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Explosions Near Ras Lanuf, Libya; Fighting Rages in Libyan City; Japan Wants New Nuclear Crews; Senator John McCain Gives President's Speech Mixed Review; Syria Dissolves its Government; The Heroes at Japan's Fukushima Nuclear Plant

Aired March 29, 2011 - 11:00   ET

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

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN ANCHOR: Live from Studio Seven, I'm Suzanne Malveaux.

I want to get you up to speed for this Tuesday, March 29th. I want to go directly to our Arwa Damon. She is in Ras Lanuf, Libya. That is where there are reports now about some changes of the status of rebels that are on the ground. They are fighting Gadhafi forces.

Arwa, what is the latest?

ARWA DAMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: All right, Suzanne. Well, for the last hour and a half, we've been hearing and seeing a fairly heavy artillery barrage. We've been hearing the explosions taking place just on the other side of Ras Lanuf. Opposition fighters telling us that they are trading artillery with Gadhafi's military.

This most certainly is a blow to the opposition that has been forced back from its positions in Ben Jawad, around 30 miles to the west of here. They say that in Ben Jawad they came under heavy sustained artillery, tank and rocket fire, as well as snipers inside that town firing on them.

They were unable to sustain that, stand up against it. We saw them beating a hasty panic and chaotic retreat from Ben Jawad coming all the way here to Ras Lanuf. That barrage of artillery following them most of the way. And now they are trying to keep their grip on this very, very critical area. They're chanting "down, down Gadhafi."

We do hear them trying to keep their morale up. But up until now, Suzanne, it had been fairly easy going for the opposition thanks to those air strikes and the majority of the areas that they cleared as they were moving west were supportive of the opposition. But since they began entering those tribal areas full of Gadhafi loyalists, we've seen an entirely different dynamic to this battlefield. The opposition in these areas is not just coming up against Gadhafi's military, Suzanne, it's coming up against residents who are armed as well.

MALVEAUX: Arwa, help us understand here. The rebels, you said, basically retreating now. Is that because they are becoming weaker or do we think that Gadhafi forces are now gaining strength?

DAMON: I'm sorry, Suzanne, you're going to have to repeat that one. MALVEAUX: Sure, Arwa. You said the rebels are retreating. Is that because they are getting weaker or is that because Gadhafi forces you're seeing on the ground are now getting stronger?

DAMON: Well, Suzanne, it's a bit of both. We have to realize that when they charged forward, literally following the path of those air strikes, they didn't really come across any sort of resistance until yesterday when they reached a small town that's around 60 miles to the west of Gadhafi's hometown of Sirte. And that's the first real battle that they have had to have since those air strikes took place.

They've come across residents in that small town who were armed, they say, by Gadhafi who were firing on them and forcing them to retreat from that area. And we've also seen Gadhafi's military, it would appear, regrouping and coming forward to strike at the opposition again. We also have to realize that the opposition does not have the equipment, the weapons or the training to be able to withstand this kind of a barrage.

And we're continuing to hear the sounds of the explosions. We're continuing to hear the sounds of automatic machine gunfire. But this is really the true challenge here. If the opposition has to come face to face with Gadhafi's military, his loyalists, how are they going to fight this out without a cohesive military strategy, without military basic concepts like command and control, discipline? We see them rushing forward through these areas. No strategy whatsoever, coming under a barrage of artillery and being forced to beat these hasty and chaotic retreats, Suzanne.

MALVEAUX: Chaotic scene there in Ras Lanuf. Thank you. Our Arwa Damon there on the ground with those rebel fighters. There is also fighting that is raging the town of Misrata. That is happening right now. A witness describing the scene now as carnage and says Libyan government tanks are shelling civilian areas of the city.

I want to bring in our senior international correspondent Nic Robertson. He is in Tripoli right now. Nic, what can you tell us about what is taking place where you are Misrata, and is it true that civilians are now targets? Nic, can you hear us? It's Suzanne. Can you hear us, Nic?

