Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

War Funding Bill; Fighting Al Qaeda in Anbar Province

Aired May 27, 2007 - 17:00   ET

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

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Some showed signs of torture and are getting medical treatment now. A U.S. military spokesman said the tip came from an Iraqi civilian and is a sign of growing trust between the people and the troops.
Some Sunni tribesmen in Anbar Province are fed-up with al Qaeda, that, plus the help of more than -- or more, rather, U.S. troops might be turning the tide in Anbar. The province was all but written off as lost not that long ago. Here's CNN's Nic Robertson.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Hugs and handshakes as al Anbar Provinces top politician arrives in al Qaim, a remote town on the Syrian border. U.S. Marines have brought him here to rally local leaders, take advantage of a drop in violence.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My message is to continue to control the situation, the security situation in their city.

ROBERTSON: What's happening here could be a model for defeating the insurgency in other provinces of Iraq.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A meeting such as this could probably not have taken place as recently as two months ago. The insurgency in Anbar Province has -- is on the verge of collapse.

ROBERTSON: Al Qaeda on the verge of collapse in al Anbar? A big change from just last year. When al Qaeda fueled violence made this province one of the most dangerous in Iraq. So bad, Governor Alawani was actually forced to flee. Al Qaeda fighters tried to assert control but tribal sheiks fed up with intimidation and murder, turned on al Qaeda, creating surprising security across most of this province.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The tribal sheiks have been absolutely critical. That was the turning point in al Qaim region.

ROBERTSON (on camera): Attacks against the marines are going down from about 120 a week last year to about 20 a week now. And the marines say it's getting much easier to spot the roadside bombs because the insurgents are rushing. They're not so experienced. They don't have a lot of time to lay them.

(voice-over): By opening schools and health clinics on the visit, Governor Alawani tries to show remote towns like Al Qaim that central government in Baghdad cares and is spending real money on them. Alawani's help is critical to U.S. efforts to stabilize Al Anbar Province, boost the economy, to defeat the insurgents.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The more economic rules that we have in the area, the greater stability and the greater security that we experience. Because that has taken the people, which is the source of power of the insurgency, away.

ROBERTSON: It won't be easy, by far the governor's hardest sell, the newly empowered sheiks who want compensation for war damage. But everyone is talking. That's better than it was a year ago. Nic Robertson, CNN, Al Qaim, Iraq.

(END OF VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: The Iraq war funding bill now with President's Bush's signature is generating a lot of heated debate on the air waves. The Democratic chair of the House Ways and Means Committee voted against the bill. On CNN's "LATE EDITION" Congressman Charles Rangel of New York was asked how he would respond to President Bush's argument that giving up on Iraq is not in the United States' best interest.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. CHARLES RANGEL, (D) NEW YORK: I say Mr. President, you gave us information that wasn't true to get us there in the first place. There's absolutely no connection with the security of the United States and the chaos and the Civil War that has existed for centuries in that part of the world. Bring the troops home, Mr. President.

(END OF VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: A much different perspective from the top Republican on the House Armed Services Committee. Congressman Duncan Hunter of California voted in favor of the war funding measure and expressed confidence in the Iraqi government.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. DUNCAN HUNTER, (R) CALIFORNIA: This is exactly the signs of a government which is maturing. They are a free government. And I think that the politics in the oil division and the conciliation and the de-baathification are less important know than the stand-up of the Iraqi military. Once the Iraqi military is capable of protecting that government, I think the government holds, Wolf. I think if you had elections five months from now, you would elect the same Shiite majority that you've got right now.

(END OF VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: On the eve of scheduled talks in Baghdad, Iran has leveled a protest against the United States. The Iranian foreign ministry says Iran has uncovered a U.S. spy ring. It's unclear if the charge relates to Tehran's detention of four Iranian Americans. The talks tomorrow in Baghdad will focus solely on security in Iraq. It would be the first official meeting between the U.S. and Iran in 27 years. In Gaza, more attacks and counterattacks. Today Israel launched strikes against Hamas targets just hours after Hamas militants fired a rocket into Israel, killing an Israeli man. Israel's air strike campaign has killed dozens of Palestinians, most of them militants. Prime Minister Ehud Olmert says his army will do whatever it takes to stop the rocket attacks. Hamas says the attack will continue until Israel abandons its crackdown.

An American terror suspect is now back on U.S. soil. Syed Hashmi arrived from the U.K. on Friday. He's the first U.S. citizen to be extradited on terrorism charges from the United Kingdom. Twenty-seven year old Hashmi is accused of providing material support to al Qaeda. He is scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday. Hashmi was arrested at London's Heathrow Airport last June as he tried to board a flight for Pakistan carrying a lot of money.

Greensburg, Kansas could be looking for a new mayor soon. Mayor Lonnie McCollum is calling it quits. He says he's not the best man to lead rebuilding efforts in the tornado-stricken town. A tornado nearly wiped Greensburg off the map earlier this month. Ten people were killed. The city council hasn't accepted McCollum's resignation. McCollum says he won't change his mind.

