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American Morning
Reaction From Family, Community of Nick Berg
Aired May 12, 2004 - 08:00 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.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: The White House vows to capture the terrorists who executed American Nicholas Berg. This morning, what his family is saying.
Plans being made to put Saddam Hussein on trial. How much influence will the United States have? We'll ask the American who's advising the Iraqis.
And presidential memories.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BILL CLINTON, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT: For three months I have done nothing but try to finish the story of my life. It was hard enough to live it the first time. It's been awful the second time.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
O'BRIEN: The former president's autobiography 900 pages and sure to be a political sensation.
Those stories all ahead on this AMERICAN MORNING.
ANNOUNCER: From the CNN broadcast center in New York, this is AMERICAN MORNING with Bill Hemmer and Soledad O'Brien.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, everyone.
Eight o'clock here in New York.
Also this hour, a lot to cover on the death of Nick Berg. One of the people giving us more perspective, former Army pilot Michael Duran, held captive in Somalia back in 1993. His thoughts on the people who did this and on the U.S. reaction. And there is a lot today, as expected.
O'BRIEN: Also this morning, a decision by prosecutors in Colorado, who have been investigating allegations of sexual assault by members of the University of Colorado football team. We're going to talk with a writer from "Sports Illustrated" who's very familiar with that case.
HEMMER: Rick Bradley. You probably know him well.
Also, Jack Cafferty. You know him well -- what's up?
JACK CAFFERTY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, that's the problem. Coming up Wednesday, we do a little thing, the things people say. We're going to find out how strip clubs are inspiring young voters.
And Britney Spears speaks Japanese? Apparently not. And she says she can prove it. I love Britney.
HEMMER: Yes.
CAFFERTY: I dislike her.
HEMMER: Cafferty's on the strip club beat. I think we should all be very concerned.
O'BRIEN: I was going to say, oh, I'm glad they're working in some kind of naked woman angle this morning.
CAFFERTY: No, it's, the Wednesday thing is more about moron patrol.
HEMMER: I see.
O'BRIEN: OK, I see. (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
CAFFERTY: And it's just, it's a lot of fun because you have so many to pick from each week.
HEMMER: Yes.
O'BRIEN: You know what? It seems like there has been almost a veritable plethora.
CAFFERTY: It's a plethora. I know. What a great word.
HEMMER: And as Bruce, our floor manager, said, the sheriff's in town. (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
CAFFERTY: Right.
O'BRIEN: Thank you.
HEMMER: Let's get to our top stories again here, starting the second hour.
More clashes today between coalition troops and fighters loyal to radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr. In Karbala, troops backed by helicopters battled troops near a mosque in the holy city. Today's raid is part of an ongoing operation to disarm the insurgents loyal to al-Sadr. Seven coalition soldiers wounded during the operation. Four have since returned to duty there.
All 100 members of the Senate will view today additional photos and videos documenting abuses in Iraqi prisons. Pentagon officials formally set to deliver the images to Capitol Hill today, 2:00 Eastern time. Senators will have three hours for the material. The Bush administration still deciding whether or not those images should be released to the public. From Washington State, a National Guardsman accused of trying to aid terrorists goes to court today for a preliminary hearing. Army investigators say Ryan Anderson gave military information to undercover agents who he apparently believed were members of al Qaeda. The judge has been asked to decide whether or not Anderson should face a court-martial. Anderson's lawyers have not commented on that case to date.
The International Olympic Committee says it's confident that Athens will be ready to host this year's Summer Games. Members of that committee inspecting game sites yesterday say construction will be completed in time. But security for the Games in late August remains a concern. Greece expects to spend about $1.2 billion on security. We'll talk with a member of the IOC in our next hour this morning on "American Morning."
Coffee lovers, listen up. You may want to make that next cup a small one if you want to be more alert. A new study now says small and frequent doses of caffeine are best if you need to stay awake for a long period of time. The research suggests that the regular intake of caffeine counteracts the body's natural desire for sleep. So says the study. So drink up.
O'BRIEN: Meaning we should just keep drinking what we're drinking or drink less than what we're drinking?
HEMMER: It is so good at 5:00 a.m.
O'BRIEN: Or 4:00 a.m.
HEMMER: Yes.
(WEATHER REPORT)
O'BRIEN: The Bush administration is vowing to bring those responsible for the beheading death of American Nicholas Berg to justice. In Berg's hometown near Philadelphia last night, about 150 family members and friends gathered for a candlelight vigil to remember the 26-year-old telecommunications worker.
For more reaction this morning, we check in with Maria Hinojosa.
She's in Westchester, Pennsylvania for us -- Maria, good morning.
MARIA HINOJOSA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Soledad.
We have learned a little bit more about Nick Berg. His parents saying that he was a young man who cared about the world's poor, that he loved people, that while many people see destruction in Iraq, he was a young man who really felt like he was part of a rebuilding of a country. And his parents say that the reason why he traveled the world was because he believed that he could handle things.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
05110003.v84 (END VIDEOTAPE)
HINOJOSA: Now, it appears that the Berg family is still quite upset with U.S. authorities, who detained their son and, they say, made him miss his March 30 departure. Now what they can expect is the body being transported from Kuwait through Germany and perhaps arriving here in the United States today -- Soledad.
O'BRIEN: Maria Hinojosa for us in Westchester, Pennsylvania.