NIC ROBERTSON, SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Suzanne, I hear you just fine now. We're back in Tripoli, but yesterday when we were in Misrata, the Gadhafi tanks and heavy artillery seemed most to be hidden. We could see it hidden away under trees. The odd (ph) piece of artillery left out in open fields.

It was clear that a lot of his heavier weapons had been pulled back. They weren't -- they weren't firing into the city, at the rebel positions when we were there because they wanted to show us that they were in control. Indeed, they didn't want us to hear the fire fight that was erupting as we were ushered and swept out of the city by government officials before we could even get to the rebel positions and find out the status of the civilians that are in the center of Misrata. So to hear today that Gadhafi's forces have stepped up their military action, it's something that we can't confirm. But certainly, certainly, the forces that the Libyan army had array (ph) in and around the center of that city, the level of destruction that we saw there is testimony to the battles that have clearly already been fought and the strength that Gadhafi's forces still maintain there. They're trying to sort of force the rebels out or force them into submission at least, Suzanne.

MALVEAUX: And, Nic, we understand from a witness who says that the coalition troops, they're circling overhead, right? But they're not firing because they're concerned that they're going to shoot or kill civilians? Is that true from what you're seeing?

ROBERTSON: Again, difficult for us to say what's happening today, but we certainly know, listening to the U.S. forces commander almost a week ago talking about Misrata -- Carter Ham -- General Carter Hamm saying that the difficulty in Misrata was, number one, trying to figure out where opposition were, where government forces were, where civilians were because it's an open environment.

And then, as we saw yesterday, you can see the tanks being hidden under trees. You can see some have been hit by coalition's fire. Those are the ones that are standing out in the open. The government's hiding its artillery away. We saw soldiers and vehicles hiding in store fronts where they had gone into stores to hide their military equipment from the coalition aircraft overhead.

So, you can see how Gadhafi's forces are trying to avoid coalition strikes. And this will be one of the types of things that will make it hard for the coalition aircraft to strike. Of course, they could be flying reconnaissance, and they will be coming back perhaps later -- we don't know -- with other strikes having seen the positions of various pieces of artillery, et cetera.

MALVEAUX: OK. Our own Nic Robertson out of Tripoli. Appreciate it, Nic.

Well, there's some representatives from about 40 countries. They are meeting in London today. They are drawing up a blueprint for Libya after Gadhafi. Libyan opposition figure Mahmoud Jibril is there. He is not an official delegate, but he met with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on the sidelines of this conference.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HILLARY CLINTON, SECRETARY OF STATE: We know long term progress in Libya will not be accomplished through military means. All of us have to continue the pressure on and deepen the isolation of the Gadhafi regime. This includes a unified front of political and diplomatic pressure that makes clear to Gadhafi he must go.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: Japan is now looking for fresh workers to take over at the Fukushima nuclear plant. More than 400 technicians have been on duty for two and a half weeks now, and they have been exposed to some level of radiation, almost every minute now. Now, the government says it's not easy to find replacements who are nuclear experts and who are willing to face radiation dangers.

Workers are trying to figure out what to do with all the water that they've used to cool the nuclear reactors. Some of it is highly radioactive, and it's pooled in basements and work tunnels. Workers say that they've got the water bottled up for now to keep it from entering into the Pacific Ocean.

Japan's dead already number to almost 11,000. The final tally may be double. The vast numbers are forcing the Japanese to forego the Buddhist tradition of cremation and to bury the dead in mass graves.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

IKUO FUJIWARA (through translator): "I feel so sad about this," he says. "All of this is overwhelming."

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: Well, President Obama making his case for intervention in Libya. He says the United States has a responsibility to act, which brings us to today's "Talk Back" question. Our Carol Costello joining us with this. We watched this speech last night. A lot of people were paying very close attention because they are worried. They're worried about what does the administration believe? What is the Obama doctrine?

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: What is the Obama doctrine? And a lot of people have a lot of questions even after listening to that speech. President Obama's speech was about more than Libya and what we're doing there. It was about his doctrine, the Obama doctrine, you know, his military principle or set of strategies for taking the country to war.

