away from Philadelphia, but the families here are just trying to understand how this could have ended up happening here, right in their own home. Now, last night there was a vigil that was called, kind of impromptu, where about 100 people basically came out and just prayed and talked about Nick Berg.

And we've learned a little bit more about the young man, 26 years old. His family says he was someone who believed in people, who loved humanity. He really said -- they said that he was concerned for the less fortunate of the world. In fact, he traveled to Africa twice to help rebuild there. And though most of us often see images of destruction out of Iraq, apparently for this young man he really saw this as an opportunity, not only to support the Bush administration and their war effort, but really to really rebuild a country. Yes, he went there looking for work. That work fell through. He went there on two occasions.

But at that point, there is a problem when Nick is detained by the Mosul police, as you know, then handed off to the authorities. Now, the parents might have some issues with what the coalition forces are saying about the detention, because they sued Donald Rumsfeld and the Department of Defense saying that they were holding Nick Berg without due process. And that because he was held for those days, he missed his March 30 departure date; so there is a lawsuit that was filed family. It has since been rescinded by the family. At this point they're still in seclusion. They're still not talking but the father says this before he even knew his son was killed. He said -- had this to say about his son and why he went to Iraq.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAEL BERG, FATHER: He just really wanted to be part of something that was important. He supported the administration's being in Iraq. He supported everything that they were doing. And he wanted to help. And he wanted to help in a positive way by building rather than breaking down.

(END VIDEO CLIP) HINOJOSA: Now, the family was told on Monday that the body of their son had been found in Baghdad, but it was only yesterday morning when they were informed that the execution was, in fact, on a web site. There they literally fell down in anguish and in pain. It's been a very difficult time, of course, for them, but for the entire community here in Westchester, Pennsylvania.

What we do know now is that the body of Nick Berg has left Kuwait and making its way through Germany and perhaps could arrive in the United States as early as today -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Maria, as I understand it, the family has also spoken about their religion and how they think that Nick Berg's religion as a Jew could have hurt him and ultimately leading to his death.

HINOJOSA: Well, they say that apparently that might have been the thing that kind of sealed his death. Yes, he was Jewish, but he was not, as we understand it, wearing or carrying any kind of identifying -- anything around him that would say he was Jewish. But perhaps, once his killers found out they were Jewish, his parents believe that might have been what sealed his fate to be murdered in this horrific way -- Daryn.

KAGAN: A grisly story. Maria Hinojosa from Westchester, Pennsylvania, thank you for that.

Now, on to the prison abuse story. One of the seven soldiers facing court-martial in the Iraqi prisoner abuse case says that worse things happened at Abu Ghraib than had been seen in the photos so far. Private First Class Lynndie England strikes a similar pose in pictures like this. In a new interview where she appears more candid, England says that superiors gave her specific instructions on how to pose.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PFC. LYNNDIE ENGLAND, U.S. ARMY: Told to stand there, give the thumbs up, smile, stand behind all the naked Iraqis in the pyramid, take a picture.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Who told you to do that?

ENGLAND: Persons in my higher chain of command.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: The U.S. general who was in charge of military prisons in Iraq says the blame goes up the chain of command. According to "The Washington Post" Brigadier General Janice Karpinski gave a detailed account to Army investigators. In that, she said in part, Major Geoffrey Miller and Lieutenant General Ricardo Sanchez, quote, "overruled her concerns about the military intelligence takeover and the use of deadly force."

There are new allegations of coalition forces abusing prisoners. The latest claims come from Afghanistan. The U.S. military is looking into the claims of an Afghan police officer who said he was abused while being held in Gardez and Bagram. "The New York Times" quotes the officer as saying of the guards, quote, "They were mimicking the sounds of a sheep, a cow, and a donkey, and asking which one I would like to have sex with. They kept insisting and they were kicking me so much eventually I said a cow."

The Secretary of defense and the Joint Chiefs chairman are both on Capitol Hill this hour. They are appearing before the Senate Appropriations Committee.

