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Petraeus Before Congress; Free, But Still Suspects; An Iraqi's Viewpoint; Gerri's Top Tips; Jobs Report Rocks Wall Street

Aired September 10, 2007 - 10:00   ET

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

HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Right now there are about 168,000 U.S. troops deployed to Iraq.
Good morning once again, everybody. I'm Heidi Collins. Tony Harris is off today. Stay informed all day in the CNN NEWSROOM. Here's what's on the rundown.

The top American commander reporting to Congress today on the president's troop buildup in Iraq. Live coverage all day right here in the NEWSROOM.

Police turning over the case against Gerry and Kate McCann to Portugese prosecutors today. Formal suspects in daughter Madeleine's disappearance.

Six years later, emergency workers sick from the poisonous solutions unleashed on 9/11.

It is Monday, September 10th. You're in the CNN NEWSROOM.

Our top story this hour, the Iraq War at a crossroads on Capitol Hill. The war's top American commander delivering a long-awaited assessment and facing a lot of skepticism. CNN congressional correspondent, Dana Bash, is setting the stage for us now.

Dana, good morning to you.

What kind of reception do you think General Petraeus is going to get today?

DANA BASH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's going to be mixed. You know, he's going to be facing -- first of all, he is going to start out on the House side. The House of Representatives, of course, is a place where members of Congress are very close to their constituents in that they have to run every two years. And he's going to be facing -- especially looking at Republicans. Republicans who realize that they pretty much lost the House, lost the majority, because of the war in Iraq and they have been under intense pressure from their constituents over the last several months to try to figure out how to change course.

Now they have been telling their folks back home that now is the time that they have been pointing towards, waiting for, this report from the general on the ground. So what you're going to see from Republicans, we expect, are some tough questions, but perhaps some attempts to probe the general to get him to explain why he does think that the surge is working militarily and why he does think that troops should stay, at least for the time being, because that is going to be a tough sell for Republicans.

On the Democratic side, Heidi, you are going to see Democrats who have been trying very, very hard since they did take the majority to pass a deadline for troop withdrawal. They have not been able to get that to the president's desk.

So you're going to perhaps see some frustration in that they don't have the president there, of course. They have a decorated general. Somebody who does have respect, perhaps, if you look at the polls, more respect than the president and certainly Congress. So they're going to have to try to sort of walk a fine line in trying to question the general and really try to get to the bottom of the statistics that he's going to be giving them.

COLLINS: Dana, is there anything that General Petraeus or Ryan Crocker, for that matter, could say today that would bring Republicans and Democrats together?

BASH: That is a tough one. Already, you know, the battle lines -- the political battle lines are definitely being drawn. But I can tell you that sort of, you know, by the fact that General Petraeus is coming here and will not necessarily ask for troops to come home, just the opposite, that has sort of changed the dynamics, the political dynamic, already here, Heidi.

Democrats had thought that come September they were going to be able to pick off enough Republicans who were getting pressure from constituents back home to finally pass that deadline for troop withdrawal. And already in anticipation of his testimony where they don't think they're going to hear that, we're already hearing something we did not hear for months from Democrats, and that is the idea perhaps of finally compromising with Republicans to try to have some kind of united front here to push forward on a change in strategy.

We'll see if that's going to happen after the testimony. But feelings are pretty much entrenched now, as you can imagine.

COLLINS: Yes. We will be watching very closely.

All right, Dana Bash, thank you.

BASH: Thank you.

COLLINS: Want to give you some background this morning now on General David Petraeus. He took command of multi-national forces in Iraq in February of this year. In June 2004, the general was charged with training the new Iraqi army. He held that position for more than a year. During the 2003 Iraq invasion, he led the 101st Airborne Division. His first combat assignment. General Petraeus also viewed as a scholar/soldier. He's a 1974 graduate of West Point. He holds a doctorate in international relations from Princeton University.

Count on CNN throughout the day now to bring you the best coverage and analysis of the Iraq War progress report. Even if you're not in front of the TV, you can still watch the hearings live on your computer. Just go to cnn.com. You'll find live coverage throughout the day there.

New this morning, a deadly explosion at a factory site in northern Mexico. Authorities say a truck carrying more than 25 tons of dynamite blew up. At least 23 people were killed. Some reports place the death toll at more than three dozen. Right now authorities say there is no indication of foul play. The area is about 125 miles northwest of Monterrey.

