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CNN Live At Daybreak

Bombing in Baghdad; The Future of Iraq; Fight for Iraq; Antidepressants & Kids

Aired May 25, 2004 - 05:30   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.


CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: A car bomb explodes just steps away from a hotel in Baghdad. Happened earlier this morning. We have the latest for you.
It is Tuesday, May 25. This is DAYBREAK.

Good morning to you, welcome to the second half-hour of DAYBREAK. From the CNN Global Headquarters in Atlanta, I'm Carol Costello. Thank you for joining us.

Let me bring you up to date now.

Israel's week long raid in a Gaza refugee camp is over. Officials say they destroyed three tunnels used to smuggle arms. The offensive left more than 40 Palestinians dead and many homes destroyed.

The Army general in charge of the U.S. prison guards accused of abusing Iraqis has been suspended, but Janis Karpinski has not been charged with an offense.

In money news, gas prices hit another record high. I know you feel it at the pump. Across the country, the average price for a gallon of gas $2.06.

In sports, teen golf star Michelle Wie is being allowed to play in the U.S. Women's Open. She is the first amateur to be awarded a qualifying exemption into the event and she is only 14.

In culture, Johannes Vermeer's 1670 painting "Young Woman Seated at the Virginals" is expected to sell for more than $5 million at Sotheby's auction in July. The piece was once dismissed as a fake.

And in weather, look at this twister. Tornadoes hit northwest Missouri and parts of Kansas blowing some homes off of their foundations. Lots of damage but no deaths and only minor injuries -- Rob.

ROB MARCIANO, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Very lucky that that happened. Over 50 tornadoes, Carol, in a very, very narrow area, where, at this time yesterday, we were telling you about the storm prediction center out of Norman. They highlighted a pretty small circle, and most of the tornadoes were right in that circle. I mean just a phenomenal job by those guys. They are good.

(WEATHER REPORT) This is the area, Carol, we'll look for some strong thunderstorms, but you know we don't think it's going to be quite as crazy as it was yesterday, over 50 tornadoes and no injuries. That's awesome.

COSTELLO: That is just lucky. That's really lucky.

MARCIANO: Yes, lucky.

COSTELLO: Thank you -- Rob.

MARCIANO: You bet.

COSTELLO: Want to get more now on that car bomb explosion overnight in Baghdad. Let's head live to Baghdad now and Guy Raz. He is following the story for us this morning.

What can you tell us now?

GUY RAZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Carol, this morning a car bomb, we believe a car bomb, exploded outside a hotel right in the center of Baghdad in the district known as Jadriya. Now that attack took place early this morning near a hotel called the al-Garmah hotel. It's only about 50 meters, 50 yards from where we believe Australian military officials are staying and steps away from the Australian Embassy as well here in Baghdad.

Now there have been conflicting reports about casualties. We understand, right now, that four people have been wounded. We don't have any information on the identities of those wounded, but U.S. officials are on the scene and investigating the matter.

Meanwhile, Carol, more violence in the southern Iraqi city of Najaf, a potentially explosive situation down there. An explosion happened, took place very close to the Imam Ali Shrine in Najaf. That's the holiest Islamic shrine to Shiite Muslims. Now we understand this blast took place very close to the main entrance of the mosque. We have no word on casualties.

Now initial reports from U.S. military officials tell us there was no plan, there was no U.S. military presence in the area at the time and so that explosion could not have come from U.S. military officers, soldiers working in the area. But earlier in the day, U.S. forces did clash with members of the Mehdi Brigade. That's the armed militia formed by Muqtada al-Sadr, the radical Shiite cleric who is holed up in Najaf. According to U.S. military officials, at least five suspected fighters were killed in those clashes -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Guy Raz reporting live from Baghdad.

President Bush calls the violence in Iraq brutal and calculating and warns of more tough times ahead. In his speech last night, the president said Iraq is facing a critical moment. And he laid out a five-step plan for the future which calls for handing over authority to a sovereign Iraqi government on June 30, maintaining security with a multinational force under American command until Iraqi security forces are trained, continuing to rebuild Iraq's infrastructure, encouraging more international support for post-war Iraq and moving toward a national election in Iraq by January of 2005. Mr. Bush also said the U.S. will not try to impose its own political system in Iraq.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I sent American troops to Iraq to defend our security, not to stay as an occupying power. I sent American troops to Iraq to make its people free, not to make them American. Iraqis will write their own history and find their own way. As they do, Iraqis can be certain a free Iraq will always have a friend in the United States of America.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Nearly 140,000 U.S. troops will stay after the transfer of power, and President Bush says -- quote -- "if they need more, I will send them."

So, we've heard from the president about his strategy for Iraq and the U.N. Security Council is working on a resolution about the country's future, but what do the Iraqi people think?

CNN's Harris Whitbeck hit the streets to find out for you.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS WHITBECK, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): As he has nearly every day for the last decade, 33-year-old Ali Hussein drives a taxi in Baghdad. Navigating the teeming streets affords him a unique view on the Iraq of today.