Maria, thanks.
Well, former Army helicopter pilot Michael Durant was also held hostage. He survived 11 days in captivity in Mogadishu, Somalia back in 1993.
Michael Durant joins us this morning from Dubuque, Iowa with his thoughts on the murder of Nicholas Berg.
It's nice to see you.
Thanks for coming to talk to us once again.
I think it is fair to say, I think it is not an exaggeration at all to say that all of us were shocked and it may be more accurate to say horrified when we heard or even saw some of these pictures of this beheading.
What was your reaction, Michael, when you heard this story?
MICHAEL DURANT, FORMER ARMY PILOT HELD CAPTIVE IN SOMALIA: Well, I think very much the same. It's brutality at its worst. It's cold- blooded murder. In particular, the fact that Nicholas was there trying to rebuild the country. He was not a soldier. He was not there even supporting soldiers. He was part of the best part of all this, which is the rebuild process.
And it just shows you the character of the people that we're trying to find, trying to track down and bring to justice. And I think it ought to, in the long run, strengthen our resolve that this is the right thing to be doing and this war on terrorism is just.
O'BRIEN: The captors of Nicholas Berg read a statement. We saw a little clip of the videotape there. And this is what they said. "For the mothers and wives of American soldiers, we tell you that we offered the U.S. administration to exchange this hostage for some of the detainees in Abu Ghraib and they refused."
There is, we are told, no proof that any kind of request at all exists or was made for these detainees.
You survived 11 days in captivity. Do you think there is ever a time when a prisoner swap is an OK thing to do? When negotiating with terrorists is all right?
DURANT: When it comes to terrorists, I would say absolutely not. I fully support our stance, which is not to deal with terrorists. They are what their name implies. They try to inflict terror, fear and brutality on all of humanity. And to me, it makes no sense whatsoever to try to deal with them rationally. And quite honestly, I had those feelings in captivity. I did not want to be part of some kind of a deal that gave these people more power and, quite frankly, more incentive to do these type of activities in the future.
O'BRIEN: Do you think a story like this, this horrible news, really, impacts troop morale or impacts troop resolve overseas in Iraq?
DURANT: Well, I think it'll be a mixed bag. I think some people will be afraid. It's a fearful thing. They fear for their own lives, probably, and for those of their comrades or their friends or family members.
But I also do think that it will strengthen their resolve, that it probably angers quite a few people and that's understandable and I think it may be a motivating factor.
I think also there is the potential for it to strengthen our resolve here in America, which is really where we need to shore it up. There's been a lot of criticism of what I think are very small and isolated incidents and when you see really this is what this is all about -- we're trying to eradicate the world of these kind of people -- it ought to strengthen our resolve as a nation.
O'BRIEN: Lindsey Graham, I believe it was, who said, remember, we're the good guys, we've got to act like the good guys. It must be incredibly frustrating, and I wonder if this is your experience, as well, to the troops who feel that the U.S. soldiers are certainly held to a high standard. But, of course, you're fighting an enemy that has no standards whatsoever, that, you know, obviously with terrorists, there are no rules whatsoever.
Is that frustrating?
DURANT: Well, I think there's a sort of a sense of goodness about it, that they realize that we are held to a higher standard. We have to maintain the high road and that's why what we're doing is right. If we lower ourselves to that standard or even compare ourselves to it, then we have no business doing what we're doing. But we are maintaining the high ground. Again, there's a few isolated incidents. It's unfortunate. It gets an awful lot of visibility and it really shouldn't. And I think, you know, we just need to remember that the vast majority of what's going on is positive. They're doing a great job. We're proud of them and we need to keep telling them that.
O'BRIEN: Michael Durant is a former Army helicopter pilot held captive in Somalia back in 1993.
Nice to see you, Michael, as always.
Thanks for talking to us this morning.
DURANT: Thank you, Soledad.
HEMMER: In the Iraq prisoner abuse scandal, we're now heard -- we're hearing now from Army Private Lynndie England, who's been seen in some of the photos taken inside the prison at Abu Ghraib. On one picture of her pointing to a naked prisoner, Private England told KCNC Television in Denver, and quoting, "I was told to stand there, point thumbs up, look at the camera, take the picture."
She said superiors praised her, saying they just told us, "Hey, you're doing great, keep it up."
Private England is one of seven soldiers facing charges in connection with the abuses to date.
Meanwhile in Baghdad, Iraqis intend to put Saddam Hussein on trial for war crimes. The Pentagon not setting a date yet, but does plan to hand over the former Iraqi dictator and about 100 others to a war crimes tribunal run by Iraqis.
Gregory Kehoe is the lead U.S. adviser to the tribunal.
Greg is our guest in Tampa, Florida.
And good morning.
Welcome here to AMERICAN MORNING.
GREGORY KEHOE, U.S. ADVISER TO IRAQI WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL: Good morning.
HEMMER: If that trial started today, what evidence do you use to try Saddam Hussein?
KEHOE: Well, there's a lot of broad-based evidence throughout the country of abuses, atrocities, genocide, crimes against humanity that have occurred over the past couple of decades that have been well documented by NGOs and various other entities, including the media. And that would be the basis. That would not be the sole basis, but that is certainly a starting point.
HEMMER: There is no evidence of recent WMD at this point.
