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CNN Live At Daybreak

Proud to Serve; Insurgent Targets; Deal Reached in Rock Throwing

Aired August 04, 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: It is Thursday, August 4. More families back home get grim news out of Iraq. Another bomb crater on an Iraqi road and heartbreak on Main Street America. The number of deaths overseas grows again.
Out on a limb. High above the Earth, one repair mission is complete, but are we looking at another?

And a California girl gets even on the schoolyard, and boy does it get her in trouble. In trouble with the police.

ANNOUNCER: From the Time Warner Center in New York, this is DAYBREAK with Carol Costello and Chad Myers.

COSTELLO: And good morning to you. We'll have more on the violence in Iraq in just a minute.

Also ahead, competing for business is one thing, but shutting down a lemonade stand? Oh, that's another. We'll tell you the story of two entrepreneurs.

And think you could never live without Rover? Consider cloning. It's possible now.

But first, "Now in the News."

President Bush back on the ranch. Later this morning, he welcomes Colombia's president for a little homespun diplomacy. The two will talk about illegal drug trafficking and a bothersome Latin American insurgency.

A possible roadblock for New York City police dealing with potential terrorists. The New York Civil Liberties Union plans to file a lawsuit today challenging those random searches of bags and packages on the city's subways. An attorney for the organization says the searches are unconstitutional and ineffective.

Bermuda is expected to take a glancing blow today from Harvey, the Atlantic's latest tropical storm.

But let's get to Chad now so he can explain more about Harvey.

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Right behind me, Carol. That's what this is.

COSTELLO: Watch out! MYERS: Tropical Storm Harvey right there.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: Thank you, Chad.

MYERS: You're welcome.

COSTELLO: Let's head out to Iraq now and the fight for Iraq. One U.S. Army unit has been especially hard hit in the last 10 days. Three soldiers from the 48th Brigade Combat team, a Georgia Army National Guard unit, were killed on Wednesday in a car bomb attack. They've lost 12 soldiers since arriving in Iraq in June.

President Bush says the attacks on American troops are a grim reminder of what U.S. forces face there.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The violence in recent days in Iraq is a grim reminder of the enemies we face. These terrorists and insurgents will use brutal tactics because they're trying to shake the will of the United States of America. That's what they're trying to do.

They want us to retreat. They want us in our compassion for the innocent say we're through. That's what they want.

They will fail.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Fourteen Marines were killed on Wednesday. They all belonged to the same unit out of Ohio. Seven died on Monday.

Reporter Belinda Prinz of CNN affiliate WJW spoke with some family members of those Marines who were killed.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRIAN MONTGOMERY, SOLDIER KILLED IN IRAQ: He's definitely a rock (ph). Loves the USA.

BELINDA PRINZ, REPORTER, WJW (voice-over): Brian Montgomery of Mentor was a proud Marine and father. He spoke to us in January as he prepared to deploy for Iraq, along with his brother Eric. Montgomery was killed Monday in heavy fighting with insurgents in Haditha, a river town in western Iraq.

So was 22-year-old Daniel Deyarmin of Talmadge, known as "Nathan" to his family. His death the reason flags now line the walkway. And a large U.S. flag and a Marine flag now fly outside his parents' home.

DAN DEYARMIN, FATHER OF KILLED MARINE: He was a prankster and so full and happy of life. And I'm proud of him for what he was doing. You know? And I'm sure he's proud. You know? I'm very proud of him. PRINZ: Deyarmin's mother approved of his choice to join the Marines right out of Talmadge High School.

EDIE DEYARMIN, MOTHER OF KILLED MARINE: He thought that they were the most respected, and he belonged there. So it was the first thing he did at the age that he was at 18 -- or 19 -- signing his name to something and committing himself.

PRINZ: Deyarmin and Montgomery were snipers with an Akron unit attached to the Perpark (ph) Marines. They were two of seven casualties from the 3rd Battalion on Monday. The fallen includes Lance Corporal Jeff Boskovitch of North Royalton. He had plans to marry his fiance in October.

The news that would change all of their plans came to the families with a knock on the door.