ALI HUSSEIN, TAXI DRIVER (through translator): I'm the first person to know if anything happens on streets, explosions and so on. We can say that I know just about anything that happens in the capital.

WHITBECK: He also knows that his country is in for a change after June 30. Like many here, Ali is not sure of what that might entail. But he says any change will be good.

A. HUSSEIN (through translator): We must have a tangible change in order for us to look beyond the present and into the future.

WHITBECK: That future is what preoccupies Hassanein Hussein. At 24, he's about to graduate from Baghdad University. And, as he prepares to enter the work force, he's concerned about the form a new government might take.

HASSANEIN HUSSEIN, STUDENT (through translator): We don't want religious leaders to take over the power. They have the right to preserve their religious power, but they should not exercise political power.

WHITBECK: For religious leaders like Sheik Ahmed Abdul Jafor (ph), religious and political powers are entwined. The sheik is eager for the American occupation to end, but he says foreign troops should stay under a different flag.

SHEIK AHMED, RELIGIOUS LEADER (through translator): If the Iraqis saw with their own eyes the Americans pulled out their forces and replaced them with United Nations forces, they would feel secure about picking their representatives for the elections.

WHITBECK: The U.N. has begun the long process of establishing an Iraqi government by processing nominations for an electoral commission. That could work, says taxi driver Ali, if there is real balance.

A. HUSSEIN (through translator): For democracy to work, equality must be imposed where all the religions and classes of society are considered equal.

WHITBECK: Hassanein, the college student, isn't too sure. He likes the idea of Iraq becoming a federal republic with all factions equally represented in government, but he is skeptical.

H. HUSSEIN (through translator): Such an idea looks good on paper, but when it comes to reality, it will not work.

WHITBECK: Sheik Ahmed thinks the democracy could work if the U.S. stays out of it.

AHMED (through translator): An elected government is the best solution, but only if the United Nations gets involved. It is a shame that the Americans do not understand the nature of the Iraqi people. This has been the problem.

WHITBECK: If it is the problem, at least it should be less so after June 30.

Harris Whitbeck, CNN, Baghdad.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: But the United Nations is involved. Lakhdar Brahimi is the man who is trying to find somebody to lead Iraq.

Joining us now, our senior international editor David Clinch to talk more about that.

DAVID CLINCH, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL EDITOR: Yes, Carol, I mean that really is one of the key elements here as we hear President Bush outlining the general plan for Iraq. The specifics of that plan can't really go into place until a new leadership for an interim Iraqi government is picked. And the way in which that's working is fascinating.

This U.N. Envoy, Lakhdar Brahimi, is in Iraq, talking to the Iraqis amongst themselves. And the reason that's happening is basically the U.S. was no longer, in some ways, viewed as an honest broker by all of the parties involved. He was asked to take that role. He's involved, talking to all of the Iraqi groups, asking them to come to an agreement between themselves. COSTELLO: And there are so many different factions within Iraq,...

CLINCH: Right.

COSTELLO: ... that's a difficult thing to do to come up with one name.

CLINCH: Right. And this is -- that's a very good point, because you know we have talked before about how there won't be a Karzai figure as there was in Afghanistan. They are looking for a broader leadership with president, vice president, prime minister, spreading the responsibility for exactly that reason. There are so many groups, they can't possibly and, or at least have not to this point, found one person who will take on that singular role of leadership. So...

COSTELLO: And don't you think one of the reasons for that, Saddam Hussein was really crafty. I mean he wasn't grooming any one leader from...

CLINCH: Right.

COSTELLO: ... each different faction within Iraq to...

CLINCH: Right, anyone who challenged his leadership was gotten rid of. That was the Saddam Hussein style. Certainly not grooming anybody for leadership, other than his own sons, of course, and they are well and truly gone. So the leadership pool is there, Pichachi, all of these other people. They will be looked at, but not probably one all powerful person. Lakhdar Brahimi has a lot of responsibility. We'll be hearing from him in the next couple of days, I'm sure, on his progress.

One person we know is not going to be the leader, and I know you're sort of tired of hearing about Chalabi. We've been talking about this story a lot. This leader of the Iraqi National Congress...

COSTELLO: But this is good -- David.

CLINCH: Well here's an interesting aspect to it. We've been hearing a lot about how Chalabi had access to top U.S. intelligence and may have passed it to Iran. There's an interesting British newspaper article in sort of a left-wing anti-war newspaper, but still an interesting thing, is quoting intelligence sources in Washington as saying the fear now is that not just Chalabi was manipulating the situation, but Iran may actually have been using him. The Iranians may have been using him to get the Americans to do exactly what they wanted them to do.

COSTELLO: So in other words, the Iranians were giving (INAUDIBLE) to the Americans so that the Americans would...

CLINCH: So that...

