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CNN Live Today

A New Push; Iraq Hearings; Morongo Valley Fire

Aired June 23, 2005 - 10:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

DONALD RUMSFELD, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: A year ago, six Iraqi army battalions were in training. Today, dozens of trained battalions are capable of conducting anti-insurgent operations, albeit with coalition support. Sections of the country are relatively peaceful and essentially under control of Iraqi security forces at the present time.
Finally the question is asked, when can the coalition leave and should Congress establish a deadline to withdraw? Some in congress have suggested that deadlines be set. That would be a mistake, as Senator Levin has said. It would throw a lifeline to terrorists who in recent months have suffered significant losses in casualties, been denied havens and suffered weakened popular support.

Timing in war is never predictable. There are no guarantees. And any who say that we've lost this war or that we're losing this war are wrong. We are not.

Coalition military personnel are in Iraq at the request of the Iraqi government. They are under the U.N. Security Council Resolution 1546. The objectives of the overwhelming majority of the Iraqis and the coalition are the same, and that's a peaceful and prosperous Iraq with a representative government. Even today that is a radical notion in that part of the world. And the fact is that a new approach is going to result in confusion, resistance and difficulties as we've seen, and we understand that.

Iraq was a violent place before its liberation, and there will undoubtedly be some violence in Iraq after the coalition forces depart. But success in this effort cannot be defined by domestic tranquility. Rather, success will be when there's a free Iraq where Iraqis are the guarantor of their own security with minimal coalition involvement, and that will be an historic accomplishment.

The timing must be condition-based. It will depend on the extent to which the various ethnic factions reconcile and they're not doing that. The level of support from the international community, and with the successful meeting recently in Brussels this week, international support is growing. The U.N. and NATO, for example, are increasing their commitments and the timing will depend on Iraq's neighbors as well whose behavior continues to be unhelpful. Insurgents continue to come in to Iraq from Syria and Iran. Nations that serve as conduits for mass murderers are not friends of the Iraqi people, they're not friends of the United States, and they're certainly not friends of the civilized world.

One final point. Someone recently asked me about the differences between my current tenure at secretary of defense and my previous service some 30 years ago. One thing that's remained the same is the tendency in some quarters to blame America for the world's troubles. Well, I'm not one who wakes up every morning seeking ways to suggest that America's what's wrong with the world. The people who are going on television chopping off people's heads and using disabled children as suicide bombers, they're what's wrong with the world. The violent extremist that killed 3,000 innocent men, women and children on September 11th, they're what's wrong with the world.

In every war there are individuals who commit wrongdoing and there are setbacks and there are hardships. Recently the noted historian and author David McCullagh (ph) recalled the year 1776 as the most important year and the most important conflict in our history. He said if it had been covered by the media and the country had seen how horrible conditions were and what a very serious soup we were in, I think that would have been it.

And in 1864, many, including President Lincoln himself, believed that he would lose the upcoming election due in part to the slew of criticism he was receiving for his prosecution of the Civil War. Speaking to an Ohio regimen, President Lincoln said, and I quote, "I wish it might be more generally and universally understood what the country is now engaged in. There may be mistakes made sometime, and things may be done wrong, while the officers of the government do all they can to prevent mistake. But I beg of you, as citizens of this great republic, not to let your minds be carried off from the great work we have before us." That was good advice.

Today's service men and women, like the generations before them, are performing noble work. Though some pundits and observers and non- participants have criticized the American military with inaccurate comparisons and purple rhetoric, those of us who work with the men and women in the U.S. armed forces know otherwise. Our fellow citizens in uniform serve with great compassion, with professionalism, amid danger and provocation and we should not allow the actions of a few to distract from the mission we face or from the necessity to succeed.

To all U.S. military personnel, and their families, who sacrifice while Guardsmen and Reservists are deployed in battle, I offer my fullest appreciation. And one day, all those who have made sacrifices on behalf of this cause and the American people who support their important work will find a place of honor in our country's history. And they will have won the appreciation and respect that they've richly earned. And I include the three general officers here today.

Thank you.

SEN JOHN WARNER, (R) ARMED SERVICES CHAIRMAN: Thank you, Mr. Secretary.

And I might add that when a group of us had a chance to be with the president the other day, he likewise indicated the extraordinary trust and confidence he has in the military officers appearing before us today in this hearing and others throughout the world. We're fortunate to have them in the service of our country.

General Myers.

