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CNN Live Sunday

Fighting in Kufa; Fatal Accident in de Gaulle Airport in Paris

Aired May 23, 2004 - 11:00   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.


FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: It is 11:00 a.m. in Washington, 5:00 p.m. in Paris, 7:00 p.m. in Kufa, Iraq. Welcome to CNN LIVE SUNDAY. I'm Fredricka Whitfield.
Straight ahead, night fighting in Kufa. Dozens of insurgents are dead. An exclusive report from the fighting along the front lines.

Also, a fatal accident at one of the world's busiest airports. The latest on the chaotic collapse in Paris.

And later...

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This was a whole big brick wall, and it just came crashing down.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: ... surviving one of the most destructive forces of nature, a tornado. The aftermath, an entire town decimated by the storm.

But first, a look at the top stories.

First, the Middle East, where an explosion has killed at least two members of Hamas in the West Bank city of Nablus. The cause of the car blast is not yet clear. Security officials say it was not an attack by Israel. There were five people in the car at the time of that blast.

U.S. rail travelers should know this. New security precautions taking effect today in the wake of the March 11 Madrid bombings. The government is ordering security inspections, removal of trash cans in stations, and reporting of suspicious behavior. Rail Workers Union has been complaining about poorer security nationwide.

The final statement from the Arab League summit in Tunisia will fall short of the Bush administration's push for democratic and human rights reforms. In fact, sources tell CNN the word "reform" will not be mentioned at all. Instead, the document will talk about development and modernization.

We begin this Sunday morning with the fight for Iraq, as coalition soldiers stage a major attack. And the continued fall from grace of a top Iraqi political leader even as he denies any wrongdoing. Guy Raz is in Baghdad, where it is now Sunday evening.

Hello, guy.

GUY RAZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Fredricka. And very heavy overnight fighting in the town of Kufa. Kufa, of course, is a stronghold of the radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr. U.S. forces launched an overnight raid, according to our correspondent, Jane Arraf, who's with the troops.

It began with heavy artillery fire. About 600 U.S. troops then rolled into the town of Kufa. And we understand about 29 suspected fighters were killed in those attacks, another 65 were injured.

Now, meanwhile, there are new explosive allegations surrounding Ahmad Chalabi. Chalabi, of course, long the favorite of the Pentagon to lead the post-Saddam Iraq. His house, of course, raided last Thursday led by Iraqi police and backed by U.S. forces. Today, reports coming out that Chalabi may have been involved in passing intelligence information on to Iran.

Today, in an interview with CNN's Wolf Blitzer, Chalabi denied it. Here's what he had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

AHMAD CHALABI, IRAQI GOVERNING COUNCIL: That's a false charge. We never provided any classified information from the U.S. to Iran, and neither I nor anyone in the INC. And that is a charge being put out by George Tenet.

I say, let him bring all his charges, all his documents. We also will bring all our charges and all our documents to the U.S. Congress. And let Congress have hearings and resolve this issue. We believe that the Congress is the place to resolve this issue, and I think our record will be clear.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

RAZ: And Fredricka, there's a long history of enmity between Chalabi and the CIA, going back to the mid 1990s. Of course, today, that public dispute has come to public fruition -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: Guy Raz in Baghdad, thanks very much.

Well, you can hear more of that interview with Ahmad Chalabi here on CNN. The entire Chalabi conversation airs on "LATE EDITION WITH WOLF BLITZER" starting at noon Eastern.

In a major show of military might, coalition soldiers have routed insurgents from a key mosque in the town of Kufa. Jane Arraf was on night duty with the troops as the operation got under way.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JANE ARRAF, CNN BAGHDAD BUREAU CHIEF: We're driving through the streets of darkened Kufa. Shortly after, artillery fired into the city for the first time by U.S. forces. The lights went out all over Kufa. Driving down these darkened streets, you can hear mortars being fired from either side. This is the biggest operation into this area since U.S. forces began fighting the Mehdi militia.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We immediately received contact both in the north and the south as we crossed into Kufa. A number of RPG gunners established in what we call bunker systems. We employed our artillery fires and we also used an aerial gunship, the AC-130, for precision fire so we wouldn't damage the mosque.

ARRAF: This is the al-Salaam (ph) mosque. It's on the north side of Kufa. U.S. forces came in here; they said it was surrounded by Mehdi militia. And there were militia members inside, weapons in the mosque they say they found.