Does that affect your case, Greg?
KEHOE: It doesn't have anything to do with what the Iraqis are investigating. What the Iraqis are investigating are war crimes, crimes against humanity and the various abuses against the Iraqi population that have taken place over the last 20 odd years.
HEMMER: Yes. How much does Talabja (ph) play a role in this, late 1980s, northeastern part of Iraq?
KEHOE: Well, all of those various locales are going to play a role in what is to be investigated. But I have to emphasize that the Iraqis are the individuals that are going to direct these investigations. They are going to decide what charges are going to be brought. They are going to try these cases and they are going to judge these cases.
We are there in purely an advisory role, a liaison role, if you will. And it's -- the final decisions are going to be made by the Iraqis themselves. What do they think is important? What do they want to move on first?
HEMMER: Iraqis have never even approached anything like this in the entire history of that country.
How concerned are you, and what concerns do you have, that they can do it the right way?
KEHOE: Well, you know, I think that if you're looking at the short-term, during the Saddam regime, I believe that you're right. But if you look at the long history of Iraq, it has been a history steeped in a legal tradition, going back to Hammurabi (ph). But nevertheless, I do believe that they can put these cases together. They can try these cases. They can present evidence in a courtroom and judges who are just, honest judges can judge those facts and make a decision accordingly.
HEMMER: Do you think they can do it without the help of the Americans, people like yourself?
KEHOE: We are purely, again, in a support role as a liaison. What the problem in Iraq with the Saddam regime is that an infrastructure wasn't present to assist in these investigations. What we are attempting to do is gather information from various quarters, not only in the United States, but throughout the world, and provide the Iraqis with that information. And they then will develop that information through their investigative judges to decide what charges should be brought and against whom.
HEMMER: There was a report yesterday -- it was pulled back a little bit in the afternoon -- that Saddam Hussein would be turned over to Iraqis before the hand over date of June 30.
Do you believe that to be the case, Greg?
KEHOE: I'd be honest with you, I don't know any facts about that. I'm here in the United States. I haven't spoken to the authorities in Iraq on this score in several weeks. So I really don't have the facts to answer that question.
HEMMER: Gregory Kehoe, come back and talk with us when you get more.
We'd certainly like to continue our discussion as the trial gets closer, whenever that date is.
KEHOE: I will do that. Thank you.
HEMMER: Gregory Kehoe in Tampa.
KEHOE: Thank you. O'BRIEN: Still to come this morning, Colorado's top prosecutor will not seek sexual assault charges against University of Colorado football players.
Why not? What now? Those questions ahead.
HEMMER: Also, Bill Clinton's memoir is soon to be in bookstores. We'll hear what the former president is saying about the big book, still to come this hour on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HEMMER: No criminal charges will be filed in the alleged sexual assault case involving University of Colorado football players. The state attorney general announcing yesterday that decision, citing concerns about evidence and the reluctance of some women to pursue their cases.
"Sports Illustrated" columnist and author Rick Reilly has done a lot of reporting on this story.
He's here in New York to talk about this and a few other things, too.
Good morning to you.
RICK REILLY, COLUMNIST, "SPORTS ILLUSTRATED": Good morning.
How are you doing?
HEMMER: You live in Denver.
REILLY: Right, I live in Denver.
HEMMER: You're saying this is not a story out there because?
REILLY: Well, we never expected him to file charges. This was never, I don't think anybody expected charges to be filed. The big story is the task force that's trying to determine is the University of Colorado football program out of control, are they using sex and alcohol to lure recruits to get better players to play football.
HEMMER: Back up just a little bit. I mean Katie Nida is one of the accusers in this case. She has talked to you at great length, right?
REILLY: Right.
HEMMER: And she alleges what in her experience at Colorado?
REILLY: She said over her one year as the only female kicker in college football, that she was groped, abused, exposed to and eventually raped by one of her teammates. She was -- she went into a depression for two years. When all this stuff started hitting, she said it spiraled her back into this horrible place where she couldn't get out of bed. She cried all the time. And she said I have to tell my truth, and that's when she called me and said I want to tell you what happened.
HEMMER: Why, then, is she not pushing for charges in this case?
REILLY: She's scared. She's scared of the guy. She's scared of the guy and his friends. She doesn't want anyone -- she doesn't want to press charges. I know people have a problem with that -- name names. But she's scared.
HEMMER: So...
REILLY: And she was tormented by this group of players for that year and she, frankly, is scared to come out.
HEMMER: So that answer, then, buffets the comments of the investigators in Colorado, saying there's a reluctance on behalf of witnesses to come forward?
REILLY: Well, I mean, in some cases, I mean, for instance, in the big party, there was three women that were so drunk they weren't even sure who it was, according to their story. We're talking about nine cases since 1997 at one football program. Now, these are all allegations. There have been no charges filed. But there's a lot of intimidation going on. These are large, huge football players who stick together.
HEMMER: Ultimately is this dead in the water or does it continue somehow?
REILLY: Yes. The end of May where they decide whether Gary Barnett's fired, the athletic director, Dick Tharp, is fired, maybe a chancellor is fired. Is the program out of control or not? And they're going to -- that's coming down at the end of May.
HEMMER: Listen, another reason we had you on today, it came out last year, it's in paperback. "Who's Your Caddy?" It's a great golf read. You announced you've caddied with...
