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Politics of War; Olympic Torch Arrives in San Francisco; Patrolling in Baghdad: A Soldier's Eye View; Detecting Alzheimer's

Aired April 08, 2008 - 15:00   ET

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

DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: More politics, would-be presidents and protesters, of course, all on Capitol Hill right now for crucial hearings on the fight for Iraq.
BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN ANCHOR: The military clock is ticking. The political clock is ticking, and emotions are simmering.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Bring them home!

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm afraid we're going to have to ask you to leave.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Bring them home!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: The answers have not gotten easier over time, and time, well, has not abated the anger.

The next hour of the CNN NEWSROOM starts now.

Good afternoon, everyone. I'm Don Lemon.

KEILAR: And I'm Brianna Keilar, in for Kyra Phillips.

You're in the CNN NEWSROOM.

LEMON: And let's get right to it. Happening right now, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee is grilling the top U.S. commander in Iraq and the top U.S. diplomat. General David Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker just came off a similar session with the Armed Services Committee.

Let's go straight to our Pentagon correspondent, Barbara Starr, to break it all down for us.

They started, both of the senators, with some very, very tough, very, very tough guidance for both Crocker and for Petraeus.

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Indeed, Don.

You know, this has been going on since 9:30 this morning here in Washington when they sat down at the Senate Armed Services Committee, a combination of military strategy and presidential politics, of course, on the Armed Services Committee, Senator John McCain, the presumptive Republican nominee, and Senator Hillary Clinton, doing some of the tough questioning of both men.

Not a lot of surprises from General Petraeus. He said that the surge withdrawal will continue. When it ends in July, he will ask for a 45-day pause before taking a hard look at any additional troop withdrawals, especially with the ongoing fighting in Basra and Baghdad, the fighting with those Shia militias.

Here's a little bit more of what General Petraeus had to say earlier today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GENERAL DAVID PETRAEUS, COMMANDING GENERAL OF THE MULTI-NATIONAL FORCE-IRAQ: I have advocated conditions- based reductions, not a timetable. War is not a linear phenomenon; it's a calculus, not arithmetic. And that is why, again, I have recommended conditions- based reductions following the completion of the surge forces.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STARR: Conditioned-based reductions, what does that really mean for American troops? It means when commanders finally decide that the security conditions are improving sufficiently -- and that may be some time off -- more troops can come home from Iraq.

But that may not be cutting it with the Democratic side of the aisle. At Foreign Relations this afternoon, we will hear from Senator Obama, of course, questioning both men.

Here's what Senator Clinton had to say about the U.S. military strategy earlier today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON (D-NY), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Some of the statements and suggestions that have been made leading up to this hearing and even during it, that it is irresponsible or demonstrates a lack of leadership to advocate withdrawing troops from Iraq in a responsible and carefully planned withdrawal.

I fundamentally disagree.

Rather, I think it could be fair to say that it might well be irresponsible to continue the policy that has not produced the results that have been promised time and time again.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STARR: Now, Senator McCain, it should be pointed out, as the Republican, was very supportive of the administration's position. He took great pains to say that al Qaeda was still a threat in Iraq. And that has been one of the foundations of his support for the war.

But from the Democratic side of the aisle, a lot of conversation about, look, you said we couldn't leave Iraq when the violence was bad; we needed to stay there to support the Iraqis. Now that things have gotten somewhat better, you have to say we have to stay until there's even more progress.

So, a lot of questioning about where it all goes from here. And the questions will continue tomorrow, when General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker move over to the other side of Capitol Hill for a round of hearings with the House -- Don.

LEMON: So round two now, but day two tomorrow.

All right, thank you very much, Barbara.

STARR: Exactly.

KEILAR: This is a rarity these days, but all three major presidential candidates have been on Capitol Hill today for these hearings on Iraq. Senator Obama in that room right now for the Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing, and earlier, we heard from Republican Senator John McCain, the ranking Republican on the Armed Services Committee.

He, of course, supports the war.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R-AZ), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I do not want to keep our troops in Iraq a minute longer than necessary to secure our interests there.