High tech versus hot flames. Firefighters have cool new tools in their battle against this year's wildfires. Also, they call it rolling thunder. Details of the annual ride for veterans and a visit with the president. That's straight ahead.

And later, Warrior One for all. See how the CNN hummer is helping thousands after it merged from the battlefield onto the auction block.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: More rain in the forecast for central Texas puts the National Guard into actions. Parts of the Lonestar state are already waterlogged after days of rains gave way to deadly flooding. There are five confirmed storm-related deaths and a man missing since Thursday is now presumed to be the sixth storm-related fatality.

And where's the smoke? Or should I say, where there's smoke there's fire. Even if it means many hundreds of miles away. In Metro Atlanta's case the flames are 250 miles away. Choking smoke from duel wildfires near the Florida state line has the National Weather Service warning the young, old, or anyone with respiratory or breathing issues to stay indoors until the smoke clears. And that's not all. Officials now say it may take the drenching rains from one or possibly even two tropical storms to fully extinguish both blazes in Georgia and in Florida.

(WEATHER REPORT)

WHITFIELD: Water versus flame, the basics haven't changed when it comes to extinguishing wildfires, but new-age technology is helping today's firefighter, especially in drought-stricken southern California. CNN's Kara Finstrom has the story. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KARA FINSTROM, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Griffith Park, Catalina, Gorman -- one roaring wildfire after another, scorching southern California. And the fire season has barely begun. Firefighter Stephen Robinson has battled the blazes up close. Now he's helping revolutionize the way L.A. attacks these wildfires with new high-tech maps. Maps that can help predict how fast and where flames are spreading. Maps that helped pilot Scott Bowman during the Griffith Park fire.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There's a hill straight in front of us at 40, 50 foot flame lengths coming off it.

FINSTROM: Today Bowman swoops us through the parks charred hillsides. You were this close to the flames?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

FINSTROM: Can you feel the heat inside of the helicopter?

SCOTT BOWMAN, L.A. CITY FIRE DEPARTMENT: You feel the heat. That's when you get buffeted around, when you get really close to it.

FINSTROM: By getting that close, Bowman was able to make the water drop that saved firefighters trapped near a bridge.

BOWMAN: And as I rolled in on it, I saw the fire go up over the bridge and they were right there and I punched the water off.

FINSTROM: Bowman largely credits that drop to sheer luck. But Robinson's maps are helping air and ground firefighters execute more direct strikes. Robinson worked with technology experts to create a souped-up camera system that now flies in with pilots. It captures the sprawling fire as it burns.

STEVEN ROBINSON, L.A. CITY FIRE DEPARTMENT: So if you can imagine, this particular fire area, we're clipping that area out. Keeping its spatial reference.

FINSTROM: Back on the ground, Robinson, himself a career pilot, uses the images and huge databases to create maps with layers of life- saving information.

ROBINSON: I'm going to turn on streets, and I'll go through. If I wanted to see population values, RFLD battalions, fire hydrants.

FINSTROM: its light years away from how firefighters have been tracking blazes.

ROBINSON: Before, it was simply hand drawings or radio traffics or field observers.

FINSTROM: The maps first proved themselves during the 2005 Topanga fire. Alerting firefighters that flames would reach homes and families, hours earlier than expected. Saving lives is not only a firefighting mission for Robinson, it's also a personal one.

ROBINSON: That's where we ended up crashing the aircraft.

FINSTROM: In these same hillsides in 1998, Robinson nearly died during a horrific helicopter crash that killed a child and most of his crew. He suffered serious injuries that are keeping him from the throttle at least for now. The crash transformed Robinson from pilot to pioneer in a new age of high-flying firefighting. In Los Angeles, Kara Finstrom for CNN.

(END OF VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Motorcycles roared through the nation's capital. Straight ahead, find out what message these riders are hoping to send this Memorial Day weekend.

And they've made the ultimate sacrifice. Powerful images of families saying good-bye as seen through the lenses of the "Associated Press" photojournalists. That's straight ahead in the NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: They're burning rubber and flying old glory around the nation's capital today. Thousands of revving engines, all part of the annual rolling thunder ride for freedom along the national mall. For two decades now, the group has called attention to the flight of missing veterans. President Bush just back from Camp David, greeted members of the group at the White House today. They have a message for Iraq war veterans.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PAUL STANCLIFF, ROLLING THUNDER: We want them to know that we as Vietnam veterans are behind them a hundred percent. Our political words don't mean anything. It is the soldier. That's what matters, the soldier. We want them to know that, although we were not treated properly, that they will be.

(END OF VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: And then take a look at this. This was last night's dress rehearsal for the national Memorial Day concert. The real deal starts tonight at 8:00 eastern on the west lawn of the U.S. capitol. Natalie Cole and country singer Josh Turner are among the evenings performers.

And this Memorial Day weekend, turn your frequent flyer miles into hero miles. Fisher House will use those miles to transport servicemen and women wounded in Iraq or Afghanistan and their families as well to treatment centers around the country. It's so simple, just go to fisherhouse.org to find out how to donate your frequent flyer miles and to find a list of the airlines who will match your contributions this weekend. So everyone can play a role in whichever way you can. There are a lot of options out there.