You might remember the Bush doctrine. Oh, come on, you do. I know what some of you are thinking. Sarah Palin didn't. But I'm not going to go there. I will simply refresh your memory. The Bush doctrine said the U.S. "will not hesitate to act alone, if necessary, to exercise our right of self-defense by acting preemptively against terrorists." It was easy to understand because President Bush laid it out in black and white.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Every nation in every region now has a decision to make. Either you're with us or you are with the terrorists.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: But President Obama's doctrine is way more subtle.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Given the costs and risks of intervention, we must always measure our interests against the need for action. But that cannot be an argument for never acting on behalf of what's right.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: To spell it out for you, according to the Obama doctrine, the U.S. can intervene abroad when our safety is not directly threatened but our interests and values are, like preventing the massive slaughter of civilians in Libya.

Critics say, OK, but does that mean we intervene everywhere if the situation is against our moral principles if we have international support?

So, talk back today. Do you buy into the Obama doctrine? Send your comments to facebook.com/carolCNN, facebook.com/carolCNN, and I'll read your comments a little later on in the show.

MALVEAUX: He has a big challenge ahead of him. I mean, people are going to ask, what about Zimbabwe, what about Ivory Coast? Are we going to intervene in those countries where there's potential slaughter?

COSTELLO: Well, he would say, well, if the Arab League is on board, if the international community is on board, if we have if, if, if, but will there be some situation somewhere down the line where he'd find a reason for the United States to act alone just for humanitarian reasons?

MALVEAUX: Big question.

COSTELLO: Yes.

MALVEAUX: All right. Thank you, Carol.

COSTELLO: Sure.

MALVEAUX: Here's a look at what's ahead on the "Rundown." We're going to ask analyst David Gergen whether President Obama actually made his case on Libya.

Also, the haunting images of a woman who says she was raped by Gadhafi loyalists. Hear from a CNN journalist who was there when she told her story.

And what to do with radioactive water at Japan's nuclear plant.

Plus, a 9/11 firefighter helping now in the tsunami disaster zone.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, it's not an option. It's not like, well, should I go or shouldn't I go? It's like, I'm going. How am I going to do it? (END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: And finally, a state with high unemployment is cutting jobless benefits.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MALVEAUX: Another strong earthquake shook Japan today. An estimated 6.1, this time, magnitude. No tsunami warnings were issued, but it was near the damaged Fukushima nuclear power plant where government officials say the situation is very grave. Our CNN's Martin Savidge, he's in Tokyo.

Marty, if you can, we're hearing that all this contaminated water. Now, we've got the soil situation. Give us a sense of how bad this is.

MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, and then on top of that, you just mentioned the shaking we had. We felt it down here. And you had it up there at Fukushima picture (ph). It was just off the coast, but it was very near the area that triggered the original earthquake and the tsunami. But as you point out, nothing like that this time. But still, it adds to the level of anxiety, and that's the last thing they need any more of out there.

You're right, the problems that they're dealing with are huge, and they are varied. For instance, first of all, the water problem. It's this very delicate balance. You need the water. You need lots of water to pour on the reactors and pour on the fuel pools to keep them all cool and keep them stable which they've been able to do. But to do it, they've used a lot of water, surround and drown is essentially the description they've used. Which means there's a lot of water that's flowed in a lot of places it normally doesn't go. And it's ended up in basements of turbine buildings. It's ended up in the shafts of electrical cable tunnels. It's ended up in many of the places that the workers need to get at in order to re-hook up the electrical supplies and to begin the pumps that are on site which would go a long way to stabilize everything out there. They can't get in there because the radiation's way too high.

It's not quite to the level of lethality -- there's a word for you -- not quite lethal. But it is extremely hazardous for them to be exposed to that for any length of time. So, that's their problem and they can't drain it out because they haven't got any place to put it into.

Radiation is so high that they have to have special containers.

MALVEAUX: So, what do they plan on doing, Marty, with all that radioactive water?

So, what do they plan to do with all that radioactive water?