COSTELLO: ... go to war to Iraq to topple Saddam Hussein so Iran could take over. CLINCH: Right. Iran's goals, get rid of their enemy Saddam, create a potentially Shiite republic next door, or Shiite dominated, and also distract attention. This is the concept that they are looking at now is that Iran's hard liners were under such pressure a year and a half, two years ago, and now not only are they not under pressure, they look like the good guys. Especially images today from Najaf of Shiite mosques, you know, U.S. tanks in the holy cities again. It's one of those theories (INAUDIBLE) looking at.

COSTELLO: All right, thank you, David.

Our Ben Wedeman, who has done a tremendous job covering the war in Iraq, will join us live here on CNN, right here in Atlanta. He'll talk about his experiences in the next hour of DAYBREAK. We wondered if you could really walk through the streets of Iraq, go to a restaurant, hang out with friends. He will fill you in when he joins us in the 6:00 hour of DAYBREAK.

Stories 'Across America' this Tuesday.

New Mexico's governor declares a state of emergency after touring two wildfires that have burned nearly 13,000 acres. The move means National Guard troops will be made available to help out with fire fighting efforts. It also makes emergency management funds available.

In Massachusetts, a trial date is expected to be set in the assault case against former Yankee's players Karim Garcia and Jeff Nelson. The charges stem from a bullpen brawl with a Fenway Park groundskeeper during Game 3 of the American League championship series last October. Who could forget that?

SBC Communications and the union representing 10,000 of its workers reached a tentative agreement on a new five-year contract. That news just coming in to us about an hour ago. The agreement gives members, the Communications Workers of America, pay and job security guarantees. Workers at the second largest local phone company in the United States had walked off the job Friday.

Short-term benefits with unknown risks, kids on antidepressants, how young is too young?

Plus,...

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LANCE CPL. ZACH FINCANNON, U.S. MARINES: It's like kind of a nightmare kind of thing. It's like man, this couldn't -- this can't really happen to me.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: The causes and the losses from war. How those who faced it head on from the front lines, what they are saying this morning.

This is DAYBREAK for Tuesday. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Your news, money, weather and sports. It is 5:45 Eastern. Here is what's all new this morning.

A sacred shine -- a sacred shrine in Najaf was damaged during clashes between U.S. troops and Iraqi militiamen. Supporters of cleric Muqtada al-Sadr say American troops fired mortars at the Imam Ali Shrine.

At least 100 people were killed by rushing floodwaters in the Dominican Republic, as many as 200 others are still missing. Victims from one village were found up to six miles away.

In money news, Toys 'R Us filed suit against Amazon.com claiming the Internet retailer broke an exclusivity contract. The toy giant says they paid Amazon $200 million for the chance to be the exclusive toy seller on the site. Amazon says they did nothing wrong.

In sports, track star Marion Jones met with anti-doping officials to hear evidence linking her to steroid use. Her lawyer says the agency doesn't have enough evidence to ban Jones from the Athens Olympics.

In culture, "American Bandstand" is coming back with a twist. Dick Clark is relaunching the show, along with "American Idol" creator Simon Fuller. The twist, viewers will get the chance to vote on which dancers they like the best -- Rob.

MARCIANO: I like that. Could be even more entertaining than "American Idol."

COSTELLO: Maybe so.

MARCIANO: Still going strong, Dick, we love it.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: Thank you, Rob.

Those are the latest headlines for you this morning.

The total number of U.S. troops killed in Iraq has now reached 798. The number of wounded reaches well into the thousands. This morning we hear from three Marines who fought and fell in Iraq.

Our Beth Nissen spoke with the young men.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BETH NISSEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): April 26, Fallujah, among the units deployed here, Echo Company 2nd Battalion 1st Marines. With them, a network pool camera crew and a "Los Angeles Times" photographer documenting the day's mission, to secure two houses near a Marine perimeter to keep close watch for armed insurgents, snipers.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't see any targets.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't either.

NISSEN (on camera): What were you watching for especially?

CPL. JOSHUA CARPENTER, U.S. MARINES: Pretty much just bad guys with guns.

NISSEN (voice-over): Insurgents had been on the offensive for days. But with U.S. military commanders trying to establish a cease- fire, Marines were under orders to leave themselves to defensive operations. The Marines were frustrated, edgy.

LANCE CPL. BRYON CURNUTT, U.S. MARINES: You never know what to expect. But you know every day you're going to get mortared. Somebody is going to be taking potshots at you or sniper fire.

NISSEN: Marines took incoming fire almost as soon as they occupied the two houses, fire that appeared to be coming from a minaret nearby. Marine units were ordered on to the rooftops.

CARPENTER: We were on the roof and we started getting hit pretty hard with mortars and RPGs and small-arms fire.

CURNUTT: The next thing I know, some of the guys in the building said they were throwing rocks at us. I turned to look and that's when the explosion went off.

NISSEN: The rocks were grenades.