GEN. RICHARD MYERS, JOINT CHIEFS CHAIRMAN: Well, thank you, Mr. Chairman, and Senator Levin, and members of the committee. Thank you for your continuing support of our men and women in uniform and for this opportunity to discuss our progress and challenges in Iraq.

In the year since the transfer of sovereignty in Iraq, we have watched the Iraqi government and Iraqi security forces make steady progress in providing for their own security. Of course, many, many challenges still remain. We see that every day as violent extremists murder innocent men, women and children and sabotage the efforts of the Iraqi people and the coalition.

But that's only part of the story. Every day as well, the new Iraqi government, with the help of the coalition, takes significant, positive steps down the road to freedom and to security. We are on the right course and we must stay that course. Under General Abizaid's (ph) and General Casey's (ph) leadership, we have the right strategy for helping build a new and secure Iraq, at peace with neighbors, with a representative government that respects human rights and maintains the rule of law.

The stakes in Iraq are enormous. Iraq isn't just a battle in the struggle against violent extremism in al Qaeda, it is currently the central battle. The enemy is counting on our resolve to weaken. I can assure you, however, that our men and women in uniform are firm in their resolve. We're grateful for the support of the American people. And that support absolutely must continue until the job is done. And while we're all eager to see our troops come home, leaving before the task is complete would be catastrophic. Not only for Iraq, but also for the overall struggle against violent extremism and for our national security.

Our troops understand exactly what's at stake in Iraq and they know that they're making a huge and important difference. One army captain from Pennsylvania, currently on his second deployment to Iraq, wrote home in an e-mail, "when I'm really tired, I occasionally think that I am giving a little more than my share. But then I think back to World War II and Korea when soldiers deployed, oftentimes not knowing when they were coming home. That gets me back in the correct frame of mind." I'm very proud of all our servicemen and women, as I know you all are. Proud of their tremendous determination, their courage, the compassion that they show every day under very challenging conditions.

You know, shortly we're going to celebrate the Fourth of July. The day that our nation's first leaders told the world what we stand for as Americans. And as we approach the Fourth, we're also reminded that building a free and open society is a very difficult task. And it takes a long time. But it is a most noble task. And I think we're all grateful for our freedoms, we're grateful for those that have fought for those freedoms in the past and those that today are fighting to defend those freedoms as well. We thank you for your support and we look forward to your questions. Thank you.

WARNER: At this time, the committee will stand in recess until the completion of the vote.

DARYN KAGAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: So the Senate Arms Services Committee there having a recess so they can go in to the Senate floor and have a closer (ph) vote on the energy bill.

But today, in front of this Senate Armed Services Committee, the topic is training of troops in Iraq and why has it gone behind what apparently was the schedule.

Let's bring in two of our correspondents to talk about the hearings and the situation in Iraq today. First, let's go to the Pentagon and our Jamie McIntyre.

Jamie, a very strong message from both the defense secretary and the joint chief chairman, do not put a deadline on when you pull troops out because it's going to send the wrong message.

JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And an agreement from the ranking Democrat as well, Senator Carl Levin, that issuing a deadline or a timetable at this point would be a mistake and send the wrong message to the forces that the U.S. and Iraqi government are fighting in Iraq. Levin saying, though, that the Iraqi government ought to be told that if they don't ratify the constitution on schedule, that the United States would consider a pullout in the future.

Again, Defense Secretary Rumsfeld delivering a strong defense of a policy, claiming that critics who say the U.S. is losing in Iraq are wrong. He did acknowledge the rising levels of violence, and said that the -- success in Iraq would not be measured, he said, by domestic tranquility on the ground. He also said, again, that setting any kind of a deadline for withdrawal of troops would send a lifeline to the terrorists, who he said have been losing popular support, have been suffering heavy casualties, and are being denied sanctuary in many parts of Iraq.

And he also continued to draw on historical parallels, hearkening back to the early days of the United States, the difficulties that President Lincoln faced during the Civil War, an how things can look a lot worse at the time than they do sometimes in retrospect. So Defense Secretary Rumsfeld trying to take a long view, saying that this is going to be a difficult time, urging patience and claiming that the U.S. has the right strategy for success.

Daryn.

KAGAN: And speaking of strategy and success, Jamie, what's the thinking about why this has not gone exactly as planned? That the Iraqi forces have not come along as quickly as hoped?