REILLY: On a lighter note.
HEMMER: On a lighter note. You announce you caddied for a whole lot of people.
REILLY: Yes.
HEMMER: Why did you do that?
REILLY: I don't know why. I was an idiot. But it was really fun. It was, I mean, awful things happened like I remember I had -- was trying to do Jack Nicklaus and it was raining and he's on a course in Colorado and the wind takes the umbrella and all of a sudden the umbrella is flying. And I reach for the umbrella and the whole bag trips over and I forgot to unzip -- to zip up all the pockets. So all this balls, tees, gloves go down a 300 foot baranca. And he just looks at me and says don't quit your day job.
HEMMER: Did you ever lose a club? That's like one of the biggest fears of any caddy.
REILLY: I once put a club in Scott Hoak's bag when I was carrying Tommy Aarons', which would have been a two shot penalty if anybody had noticed at the Masters. Instead, I quick put it back.
HEMMER: Did your appreciation for golf, did it increase or decrease after that experience?
REILLY: Oh, god, my appreciation for caddies -- I think they should all be knighted, you know? And I can't imagine how they do it. I remember one time I was, again, caddying for Nicklaus, and I said, I'm looking at the yardage thing and I'm trying to -- and I said OK, Jack, this is a 400 yard hole. A little dog leg left. There's a hidden lake. And he looks at me and he goes, "I know. I built the hole, you know? I think I know what it does."
HEMMER: Sir Rick, we'll call you from this point forward.
REILLY: Yes, would you?
HEMMER: Thanks, Rick.
Rick Reilly.
REILLY: I appreciate it.
Thanks.
HEMMER: All right -- Soledad.
O'BRIEN: All right, thanks, Bill.
Still to come this morning, a look at what may have been the real motivation behind the beheading of that young American man.
Also, former President Bill Clinton's book will finally tell his side of the scandals that plagued his years in the White House. We'll hear what he has to say about writing it, all ahead on "American Morning."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
O'BRIEN: Time to check in with Jack on the Question of the Day -- hello.
CAFFERTY: You ever tried to get Hemmer to reach for his wallet?
HEMMER: Oh, come on.
CAFFERTY: I mean, you know, you talk about stuff that's tough to do.
HEMMER: You know what we call that, Jack? We call it the alligator arms, you know, when you only get out so far.
CAFFERTY: There you go. O'BRIEN: Exactly.
CAFFERTY: Short arms, deep pockets.
O'BRIEN: Although, I never pay any of my debts when bet on things, so.
CAFFERTY: We make these silly little bets periodically and mostly Hemmer welches when he loses. So, if the "National Enquirer" is watching, you may want to do something with them.
On to more serious things, the debate about what to do with the additional pictures and video of Iraqi prisoners is getting more complicated. Before yesterday, the debate was mostly about spin and political stuff. If they weren't released, would they eventually leak out anyway and would that cause additional embarrassment to the administration? If they were simply dumped on the public and the press, would they create a second round of public revulsion and opposition to the war in Iraq?
Because the terrorists claimed the decapitation of an American was revenge for the abuse of Iraqi prisoners, now the debate is a little different.
Here's the question: should those additional pictures and video of alleged prisoner abuse be released?
And we are getting an awful lot of mail. It's a subject, obviously, that people have very strong feelings about.
Richard in the Bronx writes this: "Whoever is responsible for this, it has the effect of desensitizing people to the additional torture photos, which are likely to appear later this week. Those Arabs are cutting our guys' heads off. Why shouldn't we torture them? This is sure to save Rumsfeld's bacon and reignite support for the war. Just watch Bush's poll numbers rise."
D.W. in Toronto, Ontario: "Where do we go from here? The U.S. is now in a game of chess with the terrorists using human players. This is the ultimate reality show -- abuse of prisoners versus innocent people being put to death. Where can the world possibly go from here?"
Angela writes: "If the decapitation of one of our citizens is a direct result of the first pictures released, what will they do to us when additional pictures are released? You should stop now."
D. in Columbus, Ohio: "How can the government vow to track down the people responsible for beheading Mr. Berg? They vowed to get Osama bin Laden and he doesn't have his face covered."
And Sarah in Farmington, Michigan writes: "Definitely not. I've seen enough to know what was -- that what was done is wrong. More pictures or graphic video images will not change what has been done. I would rather see footage and photos of some of the good things that have happened -- people with more freedom, schools opening up and images of people not living in fear any longer."
Am@cnn.com.
O'BRIEN: Great responses, I think.
CAFFERTY: And we've gotten close to a thousand letters already and we're just halfway through the show.
O'BRIEN: Well, you know, really thoughtful.
HEMMER: About a week ago I got an e-mail from a guy working with a medical unit trying to help rebuild the hospitals in Iraq on behalf of the Pentagon. They sent him over there. I'll print it out some day, maybe this week, and we can list off the number of things they have done...
CAFFERTY: Oh, yes.
O'BRIEN: Right.
HEMMER: ... all throughout that country. They've spent millions and millions...
CAFFERTY: A lot of good stuff going on.
HEMMER: ... of dollars and made enormous progress in only one year. Quite commendable.
Let's get a break here.