Our goal -- my goal -- is an Iraq that no longer needs American troops, and I believe we can achieve that goal perhaps sooner than many imagine. But I also believe that the promise of withdrawal of our forces regardless of the consequences would constitute a failure of political and moral leadership.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: Democratic Senator Hillary Clinton also on the Senate Armed Services Committee, she opposes the war and President Bush's so- called troop surge.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CLINTON: I just want to respond to some of the statements and suggestions that have been made leading up to this hearing and even during it, that it is irresponsible or demonstrates a lack of leadership to advocate withdrawing troops from Iraq in a responsible and carefully planned withdrawal.

I fundamentally disagree.

Rather, I think it could be fair to say that it might well be irresponsible to continue the policy that has not produced the results that have been promised time and time again.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: Now, McCain and Clinton both voted to authorize the U.S.-led war in Iraq, and that leaves Senator Barack Obama. He is the last of the three presidential candidates we will be hearing from at today's Iraq war hearings.

He's a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, which is holding its hearings right now. We will have live coverage of Obama's comments when they happen.

And a reminder that you can continue to watch the testimony in that Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing. It is streaming live on our Web site. You can check it out at CNN.com/live.

LEMON: The Olympic flame arrived quietly in San Francisco this morning, but for days now, anti-China crowds have been protesting loudly against its visit. The torch relay runs through the city streets tomorrow, two days after a very chaotic Paris leg.

CNN's Dan Simon is live for us in San Francisco with the very latest.

And, Dan, I see some protesters behind you, and that may just be a precursor to tomorrow.

DAN SIMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: No question about it. They're expecting nearly 10,000 protesters into the city of San Francisco for this torch relay tomorrow. This is a very spirited rally right now, but otherwise peaceful.

These are all pro-Tibet people. You can see they have the flags. As you mentioned, Don, the Olympic flame arrived here into the city early this morning under the cover of darkness. No protesters at the airport. Quite frankly, it got here so early, about 3:00 in the morning. At this rally where we are, actor Richard Gere and Archbishop Desmond Tutu expected to show up here later for a candlelight vigil.

But the big concern, of course, is security, trying to prevent the kind of chaos that we saw in Europe over the past couple of days. We know that one person here, one torchbearer, has dropped out of the torch relay in fear of his or her own safety.

Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAVID PERRY, SPOKESMAN, SAN FRANCISCO TORCH RELAY: We have heard of one torchbearer who will not be carrying the torch. And out of respect for that person's privacy, I'm not going to mention that name. But I understand anyone that might feel that they don't want to expose themselves to something more than protests. So, we do know of one person so far.

(END VIDEO CLIP) SIMON: The protesters have been planning for this event for some time now. At the Golden Gate Bridge yesterday where you had three people scale the south tower, scaling the south cables and unleashed those banners, we know that they had been planning that for at least one year. That's why police are really concerned about what might happen, given the fact that you had what occurred in London and in Paris and the fact that, quite honestly, people have had so much time to prepare for what could eventually happen tomorrow.

But we know police are going to be out in full force. We know that the Carolinas ambassador met with the mayor yesterday. And the mayor says that he actually may change the route, may actually shorten it in the minutes actually leading up to the torch relay -- Don.

LEMON: All right. Dan Simon, we shall see. We shall see. Thank you very much for your reporting.

And make sure you stay with CNN for live reports all day tomorrow. As you heard Dan, it's going to be pretty interesting. It's going to be full coverage on the San Francisco torch relay. And, of course, we will be covering protests and other developments this afternoon and also tonight.

KEILAR: Right now, President Bush is presenting the nation's top military honor to the parents of Navy SEAL Michael A. Monsoor.

Let's listen in.

(JOINED IN PROGRESS)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: ... SEAL training.

Less than a third of those who begin this training become SEALs. But Mike would not be denied a spot. In September 2004, he earned the right to wear the Navy SEAL trident. The newly minted frogman became a beloved member of the SEAL team community. His teammates liked to laugh about the way a shiny Corvette would leave everybody in the dust. But, deep down, they always knew Mike would never leave anybody behind when it counted.

He earned their confidence with attention to detail and quiet work ethic. One of Mike's officers remembers an instructor once asking after an intense training session, "What's the deal with the Monsoor guy? He just says, 'Roger that' to everything."

When Mike deployed with his team to Ramadi in the spring of 2006, he brought that attitude with him. Because he served as both a heavy machine gunner and a communications operator, he often had a double load of equipment, sometimes more than 100 pounds' worth.