CARPENTER: A grenade landed on top of the roof that I was on. A piece ricocheted I guess off the top of the roof and hit me in the eye.

CURNUTT: I just heard screaming, looked around, had blood squirting out my neck. I put my hand on that. I saw a lot of smoke. I could see RPGs coming out from other buildings. I saw another Marine looking at his arm screaming really loud.

NISSEN: That Marine was Lance Corporal Zach Fincannon.

LANCE CPL. ZACH FINCANNON, U.S. MARINES: I a heard a loud pop. And I looked over to my left and I see that my arm was dangling.

NISSEN: The blast took off his left hand, shredded his forearm.

FINCANNON: It's like a nightmare kind of thing. It was like, man, this can't really happen to me.

NISSEN: The Marines did buddy aid on each other, put pressure bandages, tourniquets on the wounded. Several were hurt. Someone radioed for the Navy combat medics.

CURNUTT: We were under heavy fire. RPGs are slamming into both buildings. Navy Corpsman did an excellent job. They drove right into the fight from our defensive positions and pulled us out of there. We owe our lives to those guys.

NISSEN: Within minutes, the wounded were at a nearby battalion aid station. Within hours, they were medevaced to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, the big Army hospital in Germany.

CURNUTT: When me and my friend were on the medevac out of there, he grabbed me with his good hand and said somebody is praying for us.

FINCANNON: I feel very lucky to be alive. And I'm very glad that a lot of my fellow Marines are alive.

NISSEN: A lot, but not all. One of the Marines sent to the rooftop to replace the wounded was hit with machine gunfire. Lance Corporal Aaron C. Austin, age 21, died in a stairwell.

Hours later, after tanks fired rounds at the minaret, after the firefight ended, Echo Company had time finally to collect itself, to mourn the fallen, to pray for the wounded, pray for Lance Corporal Curnutt.

CURNUTT: I have I think three four pieces of shrapnel in my face, a piece in each of my legs and some scrapes and bruises.

NISSEN: Pray for Corporal Carpenter.

CARPENTER: The worst case is, I won't be able to see. So...

NISSEN (on camera): What have you thought about that?

CARPENTER: I still got my left eye.

NISSEN (voice-over): Pray for Lance Corporal Fincannon.

FINCANNON: My left arm was blown off. They are going to have a prosthetic hand on there. And I got huge shrapnel wounds in my left side. Other than that, I'm fine.

NISSEN: Like most of the war wounded, these Marines have no regrets, except that they are unable to go back to their units back to Iraq.

CURNUTT: That's where my brothers are. The rest of my team is still there. That's where the fight is. Until every Marine and soldier is out of there, the fight is not over.

NISSEN: The war goes on one firefight after another.

Beth Nissen, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Why are so many children popping pills just to try to cope with everyday life? That's a question this society has to tackle with a growing number of youngsters on medication. Our Dr. Sanjay Gupta looks at both sides of the issue.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): When Caroline See was younger, she dealt with severe anxiety. Daily acts such as putting on a jacket were stress-ridden choices, usually ending in tears.

JOANNA SEE, CAROLINE'S MOTHER: You hear about the terrible twos, and this was -- you know, she was 5 and still doing this. And approaching 6. And it just seemed to be getting worse and worse.

GUPTA: Now Caroline is 10 and has been taking anti-depressants for anxiety and attention disorder for the past four years.

CAROLINE SEE, ON ANTIDEPRESSANTS: I can concentrate better on my work.

GUPTA: And she's not alone. Caroline is part of a quickly growing population: young children who are being treated with anti- depressants.

Alarming? Absolutely. Necessary? Perhaps.

While medication is given to less than 1/2 of one percent of all children, there have been rapid increases in a short time. According to a recent study, anti-depressant use increased about 10 percent a year between 1998 and 2002 among preschoolers.

DR. JORGE ARMENTEROS, UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI SCHOOL OF MEDICINE: These drugs have been given to hundreds of thousands of children in the last, you know, 14 years or so. And the record of side effects is actually very decent.

GUPTA: But there are still many unknowns: tolerance build-up, effects on a developing brain.

ARMENTEROS: We have to be candid and honest and say there are certain things that we do not know.

GUPTA: But for a parent, when do the short-term benefits outweigh the unknown risk?

J. SEE: As a parent if your child is miserable, you become desperate, and certainly I used to be one of those people that said I would never put my child on any type of a Ritalin or a medication.

GUPTA: For Caroline, behavioral therapy and alternative treatments didn't work. Only medications provided the answer.

PHILLIP SEE, CAROLINE'S FATHER: We know it's a chemical thing. You know, whether it's your brain or your pancreas or another part of your body, it's a chemical process in the body, and you know, certainly we cross our fingers that there aren't going to be long-term negatives. GUPTA: Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: President Bush lays out a five-step plan for Iraq, but he says the road ahead could be difficult and paved with problems. We'll have more on this story and your reaction to the president's speech in a live report. You stay tuned.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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Aired May 25, 2004 - 05:30   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: A car bomb explodes just steps away from a hotel in Baghdad. Happened earlier this morning. We have the latest for you.
It is Tuesday, May 25. This is DAYBREAK.

