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CNN Live At Daybreak
Cracking Down; War on Terror; Military Executives
Aired May 30, 2005 - 05:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Straight ahead on DAYBREAK, looking beyond al Qaeda. Is it time to open up some new fronts in the war on terror?
Plus, united we stand? Not in Europe. The French throw a wrench into the European Union's plan.
Plus, catchy tune, right? Try getting that one out of your head. The crazy frog hops from cell phones to the chop of the charts.
It is Monday, May 30, Memorial Day. This is DAYBREAK.
And good morning to you. From the Time Warner Center in New York, I'm Carol Costello, along with Chad Myers.
"Now in the News," two homes, six bodies. Six people were found shot to death in neighboring homes outside the central Ohio city of Bellefontaine. Police think it's a murder suicide. They plan to reveal more later this morning.
Is there a lack of unity in the European Union? Uh-huh. French voters have rejected the union's proposed constitution. President Jacques Chirac had strongly urged approval, but critics say a "yes" vote would have diminished France's national identity.
Lebanon has held its first parliamentary elections since Syrian troops pulled out, and early results show anti-Syrian officials are heading for power. A group led by the son of the assassinated former prime minister swept the first round of voting.
Two blasts this morning in Kabul, Afghanistan, may have targeted international troops. One roadside blast wounded seven people, another blast occurred near the NATO security force headquarters in the Afghan capital.
To the forecast center. Rob Marciano in for Chad Myers this morning.
Good morning.
ROB MARCIANO, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Hi, Carol.
(WEATHER REPORT)
COSTELLO: You sound so bad. Do you have a cold?
MARCIANO: You know, I do have a cold. But I kind of like it. It's kind of like Wolfman Jack kind of deejay thing going on. Is it bad?
COSTELLO: It's kind of husky.
MARCIANO: I'll drink some more tea. See you, Carol.
COSTELLO: I just hope you feel better. Thank you, Rob.
MARCIANO: I'm OK. Thanks.
COSTELLO: On to the news now.
At least 16 people are dead after a pair of suicide bombings south of Baghdad this morning. Many of the victims were police.
Two attackers wearing bomb-filled vests blew themselves up in Hillah. One bomber targeted a rally by Iraqi police commandos who were protesting their dismissal from the force. The other bombing happened about 150 away at a health center where police recruits were lining up for physicals. Thirty-five others were wounded.
This attack adds to the bloody wave of insurgent violence that's washed over the Baghdad area recently. In the meantime, Iraqi and U.S. forces are gearing up for a powerful response.
CNN's Ryan Chilcote has more from the Iraqi capital.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RYAN CHILCOTE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Insurgents kept up their attacks with a string of bombings and shootings over the weekend. In the Iraqi capital, gunmen opened fire on a police station and set off a car bomb as the fighting raged. Several Iraqis were killed in the attack, at least a dozen wounded.
In another attack in Baghdad, a suicide bomber detonated a car packed with explosives outside Iraq's Oil Ministry, again, killing and wounding Iraqis.
Iraq's security forces were preparing to strike back at the insurgents over the weekend, setting up several checkpoints for Operation Lightning. It's expected to be the largest operation since the fall of Saddam.
40,000 Iraqi soldiers and police backed up by 10,000 U.S. servicemen will set up more than 600 checkpoints and conduct house-to- house searches in an effort to stop the violence that's killed some 700 Iraqis and more than 60 U.S. troops this month.
Another car bomb detonated by a suicide bomber went off south of Kirkuk outside a school. Children were among the dead.
U.S. military says a record number of car bombs went off in May, more than 140 throughout Iraq. And a senior U.S. military intelligence officer poured new light on what he called a murky and sophisticated insurgency. According to the official, the U.S. believes there could be as many as 12,000 to 20,000 insurgents in Iraq. The vast majority of the insurgents he said are believed to be Sunni Arabs. Only 5 percent of the insurgents, says the source, are thought to be foreign fighters.
In an interview Sunday, chairman of the Joint Chiefs, General Richard Myers said the U.S. military believes the infamous foreigner in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, is wounded.
(on camera): While Zarqawi's foot soldiers are believed to be small in numbers, the U.S. military says they're responsible for a disproportionately large amount of the killing. The military says all of the suicide bombers responsible for some of the most appalling casualties have been foreigners.
