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CNN Live At Daybreak

Graner Court-Martial; Iraq Security; Frequent Fliers; Nutrition 101

Aired January 12, 2005 - 06:29   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.


KELLY WALLACE, CNN ANCHOR: And good morning to you. And welcome to the last half-hour of DAYBREAK. From the Time Warner center in New York, I'm Kelly Wallace in for Carol Costello.
"Now in the News."

Rescue crews worked throughout the night looking for any survivors in the massive mudslide that hit La Conchita, California. Just about an hour ago, a seventh body was found. Seven people dead, more than a dozen still missing.

Firefighters in Australia are battling one of the worse brushfires there in decades. In one oceanfront community, residents were forced to flee into the water to escape those advancing flames.

In Philadelphia, Mississippi, a bond hearing later this morning for Edgar Ray Killen. The former Klansman was indicted last week in the 1964 murders of three civil rights workers. He has pleaded not guilty.

NASA is getting ready to launch a spacecraft today that will plow deep into a comet on the Fourth of July. Scientists say the -- quote -- "deep impact mission" could help answer questions about how our solar system was born.

(WEATHER REPORT)

WALLACE: The defense is expected to present its case today in the court-martial of Army Specialist Charles Graner. The prosecution wrapped up its case with taped testimony from detainees at Abu Ghraib prison. That was yesterday. Among them was a Syrian inmate who said Graner almost seemed to enjoy himself while abusing prisoners.

Afterwards, CNN's Susan Candiotti asked Graner about that testimony.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Specialist Graner, what did you think when that detainee was calling you a torture? I saw you laugh at one point.

SPEC. CHARLES GRANER, U.S. ARMY: Well, I saw him -- he threatened to kill me the last time I saw him.

(END VIDEO CLIP) WALLACE: And Susan Candiotti is joining us now on the phone from Fort Hood, Texas.

Susan -- good morning to you. Thanks again for being with us.

So, you talked to Graner outside the courtroom. Describe his demeanor inside the courtroom as he heard the prosecution presenting its case.

CANDIOTTI: Good morning, Kelly.

Certainly, for the most part, he was listening very intently as he watched this videotape. But certainly from time to time he would chuckle at what some of the things these detainees had to say, and he would roll his eyes as though in disbelief.

WALLACE: And give us a sense of the prosecution's case. The most significant part, it seems, is the videotaped testimony coming from these Iraqi detainees. What did they say?

CANDIOTTI: Well, for example, you heard from the one, and these are obviously people who are in one case certainly a suspected terrorist. The one that you just heard from, a Syrian, who said that he had smuggled grenades and explosives into Iraq and who shot a guard with a smuggled gun, he testified that Graner hit him on the detainee's wounded leg so hard he begged Graner to stop.

And another one was one of the ones that participated in the naked pyramid that you've seen time and again, and he said that the guards tortured them as though it was theater, in his words.

WALLACE: And, of course, the defense is getting ready to present its case. We talked a little bit about the main arguments we can expect from the defense. It looks like it will say that Graner was following orders? Is that the main argument?

CANDIOTTI: Right. They have to try to continue to convince this jury that that's exactly what was happening when he did things like stacking naked detainees into a pyramid or lining up naked prisoners, according to some witnesses, to simulate sex acts with each other, even putting one detainee on a tether to extract it from a cell.

Graner's defense has been saying that these are all acceptable techniques, and they are going to try to get that point across.

WALLACE: We were talking also yesterday about how quickly this is moving. It's sort of hard to believe in a day and a half the prosecution resting its case. How much longer should we expect this trial to go on?

CANDIOTTI: Well, the defense says that it has 14 witnesses. It doesn't mean an attempt to call all of them. But they did say they expect about 10 witnesses to take the stand today. So, this is moving along at quite a clip.

They even have videotaped testimony from their own detainee, they say, who they insist will be able to prove that military intelligence -- American military intelligence was under pressure to get actionable information to help save American lives.

WALLACE: All right, Susan Candiotti, we have to leave it there, reporting from Fort Hood, Texas. Thanks again for getting up so early to join us here on DAYBREAK. We appreciate it.

And time now focusing on the fight in Iraq. It is over. "The Washington Post" reports the search for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq has come to an end. Sources who were part of the U.S.-led search say weapons inspectors wrapped up shortly before Christmas. The reason? Ongoing violence along with no new information about any banned weapons.

President Bush cited allegations that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction as a major reason for going to war. But the search has come up empty so far.

Still, continuing on the subject of Iraq, Iraqi Interim Prime Minister Ayad Allawi now says some areas of Iraq may be too dangerous to hold elections.

Joining us to talk about that and much more, CNN military analyst retired Army Major General James A. Marks. General Marks was senior intelligence officer during Operation Iraqi Freedom. He's also the former commander of the Army's Intelligence Center. He joins us from Washington.

