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American Morning
Democrats to Meet with President to Discuss War Strategy; Warrants Issued in Alleged CIA Kidnapping of German Man; Study: Not Enough Known About Women and Heart Attacks
Aired January 31, 2007 - 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 MORNING: Breaking news this morning. British police raid a neighborhood overnight. They arrest terrorists. We have lead details on their plot, that's alleged, straight ahead in a live report.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR, AMERICAN MORNING: The Iranian connection. New suggestions this morning Iran was behind that sneak attack in Iraq that killed five U.S. soldiers.
S. O'BRIEN: Signs of life. New pictures of a Cuban leader, Fidel Castro, up and about. Those stories and much more ahead on this AMERICAN MORNING.
Good morning, Wednesday, January 3 1st. I'm Soledad O'Brien.
M. O'BRIEN: I'm Miles O'Brien. Thanks for being with us this morning.
We begin in Great Britain and breaking news of an alleged terror plot foiled by police. Eight people in custody right now. A series of raids in Birmingham still underway. That's where we find CNN International Security Correspondent Paula Newton, who has details for us.
Hello, Paula.
PAULA NEWTON, CNN INT'L. SECURITY CORRESPONDENT, AMERICAN MORNING: And good morning, Miles.
Chilling details today. Sources tell CNN that this involved a kidnapping plot. In a sense, Miles, importing the terror that we see every day in Iraq to the streets of this town in England. It's about 100 miles, Birmingham, north of London.
The plan was, sources tell us, that they were going to target a British Muslim soldier who had served in Afghanistan. The plan was to kidnap him, hold him, torture him, behead him all on the Internet, on videotape, and then make a series of demands.
This really is a new departure for the kind of terror plot that is we have seen uncovered in Britain before, Miles. Police have yet to confirm this to us. We do expect a press conference on this in the coming hour, but it is a chilling thought.
They -- what they seem to be implying that this really is a political type of terror plot, in the sense of trying to take someone from their own community, and suggesting that this person is a traitor. It certainly would have sent chills down certainly everybody's spine here in Birmingham. This is a very close-knit community.
Again, police are not confirming this. They have fanned out to more than 12 properties. Not just the places where the alleged suspects live, like the residence behind me, but also where they work, looking for more evidence, more clues to how close they came to being able to execute this. Sources do say that this was in the latter stages of preparation -- Miles.
M. O'BRIEN: Paula, they had been watching this group of individuals for quite some time?
NEWTON: We don't have the details of that yet. We do understand that there was some kind of surveillance. Whether or not this kind of a raid actually happened with a tip off, as sometimes happens, Miles, or whether they were under surveillance, we still can't say. Keeping in mind that intelligence services have been saying to us for months now that they have basically trying to keep an eye on dozens of terror plots that they know are underway.
What's been different here this morning, Miles, is that this emboldens Iraqi-style terror where they're kidnapping people off the streets, and then releasing video, releasing the demands, and really suggesting that they intended to carry out a very grizzly murder. Miles.
M. O'BRIEN: Paula Newton in Birmingham, thank you.
Soledad.
S. O'BRIEN: Developing news in Iraq right now. Overnight CNN interviewed Iraq's prime minister.
Here what else is new this morning: Two U.S. soldiers and a Marine are reported killed in attacks west of Baghdad. Plus that Iranian connection we've been talking about all morning. The U.S. military no longer selling fighter jet parts because they could wind up being used by Iranian military.
A new report suggests Iranian agents may be behind that brazen sneak attack in Karbala, Iraq. Our reporters around the world are looking into all these Iran connections. Barbara Starr at the Pentagon for us this morning. Michael Ware is in Baghdad. Aneesh Raman is in Cairo. Let's start with Barbara and the suspicion about that Karbala attack.
Barbara, good morning.
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT, AMERICAN MORNING: Good morning to you, Soledad.
CNN has learned that military investigators are looking into the possibility that Iranians, or Iranian-trained operatives, in fact, pulled off that sneak attack January 20th at a compound in Karbala that killed five soldiers. Of course, very grizzly, four of them abducted, taken away, and later found dead.
Why are military investigators looking into this possibility? They say they now believe this attack was more sophisticated, more targeted, more coordinated than any attack they had seen pulled off by foreign fighters. That means, of course, Al Qaeda in Iraq, or pulled off by Shiite militias in the past.
Of course, the attackers had, according to all reports, U.S.- style military uniforms, SUVs of the type that U.S. troops use. And when they entered the compound, clearly the U.S. believes they had inside help because they went right to the U.S. troops. They specifically targeted them.
One of the theories, if you will, that investigators are looking at is this may have been also, in part, carried off by operatives loyal to the Mehdi Army. They do believe, they have thought for some time now, there is a break-away group of the Mehdi Army that is being trained by Iranians. And they believe it may all be tied to that. No final conclusions, but it is a theory they're looking at.