Ryan Chilcote, CNN, Baghdad.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: In Afghanistan, some apparently new video has surfaced of an Italian hostage. Afghan TV stations aired the footage. Here it is.
It shows insurgents holding rifles to the head of aid worker Clementina Cantoni. She was kidnapped in Kabul on May 16, and there were some reports that she'd been killed. But on the tape she gives the date as May 28.
In our "Security Watch" this morning, one allegedly wanted to train terrorists, the other allegedly wanted to treat them. A doctor in Florida seen here -- you're going to see him in just a second -- there he is -- and a self-described martial arts expert from New York will be in federal court tomorrow.
The two, both U.S. citizens, are accused of conspiring to provide support to al Qaeda. Their arrests follow a two-year FBI sting in which the doctor allegedly agreed to treat wounded terrorists in Saudi Arabia. The FBI says the other man wanted to teach them hand-to-hand combat. Both men's families deny the charges.
Is the U.S. winning the war on terror? Or are the terrorists keeping one step ahead? Those are some of the tough questions counterterrorism officials are asking themselves as they take another look at their tactics.
CNN National Correspondent Bob Franken has more for you.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): As President Bush devotes part of his Memorial Day to commemorating the nation's war dead, his advisers are engaged in a significant review of today's war, the global war on terrorism.
GEN. RICHARD MYERS, JOINT CHIEFS CHAIRMAN: What they're trying to do, and what we're trying to do is look at our strategy and ensure that we use the right words, the right vocabulary and focus all interest of national power, just the refinement of what our current strategy is.
FRANKEN: That strategy since the September 11 attacks has included an intense emphasis on breaking the back of al Qaeda. But even though efforts to kill or capture Osama bin Laden have been unsuccessful, several other leaders have been removed.
Still, others have moved in. As the president's chief terrorism adviser told the "Washington Post," "Nature abhors a vacuum."
So officials in and out of the administration believe the time has come to expand the focus. And the co-chairman of the 9/11 Commission agrees.
LEE HAMILTON, 9/11 COMMISSION: The threat remains still very formidable, but it's much more diffuse than it was in a single little al Qaeda cell.
FRANKEN: Critics charge this review is long overdue.
SEN. CHRIS DODD, (D) CONNECTICUT: This is a debate they should have been having months ago, not just more recently, about whether or not there is a broader problem out there than just al Qaeda.
FRANKEN: In fact, the debate has been going on for some time, hampered by a delay in filling key positions in the anti-terrorism hierarchy.
(on camera): Critics say that the delay is causing a drift in policy, but the administration contends the need for change grows out of success. All agree that the war on terror is far from over.
Bob Franken, CNN, the White House.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: You can stay tuned to CNN day and night for the latest news about your security.
Shedding tears, paying tribute, and saying thanks, that's what Americans across the nation are doing on this Memorial Day. They're remembering fallen comrades and thinking of troops stationed overseas.
Thousands turned out for last night's Memorial Day concert at the Capitol Building in Washington. A priest offered condolences to families of soldiers killed in Iraq, and today World War II veterans get a special tribute. They'll be awarded the French Legion of Honor on the National Mall.
Also, President Bush lays a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns at the Arlington National Cemetery. That's at 11:00 a.m. Eastern. CNN will bring you the ceremony live.
And so, on this Memorial Day, we are asking a special e-mail question. What is your message to members of the U.S. military serving in Iraq, serving in Afghanistan and across the world?
You know, a lot of them listen to DAYBREAK and watch DAYBREAK, especially in Iraq. Please drop them a line. And if you're listening out there in Iraq or Afghanistan, drop us a line with what you'd like to say to the American people.
DAYBREAK@CNN.com. That's DAYBREAK@CNN.com.
Still to come, from the battlefield to the boardroom, how leadership skills from active duty can translate to big money in civilian life.
And later we'll take you to a couple of Vermont towns where things aren't quite the same because of that war in Iraq.
And French voters throw a wrench into a plan to bring European nations closer together.
This is DAYBREAK.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: Now to our market report. The international markets are in positive territory this morning. Japan's Nikkei closes up 74 points. The German DAX up nearly three. Markets are closed for the holidays in Britain and here in the United States.
Your news, money, weather and sports. It's 5:13 Eastern. Here's what's all new this morning.
A pair of suicide bombers in Iraq have killed at least 16 people. Many of the victims in Hillah were Iraqi police officers. Another 35 people were wounded in the explosions.
