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American Morning

Missing Soldiers; Iraq Violence; Soldiers Charged; Military Investigations; President Stands Firm; President To Vienna; World Refugee Day

Aired June 20, 2006 - 07:00   ET

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

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: American soldiers have been found dead. The Reuters news agency is quoting Iraq's defense ministry. CNN's calls, though, to U.S. military sources are not confirming that report. Let's get right to CNN's Arwa Damon. She is live for us in Baghdad.
Arwa, this sounds like it's a very confusing situation at this point. What do we know?

ARWA DAMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Soledad, we actually don't know much. As you just mentioned, the U.S. military is not confirming that report. They have not changed the status of the two missing soldiers. They are still listed as duty status and whereabouts unknown. And until we receive a military statement from them regarding a change in their status, it is rather premature to be drawing conclusions.

Now as you did mention, the ministry of defense, according to wire agencies, which we have not been able to confirm. In fact, when we contacted the ministry of defense, they immediately referred us to multinational forces. When we contacted them, they said that they could not confirm that report. They have not changed the status of those two missing soldier just yet.

Soledad.

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN: All right. Arwa, we'll wait for confirmation or any further word on that.

Let's turn now and talk about the violence in Baghdad. There's been new violence to talk about. Tell me a little bit about these latest attacks.

DAMON: That's right, there's been multiple car bombs that detonated throughout the capital. A roadside bomb, a bomb detonating in a marketplace earlier this morning. A total of nine people killed. At least 50 wounded.

But the most disturbing attack actually came in the southern city of Basra (ph) where we are told by Iraqi police down there in Basra that a suicide bomber wearing an explosive vest walked into the courtyard of a house for the elderly, detonating himself there, killing two women, wounding another elderly woman and two men.

Soledad. SOLEDAD O'BRIEN: Arwa Damon with an update of what's happening in Baghdad this morning. Arwa, thanks.

John.

JOHN ROBERTS, CNN ANCHOR: Three U.S. soldiers are now facing murder charges. They are accused not only of killing three Iraqi prisoners just north of Baghdad, but also of lying about it later. CNN's Barbara Starr is live at the Pentagon this morning.

Good morning to you, Barbara.

BARBARA STARR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, John.

Well, the military announcing late yesterday that, in fact, three soldiers have now been charged with murder. Suspected of killing three Iraqi detainees in May. And then threatening, in fact, another U.S. soldier if he reported the incident that he witnessed. All of this taking place last May 9th.

The soldiers allegedly shot the three Iraqi detainees and then tried to make it appear as if they had escaped. There is no word on their motivation about this very troubling incident. But now they are charged with murder and we are told they could face the death sentence if they are convicted.

John.

ROBERTS: And, Barbara, anything from the Pentagon on the status of these two missing soldiers this morning?

STARR: No, John, there is no official word at this point. What we can tell you, of course, is that everyone here is aware of the statements coming out of Iraq. But just as Arwa said, the procedure is, of course, to most completely and first of all respect the privacy of the families involved.

And the way the procedure will work is, if they get confirmation, they will notify the families. We do not know, John, if that has happened yet. And then there is a 24-hour waiting period after families are notified before a public announcement is made to give the families time to maintain their privacy as much as possible.

ROBERTS: And, Barbara, what's the latest on the Haditha investigation? We had heard at the end of last week that General Bargewell's report on whether or not there was a coverup in the initial reporting was ready. Have we heard any details from that?

STARR: No. General Bargewell's report, as you say, is done and has gone to the top commander in the area, General Chiarelli. That is a report about whether there was a coverup in the alleged murder, if you will, the killing, the shooting of 24 Iraqi civilians last November. You see the pictures here of the aftermath in Haditha.

There was one set of facts reported by the Marines right after it happened and then it became very clear something else had taken place. And indeed a criminal investigation into that entire incident, the death of those 24 Iraqis, remains underway. And, John, there is another incident, of course, the one in a place called Hamandiya. Several Marines in detention in Camp Pendleton in relation to the death of an Iraqi man, an alleged coverup of that death. And indications are charges may be forthcoming in that case relatively soon.

ROBERTS: Barbara Starr at the Pentagon, thanks for that. Always good to see you.

STARR: Sure.

ROBERTS: Soledad.

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN: Japan is pulling its troops out of Iraq. The withdrawal could be completed by the end of next month. Saying his country has finished this chapter. The Japanese prime minister, Junichiro Koizumi, is bringing his 600 non-combat troops home. This military mission has been the country's largest since World War II.