Barbara Starr is following their testimony and has more on that.

Barbara, hello.

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Daryn. Well, this hearing is supposed to be about the $400 billion defense spending plan for 2005. But of course, senators are still trying to press both the secretary and the chairman, General Richard Myers on the prison abuse story.

But a lot of very tough questioning on what is the routine business, if you will, of the war in Iraq. Senator Fritz Hollings, the Democrat from South Carolina, questioning the secretary very strongly a few moments ago about troop levels in Iraq; quite a vigorous exchange between the two men.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD RUMSFELD, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: All I can say is that the division commanders are telling General Abizaid that is the right number. General Abizaid is telling General Myers it's the right number. General Myers is telling Rumsfeld and President Bush it's the right number. You could be right!

SEN. EARNEST HOLLINGS (D), SOUTH CAROLINA: Well, isn't it the case that the...

RUMSFELD: They all don't think so.

HOLLINGS: They're scared to death.

RUMSFELD: No, they're not.

HOLLINGS: They're going to get disciplined...

RUMSFELD: Does he look scared to death?

HOLLINGS: ... if they ask for more.

RUMSFELD: No, sir.

HOLLINGS: They're gone if they ask for more.

RUMSFELD: Absolutely not.

(LAUGHTER)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STARR: But of course, the prison abuse investigation goes on. There is additional word that now they are looking at more soldiers. A small number, a very small number that might have also witnessed abuse, but not reported it. And that, of course, would be something that they would be held accountable for. So, that investigation continues -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Barbara, I want to ask you more about the case of Nicholas Berg, the man who was beheaded out of Pennsylvania in Iraq. At one point, we heard Maria Hinojosa report there was a lawsuit filed because the U.S. military was holding Berg. Will there be some kind of investigation in the Pentagon? Or is that not the role for this branch of the government? Perhaps the CIA or FBI.

STARR: Well, by all accounts, the family did file a lawsuit. They thought he was in U.S. custody. The word appears to be now that he was being held at one point by Iraqi police while they were questioning him. But then the Pentagon tells us they got word that Mr. Berg called home, made contact with his family at some point after that they. They believe he was, you know fine, if you will, and they dropped their lawsuit once they heard from their son. They believed it was moot. But of course, subsequent developments led to this very, very tragic story -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Barbara Starr at the Pentagon. Barbara thank you for that.

Punishment for abuse, reaction to the eye for an eye tactics in Iraq. How will the murder of Nicholas Berg affect America's opinion of the war and the prison abuse scandal?

And the high cost of driving right here at home. We check gas prices across the U.S.

KAGAN: And later, a first for the canine world. You're going to meet Footsie, the first of a new breed of dog and the people who stepped up to bring him some new legs.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: Motorists buckle up. There are more potholes and price hikes on the road to the summer travel season. Gasoline prices have already surged past the $3 mark. Look at that, 3-0-1 and nine tenths. That's in California. The rest of us will soon see the $2 mark fade in the rear-view mirror.

Chris Huntington joins us with a closer look even though we want to kind of drive away from those high gas prices.

Hi, Chris.

CHRIS HUNTINGTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Daryn. Well, you know, we've been seeing this coming for decades. Two dollar a gallon gas is something we sort of dodged in America for quite some time. I'm at a station here in midtown Manhattan, where you can see the prices are well north of two bucks a gallon. But even with all the long warning and rumbling, and price spikes last summer, folks still seem to be shocked by recent price spike.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HUNTINGTON (voice-over): Americans are fuming at the pumps.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think that the gas prices are ridiculous.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm not very happy with it.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It seems like it's high all around the country, but particularly here in San Francisco.

HUNTINGTON: According to the Department of Energy, the national average price for unleaded regular is now $1.4 a gallon. That's the highest price in history and 45-cents more than a year ago. And the DOE projects that next month the average price will top $2 a gallon. In California, which requires special gas formulations, $2 a gallon would be a bargain.