In a moment, questions lingering about the ultimate responsibility for control of that prison, Abu Ghraib. What will the political fallout be? Kamber and May on a Wednesday morning in a moment, when we continue, after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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Aired May 12, 2004 - 08:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: The White House vows to capture the terrorists who executed American Nicholas Berg. This morning, what his family is saying.
Plans being made to put Saddam Hussein on trial. How much influence will the United States have? We'll ask the American who's advising the Iraqis.
And presidential memories.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BILL CLINTON, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT: For three months I have done nothing but try to finish the story of my life. It was hard enough to live it the first time. It's been awful the second time.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
O'BRIEN: The former president's autobiography 900 pages and sure to be a political sensation.
Those stories all ahead on this AMERICAN MORNING.
ANNOUNCER: From the CNN broadcast center in New York, this is AMERICAN MORNING with Bill Hemmer and Soledad O'Brien.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, everyone.
Eight o'clock here in New York.
Also this hour, a lot to cover on the death of Nick Berg. One of the people giving us more perspective, former Army pilot Michael Duran, held captive in Somalia back in 1993. His thoughts on the people who did this and on the U.S. reaction. And there is a lot today, as expected.
O'BRIEN: Also this morning, a decision by prosecutors in Colorado, who have been investigating allegations of sexual assault by members of the University of Colorado football team. We're going to talk with a writer from "Sports Illustrated" who's very familiar with that case.
HEMMER: Rick Bradley. You probably know him well.
Also, Jack Cafferty. You know him well -- what's up?
JACK CAFFERTY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, that's the problem. Coming up Wednesday, we do a little thing, the things people say. We're going to find out how strip clubs are inspiring young voters.
And Britney Spears speaks Japanese? Apparently not. And she says she can prove it. I love Britney.
HEMMER: Yes.
CAFFERTY: I dislike her.
HEMMER: Cafferty's on the strip club beat. I think we should all be very concerned.
O'BRIEN: I was going to say, oh, I'm glad they're working in some kind of naked woman angle this morning.
CAFFERTY: No, it's, the Wednesday thing is more about moron patrol.
HEMMER: I see.
O'BRIEN: OK, I see. (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
CAFFERTY: And it's just, it's a lot of fun because you have so many to pick from each week.
HEMMER: Yes.
O'BRIEN: You know what? It seems like there has been almost a veritable plethora.
CAFFERTY: It's a plethora. I know. What a great word.
HEMMER: And as Bruce, our floor manager, said, the sheriff's in town. (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
CAFFERTY: Right.
O'BRIEN: Thank you.
HEMMER: Let's get to our top stories again here, starting the second hour.
More clashes today between coalition troops and fighters loyal to radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr. In Karbala, troops backed by helicopters battled troops near a mosque in the holy city. Today's raid is part of an ongoing operation to disarm the insurgents loyal to al-Sadr. Seven coalition soldiers wounded during the operation. Four have since returned to duty there.
All 100 members of the Senate will view today additional photos and videos documenting abuses in Iraqi prisons. Pentagon officials formally set to deliver the images to Capitol Hill today, 2:00 Eastern time. Senators will have three hours for the material. The Bush administration still deciding whether or not those images should be released to the public. From Washington State, a National Guardsman accused of trying to aid terrorists goes to court today for a preliminary hearing. Army investigators say Ryan Anderson gave military information to undercover agents who he apparently believed were members of al Qaeda. The judge has been asked to decide whether or not Anderson should face a court-martial. Anderson's lawyers have not commented on that case to date.
The International Olympic Committee says it's confident that Athens will be ready to host this year's Summer Games. Members of that committee inspecting game sites yesterday say construction will be completed in time. But security for the Games in late August remains a concern. Greece expects to spend about $1.2 billion on security. We'll talk with a member of the IOC in our next hour this morning on "American Morning."
Coffee lovers, listen up. You may want to make that next cup a small one if you want to be more alert. A new study now says small and frequent doses of caffeine are best if you need to stay awake for a long period of time. The research suggests that the regular intake of caffeine counteracts the body's natural desire for sleep. So says the study. So drink up.
O'BRIEN: Meaning we should just keep drinking what we're drinking or drink less than what we're drinking?
HEMMER: It is so good at 5:00 a.m.
O'BRIEN: Or 4:00 a.m.
HEMMER: Yes.
(WEATHER REPORT)
O'BRIEN: The Bush administration is vowing to bring those responsible for the beheading death of American Nicholas Berg to justice. In Berg's hometown near Philadelphia last night, about 150 family members and friends gathered for a candlelight vigil to remember the 26-year-old telecommunications worker.
For more reaction this morning, we check in with Maria Hinojosa.
She's in Westchester, Pennsylvania for us -- Maria, good morning.
MARIA HINOJOSA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Soledad.
We have learned a little bit more about Nick Berg. His parents saying that he was a young man who cared about the world's poor, that he loved people, that while many people see destruction in Iraq, he was a young man who really felt like he was part of a rebuilding of a country. And his parents say that the reason why he traveled the world was because he believed that he could handle things.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
05110003.v84 (END VIDEOTAPE)
HINOJOSA: Now, it appears that the Berg family is still quite upset with U.S. authorities, who detained their son and, they say, made him miss his March 30 departure. Now what they can expect is the body being transported from Kuwait through Germany and perhaps arriving here in the United States today -- Soledad.
O'BRIEN: Maria Hinojosa for us in Westchester, Pennsylvania.