The pilot of a small plane is in critical condition this morning following a crash at an air race outside Oklahoma City. A member of his ground crew was killed after falling off the back of a truck while following the ambulance to the hospital.
In money news, FedEx says its customers would rather just have packages left at the door without having to sign a waiver. So the delivery giant will start charging $1.50 for customers who want to confirm delivery with a signature.
In culture, Oscar-winning director Oliver Stone is free on bond after his arrest on possible drunk driving and drug charges. Stone was stopped at a sobriety checkpoint in Beverly Hills. Police would not comment on what type of controlled substance they say they found in Stone's car.
In sports, rookie racing sensation Danica Patrick had a great debut at the Indianapolis 500. She was leading with just seven laps to go, but ended up finishing fourth. Englishman Don Wheldon -- Dan Wheldon, rather, passed her to win his first Indy 500 title.
To the forecast center and Rob. MARCIANO: Hey, Carol. I bet you the readings were pretty good on that race yesterday afternoon.
(WEATHER REPORT)
COSTELLO: Oh, it sounds great. Thank you, Rob.
That's a look at the latest headlines for you this morning.
Leaving the military for a civilian job is a career change of a lifetime for many servicemen and women. Many former military officers say they have what it takes to make top-notch executives, but does corporate America see it that way?
CNN's Kathleen Hays takes a look.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KATHLEEN HAYS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Operation Iraqi Freedom, starting summer 2003. Lieutenant Colonel Al Ahuja commanded an infantry battalion in Mosul, fighting insurgents, rebuilding the city. Now, after 20 years, he's leaving the Army. His new priority? His family.
LT. COL. AL AHUJA: I have a 3-year-old. I haven't been here for her first two birthdays.
HAYS: And his career. He's setting his sights on corporate America, and what he's selling above all is a lifetime of leadership.
AHUJA: It's something that you -- you can't get at a university. It's something that you can only get with experience and opportunity. And I think the Army provides opportunity every single day to build and develop your leadership skills.
HAYS: An estimated 250,000 people leave the military each year, according to "GI Jobs" magazine, and about 15 percent of these are officers. Military headhunters say the skills of these men and women are on par with those of senior executives at top corporations.
ALEX POWERS, CEO, MA3 LLC: They're great at team building, they're disciplined, they're highly educated, they're very well trained. And basically, they're -- for years they have been managing people, resources and equipment.
HAYS: That's why some companies actively recruit them, like Home Depot, Sprint and global powerhouse General Electric.
Air Force veteran Susan Kratch has worked at GE for two-and-a- half decades. She says former military officers have helped GE cut costs, boost quality and open new markets around the world.
SUSAN KRATCH, MILITARY INITIATIVE, GE: Where other people have failed before, these people seem to be able to conquer the mission and achieve the objectives.
HAYS: But she says they were not always welcome in corporate America.
KRATCH: When I got out of the Vietnam experience, people, when we left the military, were told, "Don't tell anyone you were in the military."
HAYS: Al Ahuja believes his talent for managing and motivating all kinds of people make him a perfect candidate for a job in retail distribution. And he's frustrated that some companies can't look past his lack of specific industry experience, because he's certain he has what it takes.
AHUJA: I'm new, full of fire. I want to bring some energy to your -- to your organization. And I know I can do well. Give me a chance.
HAYS: Companies who hire former military officers say it's more than a smart business move.
(on camera): They say it's a way to say thank you and to give something back to those who have given their service to their country.
Kathleen Hays, CNN, Fort Campbell, Kentucky.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: And also on this Memorial Day, we're asking you, what is your message to members of the U.S. military? Drop us an e-mail, DAYBREAK@CNN.com. That's DAYBREAK@CNN.com.
Still to come, two Vermont towns' very personal connection to the war in Iraq.
And later, they were assigned to Ground Zero in the days after 9/11. Now they feel the government is shortchanging their retirement benefits.
You are watching DAYBREAK for Memorial Day, Monday, May 30.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: Memorial Day is traditionally a time to remember those who have fallen. But many of us also take the time to think about those who are living in harm's way. In Vermont, small towns across the state are doing just that, as CNN's Dan Lothian reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DAN LOTHIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In northern Vermont, just across the border from Canada, the town of Enosburg looks more like a painting, a remote rural escape from big-city life.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Here everybody knows everybody in the surrounding area. So it's just one big family.