GUY CARUSO, ENERGY INFO. ADMIN.: The main heart of the matter is supply and demand, both at the crude oil level and the global -- in our global system. And also more specifically, the gasoline market in this country.

HOLLINGS: Demand for gasoline is running at a record pace and SUVs are a major factor. Gasoline supplies are a bit tighter, as well. And that's because imports are down, as overseas refineries shift their production to the new cleaner burning fuels required by laws in the United States. And crude oil prices, which account for half the cost of a retail gallon of gas, are up 50 percent in the past year as the global economic rebound has boosted demand.

But oil analyst, Fadal Gheit insists fear over supply interruptions is another factor driving crude prices higher.

FADAL GHEIT, OIL ANALYST, OPPENHEIMER & CO.: Eighty percent or more of the spike of oil prices in the last year or so was basically because of fears.

HUNTINGTON: Last week's terrorist attack at the Saudi port of Yanbu further fueled those fears. As for gasoline prices, Gheit points out that U.S. refiners are benefiting from supply concerns to book record profits. One of the leading U.S. refiners says wholesale gasoline prices are high only because demand is outstripping supply. But Gheit insists there is plenty of gasoline to go around.

GHEIT: There is absolutely no gasoline shortage or tight supply, whatever. It's all perception.

HUNTINGTON: There may be some relief in sight. Saudi Arabia says it will urge OPEC to boost crude oil production. And offshore refiners are increasing the production of new grades of gasoline. By the way, current gas prices adjusted for inflation are about the same as those our grandparents paid in the 1950s. (END VIDEOTAPE)

HUNTINGTON: Now, Daryn, of course, the real issue is how do the traders downtown see the general markets? The traders at the Mercantile Exchange, trading has just begun in gasoline and that's where they fix the wholesale price of gas. And it's really how those guys and gals in those markets see the world at large that dictates the prices you're going to pay here at the pump. So we'll watch those prices, they closed high yesterday. We'll keep and eye on them today for you.

KAGAN: All right. And fill up while you can, Chris, because by tomorrow the prices behind you will probably be even higher. Thank you, Chris Huntington in New York.

HUNTINGTON: No doubt.

KAGAN: We want to know what gas is like in your hometown. Just send us a quick e-mail; let us know what you're paying. Also, your comments and concerns about the surging price at the pump. E-mail is really easy at livetoday@cnn.com.

Meanwhile, we move on to weather. A tornado tearing through the town of Conroe, Texas, damaging about 45 homes and businesses. No injuries were reported. Crews used a front-end loader and chain saw to move trees in streets, clearing the way to hard hit areas. At one point, 60,000 electrical customers lost power.

Story near and dear to my heart. Coming up, helping man's best friend lead a more normal life ahead on CNN LIVE TODAY. Medical technology that is helping one dog put his best paws forward.

Speaking of our best, here is Gerri Willis.

GERRI WILLIS, CNNFN PERSONAL FINANCE EDITOR: Hey, Daryn. Have you looked for a doctor? It can be a nerve-racking process. We're going to show some great web sites to help you do it up next on CNN LIVE TODAY.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: All right. Almost everyone needs access to quality medical care at some point. But how competent is the physician and how do you find out?

CNN FN personal finance correspondent Gerri Willis has that in today's "Top Five Tips."

Gerri, good morning.

WILLIS: Hey, Daryn, good to see you. My first tip today, you have got to get the skinny on doctors. You know, it used to be that you could only ask maybe office mates, friends for a doctor's name. Not any more. Here's the good news. There are lots of great Web sites you can go to. One of them, healthgrades.com, there you can find out -- everything out from education, training, board certification. The really good news, you can sort these names by specialty and even location. So, it's a great Web site. One downside, it only covers about 650,000 doctors, that's not all of the doctors. But it's a pretty big number and the information is really detailed -- Daryn.

KAGAN: There's good reason why you need that information. There are some bad apples out there.