The withdrawal of American troops could be the subject of contentious debate on the floor of the Senate today. Democrats have two different plans that call for soldiers to start leaving Iraq this year. One's open ended, a re-deployment plan. The other, co- sponsored by Senator John Kerry, calling for a complete withdrawal by July of next year. Republicans say both plans send a dangerous signal to insurgents.

President Bush flat out rejecting any calls for early withdrawal of troops, saying it would be a defeat for the United States. He addressed supporters at a Republican fund-raiser last night in Washington, D.C. Joining us from the White House this morning, CNN's Ed Henry.

Hey, Ed, good morning.

ED HENRY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Soledad.

Repeat a mantra we've heard again and again, the president last night declaring that setting a timetable before the job is finished would only embolden the terrorists. He also said the decision to bring home U.S. troops will be made by commanders in the field, not by politicians here in Washington. And appearing before this big Republican fund-raiser that you mentioned, raked in over $20 million for the GOP. The president was blunt about framing this as the central issue in the mid-term elections.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: An early withdrawal, before we completed the missions, would say to the United States military, your sacrifice has gone to vain. There will be no early withdrawal as long as we run the Congress and occupy the White House.

(END VIDEO CLIP) HENRY: Now Republicans have made the calculation that the war is the elephant in the room. It's something they cannot ignore, so they're going to address it head on in the upcoming elections. The strategy basically is, acknowledge some mistakes, as the president has been doing in recent days and weeks, but also say that because of recent good news coming out of Iraq, such as the formation of the new government, the tide is starting to turn and to pull out now would be, in the words of Republicans, cutting and running.

Soledad.

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN: Le me ask you a little bit about the president's trip to Vienna. He's going to be attending a summit meeting. But, of course, one has to imagine some of the topics that are going to come up.

HENRY: Absolutely. Of course, Iraq will always come up at a summit like this. But yesterday the president had some really tough talk from Iran which will, of course, also be at the top of the list for the European Union. Some of the basic -- the president basically threatening sanctions against Iran if they do not come to the table for talks with the United States and some of its European allies. Take a listen to what the president said yesterday.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BUSH: If Iran's leaders reject our offer, it will result in action before the Security Council, further isolation from the world and progressively stronger politic and economic sanctions.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HENRY: And European Union officials have given Iran an informal deadline of the end of this month to answer the U.S.' offer because of concerns that Iran is trying to get nuclear weapons. That's why there's a lot riding on this summit for the president. He's faced harsh allegations that he did not give diplomacy enough of a chance before the war in Iraq. This summit is a chance for the president to show that when it comes to Iran, the U.S. and Europe are on the same page in trying to stop Iran's thirst for nuclear weapons.

Soledad.

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN: Ed Henry at the White House this morning, Ed, thank you.

John.

ROBERTS: The Texas National Guard is standing by this morning with boats and helicopters. Yesterday's storms dumped more than 10 inches of rain in parts of Houston. Fire officials say they answered nearly 500 rescue calls. Some from people stuck in waist-deep water. Texas Governor Rick Perry is set to survey the damage later on today.

The flooding is spreading along the Gulf as well. Some 120 people were evacuated from a nursing home in southwest Louisiana. The opposite problem, two doors further west, where one Arizona resident says, pray for rain. Some 500 homes threatened by a wildfire that's creeping into Arizona's Creek Canyon. Officials say it's only about 5 percent contained right now. A team specializing in serious fires takes over this morning. Fires are also burning in California, New Mexico, and Utah.

Time for a check of the forecast to see if they're going to get any relief from the fire danger out west. Chad Myers at the CNN Center with the latest.

Good morning, Chad.

(WEATHER REPORT)

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN: Today is World Refugee Day and CNN has special coverage all day with reports from points around the world where millions of people are struggling to survive. According to the U.N., 15 million people are without a home and 8.4 million of them are refugees who fled their countries. The other 6.6 million are internally displaced people. Altogether, nearly 21 million people who are of concern to the U.N.'s high commissioner for refugees. And that includes refugees, internally displaced people, also those who are classified as stateless and returnees and asylum seekers. A huge number of people. The United Nations declared World Refugee Day six years ago as a step to help bring attention to the anguish of the men and women and children who are forced to leave their homes.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, (voice over): A refugee is defined as someone who flees for safety. And, whatever the cause, war, famine, or natural disaster, the results are still the same. More than 15 million people around the world have been forcibly displaced.