SAVIDGE: Right. And that's their challenge because, right now, they had two containers they thought they could put the water in. They opened up, they looked in, lo and behold, they were already full. So now, they'll have to bring in some other containers. They can't ship this offsite. They certainly can't put it in the ocean. So, they need to bring in other containers before they can start draining it off. And then, you know, I haven't even mentioned the plutonium.

MALVEAUX: Yes, And you mentioned that yesterday too because that's a very dangerous -- dangerous element and potentially, if it's exposed to people, could be a much bigger problem, yes?

SAVIDGE: Correct. Right. Two things here. One, plutonium, much more toxic. And the other thing is it has a much longer half-life. We're talking thousands of years. And here's the other concern. You know, when we first spoke about this yesterday, the concern was that well, maybe, this had come from nuclear testing back in the '70s and '80s. Now, they've determined, no, it's come from one of the reactors there at the site. And that would be an indication that they've had a much more severe rupture in some way of the containment vessel. So again, indications of very bad things. No definite eyes on.

MALVEAUX: All right. Marty Savidge keeping it all real for us there in Tokyo. Appreciate it.

Well, we have three stories, all covering issues that hit home for millions of Americans. Let us know which one most likely you would like to see on CNN NEWSROOM. You vote by texting us. Your first choice, how is the United States monitoring radiation from Japan? We have an up close look at the equipment used to keep an eye on it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're on a rooftop in Washington where the EPA has given us access to a RadNet fixed air monitor. There are 124 of these across the U.S. It's a high volume monitor. It measures three times the amount of air in one hour that we breathe in in one day.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: All right. Your second choice, illegal immigration law controversy. One state's proposed guest worker law draws death threats for its author and questions about whether or not it's even constitutional.

And third, almost one year after the big BP oil spill in the Gulf, the cleanup stops at one Alabama beach. Is the job really done? Vote by texting 22360. Vote one for monitoring U.S. radiation level, two for illegal immigration law controversy, or three, for beach oil cleanup stops. The winning story will air in the next hour.

President Obama explains why the U.S. intervened in Libya, but a CNN analyst says that he was vague on the question of how long. We're going to talk with David Gergen just ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MALVEAUX: President Obama says the U.S. will play a supporting role in the military operation in Libya once NATO takes full control. That happens tomorrow. In a televised speech to the nation yesterday, the president says that the U.S. cannot be the world's police force, but he says the country is compelled to act when the circumstances dictate. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OBAMA: It's true that America cannot use our military wherever repression occurs. And given the cost and risks of intervention, we must always measure our interests against the need for action. But that cannot be an argument for never acting on behalf of what's right.

Of course, there is no question that Libya and the world would be better off with Gadhafi out of power. I, along with many other world leaders, have embraced that goal and will actively pursue it through nonmilitary means. But broadening our military mission to include regime change would be a mistake.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: Republican Senator John McCain says that the president, he did a good job explaining why the U.S. intervened, but he says any end game that leaves Gadhafi still in power, unacceptable.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), ARIZONA: I think the president made a clear and convincing case for our military intervention. It's clear that Benghazi would have been the scene of a massacre. Gadhafi will leave or be forced out or we will force him to surrender.

But to say that we're not going to use military means to achieve a U.S. policy goal, in my view, is in contradiction with the facts on the ground where we are heavily engaged militarily from the air.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: Want to take a closer look at whether the president made his case on Libya. For some insight, some perspective, I want to bring in our senior political analyst former presidential adviser David Gergen.

David, you watched the speech. We watched this together. Did the president successfully describe -- clearly describe the U.S. mission in Libya?

DAVID GERGEN, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Suzanne, in my opinion, he not only successfully, but convincingly described why he went in. Based it on moral humanitarian grounds and presented all the facts in a very lawyerly fashion. And I think probably brought most people along. We'll have to wait and see.

We haven't seen the public reaction. We're inviting that now on CNN.com. Whether he spelled out his goals of where he's going to go from here and how he's going to get Gadhafi out of power, I think is much more open to question. My judgment, the past is clear. The future remains murky. MALVEAUX: What about the exit strategy? Was it -- some people are describing this as his mission accomplished moment? Did he explain to the American people how we're going to get out of this once this mission is accomplished?