Now, this was a joint operation, according to U.S. forces, with the new Iraqi special forces who came in at the forefront of this. They say they came in, they received fire from the Mehdi militia, and they killed 12 of them in the perimeter, four or five of them inside. The weapons cache, rocket-propelled grenade launchers, mortar tubes, and more than 2,000 rounds of ammunition for AK-47s.

They say the operation here is intended as a show of force, to deny safe haven to the militia in Kufa and in Najaf. But as for going after Muqtada al-Sadr, the radical Shiite leader himself, they say they're not doing that yet.

Jane Arraf, CNN, reporting from Kufa.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: The president is going prime-time tomorrow with a strategy speech on Iraq. After spending the weekend in Crawford, Texas, with his family, the president returned to the White House to prepare for that address. Dana Bash is on that stake for Mr. Bush.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DANA BASH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The president's Monday night speech is aimed at calming increasing fears Iraq has become a mission with no plan. Some Republicans say it's about time.

RICK BARTON, SR. ADVISER, CSIS: The president has to bully pulpit. People want to see some aggressive leadership, they want to know that he's got a plan.

BASH: Criticism of Mr. Bush's Iraq policy, even among supporters, is growing. A fresh swipe Saturday from an influential Republican, Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Richard Lugar.

SEN. RICHARD LUGAR (R), CHAIRMAN, SENATE FOREIGN RELATIONS COMMITTEE: Our security depends not on clever decision-making about when to go it alone, but on careful maintenance of our relations with other countries that ensure the international community will be with us in a crisis. BASH: And the few Republicans who did not support the war are becoming more outspoken.

REP. JOHN DUNCAN (R), TENNESSEE: There has been massive foreign aid, huge deficit spending that's putting almost the entire burden of enforcing U.N. resolutions on our taxpayers.

BASH: Public support for the president's handling of Iraq has dropped some 16 points since the beginning of the year. His overall approval the lowest to date. Images of prisoner abuse and mounting casualties are frustrating White House attempts, like Saturday's radio address, to get improving economic news noticed.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The nation has added more than 1.1 million new jobs since last August.

GLEN BOLGER, GOP POLLSTER: People actually think the economy is getting worse. And people think that jobs are being lost. I mean, clearly, that's not the case.

BASH: Administration officials say, while the president Monday will try to elevate the mood of the country, and they hope is political standing, he will, sources say, give some new specifics: a handful of steps on plans for Iraqi sovereignty and the American mission. Some say Mr. Bush needs to offer more, an end game.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think more and more Americans are asking for and are wanting a plan for how do we get out of Iraq.

BASH (on camera): While administration sources say don't look for an exit plan, they say the president will outline in more detail what the U.S. military's role will be after Iraqis take back political control on June 30.

Dana Bash, CNN, Crawford, Texas.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: And CNN airs the president's prime-time pronouncement on Iraq live from the U.S. Army War College. That's Monday at 8:00 Eastern.

Well, now to the prisoner mistreatment matter. The highest ranking U.S. military officer in Iraq is reportedly implicated. The Washington Post reports Lieutenant General Ricardo Sanchez was present during some of the alleged abuse at Abu Ghraib. The newspaper quotes a lawyer for Staff Sergeant Ivan Frederick, one of the seven U.S. soldiers charged in the case.

The lawyer reportedly says Sanchez and other senior officials were aware of the detainee abuse. The coalition is denying that report. Coalition spokesman, Brigadier General Mark Kimmitt, released a statement saying Sanchez never knew of or was present during possible detainee abuse.

Well, now to France, where a busy holiday weekend turns tragic for some airline travelers. At least five people are dead after a roof collapse at Charles De Gaulle airport near Paris. Jim Bittermann is there.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JIM BITTERMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The accident occurred just minutes before 7:00 this morning, when part of the roof of Terminal 2E out here at the airport collapsed. A number of people were on the jetway, the roof collapsed onto the jetway and pancaked onto the tarmac, where it hits a number of Air France vehicles.

Now, in some ways, it was fortunate more people were not killed or injured in this because the terminal at that point in time was practically empty. But this is the end of a long holiday weekend here, and a few hours later the terminal would have been packed with passengers.

In any case, authorities are investigating the cause. This is the newest terminal to be built out here. As the airport director said, it was the pride of the airports of Paris. So kind of unusual that less than one year after its opening that this new construction would collapse like this. And there's bound to be months of investigation ahead to determine exactly what caused this collapse.