Maria, thanks.
Well, former Army helicopter pilot Michael Durant was also held hostage. He survived 11 days in captivity in Mogadishu, Somalia back in 1993.
Michael Durant joins us this morning from Dubuque, Iowa with his thoughts on the murder of Nicholas Berg.
It's nice to see you.
Thanks for coming to talk to us once again.
I think it is fair to say, I think it is not an exaggeration at all to say that all of us were shocked and it may be more accurate to say horrified when we heard or even saw some of these pictures of this beheading.
What was your reaction, Michael, when you heard this story?
MICHAEL DURANT, FORMER ARMY PILOT HELD CAPTIVE IN SOMALIA: Well, I think very much the same. It's brutality at its worst. It's cold- blooded murder. In particular, the fact that Nicholas was there trying to rebuild the country. He was not a soldier. He was not there even supporting soldiers. He was part of the best part of all this, which is the rebuild process.
And it just shows you the character of the people that we're trying to find, trying to track down and bring to justice. And I think it ought to, in the long run, strengthen our resolve that this is the right thing to be doing and this war on terrorism is just.
O'BRIEN: The captors of Nicholas Berg read a statement. We saw a little clip of the videotape there. And this is what they said. "For the mothers and wives of American soldiers, we tell you that we offered the U.S. administration to exchange this hostage for some of the detainees in Abu Ghraib and they refused."
There is, we are told, no proof that any kind of request at all exists or was made for these detainees.
You survived 11 days in captivity. Do you think there is ever a time when a prisoner swap is an OK thing to do? When negotiating with terrorists is all right?
DURANT: When it comes to terrorists, I would say absolutely not. I fully support our stance, which is not to deal with terrorists. They are what their name implies. They try to inflict terror, fear and brutality on all of humanity. And to me, it makes no sense whatsoever to try to deal with them rationally. And quite honestly, I had those feelings in captivity. I did not want to be part of some kind of a deal that gave these people more power and, quite frankly, more incentive to do these type of activities in the future.
O'BRIEN: Do you think a story like this, this horrible news, really, impacts troop morale or impacts troop resolve overseas in Iraq?
DURANT: Well, I think it'll be a mixed bag. I think some people will be afraid. It's a fearful thing. They fear for their own lives, probably, and for those of their comrades or their friends or family members.
But I also do think that it will strengthen their resolve, that it probably angers quite a few people and that's understandable and I think it may be a motivating factor.
I think also there is the potential for it to strengthen our resolve here in America, which is really where we need to shore it up. There's been a lot of criticism of what I think are very small and isolated incidents and when you see really this is what this is all about -- we're trying to eradicate the world of these kind of people -- it ought to strengthen our resolve as a nation.
O'BRIEN: Lindsey Graham, I believe it was, who said, remember, we're the good guys, we've got to act like the good guys. It must be incredibly frustrating, and I wonder if this is your experience, as well, to the troops who feel that the U.S. soldiers are certainly held to a high standard. But, of course, you're fighting an enemy that has no standards whatsoever, that, you know, obviously with terrorists, there are no rules whatsoever.
Is that frustrating?
DURANT: Well, I think there's a sort of a sense of goodness about it, that they realize that we are held to a higher standard. We have to maintain the high road and that's why what we're doing is right. If we lower ourselves to that standard or even compare ourselves to it, then we have no business doing what we're doing. But we are maintaining the high ground. Again, there's a few isolated incidents. It's unfortunate. It gets an awful lot of visibility and it really shouldn't. And I think, you know, we just need to remember that the vast majority of what's going on is positive. They're doing a great job. We're proud of them and we need to keep telling them that.
O'BRIEN: Michael Durant is a former Army helicopter pilot held captive in Somalia back in 1993.
Nice to see you, Michael, as always.
Thanks for talking to us this morning.
DURANT: Thank you, Soledad.
HEMMER: In the Iraq prisoner abuse scandal, we're now heard -- we're hearing now from Army Private Lynndie England, who's been seen in some of the photos taken inside the prison at Abu Ghraib. On one picture of her pointing to a naked prisoner, Private England told KCNC Television in Denver, and quoting, "I was told to stand there, point thumbs up, look at the camera, take the picture."
She said superiors praised her, saying they just told us, "Hey, you're doing great, keep it up."
Private England is one of seven soldiers facing charges in connection with the abuses to date.
Meanwhile in Baghdad, Iraqis intend to put Saddam Hussein on trial for war crimes. The Pentagon not setting a date yet, but does plan to hand over the former Iraqi dictator and about 100 others to a war crimes tribunal run by Iraqis.
Gregory Kehoe is the lead U.S. adviser to the tribunal.
Greg is our guest in Tampa, Florida.
And good morning.
Welcome here to AMERICAN MORNING.
GREGORY KEHOE, U.S. ADVISER TO IRAQI WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL: Good morning.
HEMMER: If that trial started today, what evidence do you use to try Saddam Hussein?
KEHOE: Well, there's a lot of broad-based evidence throughout the country of abuses, atrocities, genocide, crimes against humanity that have occurred over the past couple of decades that have been well documented by NGOs and various other entities, including the media. And that would be the basis. That would not be the sole basis, but that is certainly a starting point.
HEMMER: There is no evidence of recent WMD at this point.
Does that affect your case, Greg?