WILLIS: Yes. You need to go undercover, too. Because you want to protect yourself from the doctors who have gotten in trouble with the law. It happens only rarely, but you want to make sure you get somebody on the up and up.

The kinds of problems doctors can get into and what state regulators are looking for: bad record keeping, fraud, substance abuse. Some really important things. Now, the state regulatory boards send their information off to a federal medical board. And at docinfo.org you can get all of these details. Make sure you've got somebody who's really going to do a good job for you.

KAGAN: Also, a couple other Web sites to help you find out what the doctors are saying about the doctors.

WILLIS: Yes. It's not a bad idea to get an insider's view on this stuff. Try americastopdocs.com, and there you're going to find the top doctors in the country are interviewed to determine who they like as doctors. Those names are in that database. and things are so detailed now, Daryn, you can even find out if your doctor is having trouble paying for his medical education. The Department of Health and Human Services has their own Web site that gives you that kind of detail.

KAGAN: Hmm. And then, also, once you think you have a good doctor, might you might want to do your own research on what particular illness you have.

WILLIS: Right. We spoke to one writer at "SmartMoney" magazine who told us this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MATTHEW HEIMER, "SMARTMONEY" MAGAZINE: It's a good idea, first of all, to learn as much as you can about the illness or complaints that you might be having. If you've already been diagnosed with an illness, be aware of what kind of medications are available, what kinds of treatment courses seem to be the most commonly prescribed. Most of all, prepare a list of questions of whatever kind of issues matter to you, so that you can present your doctor with them.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WILLIS: All right. So two Web sites to go to. Here webmd.com and mayoclinic.org are great Web sites to get a sense of if you've been diagnosed with an illness what you should be looking for, the right questions to ask your doctor -- Daryn.

KAGAN: And finally, become health literate so that once you have the instructions you know you're doing the right thing.

WILLIS: Look, one in two Americans really don't understand the instructions they're getting from their doctor. That's what some new surveys are starting to tell us. You know, you've got to able to understand what your doctor is saying. They have less and less time to talk to you. Go to a Web site called askmethree.org, it's going to help you understand some of the tough stuff and do the kinds of translation that's so important for patients.

So you know, when you're sitting in the doctor's office and you're wearing one of those little gowns, it can be really difficult to think about what you should be asking your doctor and getting the best kind of care -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Yes. Something about leave the opening in the back, kind of makes your mind wander a little bit. Gerri...

WILLIS: You bet.

KAGAN: ... thank you for that. Appreciate that.

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 May 12, 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: A lot for us to get to here in Atlanta. Good morning from CNN headquarters, I'm Daryn Kagan. First to the headlines.
U.S. forces killed at 20 of Muqtada al-Sadr's militiamen in an ongoing battle in Karbala. Seven of Americans were wounded. The operation comes as the move is underway to end the standoff in Najaf. The proposed deal calls for disbanding the Shiite cleric's militia and an agreement by U.S. forces not to enter the holy city.

New violence in Gaza City neighborhood where six Israeli soldiers were killed today. Israeli helicopter gun ships fired missiles in separate attacks, at least three Palestinians had been killed, at least 37 others wounded. Militants say they're holding the remains of the dead soldiers for ransom.

A loyal American soldier or a terrorist spy? A hearing at Fort Lewis, Washington, will determine whether Specialist Ryan Anderson faces a court-martial. He's accused of trying to give al Qaeda information about troop strength and tactics.

And they are looking for money, $25 billion for Iraq and Afghanistan. There you see Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, also the Joint Chief's Chairman Richard Myers are before the Senate Appropriations Committee at this hour.