PAUL MONTGOMERY, FATHER OF KILLED MARINE: So I was already crying before I answered the door. And I said, "Eric?" And they said, "No, no, no. Eric is fine."

And for a split second I thought, "Oh, well then what are you here for?" And then it dawned on me that it must be my older son.

E. DEYARMIN: Nathan was always a giver. He was never a taker. And as always, he made the ultimate sacrifice. Just like always.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: The deaths of these Marines and other American service members in Iraq touched so many others back in the states.

CNN's David Clinch now with a closer look at two more young men who will be missed in their Ohio hometown.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DAVID CLINCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): He was just 23 years old, in the prime of his life when it was cut short by a roadside bomb in Iraq. Marine Lance Corporal Edward Schroeder joined the military in 2002, despite objections from his mother, Rosemary Palmer (ph). She says she wouldn't even let him play with toy guns while he was growing up, that he was an adventurer. Schroeder's mother says he was always eager to experience life, and was persuaded that if he joined the Marines he would get a new sense of purpose.

Wednesday morning, it all came crashing down for Rosemary Palmer. Two men were seen walking towards the Palmer (ph) home, and a relative there screamed. The men didn't even get a chance to knock.

Sergeant Nathaniel Rock was also on that amphibious assault vehicle in Iraq when it was blown up. He was 26 years old. The Toronto, Ohio, native was a part-time police officer who planned to continue as a full-time officer when he returned from Iraq. In his last Mother's Day card, he wrote, "I'm sorry I'm putting you through this, but I couldn't sit on the sidelines and watch Marines being hurt on TV."

He knew his parents didn't support the reasoning behind the Iraq war, but they always supported him. At 12, he loved eating the military packaged meals that he got from his sister's Marine husband. After high school, Rock spent six years in the Marines and then joined the Reserves.

His father says it comforts him to know he died doing what he loved.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: American forces are not the only ones targeted by the insurgents in Iraq. The Iraqi security forces have experienced huge losses of life as well.

Let's head live now to our Aneesh Raman. He's in Baghdad. He has more on that aspect of this story.

Hello, Aneesh.

ANEESH RAMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Carol, good morning.

This week, a grim reminder of how dangerous parts of Iraq remain. And a reminder that any reduction on U.S. forces here is wholly dependent on Iraq's security forces. Now some disturbing questions arising specific to the Iraqi police.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RAMAN (voice-over): In the war against insurgents, Iraqi police walk the front line. Daily targets for suicide bombers living with the prospect of violent death at any moment. But now another possibility is the greater threat from within, the enemy among them.

HUSSAIN ALI KAMAL, DEPUTY INTERIOR MINISTER (through translator): There were some cases that appeared: the leaks of information or the infiltration of insurgents into the police forces.

RAMAN: An alarming reality, but one the interior ministry, which now overseas the force, says should be no surprise.

After Saddam's fall, the country's security infrastructure vanished. Rampant looting consumed the streets. And as the insurgency swelled, so emerged an enormous void.

KAMAL (through translator): How can you control a country of 26 million in a situation like that? Americans opened the doors for recruitment and volunteering.

RAMAN: Perhaps too quickly. Unqualified recruits ranging from illiterates to men with criminal records were allowed into the force, according to a recent joint report by the U.S. State and Defense departments. Many joined up because it was the only way of getting a living wage. Testing was minimal, the report says, and performance, at the very least, questionable. (on camera): But the interior ministry says that it now has a handle on the problem, that in April it implemented new policies, raising the bar for police officers and better scrutinizing recruits, weeding out those that don't belong.

(voice-over): These are some of the hopeful, unnerved by the endless violence, signing up for duty. Only half will make it through. And for those that pass, a battery of classes with new additions.

Lieutenant Colonel Iyad (ph) runs the program in Baghdad. "There are now other vital parts of the training," he says, "like human rights and democracy." Essential instruction in an effort to put a stop to incidents like this one in Najaf last year, when Iraqi police kicked a suspect.

And allegations of police abuse persist.

LAITH KUBBA, IRAQI P.M. SPOKESMAN: Part of the problem in Iraq is culture. Its political culture is the culture of how things are done. Unfortunately, violence and harshness and giving little respect to human rights is something widely spread.