KEHOE: It doesn't have anything to do with what the Iraqis are investigating. What the Iraqis are investigating are war crimes, crimes against humanity and the various abuses against the Iraqi population that have taken place over the last 20 odd years.
HEMMER: Yes. How much does Talabja (ph) play a role in this, late 1980s, northeastern part of Iraq?
KEHOE: Well, all of those various locales are going to play a role in what is to be investigated. But I have to emphasize that the Iraqis are the individuals that are going to direct these investigations. They are going to decide what charges are going to be brought. They are going to try these cases and they are going to judge these cases.
We are there in purely an advisory role, a liaison role, if you will. And it's -- the final decisions are going to be made by the Iraqis themselves. What do they think is important? What do they want to move on first?
HEMMER: Iraqis have never even approached anything like this in the entire history of that country.
How concerned are you, and what concerns do you have, that they can do it the right way?
KEHOE: Well, you know, I think that if you're looking at the short-term, during the Saddam regime, I believe that you're right. But if you look at the long history of Iraq, it has been a history steeped in a legal tradition, going back to Hammurabi (ph). But nevertheless, I do believe that they can put these cases together. They can try these cases. They can present evidence in a courtroom and judges who are just, honest judges can judge those facts and make a decision accordingly.
HEMMER: Do you think they can do it without the help of the Americans, people like yourself?
KEHOE: We are purely, again, in a support role as a liaison. What the problem in Iraq with the Saddam regime is that an infrastructure wasn't present to assist in these investigations. What we are attempting to do is gather information from various quarters, not only in the United States, but throughout the world, and provide the Iraqis with that information. And they then will develop that information through their investigative judges to decide what charges should be brought and against whom.
HEMMER: There was a report yesterday -- it was pulled back a little bit in the afternoon -- that Saddam Hussein would be turned over to Iraqis before the hand over date of June 30.
Do you believe that to be the case, Greg?
KEHOE: I'd be honest with you, I don't know any facts about that. I'm here in the United States. I haven't spoken to the authorities in Iraq on this score in several weeks. So I really don't have the facts to answer that question.
HEMMER: Gregory Kehoe, come back and talk with us when you get more.
We'd certainly like to continue our discussion as the trial gets closer, whenever that date is.
KEHOE: I will do that. Thank you.
HEMMER: Gregory Kehoe in Tampa.
KEHOE: Thank you. O'BRIEN: Still to come this morning, Colorado's top prosecutor will not seek sexual assault charges against University of Colorado football players.
Why not? What now? Those questions ahead.
HEMMER: Also, Bill Clinton's memoir is soon to be in bookstores. We'll hear what the former president is saying about the big book, still to come this hour on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HEMMER: No criminal charges will be filed in the alleged sexual assault case involving University of Colorado football players. The state attorney general announcing yesterday that decision, citing concerns about evidence and the reluctance of some women to pursue their cases.
"Sports Illustrated" columnist and author Rick Reilly has done a lot of reporting on this story.
He's here in New York to talk about this and a few other things, too.
Good morning to you.
RICK REILLY, COLUMNIST, "SPORTS ILLUSTRATED": Good morning.
How are you doing?
HEMMER: You live in Denver.
REILLY: Right, I live in Denver.
HEMMER: You're saying this is not a story out there because?
REILLY: Well, we never expected him to file charges. This was never, I don't think anybody expected charges to be filed. The big story is the task force that's trying to determine is the University of Colorado football program out of control, are they using sex and alcohol to lure recruits to get better players to play football.
HEMMER: Back up just a little bit. I mean Katie Nida is one of the accusers in this case. She has talked to you at great length, right?
REILLY: Right.
HEMMER: And she alleges what in her experience at Colorado?
REILLY: She said over her one year as the only female kicker in college football, that she was groped, abused, exposed to and eventually raped by one of her teammates. She was -- she went into a depression for two years. When all this stuff started hitting, she said it spiraled her back into this horrible place where she couldn't get out of bed. She cried all the time. And she said I have to tell my truth, and that's when she called me and said I want to tell you what happened.
HEMMER: Why, then, is she not pushing for charges in this case?
REILLY: She's scared. She's scared of the guy. She's scared of the guy and his friends. She doesn't want anyone -- she doesn't want to press charges. I know people have a problem with that -- name names. But she's scared.
HEMMER: So...
REILLY: And she was tormented by this group of players for that year and she, frankly, is scared to come out.
HEMMER: So that answer, then, buffets the comments of the investigators in Colorado, saying there's a reluctance on behalf of witnesses to come forward?
REILLY: Well, I mean, in some cases, I mean, for instance, in the big party, there was three women that were so drunk they weren't even sure who it was, according to their story. We're talking about nine cases since 1997 at one football program. Now, these are all allegations. There have been no charges filed. But there's a lot of intimidation going on. These are large, huge football players who stick together.
HEMMER: Ultimately is this dead in the water or does it continue somehow?
REILLY: Yes. The end of May where they decide whether Gary Barnett's fired, the athletic director, Dick Tharp, is fired, maybe a chancellor is fired. Is the program out of control or not? And they're going to -- that's coming down at the end of May.
HEMMER: Listen, another reason we had you on today, it came out last year, it's in paperback. "Who's Your Caddy?" It's a great golf read. You announced you've caddied with...
REILLY: On a lighter note.