General Marks, it's nice to see you. Thanks for being here.

MAJ. GEN. JAMES MARKS, U.S. ARMY (RET.): Good morning, Kelly.

WALLACE: First, let me ask you about the comments coming from the Iraqi interim prime minister, that parts of Iraq may be too dangerous, really, for people to go to the polls. This has to be a big problem for the Bush administration.

MARKS: I don't know if I would characterize it as big problem. I think what it is it's a very balanced observation on the part of the prime minister that still is going to require attention and the application of force, both coalition and Iraqi, to ensure that more of those areas that are now inaccessible, if you will, in terms of voting will be available.

WALLACE: General Marks, also, as we've been seeing over the past few days, everyone expected the insurgency to only intensify, the violence to increase as we move to the January 30 election. I guess the key question becomes the training of the Iraqi forces. What is -- you know, how are things going in that regard right now?

MARKS: I would tell you what exists today is what's going to be in place when the elections come along. But that doesn't mean that there isn't an effort that continues to try to improve the shape of the Iraqi Security Forces across the board.

But I would say for doing a snapshot in time of what exists, what we have today is what we're going to see during the elections. And that's a good way to kind of provide a metric or a measure of what it's going to look like in terms of capabilities when the elections roll around here at the end of the month.

WALLACE: And, you know, this is going to be a big issue for retired General Gary Luck, who is going to have a mission to investigate the current sort of operating plan for the coalition forces in Iraq; also, the training of these Iraqi Security Forces. What else do you believe he'll be looking for on that mission and as he reports back to the Pentagon?

MARKS: Kelly, I would say that, not to be pedantic or academic, but it's not really an investigation. It's an assessment on the part of General Luck to determine what is and what needs to be and the path to get there.

General Luck has incredible credentials. Everyone in the military knows General Gary Luck, respects him, understands where he came from. He's a Ph.D. Most don't understand. He's a brilliant man with a tremendous disarming capability.

So, everyone embraces General Luck, and he will do a magnificent job of uncovering those steps that need to take place in order to make sure that the coalition can achieve what they need to achieve with those Iraqi forces. It was a great choice.

WALLACE: Yes, a lot to watch as he reports back in, of course, the next two and a half weeks or so leading up the January 30 elections. General Marks, it's nice to talk to you on DAYBREAK. We look forward to talking in the weeks ahead.

MARKS: Kelly, thank you. Thank you.

WALLACE: Well, turning now to the tsunami disaster. Getting the much-needed relief to victims is a painstaking task. And yet, so many people have volunteered to do it. Bill Hemmer will speak with one such person on CNN's "AMERICAN MORNING." It's time to check in with him now.

Good morning -- Bill.

BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Hey, Kelly, good morning to you.

We'll talk about that relief effort that's still under way now in Southeast Asia. Also, Kelly, with all of this devastation, for people of different faiths the question about whether or not a higher power is behind all of this. And some religious leaders are even blaming it on the so-called wrath of God. We've heard that out of Sri Lanka. We've heard that out of parts of Indonesia.

Cardinal Theodore McKerik (ph), an archbishop out of Washington, is traveling now in Sri Lanka. He's there now for three days looking into the relief needs of that country. He met with the president today. What does he say about some of the religious explanations behind this tsunami disaster? We'll get his thoughts from overseas coming up here on "AMERICAN MORNING." Kelly -- see you at the top of the hour here.

WALLACE: We'll see you then, Bill. It's certainly water-cooler talk, right?

HEMMER: Indeed it is, yes.

WALLACE: People are saying, what is going on, on planet Earth? OK, Bill, we'll see you in a few minutes.

HEMMER: All right.

WALLACE: Well, maybe you're packing a bag now or maybe you're already sitting at the airport. Do you fly much? Ali Velshi breaks down the many frequent flier programs and how you can make them work for you. That is next.

And they may only be the size of a pack of gum, but wait until you hear what Apple's latest gadgets can do.

Here's a look now, though, at what else is making news this Wednesday morning. And we will be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WALLACE: A peaceful picture of New York City this early morning. Time now for a little business buzz.

If you are one of the few that doesn't already have an Apple iPod, that is good news. IPods are about to become a little more affordable.

Carrie Lee at the Nasdaq Marketsite with more.

How affordable will they become -- Carrie?

CARRIE LEE, CNN FINANCIAL NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Well, $99 to start, Kelly.

WALLACE: That's pretty good.

LEE: That is the lowest price for the basic model of the new iPod called the iPod Shuffle. IPods, as well as the new Mac computer, were introduced yesterday by Apple's CEO Steve Jobs at the Mac World Expo.

Let's go to the iPod Shuffle, so you can take a look. It's a very sleek, very neat design here. The smaller version, 120 songs for $99. The larger version, 240 songs for about $149. Currently, the cheapest iPod is the iPod's Mini for about 250 bucks. Now, the iPod Mini stores about 1,000 songs. Not only are these new iPod Shuffles cheaper, but they're smaller. They're going to be as small and light as a pack of gum, even smaller and lighter than that. So, that's what Jobs is saying.