LOTHIAN: But this family of some 2,800 people is feeling a loss. The entire locally-based National Guard unit known as Bravo Company has been activated. Some 70 soldiers from here and surrounding towns sent to Iraq. Members of another nearby unit were activated, too.
(on camera): People living in this quite, scenic town now have a personal connection to a conflict thousands of miles away. It seems everybody either has someone or knows someone now serving in Iraq. Almost overnight life in many ways here has changed.
(voice-over): Mechanic Matt Tracy now shoulders the responsibility for this full-service gas station after the owner, Sergeant Major Mark LaRose (ph) was called up in December.
MATT TRACY, TEXACO EMPLOYEE: He's over there. He's preparing for war. And in reality, somebody has to stay behind.
LOTHIAN: But it hasn't been easy.
TRACY: Is it not working at all?
LOTHIAN: Tracy now has to worry about more than just what's under the hood.
TRACY: Ordering supplies, tires, fixing the furnace.
LOTHIAN: And with just a few months to go before getting his pre-law degree, Tracy's future plans are on hold.
TRACY: Well, I can't actually just go out and get a job in the legal field. I can't sign up to go to law school.
LOTHIAN: Just down the street at the local fire station...
ROBERT GLEASON, ASSISTANT FIRE CHIEF: It will be waiting for him when he gets back.
LOTHIAN: ... LaRose (ph) is also missed. The gas station owner is a volunteer fire captain. Two of the department's members are in Iraq.
GLEASON: We haven't made up for it. I mean, we just depend more on the neighboring departments for mutual aid if need be.
LOTHIAN: Small towns are especially hit hard by the military's need for National Guard troops. When they go, replacing them is often difficult.
At this feed plant in Richford, 10 miles from Enosburg, a half- dozen employees were activated.
PAUL ADAMCZAK, PLANT MANAGER: We've had people who have volunteered to accept new duties, move to different positions that were more sensitive, harder to replace.
LOTHIAN: But no one here or back in Enosburg is complaining. Residents are proud of their soldiers. There are banners on posts, ribbons on trees and candles in windows.
And back at the gas station... TRACY: It's a matter of doing what I'm doing, taking up the slack so they can do what they have to do.
LOTHIAN: ... a sense of duty on the home front.
Dan Lothian, CNN, Enosburg, Vermont.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: And on this Memorial Day we're asking you to send a message to those serving overseas, to those serving in this country, to veterans past and present. And we've gotten a few in so far.
Rob, take it away.
MARCIANO: OK. This one from Kathy (ph) in Arizona. And she says, "Please don't find this to be a cliche, but you are truly the honorable and brave of our country. We owe you our freedom, our future and our thanks. God bless you."
COSTELLO: Oh. This is from Carol in Saginaw, Michigan. She says, "I am a proud Navy veteran back when women serving in the Navy were called WAVES." I'm reading this off my computer.
"Now women serving are called sailors. I am very proud of the women doing the job. I would like to say thank you and hurry home to the women and men serving our country around the world."
Thank you for your e-mails. Send some more in, because the guys and gals overseas do watch DAYBREAK, and they will get your messages.
DAYBREAK@CNN.com. That's DAYBREAK@CNN.com.
We're going to head to a break. We'll be back with much more on DAYBREAK.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: Good morning. Welcome to the second half-hour of DAYBREAK. From the Time Warner Center in New York, I'm Carol Costello.
""Now in the News," at least 16 people were killed this morning by a pair of suicide bombers south of Baghdad. Many of the victims were Iraqi police officers. As many as 35 others were wounded in coordinated explosions.
Two U.S. citizens face a judge tomorrow on charges of conspiring to help al Qaeda. The FBI arrested a Florida doctor and a New York martial arts expert over the weekend. Authorities say they conspired to treat and train terrorists.
Police believe the killings of six people in Ohio was a murder- suicide. The six were found shot in two neighboring farmhouses about 45 miles northwest of Columbus. A 15-year-old girl survived, but she's in critical condition this morning. Former President Clinton is getting an earful this morning. He's on the last leg of his tour of tsunami-ravaged areas. Clinton was in the Maldives yesterday. This morning he's in Indonesia's Aceh Province, where survivors complain aid is coming in way too slowly.
To the forecast center. Rob Marciano in for Chad this morning.
Good morning.
MARCIANO: Hi, Carol.