But under the glare of the hot desert sun, he never lost his cool. At the time, Ramadi was in the clutches of al Qaeda terrorists and insurgents. Together, the SEALs and the Army First Battalion of the 506 Infantry Regiment took the offense against the enemy. The SEALs carried out a broad range of special operations, including providing sniper cover in tough urban conditions and conducting raids against terrorists and insurgents.

Overall, Mike's platoon came under enemy attack during 75 percent of their missions. And in most of these engagements, Mike was out front, defending his brothers. In May 2006, Mike and another SEAL ran into the line of fire to save a wounded teammate.

With bullets flying all around them, Mike returned fire with one hand while helping pull the injured man to safety with the other. In a dream about the incident months later, the wounded SEAL envisioned Mike coming to the rescue with wings on his shoulders.

On St. Michael's Day, September 29, 2006, Michael Monsoor would make the ultimate sacrifice. Mike and two teammates had taken position on the outcropping of a rooftop when an insurgent grenade bounced off Mike's chest and landed on the roof. Mike had a clear chance to escape, but he realized that the other two SEALs did not. In that terrible moment, he had two options, to save himself or to save his friends.

For Mike, there was no choice at all. He threw himself onto the grenade and absorbed the blast with his body. One of the survivors puts it this way: "Mikey looked death in the face that day and said, you cannot take my brothers. I will go in your stead."

Perhaps the greatest tributes to Mike's life is the way different service members all across the world responded to his death. Army soldiers in Ramadi hosted a memorial service for the valiant man who had fought beside them. Iraqi army scouts whom Mike helped train lowered their flag and sent it to his parents.

Nearly every SEAL on the West Coast turned out for Mike's funeral in California. As the SEALs filed past the casket, they removed their golden tridents from their uniforms, pressed them on to the walls of the coffin. The procession went on nearly half-an-hour. And when it was all over, the simple wooden coffin had become a gold-plated memorial to a hero who will never be forgotten.

For his valor, Michael Monsoor becomes the Fourth Medal of Honor recipient in the war on terror. Like the three men who came before him, Mike left us far too early. But time will not diminish his legacy. We see his legacy in the SEALs whose lives he saved. We see his legacy in the city of Ramadi, which has gone from one of the most dangerous places in Iraq to one of the most safest.

We see his legacy in the family that stands before us filled with grief, but also with everlasting pride.

Mr. and Mrs. Monsoor, America owes you a debt that can never be repaid. This nation will always cherish the memory of your son. We will not let his life go in vain. This nation will always honor the sacrifice he made.

May God comfort you. May God bless America.

Come on up. And now George and Sally Monsoor will be here, and a military aide will read the citation. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The president of the United States, in the name of the Congress, takes pride in presenting the Medal of Honor posthumously to Master at Arms Second Class, sea air and land, Michael A. Monsoor, United States Navy, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as automatic weapons gunner for Naval Special Warfare Task Group Arabian Peninsula, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, on 29 September, 2006.

As a member of a combined SEAL and Iraqi army sniper overwatch element, tasked with providing early warning and standoff protection from a rooftop in an insurgent-held sector of Ar Ramadi, Iraq, Petty Officer Monsoor distinguished himself by his exceptional bravery in the face of grave danger.

In the early morning, insurgents prepared to execute a coordinated attack by reconnoitering the area around the element's position. Element snipers thwarted the sniper's initial attempt by eliminating two insurgents. The enemy continued to assault the elements, engaging them with a rocket-propelled grenade and small-arms fire.

As enemy activity increased, Petty Officer Monsoor took position with his machine gun between two teammates on an outcropping of the roof. While the SEALs vigilantly watched for enemy activity, an insurgent threw a hand grenade from an unseen location, which bounced off Petty Officer Monsoor's chest and landed in front of him.

Although only he could have escaped the blast, Petty Officer Monsoor chose instead to protect his teammates. Instantly, and without regard for his own safety, he threw himself onto the grenade to absorb the force of the explosion with his body, saving the lives of his two teammates.

By his undaunted courage, fighting spirit and unwavering devotion to duty in the face of certain death, Petty Officer Monsoor gave his life for his country, thereby reflecting great credit upon himself and upholding the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.

(APPLAUSE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(WEATHER UPDATE)

LEMON: All right, peer pressure, you thought it was something to worry about when you were a teenager? All right, just ask African- Americans who back Hillary Clinton about peer pressure.