Also, a new computer is coming out from Apple, and this is called the Mini Mac computer, about $500 without the mouse, monitor and keyboard. You take those things that you already have. You plug them into this new computer, which costs between $500 and $600, depending on the version. So, some very cool products coming out from Apple.

By the way, the company reports profits after the bell today. Expectations are pretty high, because, Kelly, this is a stock that has gained 180 percent over the past year, largely because of the iPod's success. So, we'll see if they can do it this quarter.

And, by the way, futures across the board are looking pretty strong, especially techs, because of Intel's solid profit report last night.

That's the latest from here.

WALLACE: All right, Carrie, yes, Apple. A lot of good news there. OK.

LEE: They always have cool products. They always stay under the curve.

WALLACE: Yes. And good names, too, right? The Shuffle.

LEE: Right. Everyone can sort of grasp it, cool technology for the everyman.

WALLACE: Exactly. All right, Carrie Lee, great to see you. Thanks so much.

Well, if you or someone you know is in a frequent flier program, you will want to hear this. With fares so low, are they worth using?

For that, we turn to DAYBREAK contributor, Ali Velshi. You're piloting away through that one.

ALI VELSHI, CNN DAYBREAK CONTRIBUTOR: Remember, for those of you who are in airports, I'm the guy who said they should keep feeding the pilots. Credit cards -- I want to go to the credit cards that are tied to airline miles. In the old days, that's all there was when they started with affinity cards. Now, you have an affinity card for anything -- your college, your Costco or whatever you want. But I want to talk about these cards that are tied to frequent flier miles.

Now, I have one card that I use that I have. It's tied to a frequent flier program. It's an American Express card that's tied to Air Canada's frequent flier program. I've never charged anything on this card. But the annual fee on that is worth it to me, because it gives me the ability to check in, in the first-class, the business- class line, to get through all of that clutter, and to use the lounges.

So, when you choose a frequent flier card, there are a few things that you should keep in mind. There are some things to consider.

First of all, it depends on where you live and where you fly. The Air Canada one works for me because my parents live in Toronto, and I fly there. Southwest is rated one of the best credit card- frequent flier combinations to have, but they don't fly out of New York. So, it's no good to me to have a Southwest card.

Remember that you have to accumulate about 25,000 miles for a domestic ticket. So, if you've got a card that's $1 to a mile, $25,000. Do you spend that much on your credit card? And think about the offers that you get from these credit cards. Almost none of them allow you to qualify for elite status on the miles. So, I may charge $50,000 a year, but it doesn't bump me up into another category.

Are there charges associated with free tickets? Are there free companion tickets that come with these things, although they are often very restrictive? Do you get upgrades by using this card? And do you get, like I said, the check-in privileges or lounge privileges?

WALLACE: You get so many requests all the time, so many different airlines, so many different credit companies.

VELSHI: Right.

WALLACE: It's really hard to negotiate through.

VELSHI: It is.

WALLACE: Do you just go with your favorite airline? Do you go with one that services many airlines?

VELSHI: Check the Web. There are such remarkable resources that rank these things. Obviously, if you're in a place where all of the airlines fly -- let's put up a list of what some of the airlines are and what their credit cards are. It depends on the airline, where you live, what the -- you know, what the bank's affiliation is. You can see some of these are American Express obviously is an American Express card, but Citi, Chase both have Visa and Mastercard, Northwest.

I should tell you, all of the airlines have some form of card. US Air has them. United has them.

Now, American Express and Diners are two of a breed of card that are for people who don't want it tied to a specific airline, because they allow you to transfer your miles to pretty much any airline. In fact, I was checking Chase, Discover, Bank One, Bank of America and other banks offer cards where you can accumulate miles, but you don't have to associate with one airline.

Remember one thing: If you carry a balance, this may not be a good idea, because the value of accumulating points is about 1.9 percent. The average interest rates on cards that are tied to frequent flier plans are about 5.9 percent higher. So, it's not a gain. If you carry a balance, generally speaking, these are not for you.

WALLACE: And, generally, try not to carry a balance, because we all know...

VELSHI: And that's a whole other story, exactly.

WALLACE: Oh, that is. That is.

VELSHI: Yes.

WALLACE: That is. All right, Ali Velshi, great information, if I could speak. Thank you so much.

VELSHI: Good to see you, Kelly.

WALLACE: Well, the mudslides in California have produced some unbelievable rescue and survivor stories. We've been seeing them on CNN.

"AMERICAN MORNING's" Soledad O'Brien joins us now with a look at what she's working on this morning.

Soledad, I'm having a problem speaking this morning, which is a problem.

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Kelly, girl, you've been working a lot of jobs, and you're filling in. And you're doing a great job. So you know what? If you can't speak, that happens. It's OK.

