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Your World Today

Plea From Iraqi Politician; U.S. Strategy: Timetables or Milestones?; October Sets Record in U.S. Troop Deaths in Iraq

Aired October 23, 2006 - 12:00   ET

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

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARHAM SALIH, IRAQI DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER: This is not an easy job. And it's time that people stop being judgmental.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

JIM CLANCY, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: A plea from an Iraqi politician. A deputy prime minister urging international forces, stay in his volatile country.

HALA GORANI, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: A dream job. How would you like to be paid $165,000 for working three days a week, 100 days a year? You may want to check out the U.S. Congress.

And a celebrity saga. Madonna's effort to adopt that baby from an African country taking another twist.

GORANI: Hello and welcome to our broadcast -- our report broadcast around the globe.

I'm Hala Gorani.

CLANCY: I'm Jim Clancy.

From Iraq to Malawi, wherever you're watching, this is YOUR WORLD TODAY.

GORANI: "We must not give in to panic." A top Iraqi official is urging coalition troops not to abandon his country as violence threatens to escalate into full-blown civil war.

CLANCY: But even as he says there's no option to cut and run, one of the pejorative terms to describe those that want to see withdrawal earlier, rather than later, there is growing concerns in both the U.S. and in Britain about staying the course.

GORANI: All right. We are covering the story for you from London, to Washington, to Baghdad.

CLANCY: Let's begin in London right now, where Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Barham Salih is urging the coalition, be realistic, not defeatist, about Iraq's problems today. He held talks with British Prime Minister Tony Blair and other officials.

Our European political editor, Robin Oakley, brings us that part of the story -- Robin.

ROBIN OAKLEY, CNN SR. EUROPEAN POLITICAL EDITOR: I think the question here, Jim, is which set of politicians is under the greatest pressure, those in Iraq, or those in the U.S. and Britain?

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

OAKLEY (voice over): This year, next year, sometime, never? When will British toops be able to be withdrawn from Iraq?

Echoing the debate in America, the British public would like to know. Britain's politicians would like to be able to tell them, especially now the country's most senior army officer has suggested their presence in Iraq is hindering, not helping, security.

When he's pressed, Prime Minister Tony Blair falls back on a stock reply.

TONY BLAIR, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: It is our policy to come out of Iraq when the job is done. What is very dangerous is any suggestion we get out before the job is done.

OAKLEY: Mr. Blair's ministers have been suggesting that that job, preparing the Iraqi security forces to run the show themselves, could be completed in a year. Experts are more skeptical.

ROBERT LOWE, CHATHAM HOUSE: It would be very optimistic for the British to think they could withdrawal troops within 12 months and leave a stable situation behind. If they do go, it may be for political reasons, not because they have accomplished their goals in Iraq. The way the Iraqi forces are currently developing, it does not seem likely that they will be ready in 12 months.

OAKLEY: For the coalition forces in Iraq, only bad options maybe. Currently, they include cut and run. Virtually impossible, since it might not only provoke civil war but would break every promise made by President Bush and Prime Minister Blair.

Partition the country. Again, the allies have bitterly resisted subdividing Iraq into ethic and religious groups.

Work with Iran and Syria to prevent infiltration and stabilize the country. Very hard for the U.S. to contemplate.

And gradual withdrawal to countries nearby. Ready to return for crises. The least worst solution, but still dependent on Iraqi forces being ready to take over.

That's why London and Washington are starting to pile the pressure on Iraq's government to move faster, hinting at deadlines, benchmarks and penalties. That's what brought Iraq's deputy prime minister to London on Monday. First, he had a progress report on his country's police and military.

SALIH: They are getting better training, and we are establishing more units. And we hope by the end of this year half of Iraqi provinces will come under Iraqi command.

OAKLEY: But at the same time, there was a warning to the West not to lose its nerve.

SALIH: There is no option for the international community to cut and run. The fate of Iraq is vital to the future of the Middle East and world order.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

OAKLEY: That, of course, is what Western leaders have been saying up until now. The question is, facing the political pressures they do now, how long they will go on believing it -- Jim.

CLANCY: All right. Robin Oakley, senior European political editor, there with a view of just what the politicians are facing -- Hala.