According to the United Nations' high commissioner for refugees, five nations, Afghanistan, Colombia, Iraq, Somalia, and Sudan, account for nearly half of the total population of people uprooted from their homes. Nowhere is the face of the refugee problem more dire than in Darfur in the Sudan where hundreds of thousands of villagers have abandoned their homes to escape what many humanitarian agencies have described as ethnic cleansing.

U.N. officials say children make up half the world's refugee population. Innocent victims like these youngsters in Niger, forced to leave their homes in search of food, or these refugees in southeast Asia, forced to seek shelter after the tsunami in 2004.

By focusing on the plight of refugees, the U.N. wants to send a simple message of hope. The hope that millions can be assisted, protected, and, most importantly, go home.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN: AMERICAN MORNING is going to have extensive coverage of World Refugee Day throughout the morning. Our reporters around the world will bring us the stories of refugees from war torn regions of the world, including Uganda, the West Bank, Iraq, Sudan, Afghanistan, and Zambia. Anderson Cooper's going to join us with a preview of his exclusive interview with actress Angelina Jolie. She, of course, has devoted her life to bringing attention to the refugee crisis. Dr. Sanjay Gupta will take a look at the health crisis that faces refugees. Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf will join us to take a look at the strife in her country. And we'll speak to a survivor of the genocide in Rwanda.

Also this morning, going to be joined by someone who's led emergency relief operations in Rwanda and Sudan and Sierra Leone, and also Indonesia, to see what we can do to help. Across the globe coverage of World Refugee Day only here on CNN.

A short break. AMERICAN MORNING's back in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN: Welcome back, everybody.

We're devoting a full day of coverage to the world refugee crisis. CNN's going to take you to many of the places where millions of people truly are struggling to survive right now. I mean you hear Mia Farrow describe it in your interview and you realize the situation is so direr for so many people. This is the day the U.N. has declared World Refugee Day.

ROBERTS: Our first report of this hour is from Paula Hancocks. She's in the West Bank where displaced Palestinians occupy more than 50 refugee camps.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT, (voice over): This Palestinian refugee camp houses more than 12,000 refugees. On overpopulated concrete jungle. This has been Abu Nidal Abu-Aker's temporary home for half a century. At the age of five, he fled his home with his family during the 1948 Arab/Israeli War, along with hundreds of thousands of other Palestinians. His family lived in a tent in this Bethlehem refugee camp for 10 years. Then one room served as kitchen, bathroom and bedroom for the next 15 years.

ABU NIDAL ABU-AKER, PALESTINIAN REFUGEE, (through translator): This picture always reminds me of my land and the suffering that I experience. This picture represents history for us and that's why I'm keeping it.

HANCOCKS: Abu Nidal paints furniture by day and works in a gas station at night. The main bread-win for the 16 family members that live in his house.

ABU-AKER: I'm exhausted but I have to work, especially as I'm 63. My sons are in prison. I have to take care of my family. I have two jobs and I have to work.

HANCOCKS: But he never loses hope of return to his hometown, now on Israeli soil. He's even kept the keys to his home that was demolished decades ago. His wife tells me, even if she cannot go home in her lifetime, she has faith her children will.

The Abu-Aker family's story is mirrored in Palestinian refugee camps across the region. Now the world bank says that 44 percent of all Palestinians live below the poverty line. That number rises when you come to a camp like Dheisheh. And the conditions have been worsening for the past six months.

Poverty in refugee camps has risen 9 percent since the surprise win of Hamas in the Palestinian elections in January. The west halted millions of dollar of aid to the Palestinian Authority and increased restrictions on movement between Israel and the West Bank, effectively denying many Palestinians lucrative work in Israel. The United Nations' office for Palestinian Refugees, or UNWRA, says the situation is dire.

ANDERS FANGE, DIRECTOR, UNWRA WEST BANK: If you talk to the real old hands among (INAUDIBLE) and among refugees and so on, they're actually telling you that they have not seen as bad times since the beginning of the 1950.

HANCOCKS: In the past six months, UNWRA has doubled its emergency appeal for this year, saying the minimum refugees need here is $75 million for the absolute basics of food and health care. It's appealing to some of its biggest donors, the United States and the European Union, to help.

Paula Hancocks, CNN, Dheisheh Refugee Camp, West Bank.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROBERTS: And our special coverage of World Refugee Day continues in just a moment. Coming up, we'll meet some refugees finding new hope thanks to college students here in the United States.