WALLACE: All right...

(CROSSTALK)

O'BRIEN: We understand what you're saying. Good morning to you.

We are obviously still following that aftermath of that massive mudslide in California. Now at least seven people are reported dead, 13 others missing, including three children. The big question, of course: Just how likely is it that anymore survivors could be found? Is there still a danger of more debris rolling down that hill? What does that mean to the folks who are trying to do those rescues?

This morning, we talk with Ventura County Fire Chief Bob Roper. He's heading up that rescue operation. We're going to ask him what's ahead today -- Kelly.

WALLACE: Soledad, a busy "AMERICAN MORNING." We'll see you in a few minutes at the top of the hour. Thanks so much.

Well, it is 12 days in. So, how is that resolution for 2005 going? Are you really cooking more healthy foods, eating less and sticking to those workouts? Coming up, Lisa Drayer explains another route you may choose on your path to weight loss: meeting with a nutritionist. That's all coming up right here on DAYBREAK. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WALLACE: OK. Lots of people started the New Year with one resolution: to lose weight. You've heard about Atkins, the Zone, Weight Watchers, South Beach. But there is another approach that you can say is a little more personalized.

Lisa Drayer is here to tell us all about it.

Good morning again, Lisa.

LISA DRAYER, REGISTERED DIETITIAN: Good morning, Kelly.

WALLACE: So, a more personalized approach to losing weight.

DRAYER: Exactly. We're not necessarily talking about another diet book or a diet program.

WALLACE: Good.

DRAYER: But rather a diet designed by a registered dietitian. So, if you enjoy a personalized approach to weight loss, including one-on-one support, then a diet designed by a dietitian may be an appropriate option for you.

WALLACE: So, people listening, they talk about a nutritionist, a dietitian.

DRAYER: Right.

WALLACE: Any differences there, or the same thing?

DRAYER: There is. Actually, anyone can call themselves a nutritionist, but only those who have met specific educational and training requirements by the American Dietetic Association can bear the RD title.

And part of this training includes the ability to customize an individual's diet, taking one's entire health picture into account. So, for example, if someone is overweight but also has heart disease, a dietitian may prescribe a diet that's not only low in calories, but also low in sodium and saturated fat. Or, for example, if someone wants to lose weight but their calcium intake is low, a dietitian can help to ensure that one's calcium needs are being met.

So, a dietitian will ask a lot of different questions during a consultation of what your daily routine is like, your exercise, your eating habits, and your medical history. And they'll usually use an assessment form.

And one of the things that make dietitians' approach different is that they can target your calorie level based on an adjusted body weight. So, for example, I brought this form in with me. We see it on the screen here now, and I did some calculations here. Someone who is 5 foot 4 and they weigh 150 pounds, if I, as a dietitian, were to see that person at 150, they wouldn't necessarily lose weight. If, for example, I see them at 120, their ideal body weight, that may be underfeeding them. So, a dietitian may prescribe calorie needs based on a weight that's in between an adjusted body weight.

WALLACE: Information, of course, is always important. So, the person going to the dietitian as well, what should he or she be asking or considering, or information they should hope to get from this person to decide what are the parts of the program?

DRAYER: Sure. Sure. There are a few things to take into account before you meet with a dietitian. So, first, you want to make sure you have a medical checkup. And also bring some lab values with you, if you have them, to your meeting.

Also, share your long-term goals with your dietitian, and make sure they understand what it is you want to accomplish.

Also, be sure to tell them about any vitamins or dietary supplements that you're taking. This is really important in order to assess your overall nutrition intake.

Also, be sure to answer any questions about medications. Sometimes there are some interactions with medications.

Also, be prepared to tell them exactly what you're eating. Sometimes dietitians will ask you to bring a three-day food record in to your meeting.

Also, expect to have your weight checked, and be sure to ask any questions if necessary. You may also want to ask if e-mail or phone consultation is available in between visits in case you have any questions after your initial meeting.

WALLACE: And, of course, you're continuing this series for the New Year. What's ahead for next week?

DRAYER: Next week we're going to give the lowdown on weight loss medications. So, if you're thinking about taking weight loss medications, what you need to know, who is eligible. We're going to give you all of those facts next week.

WALLACE: A lot to sort through there. Lisa Drayer, great to see you.

DRAYER: Great to see you.

WALLACE: Thanks for being here on DAYBREAK.

This is DAYBREAK for a Wednesday morning. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WALLACE: And time for one final check here on DAYBREAK of the weather.

(WEATHER REPORT)

WALLACE: All right, Chad, we're going to go right after the show, get some soup to Carol. We hope she is feeling better. Chad, always a pleasure to be with you here on DAYBREAK.

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: It was good seeing you.

WALLACE: You have a good day. From the Time Warner center in New York, I am Kelly Wallace. The news continues with "AMERICAN MORNING" right now.