GORANI: All right.

From London, we take you now to Washington and a report that the Bush administration is drafting timetables for Iraqis to take over more security responsibilities. A White House counselor calls the report a bit overwritten, but says talks are under way to establish "milestones".

Let's bring in Kathleen Koch at the White House to explain all of this for us.

Hi, Kathleen.

KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hala, yes, indeed, the White House is throwing cold water on the story that was reported on the front page of "The New York Times" on Sunday. The gist of it basically was that the United States was establishing timetables for the Iraqi government by which it had to really make progress in cracking down on sectarian violence, taking control over the security of the country, or else the United States would consider "changes in military strategy."

Now, this morning, Press Secretary Tony Snow insisted the U.S. was not issuing ultimatums to Iraq, but was instead working collaboratively with Iraqi leaders to find a way to move forward. Snow saying, "We have never said, 'You don't do this or we're going to walk out on you.'"

Counselor to the president Dan Bartlett did point out that the U.S. has on an ongoing basis been discussing these sorts of benchmarks, these sorts of milestones. But he insisted they alone would never determine U.S. military strategy in Iraq.

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DAN BARTLETT, WHITE HOUSE COUNSELOR: We will constantly assess troop strength and troop presence in Iraq, in Baghdad, and other aspects of the country, based upon the conditions on the ground. These benchmarks will -- will very much influence the thinking of a commander, the thinking of the Iraqi government, but to link the two directly I think is where the story left the wrong impression.

The president has constantly said that it's going to be up to our commanders and our diplomats on the ground to give him the advice about what our troop strength ought to be in order to prevail in this conflict. And it's important that we do it in a way that doesn't prematurely pull our troops out before we are able to succeed.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KOCH: As to the upsurge in U.S. casualties in Iraq hitting the highest number for any month this year, Bartlett, said, "It's almost a fact of nature that if you engage the enemy more, you are going to take more casualties" -- Hala.

GORANI: All right. It's not surprising to hear the White House defend Iraqi policy, but one thing that may have surprised viewers across the Arab world and beyond is what a State Department official told Al-Jazeera television.

Alberto Fernandez saying the U.S.'s role in Iraq may have been arrogant and stupid. He's apologized since.

What's the latest on that?

KOCH: Well, why don't we read the whole quote just by way of perspective?

He was being asked how history would like at what the U.S. had done in Iraq. And he said, "We tried to do our best, but I think there is room for criticism, because undoubtedly there was arrogance and there was stupidity from the United States in Iraq."

And as you mentioned, he has apologized. When we asked Tony Snow about that this morning, he pointed that out. He said that Fernandez did say that he had misspoken, and he referred all other questions to the State Department. When another reporter did ask, well, "Does he still have a job?" Snow said, "Yes, he does" -- Hala.

GORANI: All right. Thank you, Kathleen Koch.

We'll be -- we'll be going to the State Department a bit later this hour for more reaction.

Thanks very much -- Jim.

CLANCY: Well, let's get the view now from Iraq, where Sunni Muslims are of course celebrating the end of Ramadan, and where U.S. forces marking a somber milestone. More U.S. troops killed in October than in any other month this year.

Arwa Damon joins us now live from Baghdad.

Arwa, first to those numbers. Disturbing, indeed, likely to fuel the whole debate over what to do in Iraq. ARWA DAMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely. And what we have seen over the weekend especially was a peak in U.S. casualties.

In two days alone, Saturday and Sunday, the U.S. military announced 11 U.S. deaths. Most of those centering in and around the capital, Baghdad.

Many here are saying that the battle for Iraq is going to be happening in the streets of the capital. A lot of those casualties are the result of small arms fire or roadside bombs.

We're seeing as the U.S. military develops its strategy for fighting the insurgents, we're also seeing the insurgency continue to develop its strategy for fighting U.S. forces here. We're seeing roadside bombs becoming more sophisticated, more deadly. We're also seeing sniper fire becoming more accurate -- Jim.

CLANCY: This is a time, usually, when Iraqis are celebrating, and perhaps the most important view of all of this has to come from Iraqis themselves.