Good morning to you, welcome to the second half-hour of DAYBREAK. From the CNN Global Headquarters in Atlanta, I'm Carol Costello. Thank you for joining us.

Let me bring you up to date now.

Israel's week long raid in a Gaza refugee camp is over. Officials say they destroyed three tunnels used to smuggle arms. The offensive left more than 40 Palestinians dead and many homes destroyed.

The Army general in charge of the U.S. prison guards accused of abusing Iraqis has been suspended, but Janis Karpinski has not been charged with an offense.

In money news, gas prices hit another record high. I know you feel it at the pump. Across the country, the average price for a gallon of gas $2.06.

In sports, teen golf star Michelle Wie is being allowed to play in the U.S. Women's Open. She is the first amateur to be awarded a qualifying exemption into the event and she is only 14.

In culture, Johannes Vermeer's 1670 painting "Young Woman Seated at the Virginals" is expected to sell for more than $5 million at Sotheby's auction in July. The piece was once dismissed as a fake.

And in weather, look at this twister. Tornadoes hit northwest Missouri and parts of Kansas blowing some homes off of their foundations. Lots of damage but no deaths and only minor injuries -- Rob.

ROB MARCIANO, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Very lucky that that happened. Over 50 tornadoes, Carol, in a very, very narrow area, where, at this time yesterday, we were telling you about the storm prediction center out of Norman. They highlighted a pretty small circle, and most of the tornadoes were right in that circle. I mean just a phenomenal job by those guys. They are good.

(WEATHER REPORT) This is the area, Carol, we'll look for some strong thunderstorms, but you know we don't think it's going to be quite as crazy as it was yesterday, over 50 tornadoes and no injuries. That's awesome.

COSTELLO: That is just lucky. That's really lucky.

MARCIANO: Yes, lucky.

COSTELLO: Thank you -- Rob.

MARCIANO: You bet.

COSTELLO: Want to get more now on that car bomb explosion overnight in Baghdad. Let's head live to Baghdad now and Guy Raz. He is following the story for us this morning.

What can you tell us now?

GUY RAZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Carol, this morning a car bomb, we believe a car bomb, exploded outside a hotel right in the center of Baghdad in the district known as Jadriya. Now that attack took place early this morning near a hotel called the al-Garmah hotel. It's only about 50 meters, 50 yards from where we believe Australian military officials are staying and steps away from the Australian Embassy as well here in Baghdad.

Now there have been conflicting reports about casualties. We understand, right now, that four people have been wounded. We don't have any information on the identities of those wounded, but U.S. officials are on the scene and investigating the matter.

Meanwhile, Carol, more violence in the southern Iraqi city of Najaf, a potentially explosive situation down there. An explosion happened, took place very close to the Imam Ali Shrine in Najaf. That's the holiest Islamic shrine to Shiite Muslims. Now we understand this blast took place very close to the main entrance of the mosque. We have no word on casualties.

Now initial reports from U.S. military officials tell us there was no plan, there was no U.S. military presence in the area at the time and so that explosion could not have come from U.S. military officers, soldiers working in the area. But earlier in the day, U.S. forces did clash with members of the Mehdi Brigade. That's the armed militia formed by Muqtada al-Sadr, the radical Shiite cleric who is holed up in Najaf. According to U.S. military officials, at least five suspected fighters were killed in those clashes -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Guy Raz reporting live from Baghdad.

President Bush calls the violence in Iraq brutal and calculating and warns of more tough times ahead. In his speech last night, the president said Iraq is facing a critical moment. And he laid out a five-step plan for the future which calls for handing over authority to a sovereign Iraqi government on June 30, maintaining security with a multinational force under American command until Iraqi security forces are trained, continuing to rebuild Iraq's infrastructure, encouraging more international support for post-war Iraq and moving toward a national election in Iraq by January of 2005. Mr. Bush also said the U.S. will not try to impose its own political system in Iraq.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I sent American troops to Iraq to defend our security, not to stay as an occupying power. I sent American troops to Iraq to make its people free, not to make them American. Iraqis will write their own history and find their own way. As they do, Iraqis can be certain a free Iraq will always have a friend in the United States of America.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Nearly 140,000 U.S. troops will stay after the transfer of power, and President Bush says -- quote -- "if they need more, I will send them."

So, we've heard from the president about his strategy for Iraq and the U.N. Security Council is working on a resolution about the country's future, but what do the Iraqi people think?

CNN's Harris Whitbeck hit the streets to find out for you.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS WHITBECK, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): As he has nearly every day for the last decade, 33-year-old Ali Hussein drives a taxi in Baghdad. Navigating the teeming streets affords him a unique view on the Iraq of today.