MYERS: See you tomorrow.

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 January 12, 2005 - 06:29   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KELLY WALLACE, CNN ANCHOR: And good morning to you. And welcome to the last half-hour of DAYBREAK. From the Time Warner center in New York, I'm Kelly Wallace in for Carol Costello.
"Now in the News."

Rescue crews worked throughout the night looking for any survivors in the massive mudslide that hit La Conchita, California. Just about an hour ago, a seventh body was found. Seven people dead, more than a dozen still missing.

Firefighters in Australia are battling one of the worse brushfires there in decades. In one oceanfront community, residents were forced to flee into the water to escape those advancing flames.

In Philadelphia, Mississippi, a bond hearing later this morning for Edgar Ray Killen. The former Klansman was indicted last week in the 1964 murders of three civil rights workers. He has pleaded not guilty.

NASA is getting ready to launch a spacecraft today that will plow deep into a comet on the Fourth of July. Scientists say the -- quote -- "deep impact mission" could help answer questions about how our solar system was born.

(WEATHER REPORT)

WALLACE: The defense is expected to present its case today in the court-martial of Army Specialist Charles Graner. The prosecution wrapped up its case with taped testimony from detainees at Abu Ghraib prison. That was yesterday. Among them was a Syrian inmate who said Graner almost seemed to enjoy himself while abusing prisoners.

Afterwards, CNN's Susan Candiotti asked Graner about that testimony.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Specialist Graner, what did you think when that detainee was calling you a torture? I saw you laugh at one point.

SPEC. CHARLES GRANER, U.S. ARMY: Well, I saw him -- he threatened to kill me the last time I saw him.

(END VIDEO CLIP) WALLACE: And Susan Candiotti is joining us now on the phone from Fort Hood, Texas.

Susan -- good morning to you. Thanks again for being with us.

So, you talked to Graner outside the courtroom. Describe his demeanor inside the courtroom as he heard the prosecution presenting its case.

CANDIOTTI: Good morning, Kelly.

Certainly, for the most part, he was listening very intently as he watched this videotape. But certainly from time to time he would chuckle at what some of the things these detainees had to say, and he would roll his eyes as though in disbelief.

WALLACE: And give us a sense of the prosecution's case. The most significant part, it seems, is the videotaped testimony coming from these Iraqi detainees. What did they say?

CANDIOTTI: Well, for example, you heard from the one, and these are obviously people who are in one case certainly a suspected terrorist. The one that you just heard from, a Syrian, who said that he had smuggled grenades and explosives into Iraq and who shot a guard with a smuggled gun, he testified that Graner hit him on the detainee's wounded leg so hard he begged Graner to stop.

And another one was one of the ones that participated in the naked pyramid that you've seen time and again, and he said that the guards tortured them as though it was theater, in his words.

WALLACE: And, of course, the defense is getting ready to present its case. We talked a little bit about the main arguments we can expect from the defense. It looks like it will say that Graner was following orders? Is that the main argument?

CANDIOTTI: Right. They have to try to continue to convince this jury that that's exactly what was happening when he did things like stacking naked detainees into a pyramid or lining up naked prisoners, according to some witnesses, to simulate sex acts with each other, even putting one detainee on a tether to extract it from a cell.

Graner's defense has been saying that these are all acceptable techniques, and they are going to try to get that point across.

WALLACE: We were talking also yesterday about how quickly this is moving. It's sort of hard to believe in a day and a half the prosecution resting its case. How much longer should we expect this trial to go on?

CANDIOTTI: Well, the defense says that it has 14 witnesses. It doesn't mean an attempt to call all of them. But they did say they expect about 10 witnesses to take the stand today. So, this is moving along at quite a clip.

They even have videotaped testimony from their own detainee, they say, who they insist will be able to prove that military intelligence -- American military intelligence was under pressure to get actionable information to help save American lives.

WALLACE: All right, Susan Candiotti, we have to leave it there, reporting from Fort Hood, Texas. Thanks again for getting up so early to join us here on DAYBREAK. We appreciate it.

And time now focusing on the fight in Iraq. It is over. "The Washington Post" reports the search for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq has come to an end. Sources who were part of the U.S.-led search say weapons inspectors wrapped up shortly before Christmas. The reason? Ongoing violence along with no new information about any banned weapons.

President Bush cited allegations that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction as a major reason for going to war. But the search has come up empty so far.

Still, continuing on the subject of Iraq, Iraqi Interim Prime Minister Ayad Allawi now says some areas of Iraq may be too dangerous to hold elections.

Joining us to talk about that and much more, CNN military analyst retired Army Major General James A. Marks. General Marks was senior intelligence officer during Operation Iraqi Freedom. He's also the former commander of the Army's Intelligence Center. He joins us from Washington.

General Marks, it's nice to see you. Thanks for being here.