And, also, Senator Barack Obama is the last of the three presidential candidates we will hear from today's Iraq war hearings. He's a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, which is holding its hearings right now. You're looking at live pictures. We will have coverage of Obama's comments as they happen.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) KEILAR: On our political ticker today, Hillary Clinton says the Mark Penn controversy will blow over. Clinton's chief strategist was forced to step down after news he's been helping Colombia promote a free trade deal that Clinton opposes. The Democratic presidential candidate tells CNN the flap won't hurt her campaign.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CLINTON: We took appropriate action in the campaign. Obviously, I am against the Colombia free trade deal. I have been against it. I have spoken out against it. I intend to vote against it.

And the important thing is, our campaign is really putting forth solutions about new trade policies and new ways of improving the economy. And that's what I'm going to stay focused on.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: Mark Penn will remain with the Clinton campaign as a consultant.

He's in the money. Republican John McCain's presidential campaign raised $15 million in March. That is his best month so far, but he's still behind the Democrats. Barack Obama raised $40 million last month. Hillary Clinton raised $20 million.

She says, you can count her out. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has been touted as a possible vice presidential candidate, but she says she's looking forward to going home to California next year, where she will be a professor at Stanford. Rice says John McCain is an outstanding leader, but she's not angling to be his vice presidential running mate.

LEMON: Well, as the presidential race is bringing a lot of people into the political process, it is also proving to be extremely draining for African-Americans who support Hillary Clinton over Barack Obama.

And CNN's Carol Costello joins us now with more on the pressures they are facing.

You know what? I can't even believe you got people to talk to you. We were talking about this during our conversations with black America on Friday. People get so emotional about this issue when it comes to Hillary and Barack.

(CROSSTALK)

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This is a very difficult thing to talk about, because it brings up all sorts of different racial sensitivities.

LEMON: Right.

COSTELLO: You know, there are many within the African-American community who feel Barack Obama's campaign has became a movement, the realization of Dr. King's dream. That's strong stuff. And it's making it difficult for African-Americans who support Hillary Clinton. They're in the closet, so to speak, afraid to express their support for Clinton too loudly. They told me they have been teased, they have been taunted, they have been made to feel a traitor to their race if they don't vote Obama.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TENE DAVIS, CLINTON SUPPORTER: It makes me very angry. And it makes me angry because, again, I don't think that race should be -- should play such a strong factor.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Tene is angry, all sorts of emotions playing through her mind.

Now, to illustrate how intense this pressure has become, the producer -- the famous producer Spike Lee is joining in. He called Bill Clinton "Massuh Clinton" in "New York" magazine. And he declared Obama's candidacy like a tide, and the people who get in the way are just going to get swept out into the ocean.

LEMON: OK. With comments like that, you can see why people are kind of afraid. You said they're -- quiet support; they're in the closet, so to speak, you said, about their support?

COSTELLO: People at work who work with mostly African-Americans who are for Obama, if you're an African-American for Hillary Clinton, you don't dare speak your political viewpoint, because you're going to get teased, you're going to get taunted. You're going to say, why are you going to vote for Hillary Clinton?

(CROSSTALK)

LEMON: It's true. And I got to know -- it's personal because I know people who support -- I'm African-American, obviously -- and I know people who support Clinton and Obama, and I found that. So, that's a good story that you captured there.

(CROSSTALK)

COSTELLO: Yes. I will have much more on "THE SITUATION ROOM" as well...

LEMON: Yes. I can't wait to see that.

COSTELLO: ... including a poem that's making its way into people's e-mail boxes. Some people say it's emotional blackmail. So, I will get into that more in "THE SITUATION ROOM."

LEMON: But you know what, Carol? I spoke to some radio hosts on Friday, and they say -- and some commentators -- if they point out any sort of criticism or misstep by Barack Obama...

COSTELLO: Yes. LEMON: Yes -- and it's warranted, they get death threats.

So, it's amazing. People are so emotional around this. Great story. I can't wait it to see it. And it's always good to have you here in Atlanta. Do you feel like you're back home again?

COSTELLO: I know. I'm back in my old neighborhood. It feels good.

(LAUGHTER)

LEMON: Carol Costello, thank you.