Also live at this hour, a live briefing taking place in Baghdad as the daily briefing by the Coalition Provisional Authority. There is Dan Senor, the coalition spokesman. Earlier, he was asked about Nicholas Berg. And U.S. officials now say that Nicholas Berg was warned to leave Iraq. His refusal cost him his life, and al Qaeda- linked Web site has posted his videotape beheading with the title, "Abu Musab al Zarqawi Shown Slaughtering an American." That is apparent referenced to an Osama bin Laden associate. The masked men said that the killing was in response to the coalition abuse of Iraqi soldiers.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BRIG. GEN. MARK KIMMITT, DEPUTY OPS DIR., U.S. MILITARY: Elaborate on it.

DAN SENOR, COALITION SPOKESMAN: Sure. Mr. Berg was arrested by the Iraqi police in the Mosul area on March 24. I would refer you to the Iraqi police as to why they arrested him. My understanding is that they suspected that he was involved, engaged in suspicious activities. U.S. authorities were notified. The FBI visited with Mr. Berg on three occasions when he was in Iraqi police detention, and determined that he was not involved with any criminal or terrorist activities. Mr. Berg was released on April 6, and it is my understanding he was advised to leave the country. He, as you know, was found dead on May 8 and his family was notified on May 10.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: We're going to continue to monitor the coalition news conference and bring you any news updates from Baghdad.

Meanwhile, more now on Nicholas Berg. His body could arrive in the U.S. as early as today. His hometown is reeling from the ghastly news. Maria Hinojosa is in West Chester, Pennsylvania with more on that -- Maria.

MARIA HINOJOSA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well Daryn, this is a community that is really just in a state of shock. It's very picturesque, about 45 minutes away from Philadelphia, but the families here are just trying to understand how this could have ended up happening here, right in their own home. Now, last night there was a vigil that was called, kind of impromptu, where about 100 people basically came out and just prayed and talked about Nick Berg.

And we've learned a little bit more about the young man, 26 years old. His family says he was someone who believed in people, who loved humanity. He really said -- they said that he was concerned for the less fortunate of the world. In fact, he traveled to Africa twice to help rebuild there. And though most of us often see images of destruction out of Iraq, apparently for this young man he really saw this as an opportunity, not only to support the Bush administration and their war effort, but really to really rebuild a country. Yes, he went there looking for work. That work fell through. He went there on two occasions.

But at that point, there is a problem when Nick is detained by the Mosul police, as you know, then handed off to the authorities. Now, the parents might have some issues with what the coalition forces are saying about the detention, because they sued Donald Rumsfeld and the Department of Defense saying that they were holding Nick Berg without due process. And that because he was held for those days, he missed his March 30 departure date; so there is a lawsuit that was filed family. It has since been rescinded by the family. At this point they're still in seclusion. They're still not talking but the father says this before he even knew his son was killed. He said -- had this to say about his son and why he went to Iraq.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAEL BERG, FATHER: He just really wanted to be part of something that was important. He supported the administration's being in Iraq. He supported everything that they were doing. And he wanted to help. And he wanted to help in a positive way by building rather than breaking down.

(END VIDEO CLIP) HINOJOSA: Now, the family was told on Monday that the body of their son had been found in Baghdad, but it was only yesterday morning when they were informed that the execution was, in fact, on a web site. There they literally fell down in anguish and in pain. It's been a very difficult time, of course, for them, but for the entire community here in Westchester, Pennsylvania.

What we do know now is that the body of Nick Berg has left Kuwait and making its way through Germany and perhaps could arrive in the United States as early as today -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Maria, as I understand it, the family has also spoken about their religion and how they think that Nick Berg's religion as a Jew could have hurt him and ultimately leading to his death.

HINOJOSA: Well, they say that apparently that might have been the thing that kind of sealed his death. Yes, he was Jewish, but he was not, as we understand it, wearing or carrying any kind of identifying -- anything around him that would say he was Jewish. But perhaps, once his killers found out they were Jewish, his parents believe that might have been what sealed his fate to be murdered in this horrific way -- Daryn.

KAGAN: A grisly story. Maria Hinojosa from Westchester, Pennsylvania, thank you for that.