MAJ. GEN. JAMES MARKS, U.S. ARMY (RET.): Good morning, Kelly.

WALLACE: First, let me ask you about the comments coming from the Iraqi interim prime minister, that parts of Iraq may be too dangerous, really, for people to go to the polls. This has to be a big problem for the Bush administration.

MARKS: I don't know if I would characterize it as big problem. I think what it is it's a very balanced observation on the part of the prime minister that still is going to require attention and the application of force, both coalition and Iraqi, to ensure that more of those areas that are now inaccessible, if you will, in terms of voting will be available.

WALLACE: General Marks, also, as we've been seeing over the past few days, everyone expected the insurgency to only intensify, the violence to increase as we move to the January 30 election. I guess the key question becomes the training of the Iraqi forces. What is -- you know, how are things going in that regard right now?

MARKS: I would tell you what exists today is what's going to be in place when the elections come along. But that doesn't mean that there isn't an effort that continues to try to improve the shape of the Iraqi Security Forces across the board.

But I would say for doing a snapshot in time of what exists, what we have today is what we're going to see during the elections. And that's a good way to kind of provide a metric or a measure of what it's going to look like in terms of capabilities when the elections roll around here at the end of the month.

WALLACE: And, you know, this is going to be a big issue for retired General Gary Luck, who is going to have a mission to investigate the current sort of operating plan for the coalition forces in Iraq; also, the training of these Iraqi Security Forces. What else do you believe he'll be looking for on that mission and as he reports back to the Pentagon?

MARKS: Kelly, I would say that, not to be pedantic or academic, but it's not really an investigation. It's an assessment on the part of General Luck to determine what is and what needs to be and the path to get there.

General Luck has incredible credentials. Everyone in the military knows General Gary Luck, respects him, understands where he came from. He's a Ph.D. Most don't understand. He's a brilliant man with a tremendous disarming capability.

So, everyone embraces General Luck, and he will do a magnificent job of uncovering those steps that need to take place in order to make sure that the coalition can achieve what they need to achieve with those Iraqi forces. It was a great choice.

WALLACE: Yes, a lot to watch as he reports back in, of course, the next two and a half weeks or so leading up the January 30 elections. General Marks, it's nice to talk to you on DAYBREAK. We look forward to talking in the weeks ahead.

MARKS: Kelly, thank you. Thank you.

WALLACE: Well, turning now to the tsunami disaster. Getting the much-needed relief to victims is a painstaking task. And yet, so many people have volunteered to do it. Bill Hemmer will speak with one such person on CNN's "AMERICAN MORNING." It's time to check in with him now.

Good morning -- Bill.

BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Hey, Kelly, good morning to you.

We'll talk about that relief effort that's still under way now in Southeast Asia. Also, Kelly, with all of this devastation, for people of different faiths the question about whether or not a higher power is behind all of this. And some religious leaders are even blaming it on the so-called wrath of God. We've heard that out of Sri Lanka. We've heard that out of parts of Indonesia.

Cardinal Theodore McKerik (ph), an archbishop out of Washington, is traveling now in Sri Lanka. He's there now for three days looking into the relief needs of that country. He met with the president today. What does he say about some of the religious explanations behind this tsunami disaster? We'll get his thoughts from overseas coming up here on "AMERICAN MORNING." Kelly -- see you at the top of the hour here.

WALLACE: We'll see you then, Bill. It's certainly water-cooler talk, right?

HEMMER: Indeed it is, yes.

WALLACE: People are saying, what is going on, on planet Earth? OK, Bill, we'll see you in a few minutes.

HEMMER: All right.

WALLACE: Well, maybe you're packing a bag now or maybe you're already sitting at the airport. Do you fly much? Ali Velshi breaks down the many frequent flier programs and how you can make them work for you. That is next.

And they may only be the size of a pack of gum, but wait until you hear what Apple's latest gadgets can do.

Here's a look now, though, at what else is making news this Wednesday morning. And we will be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WALLACE: A peaceful picture of New York City this early morning. Time now for a little business buzz.

If you are one of the few that doesn't already have an Apple iPod, that is good news. IPods are about to become a little more affordable.

Carrie Lee at the Nasdaq Marketsite with more.

How affordable will they become -- Carrie?

CARRIE LEE, CNN FINANCIAL NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Well, $99 to start, Kelly.

WALLACE: That's pretty good.

LEE: That is the lowest price for the basic model of the new iPod called the iPod Shuffle. IPods, as well as the new Mac computer, were introduced yesterday by Apple's CEO Steve Jobs at the Mac World Expo.

Let's go to the iPod Shuffle, so you can take a look. It's a very sleek, very neat design here. The smaller version, 120 songs for $99. The larger version, 240 songs for about $149. Currently, the cheapest iPod is the iPod's Mini for about 250 bucks. Now, the iPod Mini stores about 1,000 songs. Not only are these new iPod Shuffles cheaper, but they're smaller. They're going to be as small and light as a pack of gum, even smaller and lighter than that. So, that's what Jobs is saying.