S. O'BRIEN: Barbara Starr is at the Pentagon for us this morning. Thanks, Barbara, for the update.
Miles.
M. O'BRIEN: Michael Ware has as much experience reporting on Iraq as anybody. We'll bring him in now. He has an exclusive interview with the Iraqi Prime Minister al-Maliki.
But before we get to that, I want to ask you, Michael, about the allegations of Iranian meddling. And perhaps even staging this daring attack. What's the word on the street there in Baghdad about this?
MICHAEL WARE, CNN BAGHDAD CORRESPONDENT, AMERICAN MORNING: Well, obviously, Miles, information is so scarce about this attack that it's impossible to say for sure just who has pulled this off. Clearly, Al Qaeda has to be considered, as the Sunni insurgents. Yet, given where it happened and given the nature of it, perhaps there is reason to be looking towards Shia militia.
Now, many of these Shia militia, according to American intelligence, are backed, supported, armed, and trained by Iran. Now, indeed, U.S. military intelligence says the Iranians are working to kill American soldiers.
In our interview with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki today, he said that, in fact, not only can he not rule it out, he believes that, yes, in fact, that is happening. He says Iranians are targeting Americans, and Americans are targeting Iranians in his own country.
Now, whilst the mood, generally, in Washington may be for withdrawal of American troops, Prime Minister Maliki says he believes a new strategy will work, but he is showing signs of strain in the relationship with Washington. He was critical of past mistakes. He said more support means they could take over quicker here in Iraq, but he also kept the door open for an escalation. Here is what he had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NOURI AL-MALIKI, PRIME MINISTER OF IRAQ (through translator): One of the major issues for President Bush's plan, which we consider a support to our Baghdad security plan, is the extent to which there's a need for additional troops, American and multi-national, to support the operations.
And we agree this will be assessed by those in the field, the military commanders. And if their assessment is for more, we will ask for these troops. We believe that the existing number, with a slight addition, will do the job, but if there seems to be more need, we will ask for more troops.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WARE: So it was rather a grim picture that the Iraqi prime minister was painting. He believes that there is still a way forward. Yet, clearly not everything is going well, and the relationship with Washington is becoming more and more prickly, Miles.
M. O'BRIEN: Michael Ware, live from Baghdad.
Soledad.
S. O'BRIEN: This morning in Washington a new breakthrough and pledge for cooperation on Iraq. President Bush is inviting House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to the White House. She and other Democrats are just back from the war zone in Iraq. The White House is looking to form a bipartisan group to work on Iraq's strategy and the war on terror.
At the same time, senator and presidential hopeful, Barak Obama is introducing a bill to pull all U.S. troops out of Iraq by spring 2008. He wants to also immediately put the brakes on President Bush's plan to send more troops in.
Just a few minutes ago I spoke with Democratic Senator Joe Biden. Is he officially announcing today that he is running for president. And I asked him about his bipartisan resolution about the president's plan to send more troops into Iraq. Here's what he told me.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JOESEPH BIDEN, (D-DE): If anybody has undercut the troops, it's been this administration's policy. What I'm trying to do is stop an escalation of a war that everyone acknowledges can only be settled by a political settlement among the Iraqis. More American forces, more American forces will not be able to change the Iraqi mentality. They need to get together a political solution.
(END VIDEO CLIP) S. O'BRIEN: That was Senator Biden. Will he take his message on the road as well. He is planning a campaign trip to New Hampshire early next week, Miles.
M. O'BRIEN: This morning some new pictures of Fidel Castro out there, or at least Cuban TV says they are new pictures. He looks better, as he meets with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. CNN's Morgan Neil in Havana with more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MORGAN NEIL, CNN INT'L. CORRESPONDENT, AMERICAN MORNING (voice over): Three months after disappearing from sight, Fidel Castro is back.
In this new video, the ailing 80-year-old Cuban leader is on his feet greeting Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. His voice is weak, but the message is clear. This is far from a lost battle, he says. The video lasting some 10 minutes shows Castro and Chavez discussing everything from climate change to what the Venezuelan leader called the threats from the empire, a reference to the United States.
Chavez says the video was shot during an unannounced visit Monday afternoon. Wednesday marks six months since intestinal surgery forced Castro to transfer power to his 75-year-old brother Raul. With or without the new images, many Cubans say they have more pressing things to worry about than politics.
"I have so many things on my mind," she says. "I haven't been able to think whether there are changes or not."
Both inside and outside Cuba, the president's health is a constant source of speculation. Most recently the Spanish newspaper, "El Pais" reported he had three failed operations to deal with diverticulitis, inflammation of a pouch in the intestinal wall. This has not been confirmed.