MCINTYRE: I think that they always new that building a new Iraqi force from scratch was going to be a difficult job. What they, I think, admit that they failed to anticipate is the -- to the extent that Iraq would become the battleground for terrorists from outside Iraq. They continue to point out that some of the most deadly attacks now against Iraqi citizens and police are coming from suicide bombers who are coming in to the country from outside. And Defense Secretary Rumsfeld continued to site Syria and Iran as, in his words, unhelpful in the fact that they allow -- are allowing people to come in to Iraq and fight this battle there.

So they clearly didn't anticipate that this insurgency would go on as long as it did and would be so fueled by outside forces. But they continue to argue that Iraq is the best place to battle these terrorists and that it's important work that needs to be done.

KAGAN: Jamie McIntyre at the Pentagon. I'm sure we'll be back to you many times as the morning goes on.

Thank you.

Meanwhile, let's talk about public opinion. It has been slipping in the war for Iraq. President Bush doing his best now to try to turn that around and mounting a new initiative to rally support for the mission. Our Elaine Quijano is at the White House with that story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT, (voice over): Against a backdrop of daily insurgent attacks on Iraqis and coalition forces, President Bush is facing a personal approval rating hovering below 50 percent, as well as falling support for the Iraq conflict. The latest CNN/"USA Today/Gallup Poll shows only 39 percent of Americans say they favor the war, down eight points from March. The president is now in the midst of a public relations push, a sharpening of his focus on Iraq, say aides, to provide more context.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We're making progress toward the goal, which is, on the one hand, a political process moving forward in Iraq. On the other hand, the Iraqis capable of defending themselves.

QUIJANO: The Bush administration says more than 169,000 Iraqi security forces have been trained and equipped. Evidence, officials say, of an improving situation. Yet Democrats are sharpening their criticisms, pointing to statements like this one from Vice President Dick Cheney last month.

DICK CHENEY, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I think they're in the last throes, if you will, of the insurgency.

SEN. JOSEPH BIDEN, (D) DELAWARE: And suggesting that everything's just hunky-dory and the insurgency is on the wane is not -- does not comport with reality.

QUIJANO: Democratic Senator Joe Biden, who recently announced a possible presidential run in 2008, says he believes the security situation in Iraq is more precarious than the administration has depicted. BIDEN: The disconnect between the administration's rhetoric and the reality of being on the ground has opened not just a credibility gap, but a credibility casum (ph).

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: And that was our Elaine Quijano reporting from the White House on that story.

So ss the debate goes on here in the U.S., the violence continues in Iraq.

For more on that, let's go live to Baghdad and our Jennifer Eccleston.

Jennifer, hello.

JENNIFER ECCLESTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Daryn.

Well, that's right, the reality on the ground is that the violence shows no sign of abating. There were four early morning car bomb blasts in the busy Karada (ph) commercial district in Central Baghdad. That left 17 people dead, including 68 wounded. Now the attacks targeted two Shiite mosques and an Iraqi police patrol where three officers were killed. Another blast took place outside of a public bathhouse. And then a fifth car bomb was discovered but it was diffused.

Now, the explosions came within hours of last night's bomb blast. Five car bombs in total where 18 people died, in the mainly Shiite districts of the city. We understand that 46 people there were wounded.

Now, the police say the attacks are the work of foreign insurgents targeting the Ahiite community, pitting them against the minority Sunni community here, increasing the chance of sectarian violence. And these attacks happened despite, Daryn, an ongoing security operation here in Baghdad called Operation Lightning, which is specifically designed to reduce the number of car bombs and to reduce the number of insurgent attacks.

Daryn.

KAGAN: Jennifer Eccleston live from Baghdad.

Jennifer, thank you.

Our Wolf Blitzer will sits down for an exclusive one-on-one interview this afternoon with Vice President Dick Cheney on Iraq, Guantanamo Bay and the search for Osama bin Laden. You can see that in its entirety today on "Wolf Blitzer Reports." That's 5 Eastern, 2 Pacific right here on CNN.

Hundreds of people are packing up, they are moving out as raging wildfires burn out of control in western states. We'll take you there live after a quick break. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: Here we are just two days into summer. The western U.S. already facing the first wildfires of the season. At least seven homes have already burned in California's Morongo Valley and about two dozen more are threatened by this fast moving wildfire. Fifty-five hundred acres have already been blackened.

In Arizona, lightning has ignited two wildfires just about eight miles apart in the Tonto National Forest. That's about 20 miles northeast of Phoenix. About 250 homes have been evacuated as the flames creep within a mile of a subdivision.