Jim Bittermann, CNN, at Charles De Gaulle Airport in Paris.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Storms rip a path of destruction through parts of the Midwest. The latest on the damage, the cleanup, and what cities are on alert for nasty storms today.

Also, fighting fires in the West. And the weather has an impact.

And later, the toughest drill instructor and how he's raising his children with his wife serving in Iraq.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Extensive damage and a state of emergency in Nebraska today. Tornadoes tore through the southeastern part of the Cornhusker State last night. No deaths reported. There were 19 confirmed tornado sightings during the storms. Officials are trying to determine how many twisters actually touched down.

When Iowa's governor saw what happened to the tiny town of Bradgate, he said that 60 seconds of horror would lead to months of rebuilding. A tornado struck the area Friday night, destroying nearly every building in town. Chris Nagus of CNN affiliate KCCI, surveys the damage.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRIS NAGUS, KCCI (voice-over): Down every street, around every corner, the damage is done. And in the middle of all this mess, there are people who will never forget May 2004. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is our bedroom.

NAGUS: The ceiling is gone, windows shattered, the kitchen crushed. And that's where the Brandhoy (ph) family was just before the storm.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And while we were eating the sirens went off.

NAGUS: With little time to spare, they ran to the basement. Moments later, the dinner table was gone.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This was a whole big brick wall, and it just came crashing down.

NAGUS: The Brandhoys (ph) were thankful to find shelter in the basement. Not far away, the sheriff was thankful to find shelter in a ditch.

SHERIFF DEAN KRUGER, HUMBOLDT COUNTY, IOWA: I was over here the west side of town, I got caught in the storm. And I tried to go north out of town, but I got caught in it. My windows were blown out.

NAGUS: With seconds to react, Dean Kruger jumped out of his car and into the wind.

KRUGER: My leg was hit by a flying piece of 2x4, and it caught me right here on the upper leg.

NAGUS: He will walk away with only a leg injury. And he knows it could be much worse.

KRUGER: I guess I'm just very thankful that I'm still here.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: That was Chris Nagus reporting of KCCI. And a tornado watch is still in effect because there are certain areas that are still under threat.

(WEATHER REPORT)

WHITFIELD: Well, here's what's happening across America now.

The season's first major wildfire scarred New Mexico this weekend. A ranch home and nearly 4,000 acres of land burned in the central part of that state. Crews had to fight the fire on the ground. High winds grounded fire-fighting tankers.

High winds were also a problem in Nevada yesterday. A blimp crashed during takeoff at the North Las Vegas Airport.. The crews tried to pull in the Saturn lightship (ph), but winds pushed it to the top of an office building. No one was hurt.

First daughter Jenna Bush skipped her graduation at the University of Texas yesterday. The 22-year-old received an English degree. A spokesman said Jenna decided she didn't want to attend the ceremony. The president didn't go either to avoid disrupting the event. Sister Barbara graduates from Yale University tomorrow.

Fighting the war in Iraq on the home front. Just ahead, how a Marine drill instructor handles the war at home with his soldier wife in Iraq.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Dads aren't the only ones going off to war. So are moms. The Pentagon estimates more than 74,000 women have served in combat zones in the war on terror and Iraq. It's been a reversal of roles for many husbands and fathers who are left behind. Thelma Gutierrez introduces us now to one staff sergeant, Mr. Mom.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

THELMA GUTIERREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Armando Figueroa, the daddy.

STAFF SGT. ARMANDO FIGUEROA, USMC: Get back! I want those (UNINTELLIGIBLE)!

GUTIERREZ: Staff Sergeant Figueroa, the drill instructor: the tenderness of a father...

FIGUEROA: I love you.

GUTIERREZ: The patience of a mother.

FIGUEROA: My weapon's down, snap! Now!

GUTIERREZ: ... the nurturing and love of both parents.

FIGUEROA: (UNINTELLIGIBLE), get back!

GUTIERREZ: This is the story of Staff Sergeant Armando Figueroa and his wife, Angelina -- Marine Staff Sergeant Angelina.

FIGUEROA: Choke right. I lower change. Bam! Ease (ph) the weapons of the day -- snap!

GUTIERREZ: By day, Figueroa is a drill instructor who trains Marine recruits.

FIGUEROA: Who's this right here?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Uncle Frankie (ph).

GUTIERREZ: By night, he is mom and dad to three young children: Damien (ph), Christian (ph), and two-year-old, Isabelle (ph).

FIGUEROA: This is when mama and daddy got married.