ALI HUSSEIN, TAXI DRIVER (through translator): I'm the first person to know if anything happens on streets, explosions and so on. We can say that I know just about anything that happens in the capital.

WHITBECK: He also knows that his country is in for a change after June 30. Like many here, Ali is not sure of what that might entail. But he says any change will be good.

A. HUSSEIN (through translator): We must have a tangible change in order for us to look beyond the present and into the future.

WHITBECK: That future is what preoccupies Hassanein Hussein. At 24, he's about to graduate from Baghdad University. And, as he prepares to enter the work force, he's concerned about the form a new government might take.

HASSANEIN HUSSEIN, STUDENT (through translator): We don't want religious leaders to take over the power. They have the right to preserve their religious power, but they should not exercise political power.

WHITBECK: For religious leaders like Sheik Ahmed Abdul Jafor (ph), religious and political powers are entwined. The sheik is eager for the American occupation to end, but he says foreign troops should stay under a different flag.

SHEIK AHMED, RELIGIOUS LEADER (through translator): If the Iraqis saw with their own eyes the Americans pulled out their forces and replaced them with United Nations forces, they would feel secure about picking their representatives for the elections.

WHITBECK: The U.N. has begun the long process of establishing an Iraqi government by processing nominations for an electoral commission. That could work, says taxi driver Ali, if there is real balance.

A. HUSSEIN (through translator): For democracy to work, equality must be imposed where all the religions and classes of society are considered equal.

WHITBECK: Hassanein, the college student, isn't too sure. He likes the idea of Iraq becoming a federal republic with all factions equally represented in government, but he is skeptical.

H. HUSSEIN (through translator): Such an idea looks good on paper, but when it comes to reality, it will not work.

WHITBECK: Sheik Ahmed thinks the democracy could work if the U.S. stays out of it.

AHMED (through translator): An elected government is the best solution, but only if the United Nations gets involved. It is a shame that the Americans do not understand the nature of the Iraqi people. This has been the problem.

WHITBECK: If it is the problem, at least it should be less so after June 30.

Harris Whitbeck, CNN, Baghdad.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: But the United Nations is involved. Lakhdar Brahimi is the man who is trying to find somebody to lead Iraq.

Joining us now, our senior international editor David Clinch to talk more about that.

DAVID CLINCH, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL EDITOR: Yes, Carol, I mean that really is one of the key elements here as we hear President Bush outlining the general plan for Iraq. The specifics of that plan can't really go into place until a new leadership for an interim Iraqi government is picked. And the way in which that's working is fascinating.

This U.N. Envoy, Lakhdar Brahimi, is in Iraq, talking to the Iraqis amongst themselves. And the reason that's happening is basically the U.S. was no longer, in some ways, viewed as an honest broker by all of the parties involved. He was asked to take that role. He's involved, talking to all of the Iraqi groups, asking them to come to an agreement between themselves. COSTELLO: And there are so many different factions within Iraq,...

CLINCH: Right.

COSTELLO: ... that's a difficult thing to do to come up with one name.

CLINCH: Right. And this is -- that's a very good point, because you know we have talked before about how there won't be a Karzai figure as there was in Afghanistan. They are looking for a broader leadership with president, vice president, prime minister, spreading the responsibility for exactly that reason. There are so many groups, they can't possibly and, or at least have not to this point, found one person who will take on that singular role of leadership. So...

COSTELLO: And don't you think one of the reasons for that, Saddam Hussein was really crafty. I mean he wasn't grooming any one leader from...

CLINCH: Right.

COSTELLO: ... each different faction within Iraq to...

CLINCH: Right, anyone who challenged his leadership was gotten rid of. That was the Saddam Hussein style. Certainly not grooming anybody for leadership, other than his own sons, of course, and they are well and truly gone. So the leadership pool is there, Pichachi, all of these other people. They will be looked at, but not probably one all powerful person. Lakhdar Brahimi has a lot of responsibility. We'll be hearing from him in the next couple of days, I'm sure, on his progress.

One person we know is not going to be the leader, and I know you're sort of tired of hearing about Chalabi. We've been talking about this story a lot. This leader of the Iraqi National Congress...

COSTELLO: But this is good -- David.

CLINCH: Well here's an interesting aspect to it. We've been hearing a lot about how Chalabi had access to top U.S. intelligence and may have passed it to Iran. There's an interesting British newspaper article in sort of a left-wing anti-war newspaper, but still an interesting thing, is quoting intelligence sources in Washington as saying the fear now is that not just Chalabi was manipulating the situation, but Iran may actually have been using him. The Iranians may have been using him to get the Americans to do exactly what they wanted them to do.

COSTELLO: So in other words, the Iranians were giving (INAUDIBLE) to the Americans so that the Americans would...

CLINCH: So that...