Free to go. Still suspects. The parents of a missing girl are back in Britain. The case shifting from Portuguese police to prosecutors today. CNN's Adrian Finighan is joining us now from Rothley, England, with the latest on this.

Adrian, is there a chance the McCanns could go back to Portugal?

ADRIAN FINIGHAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Indeed there is, Heidi. This is Rothley (INAUDIBLE), their hometown. They've been allowed to come back here even though they are officially arguido (ph) suspects in the case of the disappearance of missing daughter Madeleine. They've agreed to come back here only on the understanding that if Portuguese police require them back, they will go back with five days notice.

Now local people here are bewildered by what has happened to the McCann family. Unstinting support until the end of last week when, of course, they were both made suspects. Now people publically are saying that they're backing the McCanns to the hilt.

But you're hearing some voices of concern. One lady I was speaking to in the local pub this morning, who in fact was treated by Gerry McCann. She was a patient of his. He's a heart surgeon. She way saying, I'm just not sure anymore.

With all of the rumor, the speculation particularly coming out of the Portuguese media, no one quite knows what to believe anymore. Now the McCanns are in a very sticky legal position at the moment.

COLLINS: Adrian, it sounds like you're talking quite a bit about people in the community who have, at one point, really stood behind this family and now they're starting to question what they are hearing from investigators. Overall would you say that the people are just plain confused about this story now?

FINIGHAN: Yes. Overall, they're confused. And I have to say, the overwhelming majority of people are still supporting the McCanns. You hear one or two voices in opposition. But on the whole, yes, they're getting behind them. But as I said, it's all the media stuff, particularly the speculation, the supposed leaks that are coming out of the Portuguese side, that is confusing people.

I'm standing here by the war memorial. In the days immediately following Madeleine McCann's disappearance, this was like a shrine to Madeleine. It was purstumed (ph) with yellow ribbons. Now it got so untidy, we had litter, debris blowing all around the streets here that they've sense removed all of the yellow ribbons. It's now just this single candle here in memory of the missing girl. Slowly, local people have begun to put ribbons back around the trees that are surrounding the square.

And the press in this country, local press and national press, are still giving the McCanns the benefit of the doubt. Because, of course, all they've been named as, as suspects, this technical term that in Portugal I think means something completely different than what it means here in the U.K. and perhaps there in the U.S.

COLLINS: Right. Yes.

FINIGHAN: It's a legal status that allows the police to get more information and to ask them specific questions.

COLLINS: Certainly. All right. A very good point. Adrian Finighan, thanks so much, giving us an update on the McCanns today. Appreciate it.

Jacqui Jeras standing by now to give us an update on what we knew as tropical storm, now tropical depression, Gabrielle.

Cape Hatteras. I saw the lighthouse. Still standing. This is good.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COLLINS: A new legal bid this morning by Senator Larry Craig. He wants to try to undo his plea in a sex sting. The Idaho Republican pleaded guilty last month to disorderly conduct. He was accused of soliciting sex, arrested by an undercover police officer in a Minneapolis airport men's room. Craig's attorney, Billy Martin, is filing documents today to try to reverse that plea.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BILLY MARTIN, SEN. LARRY CRAIG'S ATTORNEY: I think the senator had just gone under tremendous interview with the Idaho statesmen where he was under investigation for being gay. They were walking around Washington and other cities with photographs in gay bars. They were embarrassing him. He had just gone to an interview where he put to sleep, put to rest any argument that he was gay and they were going to publish this article. So he stepped in this bathroom shortly after that interview. And I know the pressure and the stress, as well as the panic from what this could do, did not have him thinking clearly and he waived his constitutional rights. And we're asking that that be reversed.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COLLINS: Just over a week ago, Craig announced his intention to resign from the Senate at the end of this month. Days later he told Senate leaders he would remain in office if he could clear his name. Legal experts say it's a longshot. In Huntington, Utah, a huge community gathering to honor the victims of last month's mine collapse. About 1,000 people swarmed a school football field for the memorial service. Six men were trapped in the collapse of the Crandall Canyon Mine. Three more died trying to rescue them. The search eventually called off. The sick miners never found.