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN: Then later, a pair of Afghan girls who were once sidelined by the Taliban find a much brighter future on the soccer field. We'll tell you how an Afghan American with big dreams has changed their lives. Those stories all ahead on AMERICAN MORNING. We're back after this break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ROBERTS: Twenty-two minutes after the hour.

Verizon filing suit against Vonage. Andy Serwer is "Minding Your Business" this morning.

Good morning, Andy.

ANDY SERWER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, John.

This really has been an IPO from the place that is hot, if you know what I mean. First of all . . .

ROBERTS: Arizona?

SERWER: Yes, well, we'll leave it at that.

We're talking about Vonage, which is the Internet telephone company. It went public several week ago.

First of all, the stock dropped precipitously. That's number one. Number two, shareholders have sued the company because of that. And a lot of these shareholders were customers that kind of got in on the deal. My line there is, will you have sent them a bouquet if the stock had gone up? Think about that one.

And then thirdly, and this story today, Verizon, the telco giant, is now suing Vonage because it read in the documents that the company filed, that company being Vonage, when it went public about its technology. Now Verizon says, hey, hey, hey, wait a minute, that's our technology. A patent infringement suit.

Here in this case, of course, Verizon is very concerned about companies like Vonage eating away at their core business. So maybe lawsuits like that are too to be expected. Vonage says it's going to defend itself vigorously.

Other story this morning to tell you about. You've heard about the money train? This gives new meaning to the phrase. Direct train service from New York City to Atlantic City coming soon. And this will be for gamblers and they would get down there quickly. And I can just imagine what kind of mayhem would be on that train. What do you think, Friday night going down happy, Sunday night coming back not as happy.

ROBERTS: Yes, can you imagine both ends of the emotional spectrum there.

SERWER: I think that's right. And the New Jersey Transit is going to be running this train not until the end of next year. It takes a while for the railroad to get these things going.

ROBERTS: They've really got to -- they've got to make it like an orient express type of train, you know.

SERWER: The casinos are buying the cars.

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN: Yes, on the way out.

SERWER: Right. Be very interesting to see what's that like.

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN: I wonder if they'll be -- remember on the buses they used to give you like $10 in quarters to go play the slots?

SERWER: Right.

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN: I wonder if they . . .

SERWER: I think they might do that. In fact the bus thing, Soledad, it's interesting you say that because customers are saying that buses just aren't cool.

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN: No.

SERWER: And I think that's right. There's a certain type of clientele that won't get on the bus.

ROBERTS: I mean, I'd love to see more train service in this country, regardless of what it's for.

SERWER: How about a train to Las Vegas from the East Coast?

ROBERTS: Well, that would take a little while.

SERWER: It would be a nice trip, though.

ROBERTS: If it went 250 miles an hour like the trains do in Europe, that would be all right then.

SERWER: It would be good stuff.

Coming up next in a half hour ahead, I want to tell you about business getting involved with World Refugee Day. There are some companies that are giving back. We'll tell you about that coming up.

ROBERTS: Interesting.

SERWER: Yes.

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN: Good. That's good news.

ROBERTS: Even Andy's in on the act this morning.

SERWER: That's right.

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN: Everybody's in on the act.

ROBERTS: Good to hear.

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN: In fact our focus is, Andy, World Refugee Day. We're going to take a close look this morning at Liberia. Years of civil war have forced hundreds of thousands of Liberians from their homes. So what's the plan to bring them home. Coming up, we'll talk to the president of Liberia.

Then a look at how soccer is helping two young Afghan girls' dreams come true. Stay with us. You're watching AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN: Happening this morning.

Three U.S. soldiers are facing murder charges in the deaths of three Iraqi prisoners back in May. The soldiers originally said the prisoners were trying to escape. The soldiers could face the death penalty if they're convicted. The future of U.S. troops in Iraq could be front and center on the Senate floor today. Debate is expected on two plans by Democrats to start pulling out troops this year.

President Bush is expected to discuss plans for rebuilding Iraq when he meets with European leaders today. The president is flying to Vienna, Austria, for a one-day summit.

Good morning. Welcome back, everybody. I'm Soledad O'Brien.

ROBERTS: And I'm John Roberts in for Miles O'Brien as CNN does its part to mark this World Refugee Day.

Soledad.