And, as Carol said, you can catch her reports in "THE SITUATION ROOM." Of course, it runs every weekday after the CNN NEWSROOM at 4:00 p.m. Eastern right here on CNN.

KEILAR: It is 3:28 in the East, and here are three of the stories that we're working on in the CNN NEWSROOM.

The fight over Iraq moves to Capitol Hill. General David Petraeus and U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker insist that the surge is working, but skeptical Democrats say it's time to start withdrawing troops.

Pro-Tibet protesters gear up as the Olympic torch arrives in San Francisco. A series of demonstrations are expected. They're aimed at China, the host of this year's Summer Games.

And authorities investigating alleged abuse at a Texas polygamist compound have made a second arrest; 41-year-old member Leroy Johnson Steed, a member of the sect, is accused of tampering with physical evidence.

And we will have more coverage from Capitol Hill, as Senator Obama and the rest of the Foreign Relations Committee get their opportunity to grill the top U.S. commander in Iraq and the U.S. ambassador to Iraq. Those gentlemen, of course, you see General Petraeus here, and they're playing to a very tough crowd today. We're going to be following that.

And if one saying holds true in Iraq, it's this: Expect the unexpected. No one knows that more -- no one knows that more than the soldiers of Bravo Company. We went on patrol with them, and we're going to take you along.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: All right. Live pictures now of Capitol Hill. And that's where two of the key players with the Iraq War on Capitol Hill today, General David Petraeus and Ryan Crocker. They are giving testimony to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee right now. Earlier, the Senate Armed Services Committee, they gave testimony there.

This is the first day of two rounds of testimony. And, of course, you're looking at live pictures there. We're monitoring it for you. And if news comes out of it, we'll bring it to you right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.

We also want to tell you Senator Barack Obama is going to question those two gentlemen in a little bit. And we'll bring it to you just as soon as that happens.

You can continue to watch this testimony in that Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing. It is streaming live on our Web site just go to CNN.com/live.

KEILAR: Now let's get a glimpse of the war from the people who live it and fight it every single day.

Our Michael Ware takes us into the streets of Baghdad with Bravo Company. And if there's one thing these soldiers have learned it's this -- expect the unexpected.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: ...a direct fight. And if they do, they're going to lose.

MICHAEL WARE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): They were told to expect the worst -- ordered into a Baghdad stronghold of the Mahdi Army, the militia loyal to Muqtada al-Sadr. Bravo Company of the first 502nd Air Assault Regiment went ready to battle. But what they found surprised them all -- a quiet neighborhood, where units before them waged torrid battles.

Bravo Company patrols in simple eight man teams, roaming out from a small outpost nestled within the neighborhood of Shula.

CAPT. JEREMY USSERY, U.S. ARMY: And our new counter-insurgency manual feeds right into getting out and being dispersed amongst the, you know, the key terrain, which, in this case, is the people.

WARE: A fresh military approach coupled with American political accommodation from Muqtada and his militia, following the cleric's cease-fire declaration. Flowing from that accommodation, these paratroopers partner with Iraqi Army units drawn from the Shula neighborhood itself -- the Iraqi recruits most likely drawn from the Mahdi militia.

USSERY: I'm willing to work with anybody that's got a nationalistic approach. You know, where their loyalties lie, we always have to keep that in the back of our heads and not be foolish about it. But at the same time, we have to have a somewhat optimistic and realistic approach toward training these guys.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hold on, Mike.

WARE: An optimism that doesn't blind the captain to the threat he says he faces -- Iranian-backed special groups, well trained, well armed guerilla teams modeled on the Shia militia in Lebanon, Hezbollah.

And on the eve of the war's fifth anniversary, that threat's made real. Humvees rolling out of Captain Ussery's post after a rocket- propelled grenade attack on U.S. soldiers nearby. They return with a wounded soldier, rushed onto a MediVac chopper -- the outpost's second evacuation in 12 hours.

The previous night one of the Captain Ussery's own men was hurt on a patrol targeting rebel gunmen.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're coming out.

WARE: The young paratrooper stretchered by his comrades. He'd been thrown from the top of an armored vehicle by an electrical wire strung across the street. But those scenes are increasingly rare for Bravo Company -- their days spent foot patrolling more than fighting or endlessly readying weapons and keeping vigil or carving a new post out of empty warehouses.