GUTIERREZ: The Figueroas have reversed roles. Last February, Armando sent his wife off to war. FIGUEROA: Put it this way, now I know how women feel when their husbands leave.

GUTIERREZ: On the other side of the world, in Iraq, Staff Sergeant Angelina Figueroa fixes weapons. She does not know when she'll see her kids again. It's not easy on the children. This is the second time mom has gone to war.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She left in February, and it's May now.

GUTIERREZ (on camera): When is she is coming home?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hopefully September.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She missed one of my birthdays, and now she's in Iraq.

GUTIERREZ (voice-over): Figueroa's parents have had to step in and help why their daughter-in-law is away. (UNINTELLIGIBLE) Figueroa says it's bad that so many women are going to war and leaving the children behind. She says it's very hard on the kids because they miss their mother.

(on camera): What do you tell all the nay sayers, people who said she shouldn't be going to war?

FIGUEROA: I said, "They have a father." You know, I can take care of my kids as well as she can. You know? I can give them the comfort that their mother gave them. And she would say the same thing.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I like that she's in the Marines Corps, it's just that sometimes she always goes on trips and we never see her for a long, long, long time.

GUTIERREZ (voice-over): It's a sacrifice for the whole family. And until mom comes home, they will have to make do with a video to see her face and her recorded message of love in this teddy bear.

STAFF SERGEANT ANGELINA FIGUEROA, USMC: Isabelle (ph), te quiero mucho.

GUTIERREZ: Thelma Gutierrez, CNN, Mira Mesa, California.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Still much more ahead at the bottom of the hour on "RELIABLE SOURCES." Here's Howard Kurtz with a look ahead.

HOWARD KURTZ, HOST, "RELIABLE SOURCES" Coming up, a conversation with veteran journalist Tim Russert on presidents, politics, the prisoner abuse scandal, the making of "Meet the Press," and his new book about growing up in Buffalo.

Plus, are television news magazines becoming shils for their own networks? All that ahead on "RELIABLE SOURCES." WHITFIELD: A $100 million collection of eggs is going home to Russia. Who's behind the prized repossession? We'll crack that case right after a break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: An important part of Russia's cultural heritage has come home to nest. A collection of Faberge eggs is now on display at the Kremlin. They were given as gifts to Russia by a billionaire businessman, and Jill Dougherty reports on the new nest egg.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JILL DOUGHERTY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Easter eggs fit for a czar, crafted by imperial jeweler Carl Faberge. Gifts from two Russian emperors to the women they loved. Now, back in Russia, after almost 75 years.

Under tight security, nine Faberge eggs arrived at the Kremlin from New York, where they used to be part of the collection of American capitalist Malcolm Forbes. Now, they belong to one of modern Russia's biggest capitalists, billionaire Victor Vekselberg.

VICTOR VEKSELBERG, TNK-BP OIL COMPANY (through translator): I think I really didn't comprehend right up till the last minute that I'm the owner of this collection. I guess that will come in time.

DOUGHERTY: The eggs, along with more than 100 other Faberge items, were to be auctioned off at Sothebys. But Vekselberg stunned the art world by purchasing the entire collection for an estimated $100 million. Only 50 eggs were ever made. The Kremlin Armory has 10, but the Vekselberg collection includes some of the most famous pieces.

(on camera): This is the very first imperial Faberge Easter egg, a gift from Czar Alexander III to his wife, Maria Fedorovna. She loved it so much it became an annual tradition for the czars, and the eggs became more and more elaborate.

(voice-over): The coronation egg alone is worth $24 million. The new owner says he wants to bring back to Russia art that was sold abroad. And Russian tax authorities are making it easier by ending a 30 percent import duty.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Just at the beginning (UNINTELLIGIBLE) in the first century, this kind (UNINTELLIGIBLE). It is very important.

DOUGHERTY: The Faberge eggs will be on display across the country. A chance for today's Russians to admire the artistic achievement of their czarist heritage.

Jill Dougherty, CNN, Moscow.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Still much more ahead on CNN SUNDAY. Up ahead, "RELIABLE SOURCES" with Howard Kurtz. Joining him today, journalist Tim Russert. At noon Eastern, "LATE EDITION WITH WOLF BLITZER." Iraqi Governing Council member Ahmad Chalabi will talk about the serious problems in Iraq and the looming handover of power. At 2:00 Eastern, "PEOPLE IN THE NEWS" profiling "American Idol" stars Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken, along with comedian Mike Myers, whose blockbuster movie, "Shrek II," is at a screen near you.