U.S. troops buildup in Iraq, working or not? Should Americans stay or go? We'll get the thoughts of an Iraqi journalist.

And a search ends with a grim discovery. The body of a missing student found at the bottom of a cliff. An accident or was she pushed?

False alarms and frustration in the Nevada wilderness. The search for adventurer Steve Fossett.

You are in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: You are in the CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Heidi Collins.

A legendary music producer. He'll soon learn his fate. The latest in the Phil Spector murder trial.

A dangerous shortage of doctors. They're leaving hospitals in the Philippines, changing jobs, searching for better pay in the U.S.

Those stories ahead right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: The Iraq progress report. Congressional testimony from the two top officials in the war zone just hours away. Right now, though, we want to get an Iraqi's viewpoint. So joining us this morning is Ayub Nuri, an Iraqi journalist now studying in the United States.

Thanks for being with us. Always night to get perspective from someone who has been and lived in the country. I know you still have family there.

Tell me when you were last in Iraq and what the situation was when you were there.

AYUB NURI, IRAQI JOURNALIST: The last time I was in Iraq, I was in Baghdad. I was -- I went to Baghdad and I went to the city of Kut (ph), two hours south of Baghdad, to do some reporting about the sectarian violence and all of these Shia and Sunni families who leave their houses or they are driven out of their areas by gunmen and militiamen.

And the situation was very, very dangerous in Baghdad, especially in the neighborhoods where I was traveling. I had to be very careful. And it was very dangerous for everyone, for normal people, for men, women. And the lack of security really makes everyone's life difficult in Baghdad especially.

COLLINS: Yes. How hard is it to get around? We're looking at some of the pictures from your trip. I imagine you had some type of security, yes?

NURI: I did not have any kind of security, no. I was just getting into one car and I was dressing very carefully. I did not want to put any kind of dress that draws attention. And I was mingling with other, regular Iraqis. And I never dared to have a fancy -- to drive in a fancy car or to go around in a high-profile.

I always kept as a low -- as low profile person. And I was going to different neighborhoods. I was a radio reporter, so I was hiding my equipment in plastic bags and I was trying to really hide -- I did not want to show my identity as a journalist because that could draw unwanted attention from people. And I did not feel any safety or security at all like anybody else in Baghdad.

COLLINS: Is that different from what you are hearing a little bit more than a year later now from family and friends who are still there or is the situation similar to what you saw?

NURI: The situation is much worse than when I was there. When I speak to my friends and family these days on the phone and they tell me that it is 100 times worse than when I was there. Because I went to Baghdad. I went to Kut. To some extent I could travel around, talk to people, engage people in conversation in some way. But now even the regular people cannot leave their own neighborhoods. They cannot go to other parts of the city. And this is what the normal people feel, let alone being a journalist and going around..

COLLINS: Why?

NURI: Because you really do not trust anyone. If you leave your own -- in your own neighborhood, at least you know who's your neighbor, who's in control and who lives a few blocks away from you. But if you go to another neighborhood, that's completely unknown to you. And you might not be able to come home alive at the end of the day.

COLLINS: As we talk about these different neighborhoods, let's also look at this. I want to show something to you about Iraq's own troops and police and some of the security forces. In fact, this is a little bit of an open letter that General Petraeus wrote just last Friday to the troops in Iraq. He says this. Take a look with me.

"By partnering closely with Iraqi security forces, you have been strengthening Iraqi elements that will one day have sole responsibility for protecting their population. Indeed, while Iraqi forces clearly remain a work in progress, Iraqi soldiers and police are very much in the fight."

From what you have heard and what you saw when you were there, is that true, Iraqi soldiers and police in the fight?

NURI: I think that's not true at all. I have to be honest with you and with everyone else in the world. When I was traveling around Iraq, in Baghdad or anywhere else, I was afraid of the Iraqi army and the Iraqi police more than I was afraid of a militia or unknown men. Really, there is no trust. I never had trust in the Iraqi police. As an Iraqi, I never had trust in the Iraqi army for one second. And I think that's true, that applies to the rest of the Iraqi population as well.

COLLINS: Tell me why.

NURI: Because there is no trust. Those members in the Iraqi police, members in the Iraqi army, after the fall of Saddam Hussein, after they dissolve the Iraqi army, the Iraqi new government and Paul Bremer, they were desperate to recreate another Iraqi army. And in case of desperation, of course, you will accept anyone to join your army. And many of them were criminals. Many of them were drug dealers. And many of them had tendency and affiliation only to their own areas.