HEMMER: On a lighter note. You announce you caddied for a whole lot of people.
REILLY: Yes.
HEMMER: Why did you do that?
REILLY: I don't know why. I was an idiot. But it was really fun. It was, I mean, awful things happened like I remember I had -- was trying to do Jack Nicklaus and it was raining and he's on a course in Colorado and the wind takes the umbrella and all of a sudden the umbrella is flying. And I reach for the umbrella and the whole bag trips over and I forgot to unzip -- to zip up all the pockets. So all this balls, tees, gloves go down a 300 foot baranca. And he just looks at me and says don't quit your day job.
HEMMER: Did you ever lose a club? That's like one of the biggest fears of any caddy.
REILLY: I once put a club in Scott Hoak's bag when I was carrying Tommy Aarons', which would have been a two shot penalty if anybody had noticed at the Masters. Instead, I quick put it back.
HEMMER: Did your appreciation for golf, did it increase or decrease after that experience?
REILLY: Oh, god, my appreciation for caddies -- I think they should all be knighted, you know? And I can't imagine how they do it. I remember one time I was, again, caddying for Nicklaus, and I said, I'm looking at the yardage thing and I'm trying to -- and I said OK, Jack, this is a 400 yard hole. A little dog leg left. There's a hidden lake. And he looks at me and he goes, "I know. I built the hole, you know? I think I know what it does."
HEMMER: Sir Rick, we'll call you from this point forward.
REILLY: Yes, would you?
HEMMER: Thanks, Rick.
Rick Reilly.
REILLY: I appreciate it.
Thanks.
HEMMER: All right -- Soledad.
O'BRIEN: All right, thanks, Bill.
Still to come this morning, a look at what may have been the real motivation behind the beheading of that young American man.
Also, former President Bill Clinton's book will finally tell his side of the scandals that plagued his years in the White House. We'll hear what he has to say about writing it, all ahead on "American Morning."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
O'BRIEN: Time to check in with Jack on the Question of the Day -- hello.
CAFFERTY: You ever tried to get Hemmer to reach for his wallet?
HEMMER: Oh, come on.
CAFFERTY: I mean, you know, you talk about stuff that's tough to do.
HEMMER: You know what we call that, Jack? We call it the alligator arms, you know, when you only get out so far.
CAFFERTY: There you go. O'BRIEN: Exactly.
CAFFERTY: Short arms, deep pockets.
O'BRIEN: Although, I never pay any of my debts when bet on things, so.
CAFFERTY: We make these silly little bets periodically and mostly Hemmer welches when he loses. So, if the "National Enquirer" is watching, you may want to do something with them.
On to more serious things, the debate about what to do with the additional pictures and video of Iraqi prisoners is getting more complicated. Before yesterday, the debate was mostly about spin and political stuff. If they weren't released, would they eventually leak out anyway and would that cause additional embarrassment to the administration? If they were simply dumped on the public and the press, would they create a second round of public revulsion and opposition to the war in Iraq?
Because the terrorists claimed the decapitation of an American was revenge for the abuse of Iraqi prisoners, now the debate is a little different.
Here's the question: should those additional pictures and video of alleged prisoner abuse be released?
And we are getting an awful lot of mail. It's a subject, obviously, that people have very strong feelings about.
Richard in the Bronx writes this: "Whoever is responsible for this, it has the effect of desensitizing people to the additional torture photos, which are likely to appear later this week. Those Arabs are cutting our guys' heads off. Why shouldn't we torture them? This is sure to save Rumsfeld's bacon and reignite support for the war. Just watch Bush's poll numbers rise."
D.W. in Toronto, Ontario: "Where do we go from here? The U.S. is now in a game of chess with the terrorists using human players. This is the ultimate reality show -- abuse of prisoners versus innocent people being put to death. Where can the world possibly go from here?"
Angela writes: "If the decapitation of one of our citizens is a direct result of the first pictures released, what will they do to us when additional pictures are released? You should stop now."
D. in Columbus, Ohio: "How can the government vow to track down the people responsible for beheading Mr. Berg? They vowed to get Osama bin Laden and he doesn't have his face covered."
And Sarah in Farmington, Michigan writes: "Definitely not. I've seen enough to know what was -- that what was done is wrong. More pictures or graphic video images will not change what has been done. I would rather see footage and photos of some of the good things that have happened -- people with more freedom, schools opening up and images of people not living in fear any longer."
Am@cnn.com.
O'BRIEN: Great responses, I think.
CAFFERTY: And we've gotten close to a thousand letters already and we're just halfway through the show.
O'BRIEN: Well, you know, really thoughtful.
HEMMER: About a week ago I got an e-mail from a guy working with a medical unit trying to help rebuild the hospitals in Iraq on behalf of the Pentagon. They sent him over there. I'll print it out some day, maybe this week, and we can list off the number of things they have done...
CAFFERTY: Oh, yes.
O'BRIEN: Right.
HEMMER: ... all throughout that country. They've spent millions and millions...
CAFFERTY: A lot of good stuff going on.
HEMMER: ... of dollars and made enormous progress in only one year. Quite commendable.
Let's get a break here.
In a moment, questions lingering about the ultimate responsibility for control of that prison, Abu Ghraib. What will the political fallout be? Kamber and May on a Wednesday morning in a moment, when we continue, after this.
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