Now, on to the prison abuse story. One of the seven soldiers facing court-martial in the Iraqi prisoner abuse case says that worse things happened at Abu Ghraib than had been seen in the photos so far. Private First Class Lynndie England strikes a similar pose in pictures like this. In a new interview where she appears more candid, England says that superiors gave her specific instructions on how to pose.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PFC. LYNNDIE ENGLAND, U.S. ARMY: Told to stand there, give the thumbs up, smile, stand behind all the naked Iraqis in the pyramid, take a picture.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Who told you to do that?

ENGLAND: Persons in my higher chain of command.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: The U.S. general who was in charge of military prisons in Iraq says the blame goes up the chain of command. According to "The Washington Post" Brigadier General Janice Karpinski gave a detailed account to Army investigators. In that, she said in part, Major Geoffrey Miller and Lieutenant General Ricardo Sanchez, quote, "overruled her concerns about the military intelligence takeover and the use of deadly force."

There are new allegations of coalition forces abusing prisoners. The latest claims come from Afghanistan. The U.S. military is looking into the claims of an Afghan police officer who said he was abused while being held in Gardez and Bagram. "The New York Times" quotes the officer as saying of the guards, quote, "They were mimicking the sounds of a sheep, a cow, and a donkey, and asking which one I would like to have sex with. They kept insisting and they were kicking me so much eventually I said a cow."

The Secretary of defense and the Joint Chiefs chairman are both on Capitol Hill this hour. They are appearing before the Senate Appropriations Committee.

Barbara Starr is following their testimony and has more on that.

Barbara, hello.

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Daryn. Well, this hearing is supposed to be about the $400 billion defense spending plan for 2005. But of course, senators are still trying to press both the secretary and the chairman, General Richard Myers on the prison abuse story.

But a lot of very tough questioning on what is the routine business, if you will, of the war in Iraq. Senator Fritz Hollings, the Democrat from South Carolina, questioning the secretary very strongly a few moments ago about troop levels in Iraq; quite a vigorous exchange between the two men.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD RUMSFELD, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: All I can say is that the division commanders are telling General Abizaid that is the right number. General Abizaid is telling General Myers it's the right number. General Myers is telling Rumsfeld and President Bush it's the right number. You could be right!

SEN. EARNEST HOLLINGS (D), SOUTH CAROLINA: Well, isn't it the case that the...

RUMSFELD: They all don't think so.

HOLLINGS: They're scared to death.

RUMSFELD: No, they're not.

HOLLINGS: They're going to get disciplined...

RUMSFELD: Does he look scared to death?

HOLLINGS: ... if they ask for more.

RUMSFELD: No, sir.

HOLLINGS: They're gone if they ask for more.

RUMSFELD: Absolutely not.

(LAUGHTER)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STARR: But of course, the prison abuse investigation goes on. There is additional word that now they are looking at more soldiers. A small number, a very small number that might have also witnessed abuse, but not reported it. And that, of course, would be something that they would be held accountable for. So, that investigation continues -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Barbara, I want to ask you more about the case of Nicholas Berg, the man who was beheaded out of Pennsylvania in Iraq. At one point, we heard Maria Hinojosa report there was a lawsuit filed because the U.S. military was holding Berg. Will there be some kind of investigation in the Pentagon? Or is that not the role for this branch of the government? Perhaps the CIA or FBI.

STARR: Well, by all accounts, the family did file a lawsuit. They thought he was in U.S. custody. The word appears to be now that he was being held at one point by Iraqi police while they were questioning him. But then the Pentagon tells us they got word that Mr. Berg called home, made contact with his family at some point after that they. They believe he was, you know fine, if you will, and they dropped their lawsuit once they heard from their son. They believed it was moot. But of course, subsequent developments led to this very, very tragic story -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Barbara Starr at the Pentagon. Barbara thank you for that.

Punishment for abuse, reaction to the eye for an eye tactics in Iraq. How will the murder of Nicholas Berg affect America's opinion of the war and the prison abuse scandal?