That's why the Iraqi army and the Iraqi police do not have tendency or loyalty to one Iraq. And they love only their families. They love only their own neighborhoods or cities. That's why neither me, nor the majority of Iraqis, have any faith or any trust in the Iraqi army or Iraqi police.

COLLINS: What about U.S. troops? How are they regarded?

NURI: In the past, I think two years ago majority of Iraqi people, they did not like the U.S. troops, especially in Baghdad or the Sunni areas. But nowadays, as I speak with my friends in Iraq, they are happier if their neighborhood is patrolled by a unit from the U.S. army than by a unit from the Iraqi army. That's what they tell me. They say because if we are patrolled by U.S. troops, at least we know they are neutral to our religion or to our ethnicity. But if they are patrolled by a unit from the Iraqi army, then that's their funeral.

COLLINS: What about the Maliki government? We're going to be hearing so much about the military side of things. We will also hear from Ambassador Crocker today, more about the politics and diplomacy. How is the government regarded by Iraqis?

NURI: I think -- I personally do not have any faith or any hope in the Maliki government. And this is -- again, is true about the majority of Iraqi people. And it is not alone only Maliki himself. Because sometimes people may be in the American administration or in Iraq politicians might blame only Maliki himself alone.

It's not Maliki. Everyone else who is around him is the same way. Nobody trusts him. And we have to blame all the Iraqi government, all the Iraqi politicians and members of the Iraqi parliament for not being able -- for not taking one, single step towards stability and fixing the situation in Iraq.

COLLINS: Ayub, quickly before we let you go, who should take that job? Who should take over? NURI: I think it is, again, solely the responsibility of the Iraqis. I don't agree with this idea, blaming the American army or blaming the neighboring countries for leaving their borders open. It is only the responsibility of the Iraqi government. But very unfortunately, the Iraqi government is neither willing, nor they are able, to do anything. They are left completely powerless in front of the situation in Iraq.

COLLINS: Ayub Nuri, we certainly appreciate your perspective today.

Ayub is an Iraqi journalist joining us on the program today.

Ayub, thanks so much. I know you'll be watching those reports closely with us today.

Meanwhile now, six years after September 11th. The health effects still linger.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's still killing. These people -- actually when they build the memorial at Ground Zero for all the people who died on 9/11, they should leave space for those who are coming now.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COLLINS: First responders, last considered?

GERRI WILLIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And I'm Gerri Willis.

Is it time to make some extra money by working from home? I'll tell you how to do it next on "Top Tips" in the NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: Trying to get our numbers straight here. I think what I was telling you earlier about Friday was kind of a bummer to end the week the way we did, down about 250 points, the Dow Jones Industrial averages. Now we're looking at the Dow up about 36 points and resting at 13,150. We'll be coming up with some of our business stories here in just a little bit. Nasdaq is also up, but only less than one point.

Meanwhile, the latest government numbers add up to more economic concerns. How about extra income at home? Here now with tips you need to know, CNN personal finance editor Gerri Willis.

Stuffing envelopes. That's what we do, right, at home?

WILLIS: Well, you know, hey, you've got to do what you got to do if the economy is not doing that well. And the first thing to know if you're trying to work from home is to get the right environment, Heidi. There are a few things you got to plan for when you're working at home. Most work-at-home jobs require a high-speed Internet connection. You're also going to need a dedicated phone line and, of course, a quiet place to work. And you should be the kind of person who can complete projects independently. And you shouldn't get easily distracted because the boss is not going to be looking over your shoulder.

COLLINS: No. It sounds like you've got to be pretty self- motivated, too.

Think customer service. What do you mean by that?

WILLIS: Well, you know, we hear all these stories about call center jobs going overseas, but there's a growing number of these jobs that are available to people here in the states who work at home. Alpine Access is a company that handles calls for retailers like J. Crew and 1-800-Flowers. Agents can earn about $15 an hour. For more info go to alpineaccess.com. And here are some other companies that hire virtual call agents, liveops.com and repsforrent.com.

COLLINS: And the next one is pretty interesting, too. Be a virtual assistant.