The latest video will do little to clear up uncertainty about just who is making the decisions. Acting President Raul Castro, or Fidel Castro, from his bedside? Raul is officially in charge, but analysts say at this point he is not likely to make decision that is would directly contradict those of his brother.
While Miami erupted with celebrations when Castro transferred power in July, the streets of Havana have remained calm. Analyst Hal Klepak says there's good reason for that.
HAL KLEPAK, ROYAL MILITARY COLLEGE: Cuban s are not surprised by whatever, Miami or Washington or capitals thinks. They see more stability not less in the sense of here is what was said was going to be happening. It is happening, but without the absence of this 47 years ruler.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NEIL: And, Miles, I don't know if you can see here, but the sun is just coming up in Havana, and so a lot of people, if they didn't get a chance to see that video last night, they'll be seeing it in the state-run media, the newspapers this morning.
Really, more than anything, though, six months after Fidel Castro handed over power, it's a sense of continuity that we've seen here. Not a change. In this latest video, it's likely reinforcing that, Miles.
M. O'BRIEN: Morgan, are we pretty certain it's new video?
NEIL: Well, it's new video in that we haven't seen it before. Now, when it was shot is a subject for debate. I suppose (AUDIO GAP) it has proven to be the case -- Miles.
M. O'BRIEN: Morgan Neil, sorry about the audio dropout there. Thank you, Morgan, in Havana for us.
Chavez is using Cuba and Castro as his model and mentor. Venezuela's national assembly, today, is expected to give President Chavez extraordinary powers. He will nationalize strategic industries and end presidential term limits. Chavez says he wants to position Venezuela as an alternative to the U.S. -- Soledad.
S. O'BRIEN: Parts of the South are preparing for a dangerous winter storm. Severe Weather Expert Chad Myers is going to tell us where, and what we can expect.
Plus, is Iran the biggest threat to stability in the Middle East? We're going to talk to CNN's Aneesh Raman, he knows that country inside and out.
The price of security, American companies come out with dramatic numbers today. They say security in Iraq is costing us plenty. You are watching AMERICAN MORNING. The most news in the morning is right here on CNN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
O'BRIEN: The most news in the morning right here.
Two stories we are watching for you this morning very closely. British police rounding up eight suspected terrorists overnight. High- level security forces telling CNN the suspects planned to kidnap and then behead a British Muslim soldier.
And a new audit coming out today highlighting millions of U.S. dollars. Your money wasted in Iraq, including a $4 million swimming pool for a police academy that's never been used.
Quarter past the hour. Chad Myers at the CNN Weather Center looking at the Northeast, and the Southeast and it's just kind of a mess.
(WEATHER REPORT)
S. O'BRIEN: We've been talking about Iran's possible influence in the fight for Iraq. That it could be behind that sneak attack on U.S. soldiers that took place in Karbala. CNN Middle East Correspondent Aneesh Raman has been reporting for us, from Iran, several times recently. This morning he is in Cairo.
Good morning.
ANEESH RAMAN, CNN MIDDLE EAST CORRESPONDENT, AMERICAN MORNING: Good morning, Soledad.
As we look at what we've been speaking of this morning, that attack in Karbala, it is potentially, incredibly significant. If it is proven that Iran was behind that attack, it could and perhaps likely will be seen as an overt act of war by the Islamic Republic against the United States.
The U.S. has long said that Iran is arming, training, funding Shia militias in Iraq. Iran has long denied it. That is why this situation in Karbala is so powerfully significant. We haven't seen the U.S. in such a direct and specific way link Iran to activities in Iraq. And if evidence is produced, Iran, of course, won't be able to really deny any involvement. It could ratchet things up. And Iraq could prove a grounding itself of a proxy war between Iran and the U.S., Soledad.
S. O'BRIEN: You had President Bush saying on Monday, on NPR, an interview he did, essentially this -- if Iran escalates its military actions in Iraq to the detriment of our troops and/or innocent Iraqi people, we will respond firmly. How are threats like that being taken by the Iranian people?
RAMAN: Very seriously. The Iranian people are increasingly concerned that in the coming months military action, of some kind, will either come into Iran or Iran will be dragged into a broader struggle. I have been there a number of times last year. Every time I went there was increased fear, a sense that war clouds were looming. They've seen their president over the past year increasingly defiant in his rhetoric. They see their country pushed forward on the nuclear program despite U.N. sanctions, despite U.N. deadlines.
And now it's not just a nuclear dispute. It's not just their president. It's Iraq with very specific allegations being put forward by the United States in terms of Iranian involvement.
The Iranian people, what do they want? Very voted Ahmadinejad in, over a year ago, to fix the economy at home. Instead, they are now bracing for what they see is perhaps inevitable, some sort of military conflict between Iran and the West.