COSTELLO: ... go to war to Iraq to topple Saddam Hussein so Iran could take over. CLINCH: Right. Iran's goals, get rid of their enemy Saddam, create a potentially Shiite republic next door, or Shiite dominated, and also distract attention. This is the concept that they are looking at now is that Iran's hard liners were under such pressure a year and a half, two years ago, and now not only are they not under pressure, they look like the good guys. Especially images today from Najaf of Shiite mosques, you know, U.S. tanks in the holy cities again. It's one of those theories (INAUDIBLE) looking at.

COSTELLO: All right, thank you, David.

Our Ben Wedeman, who has done a tremendous job covering the war in Iraq, will join us live here on CNN, right here in Atlanta. He'll talk about his experiences in the next hour of DAYBREAK. We wondered if you could really walk through the streets of Iraq, go to a restaurant, hang out with friends. He will fill you in when he joins us in the 6:00 hour of DAYBREAK.

Stories 'Across America' this Tuesday.

New Mexico's governor declares a state of emergency after touring two wildfires that have burned nearly 13,000 acres. The move means National Guard troops will be made available to help out with fire fighting efforts. It also makes emergency management funds available.

In Massachusetts, a trial date is expected to be set in the assault case against former Yankee's players Karim Garcia and Jeff Nelson. The charges stem from a bullpen brawl with a Fenway Park groundskeeper during Game 3 of the American League championship series last October. Who could forget that?

SBC Communications and the union representing 10,000 of its workers reached a tentative agreement on a new five-year contract. That news just coming in to us about an hour ago. The agreement gives members, the Communications Workers of America, pay and job security guarantees. Workers at the second largest local phone company in the United States had walked off the job Friday.

Short-term benefits with unknown risks, kids on antidepressants, how young is too young?

Plus,...

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LANCE CPL. ZACH FINCANNON, U.S. MARINES: It's like kind of a nightmare kind of thing. It's like man, this couldn't -- this can't really happen to me.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: The causes and the losses from war. How those who faced it head on from the front lines, what they are saying this morning.

This is DAYBREAK for Tuesday. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Your news, money, weather and sports. It is 5:45 Eastern. Here is what's all new this morning.

A sacred shine -- a sacred shrine in Najaf was damaged during clashes between U.S. troops and Iraqi militiamen. Supporters of cleric Muqtada al-Sadr say American troops fired mortars at the Imam Ali Shrine.

At least 100 people were killed by rushing floodwaters in the Dominican Republic, as many as 200 others are still missing. Victims from one village were found up to six miles away.

In money news, Toys 'R Us filed suit against Amazon.com claiming the Internet retailer broke an exclusivity contract. The toy giant says they paid Amazon $200 million for the chance to be the exclusive toy seller on the site. Amazon says they did nothing wrong.

In sports, track star Marion Jones met with anti-doping officials to hear evidence linking her to steroid use. Her lawyer says the agency doesn't have enough evidence to ban Jones from the Athens Olympics.

In culture, "American Bandstand" is coming back with a twist. Dick Clark is relaunching the show, along with "American Idol" creator Simon Fuller. The twist, viewers will get the chance to vote on which dancers they like the best -- Rob.

MARCIANO: I like that. Could be even more entertaining than "American Idol."

COSTELLO: Maybe so.

MARCIANO: Still going strong, Dick, we love it.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: Thank you, Rob.

Those are the latest headlines for you this morning.

The total number of U.S. troops killed in Iraq has now reached 798. The number of wounded reaches well into the thousands. This morning we hear from three Marines who fought and fell in Iraq.

Our Beth Nissen spoke with the young men.

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BETH NISSEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): April 26, Fallujah, among the units deployed here, Echo Company 2nd Battalion 1st Marines. With them, a network pool camera crew and a "Los Angeles Times" photographer documenting the day's mission, to secure two houses near a Marine perimeter to keep close watch for armed insurgents, snipers.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't see any targets.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't either.

NISSEN (on camera): What were you watching for especially?

CPL. JOSHUA CARPENTER, U.S. MARINES: Pretty much just bad guys with guns.

NISSEN (voice-over): Insurgents had been on the offensive for days. But with U.S. military commanders trying to establish a cease- fire, Marines were under orders to leave themselves to defensive operations. The Marines were frustrated, edgy.

LANCE CPL. BRYON CURNUTT, U.S. MARINES: You never know what to expect. But you know every day you're going to get mortared. Somebody is going to be taking potshots at you or sniper fire.

NISSEN: Marines took incoming fire almost as soon as they occupied the two houses, fire that appeared to be coming from a minaret nearby. Marine units were ordered on to the rooftops.

CARPENTER: We were on the roof and we started getting hit pretty hard with mortars and RPGs and small-arms fire.

CURNUTT: The next thing I know, some of the guys in the building said they were throwing rocks at us. I turned to look and that's when the explosion went off.

NISSEN: The rocks were grenades.

CARPENTER: A grenade landed on top of the roof that I was on. A piece ricocheted I guess off the top of the roof and hit me in the eye.