Their lives are basic -- makeshift showers, side mirrors for shaving and food trucked in and eaten in a spot in chow hall. With violence still present, days after this patrol, a car bomb in the neighborhood killed five civilians.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Just about every day you find an IED or an EFP or something and nobody ever knows anything.

WARE: Nothing here is ever easy. And when the surge ends, its legacy will fall upon units like Bravo Company and their war will continue.

FIRST SERGEANT RICK SKIDIS, U.S. ARMY: It's just another day, man. And we'll go out and do our best and try to get everybody home.

WARE: Michael Ware, CNN, Baghdad.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KEILAR: More from Iraq in just a moment.

But there's another story that we're working on. It has to do with the Olympic Torch relay being the focus of huge anti-China protests. Debate over Beijing playing host to the Summer Games -- well, it is mounting.

Yesterday, Senator Hillary Clinton called on President Bush to boycott the opening ceremonies over China's human rights record. And while President Bush has always insisted that he is going to the Games, could it be, perhaps, today a sign that he could be changing his mind?

Let's head to the White House and White House correspondent Ed Henry for details on that.

What's up -- Ed?

ED HENRY, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Brianna, there's been a lot of confusion about exactly whether -- you know, what President Bush is doing with the Olympics. A lot of news organizations have assumed he's attending the opening ceremonies because he's broadly said he would go to the Olympics.

But today, when I asked Dana Perino specifically at the daily White House briefing whether or not he's attending the opening ceremonies, she said basically we don't have the schedule yet and hedged on that. That is leaving the door open for the very first time to the possibility of the president skipping the opening ceremonies in China, but still attending the Games.

As you mentioned, the president under heavy pressure from Democrats to skip the opening ceremony, which is largely, you know, a ceremony that would show a lot of respect for the Chinese government -- to skip that as a protest of the way China has handled Tibet and other human rights issues. This would be significant, of course, because it would have enormous international implications if the U.S. had any kind of partial boycott of the Olympics at all.

Perino, when pressed by another reporter about whether they're skipping the -- are planning to skip the opening of the Games, whether they're considering that, she once again hedged.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DANA PERINO, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: The president's position on this has been very clear. But the key part of what the president can do as the president of the United States is before, during and after the Olympics push very hard for increased human rights, press freedoms and political freedom in China.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HENRY: And she said basically the president can always make a change. That's what's significant -- leaving the door open that he could change his schedule any which way he wants. This is significant coming from the White House. And there is some precedent for this, because one of the president's closest allies in Europe, Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, has suggested she will skip the opening ceremonies, but could still maybe attend some of the Games, would still support the athletes from Germany. The president himself has, here in the United States, talked about supporting the U.S. athletes -- Brianna.

KEILAR: But, still, President Bush -- I mean this is a tricky situation for him, right, Ed?

HENRY: A very delicate diplomatic dance. As you know, China one of the most complex relationships with the United States, massive trade issues, national security issues with the North Korea, the six party talks. So anything the White House might do to anger China could be a real, real international problem. That's why they're walking a very fine line here -- Brianna.

KEILAR: Yes, a delicate dance for sure.

Ed Henry at the White House. Thanks.

HENRY: Thank you. LEMON: Arguments and assertions -- almost too many to count -- after more than five years of war. You're hearing plenty of them in today's hearings on Capitol Hill.

What's true? What's not? What are the facts?

We'll break it down for you.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: OK, accusations, arguments assertions -- you're hearing them all in today's Iraq hearings. And our Tom Foreman joins us now from Washington.

Tom, we're hearing a lot of assertions here, a lot of things being said. How do we know what's true and what's not? Can you break it down for us?

TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Boy, that's a difficult thing. Most of it is generally true, I have to say. They both generally stuck to the facts on both sides of this debate. It's a question of how you interpret those facts.

If you look into -- listen to the main themes that came out today from Ambassador Ryan Crocker and General David Petraeus, they are this way. They say there's been real progress, the highlights being that the violence remains greatly diminished in Iraq now, a lot fewer troops dying, a lot fewer civilians dying. Iraqis are fully in charge of half of the provinces there right now. They consider that real progress.

They say there are agreements for local power sharing between the central government and the many municipalities and, effectively, the provinces or counties around there, if you want to call them that. And that they are sharing -- they're planning for elections next year and that the Iraqi economy is growing, they say remarkably. Ambassador Crocker says so much so, that really the age of the United States spending a lot of money to build Iraq is over with.