DAMON: Absolutely. It is Eid al-Fitr here today for Iraq's Sunni population. That is the holiday that marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan. Normally a time of celebration, but Iraqis today are out there praying, and they are praying for peace, Jim.

It is pretty much all that they can do here right now, is pray to try to keep themselves safe. Normally it would be a time where families would be out on the streets. They would be gathering together. We would see children dressed in their holiday best. We are seeing very little of that here right now.

Just to point out one example, though, in one neighborhood where we sent out a CNN crew earlier, there were children playing at the park. The residents there felt safe enough to send their children to the park. But when you asked them why, they say it is because their area is being protected by the Mehdi militia -- Jim.

CLANCY: What do Iraqis themselves think about this whole notion of the U.S., coalition troops pulling out of their country?

DAMON: Well, Jim, when you put that question to them, it's really not a yes or a no answer. Some of them do believe that the presence of U.S. forces is only serving to increase the violence.

Others, though, fear a U.S. military withdrawal. They say that if U.S. forces leave, sectarian violence is only going to increase. Some of them, of course, will say to U.S. forces must leave eventually, but not until the job is done.

Again, Jim, it's not a yes or no answer on the ground here. Everything is very complicated and very intricate.

What Iraqis really want to see, though, is the end game, and it is very obvious that all they really want, for the most part, is peace and security. But who is going to bring that to them? That's a question that they really can't answer just yet -- Jim.

CLANCY: Complicated, certainly.

Arwa Damon, thank you for unraveling that for us so we can better understand it.

GORANI: All right. We're going to address some other news stories making the headlines this day. And some unwelcome deja vu in France -- Jim.

CLANCY: That's right. A growing wave of violence topping our check of other stories making news around the world.

It was new attacks and ethnically mixed French suburbs that got police on their highest alert. A bus set ablaze. Police patrols coming under ambush. All part of the rising violence. The fresh attacks come one year after a three-week-long spasm of rioting that shocked the nation.

GORANI: Well, the U.N.'s top envoy to Sudan, Jan Pronk, heads to New York for consultations after his comments on Darfur got him thrown out of the country. Pronk has been openly critical of the government, as well as rebel groups in his Web blog. U.S. Secretary of State Rice called Sudan's move unfortunate in the extreme.

CLANCY: Fifty years ago, there was the hope of freedom crushed by Russian tanks. Today, it is a somber time as the country marks the 50th anniversary of that failed uprising. But the observances have been disrupted this year by protests, activists refusing to call off continuing demonstrations against comments made last month by the prime minister when he admitted lying about the country's economic problems.

GORANI: All right. We're going to take a short break here on YOUR WORLD TODAY.

Coming up later, are you looking for part-time work?

CLANCY: Yes. If you like Washington, and if being in the corridors of power appeal to you, this could be a dream job.

Well, that's a little bit later.

GORANI: But coming up next, violence flares up once again in another part of the Middle East. Israeli troops fight Palestinians in Gaza.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

GORANI: Welcome back. You're watching YOUR WORLD TODAY, where we bring CNN's viewers around the globe up to date on the most important international stories.

Now, the Muslim world is celebrating Eid al-Fitr, the festival marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan. Well, it's Islam's most important holiday, at least its most joyous. The celebration begins with prayer services. Three days of feasting and gift-giving follow. In Saudi Arabia, King Abdullah joined worshipers at the Grand Mosque in Mecca. In Afghanistan, hundreds gathered at mosques in Kabul and across the country for prayer services.

The timing of the celebration can depend on when the new moon is sighted. Sunni Muslims are celebrating Monday, today, while the Shia begin tomorrow, Tuesday.

In Gaza, Palestinian prime minister Ismail Haniyeh joined thousands in prayer at a local stadium, and many went to cemeteries to pay their respects to loved ones. That's another Eid tradition.

CLANCY: Well, violence has flared again in Gaza. Israeli troops shot and killed at least seven Palestinians Monday in one of the deadliest days of fighting in some time. The Israeli army says it fired on armed gunmen during an operation against Palestinian rocket launchers.