(WEATHER REPORT)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired May 30, 2005 - 05:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Straight ahead on DAYBREAK, looking beyond al Qaeda. Is it time to open up some new fronts in the war on terror?
Plus, united we stand? Not in Europe. The French throw a wrench into the European Union's plan.
Plus, catchy tune, right? Try getting that one out of your head. The crazy frog hops from cell phones to the chop of the charts.
It is Monday, May 30, Memorial Day. This is DAYBREAK.
And good morning to you. From the Time Warner Center in New York, I'm Carol Costello, along with Chad Myers.
"Now in the News," two homes, six bodies. Six people were found shot to death in neighboring homes outside the central Ohio city of Bellefontaine. Police think it's a murder suicide. They plan to reveal more later this morning.
Is there a lack of unity in the European Union? Uh-huh. French voters have rejected the union's proposed constitution. President Jacques Chirac had strongly urged approval, but critics say a "yes" vote would have diminished France's national identity.
Lebanon has held its first parliamentary elections since Syrian troops pulled out, and early results show anti-Syrian officials are heading for power. A group led by the son of the assassinated former prime minister swept the first round of voting.
Two blasts this morning in Kabul, Afghanistan, may have targeted international troops. One roadside blast wounded seven people, another blast occurred near the NATO security force headquarters in the Afghan capital.
To the forecast center. Rob Marciano in for Chad Myers this morning.
Good morning.
ROB MARCIANO, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Hi, Carol.
(WEATHER REPORT)
COSTELLO: You sound so bad. Do you have a cold?
MARCIANO: You know, I do have a cold. But I kind of like it. It's kind of like Wolfman Jack kind of deejay thing going on. Is it bad?
COSTELLO: It's kind of husky.
MARCIANO: I'll drink some more tea. See you, Carol.
COSTELLO: I just hope you feel better. Thank you, Rob.
MARCIANO: I'm OK. Thanks.
COSTELLO: On to the news now.
At least 16 people are dead after a pair of suicide bombings south of Baghdad this morning. Many of the victims were police.
Two attackers wearing bomb-filled vests blew themselves up in Hillah. One bomber targeted a rally by Iraqi police commandos who were protesting their dismissal from the force. The other bombing happened about 150 away at a health center where police recruits were lining up for physicals. Thirty-five others were wounded.
This attack adds to the bloody wave of insurgent violence that's washed over the Baghdad area recently. In the meantime, Iraqi and U.S. forces are gearing up for a powerful response.
CNN's Ryan Chilcote has more from the Iraqi capital.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RYAN CHILCOTE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Insurgents kept up their attacks with a string of bombings and shootings over the weekend. In the Iraqi capital, gunmen opened fire on a police station and set off a car bomb as the fighting raged. Several Iraqis were killed in the attack, at least a dozen wounded.
In another attack in Baghdad, a suicide bomber detonated a car packed with explosives outside Iraq's Oil Ministry, again, killing and wounding Iraqis.
Iraq's security forces were preparing to strike back at the insurgents over the weekend, setting up several checkpoints for Operation Lightning. It's expected to be the largest operation since the fall of Saddam.
40,000 Iraqi soldiers and police backed up by 10,000 U.S. servicemen will set up more than 600 checkpoints and conduct house-to- house searches in an effort to stop the violence that's killed some 700 Iraqis and more than 60 U.S. troops this month.
Another car bomb detonated by a suicide bomber went off south of Kirkuk outside a school. Children were among the dead.
U.S. military says a record number of car bombs went off in May, more than 140 throughout Iraq. And a senior U.S. military intelligence officer poured new light on what he called a murky and sophisticated insurgency. According to the official, the U.S. believes there could be as many as 12,000 to 20,000 insurgents in Iraq. The vast majority of the insurgents he said are believed to be Sunni Arabs. Only 5 percent of the insurgents, says the source, are thought to be foreign fighters.
In an interview Sunday, chairman of the Joint Chiefs, General Richard Myers said the U.S. military believes the infamous foreigner in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, is wounded.
(on camera): While Zarqawi's foot soldiers are believed to be small in numbers, the U.S. military says they're responsible for a disproportionately large amount of the killing. The military says all of the suicide bombers responsible for some of the most appalling casualties have been foreigners.
Ryan Chilcote, CNN, Baghdad.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: In Afghanistan, some apparently new video has surfaced of an Italian hostage. Afghan TV stations aired the footage. Here it is.