S. O'BRIEN: That kind of leads me to my next question. How much of a hold does, in fact, President Ahmadinejad have on his leadership?
RAMAN: Well, we've seen it weaken, quite dramatically and significantly over the past few weeks. He was on a trip recently to Latin America; meeting Chavez, meeting Ortega in Nicaragua, all anti- American voices. Back home a majority of Ian's parliament sent a letter to the president saying he should focus on domestic issues like the economy.
A paper owned by the country's supreme leader, the be-all, end- all of all decision making in Iran, chastised the president for his involvement in the nuclear dispute. Clearly, the honeymoon, as long as it has existed in Iran, is over for Ahmadinejad.
The wild card, though, is his own policies. He has given no indication he is going to soften his rhetoric, no indication he is going to change his course, despite clearly his people, at this point, wanting something else. He is not up for re-election until 2009. Is he really what we're waiting to see. Does he change his actions, which has fueled so much of the fear when it comes to Iran?
S. O'BRIEN: Aneesh Raman, he's in Cairo this morning. He has spent a lot of time reporting for us from Iran. Thanks, Aneesh.
Miles.
M. O'BRIEN: Coming up, Wall Street is the stage for President Bush's big speech on the economy today. Ali Velshi with a preview.
And the unwelcome mat. International visitors staying away, and American companies saying it's costing us big. That report is ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
M. O'BRIEN: Welcome back to the most news in the morning.
Tight security at the U.S. since the 9/11 attacks apparently not just infringing on our civil liberties, it is also bad for business. Jeanne Meserve has details from a new travel industry report unveiled today.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANNE MESERVE, CNN CORRESPONDENT, AMERICAN MORNING (voice over): This Kuwaiti man vacationing in Dubai wouldn't consider traveling to the U.S. because getting a visa is such a hassle.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's too tough, there, the arrangements.
MESERVE: He is not alone. According it a new survey by a U.S. travel industry coalition, obtained by CNN, tourists and business travel to the U.S. from countries other than Mexico and Canada has plummeted 17 percent since 9/11. The cost to the U.S. economy, an estimate $94 billion in sales, and more than 200,000 new jobs.
GEOF FREEMAN, DISCOVER AMERICA PARTNERSHIP: This is a competition, and we're losing.
MESERVE: The travel coalition claims immigration checkpoints at U.S. airports are understaffed, resulting in long waits and rude service, and then there's security.
FREEMAN: Those international travelers will tell you that they find that they're treated like criminals. That they're barked at by U.S. officials. They simply feel unwelcome.
MESERVE: In Brazil it can take as long as 79 days to get an interview for a visa to the U.S., according to the State Department. To shorten long waits like that, the head of the Marriott Hotel chain wants more money spent on technology and staff for consular offices and immigration checkpoints.
J.W. MARRIOTT JR., MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL: We need to be able to balance things out. We just cannot become an isolated country that closes its doors to people that want to come here.
MESERVE: The industry also wants more countries admitted to the visa waiver program, which allows travel to the U.S. without a visa.
MICHAEL CUTLER, CENTER FOR IMMIGRATION STUDIES: The bottom line is they're motivated by greed, but I think they're being very short- sighted.
MESERVE: Cutler and others believe the visa waiver program should be abolished, because it has been exploited by terrorists like British shoe bomber Richard Reid. The travel industry response? It wants security, but it wants more business, too. Jeanne Meserve, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
S. O'BRIEN: President Bush is headed to Wall Street today to tout the economy. It's 25 minutes past the hour, that means it's time for Ali Velshi, and "Minding Your Business".
Good morning.
ALI VELSHI, CNN FINANCIAL CORRESPONDENT, AMERICAN MORNING: Good morning, Soledad.
This would be a busy enough economic day without President Bush getting involved. We have a Fed decision at 2:15 Eastern. We have a number of important economic reports, but President Bush is going right to Federal Hall on Wall Street, right across the road from the stock exchange, which is where George Washington took his oath of office.
Is he going to highlight economic progress. You'll remember in the State of the Union Address, last week, there was very little about the economy. President Bush has a number of things he wants to talk about. One of them is going to be unemployment, record low unemployment. 4.5 percent. Wages continue to increase for Americans. Inflation appears to be contained, although this recent oil spike that we're looking at might be a bit of a problem. And the housing market is, I don't know, middling. I guess that's the best way we can describe it.
There are some problems he is going to talk about, too. Economic growth, we're expecting a GDP report today. Economic growth is a little slower than he would like. We continue to lose manufacturing jobs. About 3 million since he has become president. And the trade deficit with China and other countries continues to grow.
A couple of other highlights that President Bush might talk about. One is executive pay. We talk about how much a lot of CEOs get paid and sort of how irate Americans are with that. I think President Bush might comment on that.