And the high cost of driving right here at home. We check gas prices across the U.S.

KAGAN: And later, a first for the canine world. You're going to meet Footsie, the first of a new breed of dog and the people who stepped up to bring him some new legs.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: Motorists buckle up. There are more potholes and price hikes on the road to the summer travel season. Gasoline prices have already surged past the $3 mark. Look at that, 3-0-1 and nine tenths. That's in California. The rest of us will soon see the $2 mark fade in the rear-view mirror.

Chris Huntington joins us with a closer look even though we want to kind of drive away from those high gas prices.

Hi, Chris.

CHRIS HUNTINGTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Daryn. Well, you know, we've been seeing this coming for decades. Two dollar a gallon gas is something we sort of dodged in America for quite some time. I'm at a station here in midtown Manhattan, where you can see the prices are well north of two bucks a gallon. But even with all the long warning and rumbling, and price spikes last summer, folks still seem to be shocked by recent price spike.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HUNTINGTON (voice-over): Americans are fuming at the pumps.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think that the gas prices are ridiculous.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm not very happy with it.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It seems like it's high all around the country, but particularly here in San Francisco.

HUNTINGTON: According to the Department of Energy, the national average price for unleaded regular is now $1.4 a gallon. That's the highest price in history and 45-cents more than a year ago. And the DOE projects that next month the average price will top $2 a gallon. In California, which requires special gas formulations, $2 a gallon would be a bargain.

GUY CARUSO, ENERGY INFO. ADMIN.: The main heart of the matter is supply and demand, both at the crude oil level and the global -- in our global system. And also more specifically, the gasoline market in this country.

HOLLINGS: Demand for gasoline is running at a record pace and SUVs are a major factor. Gasoline supplies are a bit tighter, as well. And that's because imports are down, as overseas refineries shift their production to the new cleaner burning fuels required by laws in the United States. And crude oil prices, which account for half the cost of a retail gallon of gas, are up 50 percent in the past year as the global economic rebound has boosted demand.

But oil analyst, Fadal Gheit insists fear over supply interruptions is another factor driving crude prices higher.

FADAL GHEIT, OIL ANALYST, OPPENHEIMER & CO.: Eighty percent or more of the spike of oil prices in the last year or so was basically because of fears.

HUNTINGTON: Last week's terrorist attack at the Saudi port of Yanbu further fueled those fears. As for gasoline prices, Gheit points out that U.S. refiners are benefiting from supply concerns to book record profits. One of the leading U.S. refiners says wholesale gasoline prices are high only because demand is outstripping supply. But Gheit insists there is plenty of gasoline to go around.

GHEIT: There is absolutely no gasoline shortage or tight supply, whatever. It's all perception.

HUNTINGTON: There may be some relief in sight. Saudi Arabia says it will urge OPEC to boost crude oil production. And offshore refiners are increasing the production of new grades of gasoline. By the way, current gas prices adjusted for inflation are about the same as those our grandparents paid in the 1950s. (END VIDEOTAPE)

HUNTINGTON: Now, Daryn, of course, the real issue is how do the traders downtown see the general markets? The traders at the Mercantile Exchange, trading has just begun in gasoline and that's where they fix the wholesale price of gas. And it's really how those guys and gals in those markets see the world at large that dictates the prices you're going to pay here at the pump. So we'll watch those prices, they closed high yesterday. We'll keep and eye on them today for you.

KAGAN: All right. And fill up while you can, Chris, because by tomorrow the prices behind you will probably be even higher. Thank you, Chris Huntington in New York.

HUNTINGTON: No doubt.

KAGAN: We want to know what gas is like in your hometown. Just send us a quick e-mail; let us know what you're paying. Also, your comments and concerns about the surging price at the pump. E-mail is really easy at livetoday@cnn.com.