WILLIS: Hey, you know, a lot of small business owners are hiring people from remote locations to do administrative work. Stuff they don't want to do. As a virtual assistant, you'll be responsible for arranging schedules, planning events, coordinating travel and word processing. Virtual assists generally make about $20 to $55 an hour depending. To look into opportunities in this field, check out Staff Centrix at staffcentrix.com. You can also go to the International Virtual Assistant's Association at ivaa.org.

COLLINS: I think that one sounds pretty cool. But you do have to be careful if you're considering doing this to avoid the scams. I think I kind of mentioned one a few seconds ago.

WILLIS: You bet. You know, there are a lot of scams in this arena. You've got to make sure you're working with a legitimate company. The Federal Trade Commission warns about classic schemes like medical billing and envelope stuffing. Watch out for that. And find out if you'll be paid by salary or commission. You want the salary.

Get the total cost of the work at home program, including supplies and equipment. This is an area where people get scammed. And be wary of exaggerated claims of potential earnings. And always check in with your Better Business Bureau in the area the company is located in. That's easy.

And send in your question to toptips@cnn.com. We love hearing from you and we answer those questions right here every Friday.

COLLINS: Yes we do.

All right, Gerri, nice to see you. Thanks so much.

WILLIS: Thank you, Heidi.

ANNOUNCER: Live in the CNN NEWSROOM, Heidi Collins.

COLLINS: You are in the CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Heidi Collins. Tony Harris has the day off.

In northern Mexico, a deadly explosion at a factory site. Authorities say a truck carrying more than 25 tons of dynamite blew up. At least 23 people were killed. Some reports place that death toll at more than three dozen. Right now authorities say there is no indication of foul play. The area is about 125 miles northwest of Monterrey.

ZAIN VERJEE, CNN STATE DEPT. CORRESPONDENT: I'm Zain Verjee at the State Department. We're going to be looking at whether the military surge was accompanied by a political surge. That's next here on CNN.

COLLINS: And a search ends with a grim discovery. The body of a missing student found at the bottom of a cliff. An accident, or was she pushed?

KARA FINNSTROM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And still to come here, we are exactly one week into the search for a missing adventurer, Steve Fossett. We'll have the latest from Minden, Nevada.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: The search for billionaire adventurer Steve Fossett now in its second week. Kara Finnstrom is covering the search in Minden, Nevada for us.

Kara, tell us about the rescue efforts now.

FINNSTROM: The search crews say they remain hopeful but you can sense that their frustration is mounting. Yesterday another false alarm; search crews were up in the air, spotted what they thought could be Fossett's plane. But when they sent in more air crews and some ground crews they discovered it was actually the remains of an old Navy aircraft that had gone down. Here's what Major Cynthia Ryan, with the Civil Air Patrol had to say about this latest disappointment.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAJ. CYNTHIA RYAN, NEVADA CIVIL AIR PATROL: The thing to day away from you, is search is damn hard, it is frustrating and it is exhausting, both mentally and physically. That's why I beg your patience and forbearance and please hand in there with us. We'll try every trick in the book we know of to find this guy. Hang in there with us.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FINNSTROM: So yesterday's discovery of that old Navy aircraft means they've actually found the wreckage of seven undiscovered aircraft up in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. You can just sentence frustration as they keep thinking they may have found this plane, and what they find is another piece of old wreckage.

They do tell us that at this point there is no end date for this search and that they fully expect they could be searching for another week. They say they're getting hundreds of leads from the public and from these aircraft, and they'll be continuing to check them out with hope -- Heidi.

COLLINS: Boy, it is such rough terrain there, too. CNN's Kara Finnstrom, for us this morning, from Minden, Nevada.

Kara, thank you.

Also in the headlines this morning, flags lowered to half-staff in Provo, Utah in memory of a college student. The body of Camille cleverly was found at bottom of a 200-foot cliff yesterday. Site was near a popular canyon waterfall. That's where authorities had centered much of their 10-day search.

Cleverly had been scheduled to start her senior year at Brigham Young University last week. At a memorial last night, her parents thanked everyone involved in the search. Investigators are trying to determine how Cleverly fell. They are not ruling out foul play.