The other thing he might talk about is Sarbanes-Oxley. That law that was put into place after the scandals liken Enron and WorldCom to tighten accounting measures. Some companies have complained it's gone too far. President Bush might have some comments about whether it needs changing -- Soledad.
S. O'BRIEN: All right, Ali. Thank you very much. Top stories of the morning are coming up next, including a new report on heart disease and women. The disease is the number one killer of women, so why do women get the short end of the stick when it comes to research?
Plus, the first new pictures of Fidel Castro in months. There they are right there. The question is, of course, how is his health? We'll take a look ahead on AMERICAN MORNING. The most news in the morning is right here on CNN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
S. O'BRIEN: Building bridges: President Bush and the top two Democrats in Congress promise to come together to try to end the political standoff over Iraq.
M. O'BRIEN: A deadly connection? New suggestions this morning Iran is behind that sneak attack that killed five American soldiers in Iraq.
S. O'BRIEN: And up and about. New pictures of the Cuban leader, Fidel Castro, for the first time in months. We're showing them (ph) on this AMERICAN MORNING.
Good morning. Welcome back, everybody. It's Wednesday, January 31. I'm Soledad O'Brien.
M. O'BRIEN: And I'm Miles O'Brien. We're glad you are with us.
Happening this morning in Iraq, the Bush administration is linking Iran to that brazen Trojan horse attack that killed five U.S. soldiers in Karbala. The Pentagon claims the raid was too sophisticated for home-grown Iraqi militants.
The attackers entered a U.S. compound on January 20. They wore U.S. uniforms. They drove black Suburbans with tinted glass, favored by U.S. convoys.
In Ghent, West Virginia -- that's south of Charleston -- firefighters this morning searching for more possible victims after an explosion at a gas station. At least four were killed, including two emergency workers, at least five others hurt. Investigators suspect a propane leak. New pictures this morning of Fidel Castro. Cuban TV claiming they were shot Monday as Castro met with Venezuela president Hugo Chavez. Castro, now 80, is recovering from intestinal surgery. He looks a little better than did he in the last tape we saw in October.
Senator and presidential hopeful, Barack Obama, is offering a new plan to bring U.S. troops home from Iraq. He's introducing a bill to pull all U.S. troops out of Iraq by the spring of '08. And putting the brakes on President Bush's plan to send more troops in now -- Soledad.
S. O'BRIEN: Earlier this morning I spoke to another Democratic presidential hopeful, Senator Joe Biden, officially announcing his presidential campaign today, and I asked him about the president's plan to send more troops into Iraq. Here's what he said.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SEN. JOE BIDEN (D-DE), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: When I came on your program between Christmas and New Year's and said I'm going to oppose this escalation, there wasn't anybody out there saying that.
And all of a sudden now you're hearing from John McCain, sending out benchmarks with, quote, "teeth in it." You have John Warner with a resolution almost exactly the same as the one I put out. And I don't care which one passes.
And so what you have is you haven't heard -- you haven't heard a single voice in the United States Congress stand up and say, "I'm absolutely sure what the president is doing is right. This is the way to go."
Now, so if the president does not respond to the voices, as well as the votes in the United States Congress, representing the American people, then we're in real trouble. He will respond as long as he understands there is virtually no support for this escalation of his war.
S. O'BRIEN: Let me ask you a quick question about some of the quotes you had in "The New York Observer". Very interesting, by the way. I encourage everybody to take a look at that.
One of the things you said about Hillary Clinton is her plan for Iraq is "nothing but disaster." That's your quote there.
Then you were talking about John Edwards, and you said, quote, "I don't think John Edwards knows what the heck he's talking about." Both, by the way, ahead of you in the polls, I'd like to point out. Are you saying that both of them are not qualified?
BIDEN: Thank you for doing that. No, no. Look, the context of the discussion was John Edwards' proposal relating to the troops. I was told by the -- by the reporter that John Edwards called for capping American troops and cutting off support for -- for the Iraqi troops. And Senator Clinton had a plan that she announced that we should cut off funding for the -- if there is not a response of the Maliki government, cut off funding off funding for their -- their troops and training of their troops. That's the exact opposite thing we should be doing.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
M. O'BRIEN: Now, talk like that is setting the stage for an important meeting at the White House today. CNN's Ed Henry reports the president is inviting House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other leading Democrats just back from Iraq and Afghanistan to help forge an Iraq war strategy.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ED HENRY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: CNN has learned that late Tuesday evening President Bush and the senior Democratic leaders on Capitol Hill agreed to create some sort of a bipartisan working group on Iraq and the broader war on terror. Both sides saying what the aim here is to try to improve the dialogue amid deep partisan tensions and a divide over the war in Iraq and what are the next steps?
The breakthrough came after a phone conversation, a conference call between the president and Senate majority leader Harry Reid and speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, late on Tuesday afternoon.