In Nevada, crews took advantages of some calm winds to rein in a fire that has blackened 750 acres near Carson City. Meanwhile, lightning is blamed for at least 10 wildfires in Southern Nevada. The largest blaze has swept across 2,500 acres in the Desert National Wildlife Refuge.

Let's go ahead and check in on the largest wildfire now burning in California. Our Thelma Gutierrez is in Morongo Valley. That's where flames have already raced through some 5,500 acres of desert brush.

Thelma, good morning.

THELMA GUTIERREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Daryn.

Well, I am happy to report that 17 miles of Highway 62, which was previously close out here, has finally been opened and so now all the resident who were previously evacuated are able to come back to their homes.

Now the scene out here has changed very dramatically within the last couple of hours. A short time ago the hill that you could see right behind me were completely engulfed in flames. But if you take a look right now, you can see that it is completely out. There were 300 fire fighters who came from all over the state, who were working through the night to create some kind of a fire line to save several dozen homes below the ridgeline.

Now the fire began afternoon yesterday. It started with a 911 call that there was a house fire. Officials are not sure exactly how that house fire started but it quickly became a wildfire that eventually charred 5,500 acres, forced the closure of a major freeway and devastated seven homes.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MATT STRECK, CA DEPT OF FORESTRY & FIRE PREVENTION: When you're fighting a fire, it's mother nature that's the most unpredictable thing. If she wants to send a strong, dry wind out to you, there's not much you can do except get out of the way. That what happened earlier today. The firefighters did some very aggressive fire fighting. An incredible amount of homes were saved today.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GUTIERREZ: Now, one of the things that the spokesperson for the California Department of Forestry told us that was actually good news, is they say that even though they are busy every single day fighting small wildfires, they don't expect that this is going to be a catastrophic year because they say that we had record rainfall and so the vegetation, the large vegetation out here in Southern California is saturated and they feel that is a very good sign.

Daryn.

KAGAN: Well, that's some encouraging news.

For those not familiar with Southern California, where is Morongo Valley?

GUTIERREZ: Well, we're out on the outskirts of Palm Springs. We're about half an hour away. And it is a very remote area. It's very rural out here. There is, maybe, one home for every three acres. And many dirt roads kind of take you in. So not an area that maybe too many people who are outside of this area might be familiar with.

KAGAN: Well, now they are. Thank you.

Thelma Gutierrez in Morongo Valley in California.

Thank you.

Weather conditions a big part in, as you were hearing, in fighting fires. Let's check in with Rob Marciano in the weather center.

Hey, Rob.

(WEATHER REPORT)

KAGAN: We were hearing before from Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and Joint Chiefs Chairman Richard Myers before the Senate Armed Services Committee. More of that testimony is ahead and you're going to see it live right here on CNN. Questions about Iraq and the U.S. military training Iraqi troops to defend their own country. That's just ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: Let's go ahead and check the latest numbers on Wall Street. The markets have been open almost an hour. The Dow is down, as you can see, 36 points. Nasdaq kind of flat. It's up 0.8 of a single point.

Let's show you other things going on right now as well. Live picture. This is President Bush. He is in Maryland. And a familiar face next to him is Ben Stein. We've seen him many times on this program. They're talking Social Security. It's a town hall style event at a Maryland high school. Coming as Republicans try to jump- start Mr. Bush's five month old initiative to reform Social Security. Also happening today, Iraqi Prime Minister al-Jaafari just leaving the White House. He was meeting with Vice President Dick Cheney earlier today. And he'll be meeting -- there you go, live pictures of that happening. And the prime minister meets with President Bush tomorrow. And that's actually tape of Mr. al-Jaafari leaving the White House.

Much more ahead from the Senate Armed Services Committee coming up.

Right now, another break. We're back after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: We're coming up on the half hour. Good morning once again. I'm Daryn Kagan. Here's what's happening "Now in the News."

Insurgents launched a new series of attacks in Baghdad. Four car bombs exploded in one neighborhood this morning. At least 17 people were killed and as many as 60 other wounded. Today's strikes followed more violence in the capital last night when five car bombs killed 18 people.

Communist China wants a piece of American capitalism. A state owned oil producer has offered an $18.5 billion bid for Unical. That California-based oil company had already agreed to be acquired by Chevron for $16.6 billion. But Unical officials say they will take a look at the Chinese offer.

And Britain's Prince William graduated from St. Andrews University today. The Queen, Prince Charles and Camilla were among the royals who attended the ceremony in Scotland. The 23-year old William is said to be considering a career in the army.

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