The so-called troop surge in Iraq. More boots on the ground, but should there have also been more diplomats behind the scene. A CNN State Correspondent Zain Verjee takes a look.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

VERJEE (voice over): The U.S. surge plan, aimed at giving the weak Iraqi government the shot in the arm it needs.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Iraqis will gain confidence in their leaders, and the government will have the breathing space it needs to make progress.

VERJEE: The U.S. says by banding together with leaders from all Iraqi tribes, it is succeeding in pockets around Iraq, like pushing out insurgents in Al Anbar Province. And it's doubled reconstruction team working with local Iraqi groups.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's moving faster on the ground. This so- called bottom up reconciliation, but you're still seeing movement at the top. Very, very slow.

VERJEE: In August Iraqi leaders agreed to try and bridge differences by letting Sunnis, who were part of Saddam Hussein's Baath Party back to government. But there is still no deal among Sunni, Shia and Kurds to share oil revenue.

Sunni leaders have walked out of Shia Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki's government, which took a month off on holiday. Iraq's ambassador to the U.S. says his country's progress can't be driven or judged by Washington's time tables.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think the Iraqi government benefits from pressure. This pressure should not be unrealistic or should not be rigid. By this day or, decapitation, that doesn't work.

VERJEE: President Bush put high-energy diplomat Ryan Crocker as his man in Baghdad pushing Iraqis behind the scenes to take advantage of the surge to pull the government together. But some U.S.-based critics say the U.S. did not match its military buildup with the surge in hands-on diplomacy, saying Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice didn't work over Iraq's neighbors hard enough to support the Iraqi government.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They have to be a strategy for a peace process and that was sorely lacking in the surge.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COLLINS: Zain Verjee is now joining us live from the State Department this morning.

Zain, good morning to you. What are Condoleezza Rice's aides saying about all this?

VERJEE: Well, Heidi, they're saying that Secretary Rice hasn't actually seen Ambassador Crocker's testimony, although she talks to him every day and has a good sense of what his assessments are. And what his views are, that he is going to be presenting today.

But people we've talked to in this building, Heidi, have basically told us what he is expected to say is that there has been slow political progress at the top, at the national level in Iraq, but to say that the signs on the ground at the local and provincial levels have been extremely encouraging. And saying that there has been a faster pace of progress there.

He is expected, too, Heidi to point to what the State Department calls provincial reconstruction teams, the teams of U.S. civilians that go out and engage with Iraqi leaders on the ground. And say that's really created the momentum to boost the local economy. He is expected to say, too, in those local areas there has been Sunni-Shia reconciliation in some instances.

COLLINS: It is Interesting. Just a little while ago here on the program, Zain, we spoke with an Iraqi journalist who was just there last year, in the country, has quite a bit of family and friends still living there. And he tells us, you know, some of the political issues really seem to be centered around the fact that no one has come together for the sole purpose of Iraq's sovereignty, or democracy. Everyone's sort of out for themselves and that seems to be the major stumbling block as far as politics are concerned.

VERJEE: That has been a major issue and real difficulty on the ground. Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki, as the U.S. had hoped, has not been able to achieve the kind of political reconciliation and reach out to the Sunnis the way that they wanted to see. A lot of critics are saying the U.S. just put too much in Nouri al Maliki's lap. And he's not able to deliver.

Also he's lost an enormous amount of support, almost half his cabinet has resigned or walked out. The problem is there doesn't seem to be really any alternative that's acceptable other than Nouri al Maliki.

The other issue, too, is that the region plays a huge role here. Because if you want to have political reconciliation in Iraq you have got to get the regional players that are powerful and interested parties to play a constructive role.

And that doesn't appear to be happening. A lot of critics are saying that although Secretary Rice convened a neighbor's conference in March this year, she really didn't do the follow-up and the hands- on diplomacy that was needed to create a peace process. What's happening is that more of the regional players are interfering, like Iran, and that's hampering political progression on the ground -- Heidi.

COLLINS: What's the job of an ambassador? We, of course, will be hearing not only from General Petraeus today but also Ambassador Ryan Crocker. Tell us more about him.

VERJEE: Well, absolutely. Ryan Crocker is considered one of the best and the brightest in the business. He's worked in hot spots before, like Pakistan, like Beirut. He's -- he worked very long hours, he's a very disciplined man. He's also a fitness enthusiast. He goes for jogs every day around the green zone.