The first meeting of this bipartisan work group will be at the White House sometime next week between the Democratic leaders, some other key committee chairmen, along with the president, to try to start mapping out some part of this new strategy, try to figure it all out.
Ed Henry, CNN, the White House.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
M. O'BRIEN: The president is pinning a lot of hope on the Iraqi prime minister, Nuri al-Maliki, but he is being pretty vague about whether he supports the president's plan to send more troops to Iraq. He spoke exclusively to CNN's Michael Ware just moments ago.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NURI AL-MALIKI, IRAQI PRIME MINISTER (through translator): One of the major issues for President Bush's plan, which we consider a support to our Baghdad security plan, is the extent to which there's a need for additional troops, American and multi-national to support the operations.
And we agree this will be assessed by those in the field, the military commanders, and if their assessment is for more, we will ask for these troops. But we believe that the existing number with a slight addition will do the job, but if there seems to be more need, we will ask for more troops.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
M. O'BRIEN: Al-Maliki also says that he'll apply the law evenly to everyone. That includes Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr. He says anyone who rebels against the Iraqi government should be held accountable -- Soledad.
S. O'BRIEN: Right now in Britain police have eight people in custody. They've been swept up in a series of anti-terror raids that happened overnight.
It happened in Birmingham, England, which is north of London, and we're learning some of the chilling details from a senior security source. The alleged plot involved this: a plan to kidnap, torture, and then execute by beheading a British Muslim soldier who's serving in the Iraq war.
The source tells CNN that the plan was to post it all on the Internet. According to the source, the soldier was not a high-profile figure.
We're expecting a briefing this morning around 10 a.m. Eastern Time. Of course, going to bring that to you live when it happens.
And there were arrest warrants issued overnight in the alleged kidnapping of a German man of Lebanese descent back in December of 2003. The man claims it was all orchestrated by the CIA.
CNN's Frederik Pleitgen joins us from Berlin with more on those new arrest warrants.
Frederik, good morning.
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Soledad, good morning to you in New York. You're absolutely right: 13 arrest warrants have been filed against alleged CIA operatives, and the strange thing about this case is that the German authorities tell us the names on those 13 arrest warrants are aliases. They say they don't even know the real names of those alleged CIA operatives.
But this case sure has been going on for a very, very long time. The German national Khalid al-Masri says that in December of 2003 he was abducted while on vacation and then taken to Afghanistan, where he says he was severely beaten by CIA operatives in interrogation hearings. Now he was released in May of 2004 and immediately filed charges.
In September of 2006 German authorities were tipped off by Spanish authorities with a list of 20 suspects whom they claimed were all CIA members, and then in December of 2006, Germany banned several CIA operatives from Germany.
Now, it's not clear whether any of these operatives will ever stand trial in Germany, because all of these arrest warrants that are filed in Germany in this country are not valid in America -- Soledad.
S. O'BRIEN: We've got a report on that CIA kidnapping -- alleged kidnapping story. Let me ask you a quick question, if I can, Frederik. How is this affecting the relationship between the United States and Germany, do you think?
PLEITGEN: Well, the relations between Germany and America have been getting better since Germany has gotten a new government in 2005, but, of course, this case is not doing very much to help that relationship. And it's been -- it's been really doing very bad because of this.
The Germans, basically, are saying that they think the Americans are not cooperating. They're saying that the State Department is not even willing to address this issue, and they say the American authorities are not cooperating with them.
And, obviously, the Americans are saying it's not in their interest to disclose names of CIA operatives in any way or form, that that's obviously not in the sense of national security to America. So really, this is putting the very, very big strain on Germany and America right now -- Soledad.
S. O'BRIEN: Frederik Pleitgen for us this morning. Thanks for the update -- Miles.
M. O'BRIEN: Cold and icy weather is headed for the south. Severe weather expert Chad Myers is bunking in at CNN center, possibly, tonight.
And new information is coming out this morning about a woman's heart. A new study showing just why medicine may be letting women down even more than previously thought. That's ahead on AMERICAN MORNING. The most news in the morning right here.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
M. O'BRIEN: Most news in the morning right here. Some stories we're watching for you: the president agreeing to build a bridge to Democrats leading the Congress. Nancy Pelosi and some other leading Democrats. That's file tape, of course, of a previous meeting. But they are slated for an Oval Office meeting today. Senator Harry Reid also there. First in a series of planned bipartisan meetings on the Iraq war.
And President Bush will come to New York City today. He'll be talking about the economy. He's bullish on it. Wall Street would like to hear that. And he'll also pledge $25 million to help rescue workers who got sick, lung disorders, after working at Ground Zero in the wake of the 9/11 attacks.
It is -- what time is it? It is just about quarter of the hour. And you're probably are heading out the door, and Chad Myers has the story. We've been talking an awful lot about Atlanta, the northeast. Let's move to the center part of the country, shall we?
CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Got it.
M. O'BRIEN: All right. (WEATHER REPORT)
S. O'BRIEN: All right, Chad, thank you for watching that.
MYERS: All right.
S. O'BRIEN: There's a new study just out this morning that really goes right to the heart of the problem when it comes to women and heart disease. Not only are there not enough female hearts studied, but even when they are, the research isn't reported by sex, and that leaves female patients further behind.
CNN's Elizabeth Cohen has been talking to researchers behind the new study that just came out from the Mayo Clinic. She joins us this morning.
Good morning to you, Elizabeth.
ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Soledad.
Soledad, as you mentioned, studies are done more on men than on women when it comes to heart disease. That may be because of a perception among people in general, and even doctors, that heart disease is more of a men's disease, which is not true at all.
So when you look at people in heart disease studies, the study subjects are usually 80 percent men and 20 percent women. And -- and this is the news that comes out of Mayo -- of the Mayo Clinic today -- the statistics are not sex-specific. In other words, the researchers do their study, and they look at what they found, but they don't separate it by men and women.
For example, let's say you're going to study the effects of taking aspirin on preventing heart disease. They tend not to separate those out. So you don't really know the answer to the question, is aspirin good for a woman? Is it good for a man? Maybe it's bad for women or good for men? You just don't know because of the way these studies are done.
And so what that -- you may think, well, gee, why does it matter? I mean, hearts are hearts. We all have hearts. Does it matter if you study men or women?
The answer is that it does matter, because of hormones, because of all sorts of systems in our bodies. Heart disease is different for men than women, and, in fact, that may account for these sobering statistics. Thirty-eight percent of women die after their first heart attack, but only 25 percent of men die after their first heart attack.
Now, some researchers say the reason for that is that we just don't know enough about heart disease and women. They're trying to change that by getting more women involved in studies and by separating out those statistics based on gender -- Soledad.
S. O'BRIEN: Which seems to make, you know, complete and perfect sense. Now, the one thing they do know about women and heart disease are some of the symptoms. So why don't you run through the symptoms in women that we know?
COHEN: Right. The symptoms are just different. Both men and women have chest pain, but in women that chest pain is often less severe. Women may experience other kinds of symptoms: neck, shoulder, or back or abdominal pain, shortness of breath, nausea or vomiting, sweating, or unusual fatigue.
So sometimes women will show up at the emergency room with these symptoms, and a doctor might say, "You're not having a heart attack. You've got some gastrointestinal or anxiety or some other issues." So women need to know that these can be the signs of a heart attack.
S. O'BRIEN: So let's say you're a woman who has -- who's been diagnosed with some kind of heart disease. If all the research essentially goes to help men and not women, what's a woman that's got that diagnosis supposed to do?
COHEN: Well, one thing that you can do is that now in some big cities there are cardiology practices that focus more on women, and those are doctors who really know the most about women and heart disease. So you can certainly look for one of those.
There's also great information on the Internet. For example, there's a web site called WomenHeart.org, and they have some terrific information, and they link to information at the National Institutes of Health that's also useful for women.
S. O'BRIEN: Medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen with a little bit of good news for women.
COHEN: Thanks.
S. O'BRIEN: Sort of more work to be done, right, I guess is a good way to put it.
COHEN: That is a good way to put it.
S. O'BRIEN: Thanks, Elizabeth -- Miles.
M. O'BRIEN: Still to come, melting point. We begin an intensive long-term focus on global warming here on this program. Researchers say the Bush White House told them not to talk to the media about global warming. We're going to check in with a senator who is leading -- is a leading global warming contrarian.
And a mermaid mailbox not making a splash with neighbors. Going postal over what some are calling an offensive display, ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.
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M. O'BRIEN: Most news in the morning right here. Take a look at the feeds we are monitoring in the newsroom and the control room and out here right now.
APTN, live pictures now coming in from Birmingham, England. Those are police officers involved in that raid. Eight people arrested. British authorities saying it was a terror plot where they would have kidnapped a British soldier, happens to be Muslim, and beheaded that soldier.
They had been watching them for quite some time, moved in and made the arrests. We're tracking that for you. That is developing as we speak. Ten a.m. Eastern Time we're due to get a briefing from the British authorities, get more information on that.
Incoming 12, Cuban TV. That is not Fidel Castro, obviously. We're watching Cuban TV closely, though. We have some new tape out this morning of Fidel Castro, or what is purported to be a recent meeting with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. Castro seems to look better.
Of course, we've been focusing a lot on his health. He's had some serious intestinal problems and surgeries.
Washington today. What's going on there? Capitol, the White House. Important meeting at the White House coming up this -- today. The Democratic leaders meet with the president, trying to come up with a bipartisan solution to the Iraq war problem.