Also, a new computer is coming out from Apple, and this is called the Mini Mac computer, about $500 without the mouse, monitor and keyboard. You take those things that you already have. You plug them into this new computer, which costs between $500 and $600, depending on the version. So, some very cool products coming out from Apple.

By the way, the company reports profits after the bell today. Expectations are pretty high, because, Kelly, this is a stock that has gained 180 percent over the past year, largely because of the iPod's success. So, we'll see if they can do it this quarter.

And, by the way, futures across the board are looking pretty strong, especially techs, because of Intel's solid profit report last night.

That's the latest from here.

WALLACE: All right, Carrie, yes, Apple. A lot of good news there. OK.

LEE: They always have cool products. They always stay under the curve.

WALLACE: Yes. And good names, too, right? The Shuffle.

LEE: Right. Everyone can sort of grasp it, cool technology for the everyman.

WALLACE: Exactly. All right, Carrie Lee, great to see you. Thanks so much.

Well, if you or someone you know is in a frequent flier program, you will want to hear this. With fares so low, are they worth using?

For that, we turn to DAYBREAK contributor, Ali Velshi. You're piloting away through that one.

ALI VELSHI, CNN DAYBREAK CONTRIBUTOR: Remember, for those of you who are in airports, I'm the guy who said they should keep feeding the pilots. Credit cards -- I want to go to the credit cards that are tied to airline miles. In the old days, that's all there was when they started with affinity cards. Now, you have an affinity card for anything -- your college, your Costco or whatever you want. But I want to talk about these cards that are tied to frequent flier miles.

Now, I have one card that I use that I have. It's tied to a frequent flier program. It's an American Express card that's tied to Air Canada's frequent flier program. I've never charged anything on this card. But the annual fee on that is worth it to me, because it gives me the ability to check in, in the first-class, the business- class line, to get through all of that clutter, and to use the lounges.

So, when you choose a frequent flier card, there are a few things that you should keep in mind. There are some things to consider.

First of all, it depends on where you live and where you fly. The Air Canada one works for me because my parents live in Toronto, and I fly there. Southwest is rated one of the best credit card- frequent flier combinations to have, but they don't fly out of New York. So, it's no good to me to have a Southwest card.

Remember that you have to accumulate about 25,000 miles for a domestic ticket. So, if you've got a card that's $1 to a mile, $25,000. Do you spend that much on your credit card? And think about the offers that you get from these credit cards. Almost none of them allow you to qualify for elite status on the miles. So, I may charge $50,000 a year, but it doesn't bump me up into another category.

Are there charges associated with free tickets? Are there free companion tickets that come with these things, although they are often very restrictive? Do you get upgrades by using this card? And do you get, like I said, the check-in privileges or lounge privileges?

WALLACE: You get so many requests all the time, so many different airlines, so many different credit companies.

VELSHI: Right.

WALLACE: It's really hard to negotiate through.

VELSHI: It is.

WALLACE: Do you just go with your favorite airline? Do you go with one that services many airlines?

VELSHI: Check the Web. There are such remarkable resources that rank these things. Obviously, if you're in a place where all of the airlines fly -- let's put up a list of what some of the airlines are and what their credit cards are. It depends on the airline, where you live, what the -- you know, what the bank's affiliation is. You can see some of these are American Express obviously is an American Express card, but Citi, Chase both have Visa and Mastercard, Northwest.

I should tell you, all of the airlines have some form of card. US Air has them. United has them.

Now, American Express and Diners are two of a breed of card that are for people who don't want it tied to a specific airline, because they allow you to transfer your miles to pretty much any airline. In fact, I was checking Chase, Discover, Bank One, Bank of America and other banks offer cards where you can accumulate miles, but you don't have to associate with one airline.

Remember one thing: If you carry a balance, this may not be a good idea, because the value of accumulating points is about 1.9 percent. The average interest rates on cards that are tied to frequent flier plans are about 5.9 percent higher. So, it's not a gain. If you carry a balance, generally speaking, these are not for you.

WALLACE: And, generally, try not to carry a balance, because we all know...

VELSHI: And that's a whole other story, exactly.

WALLACE: Oh, that is. That is.

VELSHI: Yes.

WALLACE: That is. All right, Ali Velshi, great information, if I could speak. Thank you so much.

VELSHI: Good to see you, Kelly.

WALLACE: Well, the mudslides in California have produced some unbelievable rescue and survivor stories. We've been seeing them on CNN.

"AMERICAN MORNING's" Soledad O'Brien joins us now with a look at what she's working on this morning.

Soledad, I'm having a problem speaking this morning, which is a problem.

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Kelly, girl, you've been working a lot of jobs, and you're filling in. And you're doing a great job. So you know what? If you can't speak, that happens. It's OK.