Ben Wedeman picks up the story there.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Israeli tanks surround the Palestinian town of Beit Hanoun. Palestinian gunmen take to the streets. Fighting ensues. Among the dead, Attah Shindadi (ph), a senior member of the popular Resistance Committee, an umbrella group joining a variety of militant factions.

Palestinian sources say Shindadi (ph) was involved in the launching of hundreds of homemade rockets against Israel. It was the popular Resistance Committee which claimed responsibility for the capture last June of Israeli army corporal Gilad Shalit, still held captive.

Since then, Israel has kept Gaza under pressure, knocking out bridges, its only power plant, killing more than 300 Palestinians, militants, but also civilians. The latest Israeli raid came on the first day of Eid al-Fitr, the Muslim holiday marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan.

The prime minister of the beleaguered Hamas-led Palestinian cabinet, Ismail Haniyeh, condemned the Israeli operation. "The incursions don't stop" he told supporters in Gaza City. "This is proof that the occupation is trying to ruin the joy and character of the holiday."

The raid also coincides with the announcement that Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has cut a coalition deal with a key hard-line faction, the Israel Beytenu Party led by Avigdor Lieberman. Lieberman is a controversial figure known as a hawk's hawk who opposed last year's withdrawal from Gaza. In government, Lieberman will hold a brand new portfolio, minister in charge of strategic threats facing Israel. Among the threats, Israel says, Hamas, Hezbollah in Lebanon, and increasingly Iran, under President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Iran is clearly on Olmert's mind. Monday, he urged the world to boycott the Iranian leader for calling for the destruction of the Jewish state.

(on camera): Lieberman's unique portfolio suggests a new reality for this country. Iran, no longer the Palestinians', seems to be at the top of Israel's list of perceived security threats.

Ben Wedeman, CNN, Jerusalem.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GORANI: Well, a French pharmaceutical company has sent a team of experts to Israel to investigate the deaths of four people who had recently received shots of their flu vaccine. The Israeli Health Ministry stopped administering flu shots on Sunday while they searched for a connection between the deaths and the vaccine. But the country's health minister says no such connection has been found so far.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

YA'ACOV BEN-YIZRI, ISRAELI HEALTH MINISTER (through translator): The team that is investigating the case has so far found no relation between this disaster and the vaccination given to the Israeli population against influenza.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GORANI: Well, a spokesman for the pharmaceutical company Sanofi- Aventis says 140,000 people have received the vaccine in Israel alone. The four who died, he said, were all elderly patients who suffered from chronic illnesses.

CLANCY: In the Americas, the Panama Canal getting wider to accommodate even larger cargo ships. It's a necessary move. In a referendum on Sunday, Panamanian voters overwhelmingly approved the plan that's set to cost some $5 billion.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARTIN TORRIJOS, PANAMANIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): Never in the history of the country have we Panamanians taken a decision of this magnitude, and never has there been such freedom as this democratic exercise that has just concluded. We have been the owners of our own destiny, and today we have laid the foundation to build a better country for all of us.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CLANCY: Well, canal authorities expect the project to provide a major boost to jobs and government funds. They say by 2025, the canal will pump more than $4 billion a year into their piggybanks. That's about 10 times more than it currently generates.

GORANI: Just ahead on YOUR WORLD TODAY, the father of the Malawian boy who Madonna wants to adopt is now voicing his objections.

CLANCY: That's right. The orphan's father, he says he didn't realize he was giving up his son for good when he gave him up for adoption.

CLANCY: And later, not only was she the world's first female space tourist, she wrote perhaps the first blog not to be written in a coffee shop.

Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: And hello, everyone. I'm Tony Harris in the CNN Center in Atlanta.

More of YOUR WORLD TODAY in just a few minutes.

But first, a check on stories making headlines in the United States.

The search for remains from the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York going on in New York City. The renewed search was triggered last Thursday when contractors found some remains in an abandoned manhole.

More remains were found Sunday. A city official says several below-ground sites had not been entered since the attacks. A victims' family group wants all rebuilding stopped until a detailed search is done. The city's mayor says that won't happen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAYOR MICHAEL BLOOMBERG (R), NEW YORK: We're not going to shut down any construction. Where construction is taking place are on sites that have been thoroughly gone through and excavated, and we have to build for the future.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: In Coral Springs, Florida, a police robot destroys a suspicious package found at an elementary school there this morning. There you see the moment.