RAMAN: While there's no easy fix to Iraq's police, the need to improve the situation is urgent. At the most basic level, if Iraqi civilians cannot trust their own, there will be nowhere for them to turn.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

RAMAN: And Carol, that is an essential point. It's not just about training these men and women to have the abilities to do what they have to do, but it's also about them gaining the trust of the Iraqi police. That is for better intelligence against insurgents, but also the basis for legitimacy as they patrol the streets -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Aneesh Raman, reporting live from Baghdad this morning.

Let's head into space now. NASA engineers are pondering over another repair to the space shuttle's outer skin. The problem is a torn thermal blanket this time. It could damage Discovery if a piece tears away during reentry.

Of course this comes after a space walk by astronaut Steve Robinson, Mr. fix it. He easily removed fabric gap fillers sticking out from the thermal tiles on the shuttle's heat shield. Sort of like a guy's stubble in the morning -- shuttle stubble. NASA had worried the protruding fabric would cause overheating during reentry.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CINDY BEGLEY, SPACE WALK OFFICER: So it did turn out to be just as easy as we said it was going to be, pulled right out. Luckily, none of our other contingency plans were required. And Steve, as he backed away, we did say that photos were not required at that time, but he was more than welcome to take some. And, of course, I immediately said I want a signed photo when he comes home.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: I bet a lot of people feel the same way.

As for the next possible problem, shuttle engineers expect to know by this afternoon if they'll need another space walk to fix that thermal blanket.

In news "Across America" this morning, it's happened again and again. Boy Scouts are the victim. The lightning strike has killed one scout and burned three others in the mountains east of Salt Lake City. The boys were sleeping in a log shelter during a storm last Thursday.

An assistant scout master and a scout were killed by lightning in California. Four scout leaders were electrocuted in July when a metal pole touched a power line.

In the nation's capital, an attack on a nun. Police say the nun was assaulted by a woman she approached on the convent grounds and was then thrown into a van by the woman's male companion. She was found four hours after being reported missing.

And in Salem, Massachusetts, a lesson for two young entrepreneurs. A 9-year-old and 11-year-old were told by police to close their lemonade stand after a sausage vendor complained they didn't have a permit.

Oh, Chad.

The mayor stepped in. He negotiated a settlement. The boys are now subcontractors. They're working under the sausage vendor's license.

A happy ending.

Coming up on DAYBREAK, it's been four weeks since those deadly terror attacks woke up London. We'll update you on the ongoing investigation and tell you how the NYPD is involved.

Never say never, especially when you're testifying to Congress about steroid use. We'll explain.

And why is singer John Mayer asking for your help?

But first, here's a look at what else is making news this Thursday.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: The international markets are in negative territory this morning. Tokyo's Nikkei down more than 98 points. The London FTSE down almost 11. The German DAX down 5.5.

Your news, money, weather and sports. It's 5:16 Eastern. Here's what's all new this morning.

U.S. forces lose 24 of their numbers so far this week alone in Iraq. Three members of the 3rd Infantry Division fell victim to a bomb attack in Baghdad last night. Twenty-one Marines have died in combat since Monday.

Martha Stewart will have to remain at home for a little while longer. That's because here house arrest sentence was lengthened by three weeks. Stewart's house arrest had been scheduled to end next Wednesday. No reason for the extension has been given, but tabloid reports are out there. I'm sure you've heard them.

In money news, thousands of new minivans are being recalled by Honda. The 2005 Odysseys have a faulty sensor light that makes owners think there's a problem with the airbags. Honda says there have been no reports of actual airbag failures.

In culture, Worldwide Sports star David Beckham is getting a big settlement from a British tabloid. The paper alleged Beckham made harassing phone calls to a former nanny who cared for his children. Beckham, of course, is married to the former Posh Spice. The tabloid also said, "We're sorry for the story."

In sports, it was a scary night in Boston for Red Sox fans. They saw star outfielder Manny Ramirez get banged up while chasing a foul -- oh, there he goes -- chasing a fly ball rather. Wow. He actually had to leave the game after this.