GERGEN: No, and if anything, I think many Americans are probably worried that we're going to get more deeply embroiled. Let's say there's a stalemate. In that case, Gadhafi clings to power. I think the United States is going to bring much more diplomatic and economic force to bear. There's an important story today in the "Financial Times" that the country of Qatar, a Gulf country, has not only recognized the rebels as France has, as a legitimate government, but has also agreed to by its oil. And that could provide a lot of money to the rebels.

But there could be a stalemate and the United States would be deeply involved. Well, let's say Gadhafi actually gets overthrown, which is clearly what the president would like. Then, what kind of nation building is going to follow? We've been involved in Afghanistan and Iraq for a long time on nation building. It's a very, very arduous task. Who would do it? The United States has a lot of experience.

MALVEAUX: You bring up a good point here. Obviously, he said regime change by force would be a mistake when it comes to Gadhafi. Did he buy himself some more time for the American people and for Congress to say, OK, let's wait and see what happens on the ground. Perhaps Gadhafi will back down, perhaps will be taken out? That we just have to see.

GERGEN: That a very perceptive question, Suzanne. I think that's exactly what he did. When you're the commander in chief, as you so well know, the important thing is to make sure that you've got a sturdy -- sturdy supported public opinion.

The president went into this speech lacking that. It was very fragile support. It was indeed less than 50 percent. My bet is that he comes out with over 50 percent and a more solidified support for what he's done. That will buy him precious time. Not forever, not six months or eight months, but several weeks.

MALVEAUX: All right. David Gergen, appreciate your time. We're going to be looking at that poll on CNN.com, looking out for whether the president really did convince folks of a clear, consistent mission and a message in Libya.

Well, this is a story that we've all been talking about. It has captivated all of us. This is a woman, she bursts into a hotel full of journalists, screaming that she had been raped. What has happened to Eman al-Obeidy? I'm going to talk to CNN journalist who was there in Tripoli when she was taken away.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MALVEAUX: Here's what we have ahead on the rundown. The woman who dared cry rape in Libya. You're going to hear the entire back story from a CNN photojournalist who was there when she told her story. Plus, plant workers at Fukushima, hungry, exhausted, as you can imagine, and still fighting to prevent a nuclear meltdown.

Plus, from the World Trade Center to a disaster in Japan, an American firefighter still driven by the desire to help.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's not an option. It's not like, well, should I go or shouldn't I go? It's like I'm going and how am I going to do it?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: And millionaires in the crosshairs of the IRS this tax season.

Her bruised face has become an emblem of the suffering in Libya. This is a story that has captivated so many around the world.

(VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: Eman Al-Obeidy burst into a Tripoli hotel on Saturday screaming to anyone who would listen that she'd been raped and beaten by 15 of Moammar Gadhafi's troops. She was then whisked away into state custody. The Libyan government says she was released but her mother says they still have her and she is now being charged with slander by the men she calls her attackers.

My friend Khalil Abdallah, a CNN photographer on assignment in Libya was in the hotel when all this took place.

Khalil, thanks for joining us. You wrote an excellent piece this morning. This is a story that has captivated the world. We can't stop thinking about where this woman is, her fate, being hauled off by Libyan officials.

You were there. Can you tell us what happened?

KHALIL ABDALLAH, CNN NEWS: Well, Suzanne, she walked into the restaurant area in the hotel and the second she made it across the entrance to it, she started screaming. She started displaying her injuries, bruises on her body. She wanted everybody to pay attention to her and to listen to her.

At that moment, a group of journalists gathered around me because she was screaming in Arabic and we were all, like, in shock, trying to figure out what's going on. And I basically understood exactly what she said. She said that she has been attacked by members of the Gadhafi brigades. That's what she said.

And the second that clicked in a bunch of journalists heads, we tried to grab her to the side and talk to her and most of us photojournalists ran to our rooms to grab cameras and ran back down. During that process, she continued to describe exactly happened to her and she went into graphic details into the suffering that she's been through during that two days where she was raped.