A teacher noticed the package on a basketball court. Police were called in and they brought their robot with them. The item appeared to be a can wrapped in tape. No explosives were found. The school was not evacuated.

From Chicago, an early morning warehouse fire creates a commuter nightmare. The fire prompted a shutdown of some of Chicago's commuter trains just as the early morning rush was getting started. Train service got back on track just after 7:00 this morning. The fire has been contained. And there have been no reports of injuries.

In an Atlanta courtroom, plea deals in a case involving trade secrets, and two bitter rivals in the soft drink industry. Just a short time ago guilty pleas for two men. They were accused of plotting with a former secretary at the Coca-Cola Company to steal trade secrets.

Each man pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy. Authorities say they planned to sell the trade secrets to Coca-Cola's big rival, Pepsi. The former Coke secretary goes on trail next month.

A big political countdown. The midterm elections now just two weeks and a day away, and as we head down the home stretch, control of Congress very much up for grabs.

Democrats need to pick up 15 seats to regain control of the House and six seats to reclaim the Senate. Both Houses of Congress under Republican control now for 12 years.

Tonight on CNN, something you won't want to miss. As part of our "Broken Government" series this week, Ed Henry takes a closer look at the so-called do nothing Congress. It's coming up at 8:00 p.m. Eastern, and it's something you will see only on CNN.

Let's get a check of weather now.

(WEATHER REPORT)

HARRIS: There's a food recall to tell you about this morning. It's egg salad produced by Ballard's Farm Sausage. And it was sold in 17 states. You can see them highlighted here in yellow.

The company says tests show the egg salad may be contaminated with listeria. That's a bacteria that can cause serious or fatal infections in young children or elderly people. It can also be harmful to pregnant women.

The effected brands include Ballard's 12-ounce egg salad, Food City 12-ounce egg salad and Value Time (ph) 11-ounce egg salad.

It is costing you less to fill her up. That's because pump prices keep falling. Gasoline prices have dropped early eight cents a gallon over the past two weeks.

The Lundberg survey found the national average for self-serve regular is about $2.20 a gallon. That is down from $2.28 two weeks earlier.

The lowest gas is in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where folks are paying an average of $1.98 a gallon. The highest is in Honolulu, at $2.84.

Well, you've got to see this one, the very unusual finish at Sunday's Chicago Marathon.

Whoa, whoa, whoa. There it is. Boy, I hate to see that. Show it down a bit.

The video captured the final seconds as the winner crosses and slips and slides across the finish line. Kenyan Robert Cheriat (ph) didn't manage to run through the victory tape, but his torso did cross the finish line, so race referees declared him the winner. He hit his head in the fall and was treated at a local Chicago hospital.

An amnesia victim says he wants his identity back. For weeks, he had no idea who he was. Now this man's family has come forward after he appealed for help on television.

His fascinating saga is ahead in the "NEWSROOM" with Kyra Phillips and Don Lemon starting at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

In the meantime, YOUR WORLD TODAY continues after a quick break.

I'm Tony Harris.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

GORANI: Welcome back to YOUR WORLD TODAY. I'm Hala Gorani.

CLANCY: I'm Jim Clancy, and these are some of the stories that are making headlines around the world.

Israeli troops shooting and killing at least Palestinians in Gaza on Monday, making this one of the deadliest days of fighting in the month. Palestinian officials say 14 others were wounded in this shootout. The Israel army says it fired on armed gunmen during one of its operations against Palestinian rocket launcher sites.

GORANI: The Panama Canal will get a $5 billion facelift. Voters there have just approved a plan for one of the engineering wonders of the world. Panama will build wider locks and another lane, enabling the world's largest ships to use the short cut between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The project, set to begin next year, will take up to eight years, though, to finish.

CLANCY: Iraq's deputy prime minister urging coalition troops, don't abandon his country as violence threatens to escalate into full- blown civil war. Barham Salih met with British Prime Minister Tony Blair in London today. He says now is not the time to, in his words, panic. He urged the coalition to be realistic, not defeatist, about Iraq's problems.