WALLACE: All right...

(CROSSTALK)

O'BRIEN: We understand what you're saying. Good morning to you.

We are obviously still following that aftermath of that massive mudslide in California. Now at least seven people are reported dead, 13 others missing, including three children. The big question, of course: Just how likely is it that anymore survivors could be found? Is there still a danger of more debris rolling down that hill? What does that mean to the folks who are trying to do those rescues?

This morning, we talk with Ventura County Fire Chief Bob Roper. He's heading up that rescue operation. We're going to ask him what's ahead today -- Kelly.

WALLACE: Soledad, a busy "AMERICAN MORNING." We'll see you in a few minutes at the top of the hour. Thanks so much.

Well, it is 12 days in. So, how is that resolution for 2005 going? Are you really cooking more healthy foods, eating less and sticking to those workouts? Coming up, Lisa Drayer explains another route you may choose on your path to weight loss: meeting with a nutritionist. That's all coming up right here on DAYBREAK. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WALLACE: OK. Lots of people started the New Year with one resolution: to lose weight. You've heard about Atkins, the Zone, Weight Watchers, South Beach. But there is another approach that you can say is a little more personalized.

Lisa Drayer is here to tell us all about it.

Good morning again, Lisa.

LISA DRAYER, REGISTERED DIETITIAN: Good morning, Kelly.

WALLACE: So, a more personalized approach to losing weight.

DRAYER: Exactly. We're not necessarily talking about another diet book or a diet program.

WALLACE: Good.

DRAYER: But rather a diet designed by a registered dietitian. So, if you enjoy a personalized approach to weight loss, including one-on-one support, then a diet designed by a dietitian may be an appropriate option for you.

WALLACE: So, people listening, they talk about a nutritionist, a dietitian.

DRAYER: Right.

WALLACE: Any differences there, or the same thing?

DRAYER: There is. Actually, anyone can call themselves a nutritionist, but only those who have met specific educational and training requirements by the American Dietetic Association can bear the RD title.

And part of this training includes the ability to customize an individual's diet, taking one's entire health picture into account. So, for example, if someone is overweight but also has heart disease, a dietitian may prescribe a diet that's not only low in calories, but also low in sodium and saturated fat. Or, for example, if someone wants to lose weight but their calcium intake is low, a dietitian can help to ensure that one's calcium needs are being met.

So, a dietitian will ask a lot of different questions during a consultation of what your daily routine is like, your exercise, your eating habits, and your medical history. And they'll usually use an assessment form.

And one of the things that make dietitians' approach different is that they can target your calorie level based on an adjusted body weight. So, for example, I brought this form in with me. We see it on the screen here now, and I did some calculations here. Someone who is 5 foot 4 and they weigh 150 pounds, if I, as a dietitian, were to see that person at 150, they wouldn't necessarily lose weight. If, for example, I see them at 120, their ideal body weight, that may be underfeeding them. So, a dietitian may prescribe calorie needs based on a weight that's in between an adjusted body weight.

WALLACE: Information, of course, is always important. So, the person going to the dietitian as well, what should he or she be asking or considering, or information they should hope to get from this person to decide what are the parts of the program?

DRAYER: Sure. Sure. There are a few things to take into account before you meet with a dietitian. So, first, you want to make sure you have a medical checkup. And also bring some lab values with you, if you have them, to your meeting.

Also, share your long-term goals with your dietitian, and make sure they understand what it is you want to accomplish.

Also, be sure to tell them about any vitamins or dietary supplements that you're taking. This is really important in order to assess your overall nutrition intake.

Also, be sure to answer any questions about medications. Sometimes there are some interactions with medications.

Also, be prepared to tell them exactly what you're eating. Sometimes dietitians will ask you to bring a three-day food record in to your meeting.

Also, expect to have your weight checked, and be sure to ask any questions if necessary. You may also want to ask if e-mail or phone consultation is available in between visits in case you have any questions after your initial meeting.

WALLACE: And, of course, you're continuing this series for the New Year. What's ahead for next week?

DRAYER: Next week we're going to give the lowdown on weight loss medications. So, if you're thinking about taking weight loss medications, what you need to know, who is eligible. We're going to give you all of those facts next week.

WALLACE: A lot to sort through there. Lisa Drayer, great to see you.

DRAYER: Great to see you.

WALLACE: Thanks for being here on DAYBREAK.

This is DAYBREAK for a Wednesday morning. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WALLACE: And time for one final check here on DAYBREAK of the weather.

(WEATHER REPORT)

WALLACE: All right, Chad, we're going to go right after the show, get some soup to Carol. We hope she is feeling better. Chad, always a pleasure to be with you here on DAYBREAK.

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: It was good seeing you.

WALLACE: You have a good day. From the Time Warner center in New York, I am Kelly Wallace. The news continues with "AMERICAN MORNING" right now.

MYERS: See you tomorrow.

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