And the president, meanwhile, New York City. He'll be able to see the Statue of Liberty with his own eyes this morning as he goes to the Federal House where George Washington was sworn in as president, the first president, of course. And he will have an economic address.
He's bullish on the economy. Talk about inflation, and unemployment. He'll also offer up about $25 million to help Ground Zero workers who have lung disorders in the wake of helping out after the 9/11 attacks -- Soledad.
S. O'BRIEN: All right, Miles. Thank you.
Happening in America this morning. In northern California the search is on right now, being led by the Coast Guard, actually, for a computer scientist who is missing at sea. His name is Jim Gray. He's a relatively famous computer scientist. He hasn't been seen since Sunday when he went sailing alone. He was going to scatter his mother's ashes in the waters west of San Francisco.
In Minnesota there has been an outbreak of a herpes-type virus. It's forcing officials to suspend high school wrestling state-wide. 24 cases have been reported by ten teams. The virus is spread in skin-to-skin contact. So for the time being, they're not letting them wrestle.
Anyhow, another story this morning, In Massachusetts, look at this, big old hug. That is Mary Bernardo hugging Rob McCormick. Rob was the mystery Good Samaritan who rescued her two sons from their burning home in Norwood in Massachusetts. Happened on Saturday.
He was passing by when he saw 17-year-old Steve and the 2-year- old Aidan, her sons, trapped on the second floor. So he grabs a ladder, he brings it over. He brings both boys down to safety. Firefighters show up. They take his picture. But they don't know who he is, because he leaves before they could thank him. Now it's all been resolved.
In Connecticut, take a look at this. They say good fences make good neighbors. What about bad mailbox making bad neighbors? This is a story of one neighbor who's upset about that or this. A mailbox, a shapely mailbox, shall we say? It's shaped like a mermaid, apparently. And then, of course, he's got these similar shapes on the fence.
Pam Lee and her husband actually got so mad, so offended by the figure, they took out the mailbox at one point. That kind of got them into trouble. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PAM LEE, NEIGHBOR: It's offensive to me. It's offensive to my family. I have a 17-year-old daughter who lives here. I have school buses that come by. And you know, we have to look at this artwork that wouldn't be shown on the cover of a magazine in Wal-Mart.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
S. O'BRIEN: That's her side. She wants the town to take some action. The town says we're debating a possible resolution. And so far they're leaving it at that, and the shapely mermaid has remained on the mailbox. What mailbox? You don't even notice the mailbox?
M. O'BRIEN: There's the -- I guess you don't.
S. O'BRIEN: That's the whole point, I guess.
M. O'BRIEN: It's more like female. But if you want to get your husband to go get the mail, that's one way to do it, right. Just put that -- "Oh, honey, I'll go back out."
Coming up on the program, charges Iran is behind that Trojan horse attack in Karbala back on January 20. Five soldiers were killed in that. We'll take a look at the potential Iranian meddling link in Iraq.
And it's heating up now, but we'll be on it for quite some time. Global warming, our long-term focus. "Melting Point" is what we're calling it. Congress is looking to charges specifically today that the Bush administration gagged scientists who just wanted to talk about global warming.
You're watching AMERICAN MORNING. The most news in the morning is right here.
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M. O'BRIEN: Cold weather heats up oil prices. Just a few minutes before the top of the hour, Ali Velshi "Minding Your Business".
Hello, Ali.
(STOCK REPORT)
S. O'BRIEN: A shocker. Another shocker.
ALI VELSHI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes.
S. O'BRIEN: All right, Ali. Thanks.
VELSHI: OK.
S. O'BRIEN: Some other headlines we're following for you this morning. One of CNN.com's most popular stories right now is this one. It's called "Shootings kills sheriff's wife, a deputy and two suspects."
The wife of a Florida Panhandle sheriff was gunned down in front of her home right after she called the sheriff's office. She felt she was being followed by a suspicious vehicle. Her name is Mellie McDaniel. That's the wife. She was killed along with a sheriff's deputy who responded, and two suspects were also killed.
Now, the authorities say they don't think it was a random attack. It's really been a string of tragedy for that sheriff. His name is John McDaniel, and back in 1980 his father was shot to death at a gas station robbery.
M. O'BRIEN: Well, smoke them if you've got them in Houston. This one comes from the "Houston Chronicle". The headline: "Ellis Wants to Make All of Texas Smoke-free". That refers to state Senator Rodney Ellis. He's proposing, as you might guess, a statewide smoking ban.
Right now in the state of Texas, 14 cities are smoke-free, 47 have passed some kind of limit on smoking, including Houston, where there's a smoking ban that will be expanded to all bars in September. But you go right outside the city limits of Houston, and there people are lighting up inside restaurants and bars.
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