GORANI: A U.S. diplomat has a lot to answer for after comments he made to the Al-Jazeera television network, at least at the State Department, that is.

Alberto Fernandez is a press officer in the State Department's Bureau of Near East Affairs.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIO)

ALERTO FERNANDEZ, U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT (through translator): History will decide what role the U.S. played. And God willing, we tried to do our best in Iraq. But I think there's a big possibility for extreme criticism and because undoubtedly there was arrogance and stupidity from the United States in Iraq.

(END VIDEO CLIP) GORANI: All right, Alberto Fernandez is now apologizing for the remarks. For more, let's go to CNN's Elise Labott at the State Department.

Elise, Alberto Fernandez is actually rather well-known as the face of the United States State Department in the Arab world, but not so much in America. Now he's really in the spotlight.

ELISE LABOTT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Hala. Well, he's really unknown until now throughout American media, more in the Arab world, as the face of the U.S. in the Middle East. He's one of the few speakers in the whole administration that speaks fluent Arabic. And so he's constantly on Arab networks, many times on Al Jazeera, other networks, trying to make the case for the U.S. policy in the Middle East. And he's known as being very passionate, very outspoken and is very popular over there.

GORANI: What kind of person is he? He speaks fluent Arabic. What's -- who is this guy?

LABOTT: Well, he's a Cuban-American. He's a member -- a senior member of the foreign service. Has served abroad, served in Syria. Now back here, really trying to make the case, cares a lot about U.S. public diplomacy. And so the administration really has used him as their secret weapon in talking to some of the Arab nets, trying to make the case -- less than that of a spokesman, such as Sean McCormack, that we see at the podium everyday.

But these Arab networks that he's appearing on, very lively interviews, a lot of back and forth. And sometimes, in the case of -- that was -- just happened over the weekend. Sometimes, you know, when this is not your native language, people misspeak. And in this case, he did misspeak, and has apologized for those remarks. But I can point out that very similar to some of the comments made earlier this month by the Khalilzad, the ambassador of Iraq, for instance.

GORANI: I'm wondering if he was surprised that that came back to him, he apologized for something that he didn't think would make such headlines. What's the mood at the State Department? Are people standing behind him, or are people saying that this guy might be out of a job soon?

LABOTT: Well, definitely, the State Department is standing by him. I don't think anybody anticipated the kind of avalanche of press and commentary that has happened because of the remarks. As I said, there have been comments made by Khalilzad. Secretary Rice earlier this year said history could judge that there were thousands of mistakes in Iraq. Not really talking, but colloquial here.

And so the State Department is saying, listen, we know, he realized he misspoke. He's apologizing for it. And they're going to stand by him, because he's really one of the few people that can speak to the Arab world, and they know that they need him in a lot of ways.

GORANI: Right, definitely a rarity, a State Department official who speaks fluent Arabic in the way he does. Thanks, Elise Labbott, at the State Department -- Jim.

CLANCY: Changing stories always creates controversy, and this is another story along that same vein. Of course, she's already battling human rights groups and child rights groups. Now, there is a fresh twist in the Madonna adoption saga. The boy's Malawian father says, I never gave up my son for good. Madonna, of course, plans to tell her side of the story, where else, on the Oprah show. That will be on Wednesday.

Africa correspondent Jeff Koinange joins us to tell us just where things now stand, where this is all taking place in Malawi.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEFF KOINANGE, CNN AFRICA CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): An ugly twist to an already messy adoption. Yohane Banda, the illiterate biological father of a tiny toddler Madonna wants to adopt, says he didn't realize when he signed the adoption papers his son would, in his words, be going away forever.

YOHANE BANDA, DAVID'S FATHER (through translator): When we agreed with Madonna that she wants to take care of the child, there wasn't any arrangement that she was going to have him, David, as her own and forever. No. It was supposed to be just like when he was at the orphanage, that he will be raised and educated, and thereafter he will come back to our family.

KOINANGE: This marks a 180 degree turn to what he said barely a week ago, when he declared himself only too happy for his 1-year-old son to be taken from a local orphanage to be raised by one of the world's most famous celebrities. Madonna had insisted little Baby David would be able to travel to Malawi and visit his family as often as possible, and that way, maintain his roots.