It shows insurgents holding rifles to the head of aid worker Clementina Cantoni. She was kidnapped in Kabul on May 16, and there were some reports that she'd been killed. But on the tape she gives the date as May 28.
In our "Security Watch" this morning, one allegedly wanted to train terrorists, the other allegedly wanted to treat them. A doctor in Florida seen here -- you're going to see him in just a second -- there he is -- and a self-described martial arts expert from New York will be in federal court tomorrow.
The two, both U.S. citizens, are accused of conspiring to provide support to al Qaeda. Their arrests follow a two-year FBI sting in which the doctor allegedly agreed to treat wounded terrorists in Saudi Arabia. The FBI says the other man wanted to teach them hand-to-hand combat. Both men's families deny the charges.
Is the U.S. winning the war on terror? Or are the terrorists keeping one step ahead? Those are some of the tough questions counterterrorism officials are asking themselves as they take another look at their tactics.
CNN National Correspondent Bob Franken has more for you.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): As President Bush devotes part of his Memorial Day to commemorating the nation's war dead, his advisers are engaged in a significant review of today's war, the global war on terrorism.
GEN. RICHARD MYERS, JOINT CHIEFS CHAIRMAN: What they're trying to do, and what we're trying to do is look at our strategy and ensure that we use the right words, the right vocabulary and focus all interest of national power, just the refinement of what our current strategy is.
FRANKEN: That strategy since the September 11 attacks has included an intense emphasis on breaking the back of al Qaeda. But even though efforts to kill or capture Osama bin Laden have been unsuccessful, several other leaders have been removed.
Still, others have moved in. As the president's chief terrorism adviser told the "Washington Post," "Nature abhors a vacuum."
So officials in and out of the administration believe the time has come to expand the focus. And the co-chairman of the 9/11 Commission agrees.
LEE HAMILTON, 9/11 COMMISSION: The threat remains still very formidable, but it's much more diffuse than it was in a single little al Qaeda cell.
FRANKEN: Critics charge this review is long overdue.
SEN. CHRIS DODD, (D) CONNECTICUT: This is a debate they should have been having months ago, not just more recently, about whether or not there is a broader problem out there than just al Qaeda.
FRANKEN: In fact, the debate has been going on for some time, hampered by a delay in filling key positions in the anti-terrorism hierarchy.
(on camera): Critics say that the delay is causing a drift in policy, but the administration contends the need for change grows out of success. All agree that the war on terror is far from over.
Bob Franken, CNN, the White House.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: You can stay tuned to CNN day and night for the latest news about your security.
Shedding tears, paying tribute, and saying thanks, that's what Americans across the nation are doing on this Memorial Day. They're remembering fallen comrades and thinking of troops stationed overseas.
Thousands turned out for last night's Memorial Day concert at the Capitol Building in Washington. A priest offered condolences to families of soldiers killed in Iraq, and today World War II veterans get a special tribute. They'll be awarded the French Legion of Honor on the National Mall.
Also, President Bush lays a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns at the Arlington National Cemetery. That's at 11:00 a.m. Eastern. CNN will bring you the ceremony live.
And so, on this Memorial Day, we are asking a special e-mail question. What is your message to members of the U.S. military serving in Iraq, serving in Afghanistan and across the world?
You know, a lot of them listen to DAYBREAK and watch DAYBREAK, especially in Iraq. Please drop them a line. And if you're listening out there in Iraq or Afghanistan, drop us a line with what you'd like to say to the American people.
DAYBREAK@CNN.com. That's DAYBREAK@CNN.com.
Still to come, from the battlefield to the boardroom, how leadership skills from active duty can translate to big money in civilian life.
And later we'll take you to a couple of Vermont towns where things aren't quite the same because of that war in Iraq.
And French voters throw a wrench into a plan to bring European nations closer together.
This is DAYBREAK.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: Now to our market report. The international markets are in positive territory this morning. Japan's Nikkei closes up 74 points. The German DAX up nearly three. Markets are closed for the holidays in Britain and here in the United States.
Your news, money, weather and sports. It's 5:13 Eastern. Here's what's all new this morning.
A pair of suicide bombers in Iraq have killed at least 16 people. Many of the victims in Hillah were Iraqi police officers. Another 35 people were wounded in the explosions.