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 23, 2004 - 11:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: It is 11:00 a.m. in Washington, 5:00 p.m. in Paris, 7:00 p.m. in Kufa, Iraq. Welcome to CNN LIVE SUNDAY. I'm Fredricka Whitfield.
Straight ahead, night fighting in Kufa. Dozens of insurgents are dead. An exclusive report from the fighting along the front lines.

Also, a fatal accident at one of the world's busiest airports. The latest on the chaotic collapse in Paris.

And later...

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This was a whole big brick wall, and it just came crashing down.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: ... surviving one of the most destructive forces of nature, a tornado. The aftermath, an entire town decimated by the storm.

But first, a look at the top stories.

First, the Middle East, where an explosion has killed at least two members of Hamas in the West Bank city of Nablus. The cause of the car blast is not yet clear. Security officials say it was not an attack by Israel. There were five people in the car at the time of that blast.

U.S. rail travelers should know this. New security precautions taking effect today in the wake of the March 11 Madrid bombings. The government is ordering security inspections, removal of trash cans in stations, and reporting of suspicious behavior. Rail Workers Union has been complaining about poorer security nationwide.

The final statement from the Arab League summit in Tunisia will fall short of the Bush administration's push for democratic and human rights reforms. In fact, sources tell CNN the word "reform" will not be mentioned at all. Instead, the document will talk about development and modernization.

We begin this Sunday morning with the fight for Iraq, as coalition soldiers stage a major attack. And the continued fall from grace of a top Iraqi political leader even as he denies any wrongdoing. Guy Raz is in Baghdad, where it is now Sunday evening.

Hello, guy.

GUY RAZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Fredricka. And very heavy overnight fighting in the town of Kufa. Kufa, of course, is a stronghold of the radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr. U.S. forces launched an overnight raid, according to our correspondent, Jane Arraf, who's with the troops.

It began with heavy artillery fire. About 600 U.S. troops then rolled into the town of Kufa. And we understand about 29 suspected fighters were killed in those attacks, another 65 were injured.

Now, meanwhile, there are new explosive allegations surrounding Ahmad Chalabi. Chalabi, of course, long the favorite of the Pentagon to lead the post-Saddam Iraq. His house, of course, raided last Thursday led by Iraqi police and backed by U.S. forces. Today, reports coming out that Chalabi may have been involved in passing intelligence information on to Iran.

Today, in an interview with CNN's Wolf Blitzer, Chalabi denied it. Here's what he had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

AHMAD CHALABI, IRAQI GOVERNING COUNCIL: That's a false charge. We never provided any classified information from the U.S. to Iran, and neither I nor anyone in the INC. And that is a charge being put out by George Tenet.

I say, let him bring all his charges, all his documents. We also will bring all our charges and all our documents to the U.S. Congress. And let Congress have hearings and resolve this issue. We believe that the Congress is the place to resolve this issue, and I think our record will be clear.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

RAZ: And Fredricka, there's a long history of enmity between Chalabi and the CIA, going back to the mid 1990s. Of course, today, that public dispute has come to public fruition -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: Guy Raz in Baghdad, thanks very much.

Well, you can hear more of that interview with Ahmad Chalabi here on CNN. The entire Chalabi conversation airs on "LATE EDITION WITH WOLF BLITZER" starting at noon Eastern.

In a major show of military might, coalition soldiers have routed insurgents from a key mosque in the town of Kufa. Jane Arraf was on night duty with the troops as the operation got under way.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JANE ARRAF, CNN BAGHDAD BUREAU CHIEF: We're driving through the streets of darkened Kufa. Shortly after, artillery fired into the city for the first time by U.S. forces. The lights went out all over Kufa. Driving down these darkened streets, you can hear mortars being fired from either side. This is the biggest operation into this area since U.S. forces began fighting the Mehdi militia.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We immediately received contact both in the north and the south as we crossed into Kufa. A number of RPG gunners established in what we call bunker systems. We employed our artillery fires and we also used an aerial gunship, the AC-130, for precision fire so we wouldn't damage the mosque.

ARRAF: This is the al-Salaam (ph) mosque. It's on the north side of Kufa. U.S. forces came in here; they said it was surrounded by Mehdi militia. And there were militia members inside, weapons in the mosque they say they found.