He also has a different style of operating, Heidi, to his predecessor. He likes to work behind the scenes and engages almost every day with Iraqi officials, cajoling them, talking to them, trying to push the process forward.

He's been given a free hand in his diplomatic efforts and a green card to push ahead in the ways he sees fit. He's also affluent Arabic speaker and he likes to go out, talk to Iraqis directly themselves. And even his aides get a little bit stressed out saying what's he discussing with the Iraqis? And they need to go to the translators for that.

So he's considered a solid person, but some people, critics, do say that no matter how good Ryan Crocker is, he's not going to be able to bridge centuries-old sectarian divides and differences in Iraq.

COLLINS: That is certain lay very big task, no question about it. CNN State Department Correspondent Zain Verjee.

Zain, thank you.

You can count on CNN throughout the day now to bring you the best coverage and analysis of the Iraqi war progress report. Even when you're not in front of the television, you can still watch the hearings live on your computer. Just go to CNN.com, you will find live coverage throughout the day there.

Well, it is an awkward place to land. That's for sure. But a pilot's got to do what a pilot's got to do. We've got the rooftop landing. SUSAN LISOVICZ, CNN FINANCIAL CORRESPONDENT: I'm Susan Lisovicz at the New York Stock Exchange.

Investors had a whole weekend to recover from that dismal Friday jobs report. But there's more bad news on the labor front. I'll have details next. You're watching CNN, the most trusted name in news.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: An unusual landing, yeah, at least. Columbia, South Carolina, a small Cessna coming to rest on a warehouse roof. Engine troubles shortly after takeoff forced the emergency landing. The plane clipped a power line. Nobody was seriously injured.

It's one of the biggest layoffs we've seen so far from the housing and mortgage meltdown. Susan Lisovicz is at the New York Stock Exchange this morning with more details on this.

Good morning, Susan.

LISOVICZ: Good morning.

It came on Friday after the markets closed. Everybody was leaving for the weekend. Then Countrywide Financial dropped its own bombshell on the same day that we had that big sell off, because of the dismal August jobs report.

Now the nation's biggest mortgage lender may be at risk of losing that title. Countrywide Financial, planning to slash 12,000 jobs, or 20 percent of its work force. It also expects the number of loans it makes to drop 25 percent next year from this year's already depressed pace. Job cuts on top of 1,400 others announced in the last 30 days alone. Countrywide did hold out hope that these cuts could be smaller than expected if the market improves. That's a very big "if" -- Heidi.

COLLINS: It is such a little word, but so much significance here. We do know the mortgage companies are cutting, but the bigger fear is that the problems are actually spreading to other areas.

LISOVICZ: That's right. And you know, it is important to note that the housing sector really held the economy up a few years ago. Now you're seeing the reverse. Some supply companies are starting to feel the pain. Weyerhaeuser, one of the largest paper and lumber companies is considering cutting some of its plants. A Chicago-based wallboard maker, USG, reportedly plans to cut 1,100 jobs. Plumbing products company Kohler is reportedly cutting back as well.

The "Wall Street Journal" reports that title claims are rising in some of the large title insurers. That's important because title claims, like foreclosures, are another sign of distress. Often when a contractor goes unpaid for a job on a home, a claim will be filed.

On Wall Street, while the bulls tried to make a claim at the opening bell, but stocks did not stay up for long. We're drifting lower after Friday's big Sell off. Chipmaker Intel did help to prop up the Dow at the open. The company says its third quarter revenue will top forecasts, boosted by stronger than expected demand.

Meanwhile, its arch rival Advanced Micro Devices rolls out a new chip today designed for corporate servers. Its shares are up more than 1 percent, but the three major averages are down. The Dow right now off 28 points, or about a fifth of 1 percent. The Nasdaq is down at .50 percent, as is the broader S&P 500. It was a bounce-back rally but it was a leading bounce-back rally.

COLLINS: That's for sure. If you blinked you missed it. Susan Lisovicz, thank you. We'll check in with you a little bit later on.

LISOVICZ: You got it.

A lot of bluster, a little standing water. That's about puny Gabrielle came up with, thankfully. We'll go live to the CNN Hurricane Center in just a few moments.