But this latest outburst by the child's only parent throws it a spatter in the works of what was already a controversial adoption to begin with, adding to the arguments against international adoptions, especially those by celebrities.

MAZWELL MATWERE, EXEC. DIRECTOR, EYE OF CHILD: (INAUDIBLE) was guarantee. We have a law, which is very prohibiting in terms of international adoption.

KOINANGE: It's also sure to discourage parents seeking adoptions in Africa. Here, at the Mbuyomuno Orphanage in Malawi, however, Madonna still has a few followers, and not just fans.

NDASOWA MAINJA, MBUYOMUNO ORPHANAGE: We support her, to come again, and we support her. She could get the child, educate him. That child would be our ambassador one day.

KOINANGE: Until that day, and for the foreseeable feature, little Baby Banda (ph) will unknowingly continue to generate global headlines, even before he's able to take his first steps.

(on camera): The high court in Malawi's capital, Lilongwe, will begin hearing arguments Friday by a group of 67 human rights groups which are arguing Malawi's laws forbidding international adoptions, even those by celebrities.

Jeff Koinange, CNN, Johannesburg.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CLANCY: And the next development, I guess, comes up on the Oprah show.

GORANI: Right. All right, and, we'll bring you up to date on that.

Now, for something completely different. Mid-term U.S. congressional elections are just two weeks away, bu we're already talking about who's going to run for president in two years.

CLANCY: That's right. And just ahead right here on YOUR WORLD TODAY, one freshman senator from Illinois getting an awful lot of attention for saying he hasn't ruled out a run for the White House.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CLANCY: Hello, everyone. Welcome back to CNN International.

GORANI: Well, we're seen live in more than 200 countries around the world. This is YOUR WORLD TODAY, and you're very welcome.

The next U.S. presidential race is still two years away, but two potential Democratic candidates are already getting a lot of attention just two weeks before the mid-term election. Senators Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama are not ruling out seeking the White House in 2008.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D), ILLINOIS: I think the speculation is more than I would have anticipated. Right now, my focus is on the election that's three weeks away, and that's what I'm spending my time doing is campaigning on behalf of other candidates. I'll have time to think about it after November 7th.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GORANI: Well, Hillary Clinton says she hasn't decided on a presidential run in 2008, but speculation that Clinton is looking beyond reelection in November dominated a debate Sunday in the New York Senate race.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON (D), NEW YORK: I have made no decisions about any future plans, and if that is a concern to any voter, they should factor that into their decision on November 7th.

JOHN SPENCER, REPUBLICAN U.S. SENATE CANDIDATE: I'm the only one standing here today that wants to be a United States senator for the next six years for the people of New York. Senator Clinton has been given the welcome mat by the people of New York six years ago, and I believe she's using us as a door mat.

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CLANCY: Now, the outcome of next month's midterm elections, obviously, going to have a major impact on who is going to be the next president in the White House. It may also alter U.S. policies at home and abroad, especially if the Democrats are able to break the Republicans' grip on both houses of Congress.

Well, here's where the balance of power stands right now. The Republicans hold the House of Representatives with 230 members. Democrats, 201. There's one independent, and there are three vacant seats. Now, in the Senate, the Republicans hold a significant majority, 55 seats to the Democrats' 44. There, again, one independent.

GORANI: Dissatisfaction with Congress is at levels that haven't been seen for years. Ethics scandals, sex scandals and more are leaving many Americans wondering, what are they up to on Capitol Hill?

Here's Ed Henry.

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TOM DASCHLE, FORMER U.S. SENATOR: Senator Lott and I used to joke that if we really wanted everybody here for every important vote, the only time we could actually schedule it was Wednesday afternoon.

ED HENRY, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Congress has become the Tuesday through Thursday club, with lawmakers enjoying a work schedule most Americans can only dream of, pulling in $165,000 for what's essentially become a part-time job.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You're looking good. Keep those arms moving.

HENRY: Former Majority Leader Trent Lott recalls senators routinely lining up in front of his office begging for their four-day weekends.