Well, there are some people in Congress who obviously very strongly disagree with that. They say the billions of dollars being sent there, even if they're earmarked for different things, are really all about building Iraq. So they feel that that's an overstatement.

But they all also agree that there are big challenges, including that progress has been uneven, slow and it remains very fragile. They also point out that there's still profound concern about the influence of Iran in the area and that there is no clear end in sight.

That's why Indiana Democratic Senator Evan Bayh and General Petraeus had a meeting of minds of sort at one point in one of the questions today.

Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) SEN. EVAN BAYH (D), INDIANA: Isn't it true that a fair amount of humility is in order in rendering judgments about the way forward in Iraq, that no one can speak with great confidence about what is likely to occur?

Is that a fair observation?

PETRAEUS: It is very fair, Senator. And that's why I have repeatedly noted that we haven't turned any corners, we haven't seen any lights at the end of the tunnel, the champagne bottle has been pushed to the back of the refrigerator and the progress, while real, is fragile and it's reversible.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FOREMAN: And that's really what it comes down to here. There are people on both sides who really do feel like they've those facts that you're talking about, but they're interpreting them differently. Both sides are saying, yes, there is progress. One side says that's enough to keep going because there can be victory in the end. And the other side says yes, there's progress, but it is not enough. Better to cut loose now and say that we're getting out of there.

LEMON: And, Tom, you know how we listen -- we have the televisions on here all the time and we're paying attention. But the first time I looked up is when Petraeus said it was fragile and reversible. I think that's the first time that I've heard anyone admit to that.

FOREMAN: Well, I think they've admitted to it, perhaps not in such stark words sometimes. They've said all along that the reason they want to continue being there is because they don't believe that if you walk away from it today that it will just hold up. The simple truth is nobody really knows what would happen over there if we walked away today.

LEMON: Yes.

FOREMAN: It might turn into civil war, it might become a disaster or things might work out in some way that we don't anticipate. This war has certainly, from the beginning, had surprises in it. And I'm sure we're not done with them yet.

LEMON: Well put.

Thanks for sorting it all out for us. Tom Foreman, thank you.

And be sure to join CNN on Thursday morning, when President Bush addresses the nation on Iraq and on plans to reduce military tours of duty.

KEILAR: Also, we want to get now to Ed Lavandera. Some new developments coming out of Eldorado, Texas, where that polygamist ranch investigation is going on. Ed is nearby in San Angelo, Texas, where many women and children have been taken from that ranch.

What's going on, Ed?

ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Brianna.

Well, here officials in San Angelo have released new documents in this case, specifically affidavit information that will be used in building the case for a judge here in San Angelo to remove all 401 children that have been taken off of this compound and taken into state custody here. And, of course, these documents go into much greater detail into two parts, really, that we need to cover here as quickly as possible.

Initially, that initial call that was brought by a 16-year-old girl, a teenager on the compound who is at the heart of this investigation, if you might -- if you've been following this case closely, you know that they are still trying to identify this girl.

According to these court documents, this teenage girl had tried calling a local family violence shelter several times on Monday of last week and those were the calls.

In those phone calls, she described to the shelter that -- how she had been spiritually married to an adult male inside the compound when she was 15-years-old. Then she goes on to describe to them several situations where she was beaten and abused and how this adult male had forced himself upon her sexually; also, goes on to describe how this person also broke her ribs on several occasions and was taken to a local hospital by him for treatment.

She thought that she could be able to get away by getting -- by faking a medical problem and hopefully getting to a hospital to try to get away. A lot of these details are in these affidavits that have just been released here in San Angelo.

But the bigger picture here, as you've been following this case and we've been following it, there are 401 children that have been put in the temporary custody of the State of Texas. And there are a lot of questions here about just what kind of evidence has been found inside that compound that would lead authorities to take on this staggering investigation and removing so many children.

In these documents, they lay out what they say their investigators found is a pattern where 13- and 14-year-old girls who are found to be -- by the adult members of this church to be found of "child-bearing age" -- that because of that, the adult members of this church then forced themselves upon these girls sexually, trying to have children with them. So -- and based on that process and that repeated evidence that they say they saw on this compound, they say that that is what led them to remove all 401 children from inside this compound -- Brianna.