The pilot of a small plane is in critical condition this morning following a crash at an air race outside Oklahoma City. A member of his ground crew was killed after falling off the back of a truck while following the ambulance to the hospital.
In money news, FedEx says its customers would rather just have packages left at the door without having to sign a waiver. So the delivery giant will start charging $1.50 for customers who want to confirm delivery with a signature.
In culture, Oscar-winning director Oliver Stone is free on bond after his arrest on possible drunk driving and drug charges. Stone was stopped at a sobriety checkpoint in Beverly Hills. Police would not comment on what type of controlled substance they say they found in Stone's car.
In sports, rookie racing sensation Danica Patrick had a great debut at the Indianapolis 500. She was leading with just seven laps to go, but ended up finishing fourth. Englishman Don Wheldon -- Dan Wheldon, rather, passed her to win his first Indy 500 title.
To the forecast center and Rob. MARCIANO: Hey, Carol. I bet you the readings were pretty good on that race yesterday afternoon.
(WEATHER REPORT)
COSTELLO: Oh, it sounds great. Thank you, Rob.
That's a look at the latest headlines for you this morning.
Leaving the military for a civilian job is a career change of a lifetime for many servicemen and women. Many former military officers say they have what it takes to make top-notch executives, but does corporate America see it that way?
CNN's Kathleen Hays takes a look.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KATHLEEN HAYS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Operation Iraqi Freedom, starting summer 2003. Lieutenant Colonel Al Ahuja commanded an infantry battalion in Mosul, fighting insurgents, rebuilding the city. Now, after 20 years, he's leaving the Army. His new priority? His family.
LT. COL. AL AHUJA: I have a 3-year-old. I haven't been here for her first two birthdays.
HAYS: And his career. He's setting his sights on corporate America, and what he's selling above all is a lifetime of leadership.
AHUJA: It's something that you -- you can't get at a university. It's something that you can only get with experience and opportunity. And I think the Army provides opportunity every single day to build and develop your leadership skills.
HAYS: An estimated 250,000 people leave the military each year, according to "GI Jobs" magazine, and about 15 percent of these are officers. Military headhunters say the skills of these men and women are on par with those of senior executives at top corporations.
ALEX POWERS, CEO, MA3 LLC: They're great at team building, they're disciplined, they're highly educated, they're very well trained. And basically, they're -- for years they have been managing people, resources and equipment.
HAYS: That's why some companies actively recruit them, like Home Depot, Sprint and global powerhouse General Electric.
Air Force veteran Susan Kratch has worked at GE for two-and-a- half decades. She says former military officers have helped GE cut costs, boost quality and open new markets around the world.
SUSAN KRATCH, MILITARY INITIATIVE, GE: Where other people have failed before, these people seem to be able to conquer the mission and achieve the objectives.
HAYS: But she says they were not always welcome in corporate America.
KRATCH: When I got out of the Vietnam experience, people, when we left the military, were told, "Don't tell anyone you were in the military."
HAYS: Al Ahuja believes his talent for managing and motivating all kinds of people make him a perfect candidate for a job in retail distribution. And he's frustrated that some companies can't look past his lack of specific industry experience, because he's certain he has what it takes.
AHUJA: I'm new, full of fire. I want to bring some energy to your -- to your organization. And I know I can do well. Give me a chance.
HAYS: Companies who hire former military officers say it's more than a smart business move.
(on camera): They say it's a way to say thank you and to give something back to those who have given their service to their country.
Kathleen Hays, CNN, Fort Campbell, Kentucky.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: And also on this Memorial Day, we're asking you, what is your message to members of the U.S. military? Drop us an e-mail, DAYBREAK@CNN.com. That's DAYBREAK@CNN.com.
Still to come, two Vermont towns' very personal connection to the war in Iraq.
And later, they were assigned to Ground Zero in the days after 9/11. Now they feel the government is shortchanging their retirement benefits.
You are watching DAYBREAK for Memorial Day, Monday, May 30.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: Memorial Day is traditionally a time to remember those who have fallen. But many of us also take the time to think about those who are living in harm's way. In Vermont, small towns across the state are doing just that, as CNN's Dan Lothian reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DAN LOTHIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In northern Vermont, just across the border from Canada, the town of Enosburg looks more like a painting, a remote rural escape from big-city life.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Here everybody knows everybody in the surrounding area. So it's just one big family.