The Red Sox beat the Royals 8-5.

Oh. Oh, that looked painful, Chad.

MYERS: Yes, it was. For both guys as well. I mea, one got the arm, the other got the other guy's...

COSTELLO: That looks attractive, though, doesn't it? With that Kleenex stuck up his nose?

MYERS: You know, I'm still watching this little bubble gum thing. I thought he was actually blowing a bubble. Anyway -- sorry.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: Chad, it's e-mail time.

MYERS: All right.

COSTELLO: I'm sure you heard about this story. That 11-year-old girl out in California?

MYERS: Yes.

COSTELLO: She threw a rock at a boy, a two-pound rock, because the boy pelted her and her friends with water balloons.

MYERS: Correct. COSTELLO: Bashed the kid's forehead. Police responded with three squad cars and a helicopter.

MYERS: And she resisted arrest and scratched the officer on the way in to the cop car.

COSTELLO: This girl was on her way to jail.

MYERS: Yes.

COSTELLO: Eric Rasmussen of CNN affiliate KFSN in Fresno picks up the story from there.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ERIC RASMUSSEN, REPORTER, KFSN (voice-over): Eleven-year-old Maribel Cuevas had the national spotlight when she showed up in juvenile court in Fresno. She was accused of felony assault for throwing a rock at a boy who had hit her with a water balloon in April. The rock left a gash in the boy's head, but some said police went too far by arresting Maribel and putting her in juvenile hall for five days.

She could have spent even more time behind bars, until both sides finally agreed to a deal moments before the trial was about to begin.

RICHARD BESHWAITE, MARIBEL'S ATTORNEY: The concern was we were not wanting Maribel to have to admit to any criminal wrongdoing. We certainly -- she never had a problem apologizing, she never wanted to hurt this boy.

RASMUSSEN: The resolution is informal probation. It means Maribel and the boy will meet and talk about the fight. But Maribel's record remains clean.

BESHWAITE: It's my understanding that the victim's family was certainly not interested in putting Maribel away or having her found as a criminal.

RASMUSSEN: In Spanish, Maribel's father said, "I feel good because we got justice." But Fresno Police Chief Jerry Dyer still says his officers were justified when they arrested the girl. He says the rock in question weighs two pounds and could have killed the boy.

CHIEF JERRY DYER, FRESNO, CALIFORNIA, POLICE: Doing the right thing is not always the popular thing. And in this instance, I believe the officers acted appropriately. And it may not have been popular.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: That report from Eric Rasmussen of our Fresno affiliate KFSN in Fresno.

And, you know, we were discussing this on our conference call last night, the entire DAYBREAK team. And we were saying, you know, is there any such thing as playground justice anymore?

I mean, remember way back when, back in the day, you know, maybe you were threatened by a bully. Then your dad went out and said, "Just punch him." And then the problem was solved.

I'm not advocating that...

MYERS: I understand.

COSTELLO: ... but that's the way it used to be, right?

MYERS: I know. But a fist is a little different than a two- pound jagged rock, to be honest. And, in all fairness, the parents of the boy did not file charges. As soon as it happened, the little girl ran to the little boy's mom and dad's house to go get help.

So, you know -- I don't know.

COSTELLO: Yes.

MYERS: Hey, playground violence, what's the right solution here? Where do we go from here?

COSTELLO: Did they go too far?

MYERS: Yes -- or not far enough?

COSTELLO: DAYBREAK@CNN.com. DAYBREAK@CNN.com.

Still to come this morning in DAYBREAK, is London getting back to normal after two terror attacks in the past four weeks? And what has the NYPD done in its investigation? And is it somehow linked?

You are watching DAYBREAK for Thursday, August 4.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: In London today, police are taking a high profile, especially around its transit system. Four weeks ago today, 52 people were killed by bombs on three subway trains and a bus. More than 700 were hurt. Two weeks ago today, four would-be bombers failed in their attempts to bomb the city's transit system.

Some of the details from that deadly July 7 bombing have come out, but not from British police. New York City police revealed the sensitive information in a briefing with private security officials.

Let's get the British reaction to this. Chris Burns is in London.