Now, this was a joint operation, according to U.S. forces, with the new Iraqi special forces who came in at the forefront of this. They say they came in, they received fire from the Mehdi militia, and they killed 12 of them in the perimeter, four or five of them inside. The weapons cache, rocket-propelled grenade launchers, mortar tubes, and more than 2,000 rounds of ammunition for AK-47s.

They say the operation here is intended as a show of force, to deny safe haven to the militia in Kufa and in Najaf. But as for going after Muqtada al-Sadr, the radical Shiite leader himself, they say they're not doing that yet.

Jane Arraf, CNN, reporting from Kufa.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: The president is going prime-time tomorrow with a strategy speech on Iraq. After spending the weekend in Crawford, Texas, with his family, the president returned to the White House to prepare for that address. Dana Bash is on that stake for Mr. Bush.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DANA BASH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The president's Monday night speech is aimed at calming increasing fears Iraq has become a mission with no plan. Some Republicans say it's about time.

RICK BARTON, SR. ADVISER, CSIS: The president has to bully pulpit. People want to see some aggressive leadership, they want to know that he's got a plan.

BASH: Criticism of Mr. Bush's Iraq policy, even among supporters, is growing. A fresh swipe Saturday from an influential Republican, Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Richard Lugar.

SEN. RICHARD LUGAR (R), CHAIRMAN, SENATE FOREIGN RELATIONS COMMITTEE: Our security depends not on clever decision-making about when to go it alone, but on careful maintenance of our relations with other countries that ensure the international community will be with us in a crisis. BASH: And the few Republicans who did not support the war are becoming more outspoken.

REP. JOHN DUNCAN (R), TENNESSEE: There has been massive foreign aid, huge deficit spending that's putting almost the entire burden of enforcing U.N. resolutions on our taxpayers.

BASH: Public support for the president's handling of Iraq has dropped some 16 points since the beginning of the year. His overall approval the lowest to date. Images of prisoner abuse and mounting casualties are frustrating White House attempts, like Saturday's radio address, to get improving economic news noticed.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The nation has added more than 1.1 million new jobs since last August.

GLEN BOLGER, GOP POLLSTER: People actually think the economy is getting worse. And people think that jobs are being lost. I mean, clearly, that's not the case.

BASH: Administration officials say, while the president Monday will try to elevate the mood of the country, and they hope is political standing, he will, sources say, give some new specifics: a handful of steps on plans for Iraqi sovereignty and the American mission. Some say Mr. Bush needs to offer more, an end game.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think more and more Americans are asking for and are wanting a plan for how do we get out of Iraq.

BASH (on camera): While administration sources say don't look for an exit plan, they say the president will outline in more detail what the U.S. military's role will be after Iraqis take back political control on June 30.

Dana Bash, CNN, Crawford, Texas.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: And CNN airs the president's prime-time pronouncement on Iraq live from the U.S. Army War College. That's Monday at 8:00 Eastern.

Well, now to the prisoner mistreatment matter. The highest ranking U.S. military officer in Iraq is reportedly implicated. The Washington Post reports Lieutenant General Ricardo Sanchez was present during some of the alleged abuse at Abu Ghraib. The newspaper quotes a lawyer for Staff Sergeant Ivan Frederick, one of the seven U.S. soldiers charged in the case.

The lawyer reportedly says Sanchez and other senior officials were aware of the detainee abuse. The coalition is denying that report. Coalition spokesman, Brigadier General Mark Kimmitt, released a statement saying Sanchez never knew of or was present during possible detainee abuse.

Well, now to France, where a busy holiday weekend turns tragic for some airline travelers. At least five people are dead after a roof collapse at Charles De Gaulle airport near Paris. Jim Bittermann is there.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JIM BITTERMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The accident occurred just minutes before 7:00 this morning, when part of the roof of Terminal 2E out here at the airport collapsed. A number of people were on the jetway, the roof collapsed onto the jetway and pancaked onto the tarmac, where it hits a number of Air France vehicles.

Now, in some ways, it was fortunate more people were not killed or injured in this because the terminal at that point in time was practically empty. But this is the end of a long holiday weekend here, and a few hours later the terminal would have been packed with passengers.

In any case, authorities are investigating the cause. This is the newest terminal to be built out here. As the airport director said, it was the pride of the airports of Paris. So kind of unusual that less than one year after its opening that this new construction would collapse like this. And there's bound to be months of investigation ahead to determine exactly what caused this collapse.

Jim Bittermann, CNN, at Charles De Gaulle Airport in Paris.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Storms rip a path of destruction through parts of the Midwest. The latest on the damage, the cleanup, and what cities are on alert for nasty storms today.