SEN. TRENT LOTT (R), MISSISSIPPI: Oh, yes, they'd just -- oh, please, let me get out of here on Thursday night. I'd rather stay until midnight on Thursday so I can catch the 7:30 flight out. Or please don't have votes after about 7:30 so I can catch that. And some of them would get pretty aggressive about it.

HENRY: A recent "New York Times" poll found most Americans can't name a single major piece of legislation that made its way through this Congress. Social Security reform? Didn't happen. Tougher immigration laws? Nope. Tighter ethics standards? Not a chance.

In the 1960s and '70s, Congress met an average of 161 days a year. In the '80s and '90s, that number dropped to 139 days. This year, Congress will probably end up working just about 100 days. DAN ROSTENKOWSKI, FORMER U.S. CONGRESSMAN: It isn't a legislative process anymore. Work one day a week? Work a day-and-a- half a week? I mean, it's crazy. It's just crazy.

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GORANI: Well that was congressional correspondent Ed Henry reporting.

CLANCY: All right, as we've been reporting, the presidency isn't at stake in this midterm election. Well, not directly, but the picture of just who is going to be running for the White House might be much clearer after the 7th of November.

Senior political editor Bill Schneider joining us now with a look at some of the names that keep coming up. Barack Obama, Hillary Rodham Clinton, the names are out there, and they are obvious to a lot of people.

WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, CNN SR. POLITICAL ANALYST: That's right. This is the most wide-open presidential contest in more than 50 years. It's the first time since 1952 when you have the incumbent president who can't run for reelection, and the vice president is not running for reelection. So, it's a completely wide-open race in both parties. And that's why a lot of people like Barack Obama are waking up and saying, hey, why not me?

CLANCY: All right, as you -- you look there, Barack Obama, incredibly vibrant, one would say, when speaking to a crowd. This guy really holds people together, but still, the questions being asked about, you know, is the U.S. ready for a black president?

SCHNEIDER: Well, yes, those questions are being asked. But right now, he's very popular. He's a rock star. He gathers crowds wherever he goes, and he also looks like the man of the hour for another reason. Americans want change for some of the reasons Ed Henry just reported. They want something completely different. They think the government is broken. And he looks like change.

Being African-American is part of it, but being young, being new, being relatively inexperienced means that he can be the candidate of change. But in two years from now, that mood of the country might change, and his experience might be called into question, or his inexperience.

CLANCY: A woman for president? That would be a change. Hillary Rodham Clinton, that might be more of the same in the eyes of some voters.

SCHNEIDER: That's right. Hillary Rodham Clinton, a woman would be a change but, of course, she has a lot of baggage from the Clinton era. If she were to run, there would be a lot of questions about what role her husband, a former president, would play in her administration.

But she, too -- you know, there's some Clinton nostalgia out there. A lot of Americans remember the Clinton years as good times when they were making some money. So, for Democrats, she's right at the top of the list.

CLANCY: How about the Republican side? When you're looking at the people that are matching up here. What can you say about that?

SCHNEIDER: The two frontrunners for the Republican nomination, John McCain, Rudy Giuliani, neither one is a hard-line conservative. They, too -- if either one were to get the nomination, they could make a plausible argument that they are offering change, as well, though they are both Republicans.

CLANCY: Let's get serious here. How much of this depends on this congressional race, if the Democrats take one or both houses there, in the Congress, if the Republicans manage to hang on?

SCHNEIDER: Actually, nothing depends on this congressional race because in 1994, the Republicans had a triumph, they took over Congress, it looks like Bill Clinton was politically a dead man, and two years later, in 1996, Clinton got handsomely reelected. So don't make any conclusions too quickly from 2006 to 2008.

CLANCY: We wouldn't draw conclusions. That wouldn't give you a chance to knock them all down. Thanks a lot.

SCHNEIDER: Sure.

CLANCY: Bill Schneider, great to have you with us, as always.

SCHNEIDER: OK.

GORANI: Well, coming up, it's cool, it's everywhere. It's five years old.

CLANCY: Happy birthday iPod. We're going to celebrate a milestone in the life of a device we just can't seem to do without.

GORANI: And find out where the ubiquitous iPod goes from here. Stay with us.

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