Meanwhile, six years after 9/11, the health effects linger.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: These people actually when they build a memorial, at ground zero for people who died on 9/11, they should leave space for those who are coming now.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COLLINS: First responders, last considered?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: Some information to us here in the CNN NEWSROOM. Betty Nguyen is in the NEWSROOM looking into more about Osama bin Laden. We could possibly be hearing from him.

BETTY NGUYEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, we heard from him last week. We are expecting to hear from him again this week. Here's what we know.

Al Qaeda's media arm is going to be releasing a tape of Osama bin Laden introducing the last testament of one of the 9/11 hijackers. That person being a Walid al-Shehri, a Saudi Arabian. Here's his picture.

The announcement of this video does come one day before the sixth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks there. What we know about al-Shehri is that he was on American Airlines flight 11, actually in seat 2B, which took off from Logan Airport in Boston and slammed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center. He was on the same flight as Mohamed Atta, who was the tactical leader of the 9/11 plot. And the pilot of this hijacking plan.

Bin Laden, as we know, we saw this video from him last week, again this week we are expecting to see this last testament from al- Shehri. And bi Laden, according to Al Qaeda's media arm, will be introducing that -- again, we have not seen the tape as of yet. It is expected to come any time now. Again, the timing of it is very suspect, as you know, Heidi, tomorrow is the anniversary of the September 11th attacks, the sixth anniversary.

COLLINS: That's right. Betty, thanks for watching that one for us. We'll check in later if we learn any more.

Meanwhile, still struggling long after September 11th. For many first responders the World Trade Center attacks are more than history. CNN's Jim Acosta explains.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JIM ACOSTA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): They are still with us -- the emergency crews, the first responders who spent weeks working "The Pile" at ground zero. Many of these survivors are now suffering from the lingering health effects of September 11th.

ALLAN TANNENBAUM, PHOTOJOURNALIST: I'm not a doctor and I'm not a scientist, but, there is enough evidence, empirical evidence, that you can see that there is a pattern here.

ACOSTA: Freelance photo journalist Allen Tannenbaum not only covered 9/11, he's made it his mission to chronicle the personal struggles of the heroes of ground zero. He posts the photographs on his website 911stillkilling.

TANNENBAUM: The point of that is, it is still killing. These people actually when they build the memorial at ground zero for people who died on 9/11, they should leave space for those who are coming now.

ACOSTA: People like Joseph Zadroga's son, James, a Newark city police detective who died of lung and heart failure at the age of 34. Zadroga left behind a five-year-old daughter, a daughter Joseph now raises as his own.

JOSEPH ZADROGA, FATHER OF FALLEN NYPD OFFICER: I worry about her all the time. Even though she's five years old, she still wants to know why her father had to die.

ACOSTA: Their family is one of Tannenbaum's most haunting photos.

TANNENBAUM: He's holding his granddaughter. Before James died of his 9/11-related illnesses, his wife had died from a heart problem. So now Tyler Ann doesn't have her parents anymore, and they're hoping that they stay healthy and live long enough to take care of her properly.

ACOSTA (on camera): I mean what has that meant to you, the fact that Allen has chronicled you and your son's story?

ZADROGA: Well, I think it means that his story will stay alive and people will be able to read his story later on in history.

ACOSTA (voice over): We joined Tannenbaum at a rally supporting a bill now making its way through Congress that would provide federal funds for disabled 9/11 workers who can't work, and who lack proper health care. Even after the speeches were over, some of the first responders were still asking hard questions.

MARVIN BETHEA, FMR. PARAMEDIC: Why should any first responder respond to the next terrorist attack or man-made disaster, like Katrina, or whatever, you go in there, God forbid you get hurt or injured, you're on your own.

TANNENBAUM: The government is not stepping up to the plate, on every level.

ACOSTA: Which is why long after the dust settled, Allen Tannenbaum is still taking pictures to remind the country that 9/11 is not over for everyone. Jim Acosta, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COLLINS: The top general in Iraq going to Capitol Hill. Some insight on his report from our military analyst coming up in just a few minutes.

His car went off the road and landed upside down in a ravine. After a week, he was found alive.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He said, I got in a car accident. I said hold on, you're going to be OK, we're going to have an ambulance come. I ran up and I flagged my mom, Yes! Get them to come, get them to come!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COLLINS: He says he caught fish with his shoe to survive. His incredible story just minutes away.

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