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN: This morning there are reports that the two missing American soldiers have been found dead. The U.S. military is not confirming those reports. CNN's Ed Lavandera is live in Houston where the family members of one of those soldiers waiting and hoping. This is, obviously, terrible news for them. The word is coming from an Iraqi military official apparently, according to Reuters and other wire service as well.

What's go on where you are?

ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Soledad.

Well, just a short while ago we spoke with a cousin of one of those missing soldiers and she told me that so far the family has not received any kind of word. We're also hearing a similar statement from Ft. Campbell, Kentucky, where the soldiers were based out of. That they were not -- unable to say at this point what exactly is going on.

But yesterday, when we did speak with one of the family, several of the family members of Kristian Menchaca, who's one of the missing soldiers. They say at this point they are hopeful but it doesn't look good.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LAVANDERA (voice-over): Just before Private First Class Thomas Tucker shipped out for Iraq, he called his parents in his hometown of Madras, Oregon and left this phone message.

PVT. THOMAS TUCKER, U.S. ARMY: Hey, mama, I love you. Love you too, dad. You guys be safe while I'm gone you, know. Be careful out there on the road, you know, because you guys -- I worry about you guys too. And I'm going to be OK. Everything's owe going to be OK. I'm going to defend my country, be proud. And I love you guys.

LAVANDERA: Tucker was guarding a military checkpoint with two other soldiers last Friday when they were attacked by insurgents. Twenty-year-old Army Specialist David Babineau from Springfield, Massachusetts was killed. Witnesses say Tucker and Private First Class Kristian Menchaca were taken hostage. Menchaca's family stands vigil in Houston, awaiting word of the soldier's fate. Menchaca's brother, Cesar Vasquez, and cousin, Garbriela Garcia, were emotional through this interview as they talked about fearing for Kristian's life.

GABRIELA GARCIA, MENCHACA'S COUSIN: We're scared that he has been hurt, which is why we hope that they find him quickly.

CESAR VASQUEZ, MENCHACA'S BROTHER: Now you have to think about what the terrorists or insurgents are doing to him if he's still alive. They, you know, they don't -- he might be getting tortured now. Thinking about that, it just bothers me.

GARCIA: I heard they're looking for him and the other man. I see him as a boy. I hope they find him. I hope they continue looking. I hope they do not forget and him, and that other boy, that other man.

LAVANDERA (on camera) Twenty-three-year-old Kristian Menchaca grew up in this gang-plagued neighborhood in north Houston. He was raised by his mother. His family says Menchaca's childhood made him a tough man. They're counting on this toughness to get him through this ordeal.

(voice-over): Menchaca last saw his family about a month ago when he was home on a brief 10-day vacation. His family says they noticed that months of being in Iraq had made him cold and reserved.

GARCIA: He needed to go (INAUDIBLE) to survive, to keep going that the moment. He couldn't allow himself to feel the fear. It seemed to me like he was on survival mode, and I was proud, proud that he was doing what he needed to do to get what he wanted to get done. He was very proud of the work he was doing, and I could tell.

VASQUEZ: I'm still like in shock that -- that, you know, out of all of the soldiers, one of them it's my brother.

LAVANDERA: Menchaca's family is praying that the insurgents will free the soldiers unharmed. But asking terrorists, they say, for mercy isn't something that gives them hope.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LAVANDERA: Menchaca's cousin and brother also say that they are fully wear of all of the efforts the U.S. military is going through to mind their loved one and the other missing soldier as well from Oregon, and they're urging the military to keep up those efforts and hoping they don't stop anytime soon -- Soledad.

O'BRIEN: That's just terrible, terrible and brutal for those family members. Ed Lavandera this morning. Thanks, Ed.

More violence across Iraq to tell you about today. Bombs exploded in two markets in Baghdad as people were shopping. At least five people were killed, dozens of others wounded.

And in Basra, in southern Iraq, a suicide bomb exploded inside a home for senior citizens. At least two people were killed there.

ROBERTS: If you dread your morning commute, be thankful you don't live in Houston. It's a nightmare there this morning. More than 10 inches of rain shut down most highways in Houston overnight. Houston Mayor Bill White took a helicopter tour of some of the hardest hit areas. He described it as block after blocked flooded. Governor Rick Perry is set to survey the damage later on today.

Not enough water is causing problems out west. A wildfire in Arizona's Creek Canyon is threatening some 500 homes. Mandatory evacuations are under way there. A team specializing in serious fires is going to take over this morning. Fires are also burning in California, and New Mexico and Utah.

(WEATHER REPORT)

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