Chris, how did the New York police get this information?

CHRIS BURNS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Carol, they got it from confidential police sources here. And probably, though, a couple of the most salient aspects is that these bombs that were made here a month ago were supposedly made from very, very simple elements you can buy in a drugstore, an Army surplus store: hydrogen peroxide and heating tablets, and set off by cell phone timers.

A pretty simple operation. And that could happen in the states as well. And that is why the police on stateside were briefing people about that, to be on the lookout for it.

But British police are not very happy about that. They didn't want all that detail to come out as they continue with their investigation.

They are also, of course, stepping up security here. Some 6,000 police on the ground here, the biggest deployment since World War II. And we can hear from the deputy transit police chief just how much they're determined to stop the next attack.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANDY TROTTER, BRITISH TRANSPORTATION POLICE: Well, of course it could happen again. London is at a high level of alert. It's four weeks on from that first attack. But we've got every resource we can possibly find out here on the underground and the overground systems today. All the police forces in London are all working together to keep London safe.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BURNS: And, of course, we're talking to people here. Some of the 3.2 million commuters, almost half the population of London, takes the subway. They have no other choice. They've got to get to work.

And that's what they're telling us, they're looking at, they're very nervous when they see people with backpacks. But look, they've got to get to -- they've got to get to their jobs. So they continue on with their -- with their trip, but with concern and a bit of nervousness -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Chris, a question for you. One of these alleged bombers was wearing an NYPD sweatshirt -- a New York sweatshirt, rather. Is there any link? Was he wearing that for any specific reason?

BURNS: Well, that's what investigators are trying to get to the bottom of, was it just some kind of symbol, was it an omen of some kind for some future attack? Who knows? But they're looking into all kinds of elements like that as possible indicators as they try to get to the bottom of this.

What's so hard is they have yet to -- to accuse -- to -- or commit to accuse anybody. Just one person has been charged. He goes into a hearing today. But police really are very, very hard-pressed to find leads in those fatal attacks. Very, very difficult investigation here -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Chris Burns, live in London this morning.

Zambia's president signed the necessary papers to send a suspected al Qaeda operative to Britain. Haroon Rashid Aswat is believed to have been involved in the July 7 London bombing attacks. Investigators suspect Aswat either facilitated the attacks or recruited the bombers. Aswat is also wanted in the United States in connection with two terrorism cases.

Still to come this morning, armed forces are not the only ones facing danger in Iraq. We'll tell you about some other people whose lives are in peril on a daily basis. And we'll share the sad story of one who lost the fight.

You're watching DAYBREAK for a Thursday.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MYERS: So, in response to that big court case out there in California that was settled out of court, playground violence, what is the right solution? What do you tell your kids? What did your parents tell you? DAYBREAK@CNN.com.

COSTELLO: Yes. How do you fight a bully? And when the bully -- and when you fight the bully back and somebody calls the police, should your 11-year-old be, like, cuffed? DAYBREAK@CNN.com.

Time for our DAYBREAK "Eye Opener" right now.

A mummy mystery has been unraveled in San Jose, California. Using imaging technology, scientists have discovered that a mummy from a local museum was a four-and-a-half-year-old girl. They say they could even tell what 2,000-year-old perfume she had on.

Wow.

Imagine finding this four-foot python under your dishwasher. That's exactly what happened to one Missouri woman. Needless to say, she was a little freaked out.

Her husband pulled the snake out. That's a brave man. He plans to sell it. It turns out the snake was lost by the guy who used to live in the house, but he decided he did not want it anymore.

This may not look like mulch, but it's actually -- looks like much, I should say. This is the birth of a baby panda. It's an x- rated show on DAYBREAK this morning.

The little cub is already making lots of noise, although mama bear has been keeping it out of sight. This is from the San Diego Zoo.

And yes, if you want to peak in on mother and child, just like the zookeepers are doing, just go to the San Diego Zoo's Web site for their panda cam. That Web address is sandiegozoo.org.

Can you see much there, Chad?

MYERS: Not really.

COSTELLO: It looks like a big mama panda, but... MYERS: I think it's at most PG-13, Carol.

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