KEILAR: All right.

Ed Lavandera in San Angelo, Texas.

We'll have more ahead on this story from Ed, as well, in "THE SITUATION ROOM" in the next hour. LEMON: Are those who suffer from depression more likely to develop Alzheimer's? Well, we'll tell you the results of a new study.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: Not recognizing loved ones, forgetting important anniversaries? Well, these are often signs someone may be developing Alzheimer's.

Our chief medical correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, tells us of another possible link.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Most people think the Alzheimer's Disease comes first and then that it's followed by depression. Someone starts to lose their memory, that makes them depressed.

What researchers here are saying is that, in fact, it might be just the opposite -- that depression could be a risk factor, a warning, even, for Alzheimer's.

Take a look at the this study here. Very interesting. What they found is that you are two-and-a-half times more likely to develop Alzheimer's if you had depression earlier in life. And if you dig a little bit deeper into the study, you find that if you developed depression before the age of 60, the numbers went up even more -- about four times as likely.

No one really knows why this is, what the relationship is. But take a look at this animation here. We know that clumps and tangles are sort of one of the genesis for Alzheimer's and you develop these in your brain. The idea is that depression, because of the stress of depression, you also have a lot of cortisol, a stress hormone, being released and that might somehow affect some of those memory connections, as well.

Regardless, there are lots of similarities between Alzheimer's and depression. Some of the symptoms include social withdrawal, memory problems, sleep changes, impaired concentration.

As things stand now, there is no reliable way to detect Alzheimer's. But I will tell you, there's a blood test that's on the horizon. The jury is still out on it so far. But it's called Neuropro and it comes from an Oklahoma-based company. The idea is you could take some blood and try and find some markers for Alzheimer's.

It's still awhile away and we'll certainly keep up on it and report to you any details as they come forward. Back to you for now.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KEILAR: Caught on camera then, caught on the Web -- a guy takes money meant to help sick children.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: What do you say we check out some of the more unusual video coming into the CNN NEWSROOM, all of it caught on camera?

A charity jar thief stealing money meant for the Shriners Children's Hospital. Nice guy, huh?

KEILAR: Yes.

LEMON: The shop's owner posted the security video on YouTube, where someone recognized the crook and they called police. The 21- year-old suspect turned himself in.

KEILAR: I can't believe stories like that, you know?

LEMON: I know.

KEILAR: Check this one out. Dallas police showing off their herding skills -- yes, in a slow speed chase with the goat. The little guy was strolling around near a Whole Foods store. Good taste, I guess -- and, also, a Chinese restaurant. Very good taste. Cops took him into custody without incident.

LEMON: He was not hurt.

KEILAR: No. Yes, that's right.

LEMON: All right. All right, a police officer in Southern Maine was, well, less lucky, trying to trying and failing to bust up a turkey fight. The vicious danceoff -- all of it caught on his dashboard cam. Pretty interesting. I don't know why. It's interesting video, but I feel like -- remember the anchorman with the squirrel jet skiing on his...

KEILAR: It's hilarious, but pretty interesting.

Moving on now, the closing bell -- it's about to ring on Wall Street.

LEMON: Susan Lisovicz, can you top that?

SUSAN LISOVICZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. Yes.

LEMON: Two turkeys...

LISOVICZ: Yes, I can.

LEMON: It sounds like you walk into a bar and two turkeys dancing. It's like the setup to a really bad joke.

LISOVICZ: Well, how about 10,000 camels competing for the title of maybe Miss Arabia?

(LAUGHTER)

LISOVICZ: You know, hey, camels are a famous export out of the Middle East. We often talk about oil -- well, there they are. Yes. Yes. I don't know how they judge them, but they are competing for the prize of best looking camel. And we are told by the United Arab Emirates News Agency that a crown prince of the UAE in Dubai paid nearly $3 million for one female camel.

LEMON: Yes.

LISOVICZ: There you go.

LEMON: And tomorrow's it's Hump Day.

LISOVICZ: Yes, there you go.

(LAUGHTER)

LISOVICZ: There you go.

(STOCK MARKET REPORT)

LEMON: OK.

KEILAR: Thanks, Susan.

LEMON: Thank you, Susan.

Now it's time to turn it over to "THE SITUATION ROOM" and Mr. Wolf Blitzer.

Hello, Wolf.

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