CURNUTT: I just heard screaming, looked around, had blood squirting out my neck. I put my hand on that. I saw a lot of smoke. I could see RPGs coming out from other buildings. I saw another Marine looking at his arm screaming really loud.

NISSEN: That Marine was Lance Corporal Zach Fincannon.

LANCE CPL. ZACH FINCANNON, U.S. MARINES: I a heard a loud pop. And I looked over to my left and I see that my arm was dangling.

NISSEN: The blast took off his left hand, shredded his forearm.

FINCANNON: It's like a nightmare kind of thing. It was like, man, this can't really happen to me.

NISSEN: The Marines did buddy aid on each other, put pressure bandages, tourniquets on the wounded. Several were hurt. Someone radioed for the Navy combat medics.

CURNUTT: We were under heavy fire. RPGs are slamming into both buildings. Navy Corpsman did an excellent job. They drove right into the fight from our defensive positions and pulled us out of there. We owe our lives to those guys.

NISSEN: Within minutes, the wounded were at a nearby battalion aid station. Within hours, they were medevaced to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, the big Army hospital in Germany.

CURNUTT: When me and my friend were on the medevac out of there, he grabbed me with his good hand and said somebody is praying for us.

FINCANNON: I feel very lucky to be alive. And I'm very glad that a lot of my fellow Marines are alive.

NISSEN: A lot, but not all. One of the Marines sent to the rooftop to replace the wounded was hit with machine gunfire. Lance Corporal Aaron C. Austin, age 21, died in a stairwell.

Hours later, after tanks fired rounds at the minaret, after the firefight ended, Echo Company had time finally to collect itself, to mourn the fallen, to pray for the wounded, pray for Lance Corporal Curnutt.

CURNUTT: I have I think three four pieces of shrapnel in my face, a piece in each of my legs and some scrapes and bruises.

NISSEN: Pray for Corporal Carpenter.

CARPENTER: The worst case is, I won't be able to see. So...

NISSEN (on camera): What have you thought about that?

CARPENTER: I still got my left eye.

NISSEN (voice-over): Pray for Lance Corporal Fincannon.

FINCANNON: My left arm was blown off. They are going to have a prosthetic hand on there. And I got huge shrapnel wounds in my left side. Other than that, I'm fine.

NISSEN: Like most of the war wounded, these Marines have no regrets, except that they are unable to go back to their units back to Iraq.

CURNUTT: That's where my brothers are. The rest of my team is still there. That's where the fight is. Until every Marine and soldier is out of there, the fight is not over.

NISSEN: The war goes on one firefight after another.

Beth Nissen, CNN.

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(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Why are so many children popping pills just to try to cope with everyday life? That's a question this society has to tackle with a growing number of youngsters on medication. Our Dr. Sanjay Gupta looks at both sides of the issue.

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DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): When Caroline See was younger, she dealt with severe anxiety. Daily acts such as putting on a jacket were stress-ridden choices, usually ending in tears.

JOANNA SEE, CAROLINE'S MOTHER: You hear about the terrible twos, and this was -- you know, she was 5 and still doing this. And approaching 6. And it just seemed to be getting worse and worse.

GUPTA: Now Caroline is 10 and has been taking anti-depressants for anxiety and attention disorder for the past four years.

CAROLINE SEE, ON ANTIDEPRESSANTS: I can concentrate better on my work.

GUPTA: And she's not alone. Caroline is part of a quickly growing population: young children who are being treated with anti- depressants.

Alarming? Absolutely. Necessary? Perhaps.

While medication is given to less than 1/2 of one percent of all children, there have been rapid increases in a short time. According to a recent study, anti-depressant use increased about 10 percent a year between 1998 and 2002 among preschoolers.

DR. JORGE ARMENTEROS, UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI SCHOOL OF MEDICINE: These drugs have been given to hundreds of thousands of children in the last, you know, 14 years or so. And the record of side effects is actually very decent.

GUPTA: But there are still many unknowns: tolerance build-up, effects on a developing brain.

ARMENTEROS: We have to be candid and honest and say there are certain things that we do not know.

GUPTA: But for a parent, when do the short-term benefits outweigh the unknown risk?

J. SEE: As a parent if your child is miserable, you become desperate, and certainly I used to be one of those people that said I would never put my child on any type of a Ritalin or a medication.

GUPTA: For Caroline, behavioral therapy and alternative treatments didn't work. Only medications provided the answer.

PHILLIP SEE, CAROLINE'S FATHER: We know it's a chemical thing. You know, whether it's your brain or your pancreas or another part of your body, it's a chemical process in the body, and you know, certainly we cross our fingers that there aren't going to be long-term negatives. GUPTA: Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: President Bush lays out a five-step plan for Iraq, but he says the road ahead could be difficult and paved with problems. We'll have more on this story and your reaction to the president's speech in a live report. You stay tuned.

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