RICK SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR: That's great. You know I sing just like that, did you hear those voices? Have you heard me sing?

WHITFIELD: That's not what I've heard.

SANCHEZ: Late-night parties you've been hearing about.

WHITFIELD: I haven't heard you sing for a reason. I don't hear you singing in the NEWSROOM, Rick Sanchez.

SANCHEZ: Not enough, right, is that what you're trying to say.

WHTIFIELD: Bring it on, bring it on.

SANCHEZ: How are you Fred?

WHITFIELD: I'm doing great, how are you this holiday weekend?

SANCHEZ: Always great to see you. Boy, we've got a great special we're going to bring you. This is at 7:30, it's called "Chopper Down." Obviously we want to do this because it's Memorial Day, but beyond the Memorial Day theme, so often when we hear of people in Iraq, we think of numbers, statistics, five died today, 101 this last month. The question here is, who are these people? There's a real story to tell here. And what's the real loss? These are people -- you hear people say, only the destitute are joining the military, you know the famous line, stuck in Iraq. These are people who could have been doctors, could have been lawyers, could have been the president of the United States. They chose to do this because of honor and service. And we tell their story here and it's just a great story. It's one of -- we should try and tell more often.

WHITFIELD: Yeah, all of them remarkable individuals.

SANCHEZ: Exactly. And then at 10:00, Ron Paul, did you see him in the last debate? I mean did you see him with Giuliani?

WHITFIELD: Oh yeah, stirring things up a little bit.

SANCHEZ: Well here's what's interesting. I mean he's an interesting fellow. He's certainly a maverick. He says he's the only Republican who is really on the ticket. He says the other guys are faking. He says Republicans are not pro-war. He says Republicans tend to mind their own business and not get into other government's affairs.

WHITFIELD: And there is some movement to not allow him to be part of these changes again.

SANCHEZ: Exactly, exactly, in the next debate. Although I don't think that's going to do all that well. But it's an interesting argument. And what we do tonight is we're going to take him, I'm going to interview him but I'm going to put him up against the last news conference that the president had. Of course the president is naturally enough pro-Iraq. He's against the Iraq war. We'll see how it comes out. It should be really cool TV.

WHITFIELD: All right, we'll be watching. Rick Sanchez, thanks so much.

SANCHEZ: Thanks.

WHITFIELD: More of the NEWSROOM, straight ahead.

Also, video and live shots. Well, they seem to add the immediacy to any story, you know that. But still photos, well, they often capture the emotion of a moment frozen in time. As the nation pauses to remember the sacrifices of so many military families this Memorial Day weekend, photojournalists from the "Associated Press" share poignant images of soldiers' funeral. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A roadside bomb killed.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Five U.S. soldiers have been killed in Iraq in two days.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's highest toll for any four-month stretch since the beginning of the Iraq conflict.

(gunfire)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Watching the families, watching the mothers and the fathers and the children, it's pretty emotional to watch that. Fathers who you know were looking forward to their sons coming back and leading a great life for their sons and seeing that wiped out and just in a moment like that, it can jerk on your heart strings a little.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My feelings are kind of secondary. Sometimes you lose it but mostly that's later when you look at the pictures and you get a chance to really -- maybe you were focusing on the mother and then you realize that hiding behind her were a couple of children. Then you start really thinking about the fact that all of their future is going to be spent without their father. Hopefully that's what people that look at the pictures come away with, too.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's a small town differently than with somebody is from Chicago or something like that. I was going into communities where everyone in town knew this soldier. You have to keep that in mind wherever you go, when you're checking into the hotel, when you're in a restaurant, and because these people are grieving along with the family.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Most difficult part is to not intrude on the privacy and sanctity of the proceeding to let the people have closure.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I could spend the day covering a soldier's funeral and putting up my pictures and seeing his parents crying and seeing his mother lingering over his casket and then go out that night to dinner with friends and everyone's talking about their day. And when your mind goes back to that family, that moment, it does sort of send a slow sad drumbeat through your core, but it's what we do. And I think we're doing a good thing by being there. (END OF VIDEOTAPE)

SANCHEZ: I want to show you something. This is what a typical humvee looks like when it returns from service in the battlefield. In fact, let's take a look inside. You go inside and you can see, it's rusted, it's cramped. I mean, this is no luxury ride. And the same things that you're seeing right here on the interior are also on display on the exterior. As a matter of fact as you look at it from out here, you can see that this thing has been beaten up. We've got an amazing story of what happens when you clean up a pile of hard working metal like this. One that could have been destined for essentially the scrap heap. Hello, again, everybody. I'm Rick Sanchez and welcome to "Warrior One for all." This is a story of how one vehicle is making a difference in thousands of lives. In the next half hour, we're going to take you on the road with Warrior One. The other hummer that served CNN so well in the Iraq war. We bought it used from a Kuwaiti car dealership, enlisted it in our war coverage in 2003. After that, it was shipped back to the United States, only later did Warrior One become a rolling emblem for the recovery of U.S. troops and a powerful tool for the Fisher House.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.voxant.com