Meanwhile, we move on to weather. A tornado tearing through the town of Conroe, Texas, damaging about 45 homes and businesses. No injuries were reported. Crews used a front-end loader and chain saw to move trees in streets, clearing the way to hard hit areas. At one point, 60,000 electrical customers lost power.

Story near and dear to my heart. Coming up, helping man's best friend lead a more normal life ahead on CNN LIVE TODAY. Medical technology that is helping one dog put his best paws forward.

Speaking of our best, here is Gerri Willis.

GERRI WILLIS, CNNFN PERSONAL FINANCE EDITOR: Hey, Daryn. Have you looked for a doctor? It can be a nerve-racking process. We're going to show some great web sites to help you do it up next on CNN LIVE TODAY.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: All right. Almost everyone needs access to quality medical care at some point. But how competent is the physician and how do you find out?

CNN FN personal finance correspondent Gerri Willis has that in today's "Top Five Tips."

Gerri, good morning.

WILLIS: Hey, Daryn, good to see you. My first tip today, you have got to get the skinny on doctors. You know, it used to be that you could only ask maybe office mates, friends for a doctor's name. Not any more. Here's the good news. There are lots of great Web sites you can go to. One of them, healthgrades.com, there you can find out -- everything out from education, training, board certification. The really good news, you can sort these names by specialty and even location. So, it's a great Web site. One downside, it only covers about 650,000 doctors, that's not all of the doctors. But it's a pretty big number and the information is really detailed -- Daryn.

KAGAN: There's good reason why you need that information. There are some bad apples out there.

WILLIS: Yes. You need to go undercover, too. Because you want to protect yourself from the doctors who have gotten in trouble with the law. It happens only rarely, but you want to make sure you get somebody on the up and up.

The kinds of problems doctors can get into and what state regulators are looking for: bad record keeping, fraud, substance abuse. Some really important things. Now, the state regulatory boards send their information off to a federal medical board. And at docinfo.org you can get all of these details. Make sure you've got somebody who's really going to do a good job for you.

KAGAN: Also, a couple other Web sites to help you find out what the doctors are saying about the doctors.

WILLIS: Yes. It's not a bad idea to get an insider's view on this stuff. Try americastopdocs.com, and there you're going to find the top doctors in the country are interviewed to determine who they like as doctors. Those names are in that database. and things are so detailed now, Daryn, you can even find out if your doctor is having trouble paying for his medical education. The Department of Health and Human Services has their own Web site that gives you that kind of detail.

KAGAN: Hmm. And then, also, once you think you have a good doctor, might you might want to do your own research on what particular illness you have.

WILLIS: Right. We spoke to one writer at "SmartMoney" magazine who told us this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MATTHEW HEIMER, "SMARTMONEY" MAGAZINE: It's a good idea, first of all, to learn as much as you can about the illness or complaints that you might be having. If you've already been diagnosed with an illness, be aware of what kind of medications are available, what kinds of treatment courses seem to be the most commonly prescribed. Most of all, prepare a list of questions of whatever kind of issues matter to you, so that you can present your doctor with them.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WILLIS: All right. So two Web sites to go to. Here webmd.com and mayoclinic.org are great Web sites to get a sense of if you've been diagnosed with an illness what you should be looking for, the right questions to ask your doctor -- Daryn.

KAGAN: And finally, become health literate so that once you have the instructions you know you're doing the right thing.

WILLIS: Look, one in two Americans really don't understand the instructions they're getting from their doctor. That's what some new surveys are starting to tell us. You know, you've got to able to understand what your doctor is saying. They have less and less time to talk to you. Go to a Web site called askmethree.org, it's going to help you understand some of the tough stuff and do the kinds of translation that's so important for patients.

So you know, when you're sitting in the doctor's office and you're wearing one of those little gowns, it can be really difficult to think about what you should be asking your doctor and getting the best kind of care -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Yes. Something about leave the opening in the back, kind of makes your mind wander a little bit. Gerri...

WILLIS: You bet.

KAGAN: ... thank you for that. Appreciate that.

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