LOTHIAN: But this family of some 2,800 people is feeling a loss. The entire locally-based National Guard unit known as Bravo Company has been activated. Some 70 soldiers from here and surrounding towns sent to Iraq. Members of another nearby unit were activated, too.
(on camera): People living in this quite, scenic town now have a personal connection to a conflict thousands of miles away. It seems everybody either has someone or knows someone now serving in Iraq. Almost overnight life in many ways here has changed.
(voice-over): Mechanic Matt Tracy now shoulders the responsibility for this full-service gas station after the owner, Sergeant Major Mark LaRose (ph) was called up in December.
MATT TRACY, TEXACO EMPLOYEE: He's over there. He's preparing for war. And in reality, somebody has to stay behind.
LOTHIAN: But it hasn't been easy.
TRACY: Is it not working at all?
LOTHIAN: Tracy now has to worry about more than just what's under the hood.
TRACY: Ordering supplies, tires, fixing the furnace.
LOTHIAN: And with just a few months to go before getting his pre-law degree, Tracy's future plans are on hold.
TRACY: Well, I can't actually just go out and get a job in the legal field. I can't sign up to go to law school.
LOTHIAN: Just down the street at the local fire station...
ROBERT GLEASON, ASSISTANT FIRE CHIEF: It will be waiting for him when he gets back.
LOTHIAN: ... LaRose (ph) is also missed. The gas station owner is a volunteer fire captain. Two of the department's members are in Iraq.
GLEASON: We haven't made up for it. I mean, we just depend more on the neighboring departments for mutual aid if need be.
LOTHIAN: Small towns are especially hit hard by the military's need for National Guard troops. When they go, replacing them is often difficult.
At this feed plant in Richford, 10 miles from Enosburg, a half- dozen employees were activated.
PAUL ADAMCZAK, PLANT MANAGER: We've had people who have volunteered to accept new duties, move to different positions that were more sensitive, harder to replace.
LOTHIAN: But no one here or back in Enosburg is complaining. Residents are proud of their soldiers. There are banners on posts, ribbons on trees and candles in windows.
And back at the gas station... TRACY: It's a matter of doing what I'm doing, taking up the slack so they can do what they have to do.
LOTHIAN: ... a sense of duty on the home front.
Dan Lothian, CNN, Enosburg, Vermont.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: And on this Memorial Day we're asking you to send a message to those serving overseas, to those serving in this country, to veterans past and present. And we've gotten a few in so far.
Rob, take it away.
MARCIANO: OK. This one from Kathy (ph) in Arizona. And she says, "Please don't find this to be a cliche, but you are truly the honorable and brave of our country. We owe you our freedom, our future and our thanks. God bless you."
COSTELLO: Oh. This is from Carol in Saginaw, Michigan. She says, "I am a proud Navy veteran back when women serving in the Navy were called WAVES." I'm reading this off my computer.
"Now women serving are called sailors. I am very proud of the women doing the job. I would like to say thank you and hurry home to the women and men serving our country around the world."
Thank you for your e-mails. Send some more in, because the guys and gals overseas do watch DAYBREAK, and they will get your messages.
DAYBREAK@CNN.com. That's DAYBREAK@CNN.com.
We're going to head to a break. We'll be back with much more on DAYBREAK.
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COSTELLO: Good morning. Welcome to the second half-hour of DAYBREAK. From the Time Warner Center in New York, I'm Carol Costello.
""Now in the News," at least 16 people were killed this morning by a pair of suicide bombers south of Baghdad. Many of the victims were Iraqi police officers. As many as 35 others were wounded in coordinated explosions.
Two U.S. citizens face a judge tomorrow on charges of conspiring to help al Qaeda. The FBI arrested a Florida doctor and a New York martial arts expert over the weekend. Authorities say they conspired to treat and train terrorists.
Police believe the killings of six people in Ohio was a murder- suicide. The six were found shot in two neighboring farmhouses about 45 miles northwest of Columbus. A 15-year-old girl survived, but she's in critical condition this morning. Former President Clinton is getting an earful this morning. He's on the last leg of his tour of tsunami-ravaged areas. Clinton was in the Maldives yesterday. This morning he's in Indonesia's Aceh Province, where survivors complain aid is coming in way too slowly.
To the forecast center. Rob Marciano in for Chad this morning.
Good morning.
MARCIANO: Hi, Carol.
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