Also, fighting fires in the West. And the weather has an impact.

And later, the toughest drill instructor and how he's raising his children with his wife serving in Iraq.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Extensive damage and a state of emergency in Nebraska today. Tornadoes tore through the southeastern part of the Cornhusker State last night. No deaths reported. There were 19 confirmed tornado sightings during the storms. Officials are trying to determine how many twisters actually touched down.

When Iowa's governor saw what happened to the tiny town of Bradgate, he said that 60 seconds of horror would lead to months of rebuilding. A tornado struck the area Friday night, destroying nearly every building in town. Chris Nagus of CNN affiliate KCCI, surveys the damage.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRIS NAGUS, KCCI (voice-over): Down every street, around every corner, the damage is done. And in the middle of all this mess, there are people who will never forget May 2004. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is our bedroom.

NAGUS: The ceiling is gone, windows shattered, the kitchen crushed. And that's where the Brandhoy (ph) family was just before the storm.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And while we were eating the sirens went off.

NAGUS: With little time to spare, they ran to the basement. Moments later, the dinner table was gone.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This was a whole big brick wall, and it just came crashing down.

NAGUS: The Brandhoys (ph) were thankful to find shelter in the basement. Not far away, the sheriff was thankful to find shelter in a ditch.

SHERIFF DEAN KRUGER, HUMBOLDT COUNTY, IOWA: I was over here the west side of town, I got caught in the storm. And I tried to go north out of town, but I got caught in it. My windows were blown out.

NAGUS: With seconds to react, Dean Kruger jumped out of his car and into the wind.

KRUGER: My leg was hit by a flying piece of 2x4, and it caught me right here on the upper leg.

NAGUS: He will walk away with only a leg injury. And he knows it could be much worse.

KRUGER: I guess I'm just very thankful that I'm still here.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: That was Chris Nagus reporting of KCCI. And a tornado watch is still in effect because there are certain areas that are still under threat.

(WEATHER REPORT)

WHITFIELD: Well, here's what's happening across America now.

The season's first major wildfire scarred New Mexico this weekend. A ranch home and nearly 4,000 acres of land burned in the central part of that state. Crews had to fight the fire on the ground. High winds grounded fire-fighting tankers.

High winds were also a problem in Nevada yesterday. A blimp crashed during takeoff at the North Las Vegas Airport.. The crews tried to pull in the Saturn lightship (ph), but winds pushed it to the top of an office building. No one was hurt.

First daughter Jenna Bush skipped her graduation at the University of Texas yesterday. The 22-year-old received an English degree. A spokesman said Jenna decided she didn't want to attend the ceremony. The president didn't go either to avoid disrupting the event. Sister Barbara graduates from Yale University tomorrow.

Fighting the war in Iraq on the home front. Just ahead, how a Marine drill instructor handles the war at home with his soldier wife in Iraq.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Dads aren't the only ones going off to war. So are moms. The Pentagon estimates more than 74,000 women have served in combat zones in the war on terror and Iraq. It's been a reversal of roles for many husbands and fathers who are left behind. Thelma Gutierrez introduces us now to one staff sergeant, Mr. Mom.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

THELMA GUTIERREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Armando Figueroa, the daddy.

STAFF SGT. ARMANDO FIGUEROA, USMC: Get back! I want those (UNINTELLIGIBLE)!

GUTIERREZ: Staff Sergeant Figueroa, the drill instructor: the tenderness of a father...

FIGUEROA: I love you.

GUTIERREZ: The patience of a mother.

FIGUEROA: My weapon's down, snap! Now!

GUTIERREZ: ... the nurturing and love of both parents.

FIGUEROA: (UNINTELLIGIBLE), get back!

GUTIERREZ: This is the story of Staff Sergeant Armando Figueroa and his wife, Angelina -- Marine Staff Sergeant Angelina.

FIGUEROA: Choke right. I lower change. Bam! Ease (ph) the weapons of the day -- snap!

GUTIERREZ: By day, Figueroa is a drill instructor who trains Marine recruits.

FIGUEROA: Who's this right here?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Uncle Frankie (ph).

GUTIERREZ: By night, he is mom and dad to three young children: Damien (ph), Christian (ph), and two-year-old, Isabelle (ph).

FIGUEROA: This is when mama and daddy got married.

GUTIERREZ: The Figueroas have reversed roles. Last February, Armando sent his wife off to war. FIGUEROA: Put it this way, now I know how women feel when their husbands leave.

GUTIERREZ: On the other side of the world, in Iraq, Staff Sergeant Angelina Figueroa fixes weapons. She does not know when she'll see her kids again. It's not easy on the children. This is the second time mom has gone to war.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She left in February, and it's May now.

GUTIERREZ (on camera): When is she is coming home?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hopefully September.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She missed one of my birthdays, and now she's in Iraq.

GUTIERREZ (voice-over): Figueroa's parents have had to step in and help why their daughter-in-law is away. (UNINTELLIGIBLE) Figueroa says it's bad that so many women are going to war and leaving the children behind. She says it's very hard on the kids because they miss their mother.

(on camera): What do you tell all the nay sayers, people who said she shouldn't be going to war?

FIGUEROA: I said, "They have a father." You know, I can take care of my kids as well as she can. You know? I can give them the comfort that their mother gave them. And she would say the same thing.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I like that she's in the Marines Corps, it's just that sometimes she always goes on trips and we never see her for a long, long, long time.

GUTIERREZ (voice-over): It's a sacrifice for the whole family. And until mom comes home, they will have to make do with a video to see her face and her recorded message of love in this teddy bear.

STAFF SERGEANT ANGELINA FIGUEROA, USMC: Isabelle (ph), te quiero mucho.

GUTIERREZ: Thelma Gutierrez, CNN, Mira Mesa, California.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Still much more ahead at the bottom of the hour on "RELIABLE SOURCES." Here's Howard Kurtz with a look ahead.

HOWARD KURTZ, HOST, "RELIABLE SOURCES" Coming up, a conversation with veteran journalist Tim Russert on presidents, politics, the prisoner abuse scandal, the making of "Meet the Press," and his new book about growing up in Buffalo.

Plus, are television news magazines becoming shils for their own networks? All that ahead on "RELIABLE SOURCES." WHITFIELD: A $100 million collection of eggs is going home to Russia. Who's behind the prized repossession? We'll crack that case right after a break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: An important part of Russia's cultural heritage has come home to nest. A collection of Faberge eggs is now on display at the Kremlin. They were given as gifts to Russia by a billionaire businessman, and Jill Dougherty reports on the new nest egg.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JILL DOUGHERTY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Easter eggs fit for a czar, crafted by imperial jeweler Carl Faberge. Gifts from two Russian emperors to the women they loved. Now, back in Russia, after almost 75 years.

Under tight security, nine Faberge eggs arrived at the Kremlin from New York, where they used to be part of the collection of American capitalist Malcolm Forbes. Now, they belong to one of modern Russia's biggest capitalists, billionaire Victor Vekselberg.

VICTOR VEKSELBERG, TNK-BP OIL COMPANY (through translator): I think I really didn't comprehend right up till the last minute that I'm the owner of this collection. I guess that will come in time.

DOUGHERTY: The eggs, along with more than 100 other Faberge items, were to be auctioned off at Sothebys. But Vekselberg stunned the art world by purchasing the entire collection for an estimated $100 million. Only 50 eggs were ever made. The Kremlin Armory has 10, but the Vekselberg collection includes some of the most famous pieces.

(on camera): This is the very first imperial Faberge Easter egg, a gift from Czar Alexander III to his wife, Maria Fedorovna. She loved it so much it became an annual tradition for the czars, and the eggs became more and more elaborate.

(voice-over): The coronation egg alone is worth $24 million. The new owner says he wants to bring back to Russia art that was sold abroad. And Russian tax authorities are making it easier by ending a 30 percent import duty.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Just at the beginning (UNINTELLIGIBLE) in the first century, this kind (UNINTELLIGIBLE). It is very important.

DOUGHERTY: The Faberge eggs will be on display across the country. A chance for today's Russians to admire the artistic achievement of their czarist heritage.

Jill Dougherty, CNN, Moscow.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Still much more ahead on CNN SUNDAY. Up ahead, "RELIABLE SOURCES" with Howard Kurtz. Joining him today, journalist Tim Russert. At noon Eastern, "LATE EDITION WITH WOLF BLITZER." Iraqi Governing Council member Ahmad Chalabi will talk about the serious problems in Iraq and the looming handover of power. At 2:00 Eastern, "PEOPLE IN THE NEWS" profiling "American Idol" stars Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken, along with comedian Mike Myers, whose blockbuster movie, "Shrek II," is at a screen near you.

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