We started filming. Government officials and government minders immediately tried to take her away. Journalists tried to protect her and hold her and listen to her story. They wanted to shoot cameras. They were pushing people, shoving people, and eventually it escalated to the point that they were actually beating some journalists. They -- one of the minders pointed directly at my camera and basically chased me down. Grabbed the viewfinder, broke it; grabbed the microphone, broke it. Then his nails went right into my arm and he was pulling at the camera from one side and I'm pulling from the other and that's when I noticed a guy behind him carrying a .9 millimeter gun right next to his hip.

MALVEAUX: Did you feel threatened --

ABDALLAH: I immediately just let go of the camera and took a couple steps back -- I felt absolutely threatened. And immediately after that, I could hear them, why is he doing this to us, why is he doing this to us? He's an Arab. And I'm like, at this point your citizenship does not mean anything. You've been labeled. You just got to take a few steps back and walk away from the situation. And that's exactly what I did.

MALVEAUX: Khalil, when they took her away -- that woman away, what was she saying? Did you fear the worst? They said that they'd bring her back but no one has seen her.

ABDALLAH: Suzanne, usually, they say they will bring people back. We haven't seen anybody come back. In the case of a taxi cab driver that we used, we randomly hailed a cab and we took him to an area called Tajurah (ph) and he was just willing to drive us there. We don't know his name. We don't know him from anybody.

We got to Tajurah. Nic (ph), me, Tommy Evans and the CNN team, we all got picked up by the secret police basically here and the taxi cab driver was hauled away to prison. They claimed that they released him. We haven't seen him. We've been trying to reach out to him, or to his family to at least pay him for his service to us and we just -- you know, that's another case that proves to us that you usually don't see these people again.

MALVEAUX: What is it like, Khalil, to be in that situation and to cover this? So many people watched and it's so painful to see that woman be dragged away like this. But you have described people who are your minors or officials who are supposed to protect you, pulling out knifes and turning on you.

Is that correct?

ABDALLAH: Yes, Suzanne. Even the restaurant staff, a member tried to put a bag on her head. Another member had a knife. The minders usually try to block our cameras, try to move us away, don't like us to wander around locations that they take us to. It's very frustrating, especially when a lot of those people hang around the hotel all day long. And a lot of times, you can't tell if he's a minder, if he's a government official, what is his duty here at the hotel. He's just a random person in civilian clothes walking around.

MALVEAUX: Khalil Abdallah, excellent reporting. You and Nic Robertson and the rest of the team. We really appreciate it and obviously --

ABDALLAH: Thank you.

MALVEAUX: -- we'll be following the story to see if there's any information that we can get about the woman who was taken away.

Thank you, Khalil.

Well, they've been on duty since the devastating earthquake hit Japan, trying to stop a catastrophe at this crippled nuclear plant. We're going to take a closer look at the unsung heroes of that disaster. That's up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MALVEAUX: Workers at Japan's crippled nuclear plant, they're doing all they can to keep highly radioactive water from leaking now into the Pacific Ocean. They're using sandbags, concrete panels to keep this water inside a trench. Well, the problem is where to put it all? The water has to be pumped out before power can be restored. So workers are also monitoring the soil now that higher levels of plutonium have been fund near the plant.

Well only a few hundred workers remain at the plant. They're trying to save the country from a nuclear meltdown. They're short of water, food, sleep.

CNN's Paula Hancocks, she's telling us they're also coping with their own personal losses.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In the eyes of the world, they are heroes. Risking their lives a few hundred workday and night to bring Fukushima's power plant back from the brink of disaster.

An official from Japan's nuclear watch dog has spent five days at the plant and tells CNN conditions are harsh. Food and water are rationed. Crackers for breakfast, a ready-made meal for dinner.

He says a few hundred people sleep in a building 500 meters away from the reactors. Many sleep on the floor in the conference room. Those who can't fit sleep in the corridor or in stairwells. He says workers put down lead mats on the carpet to shield them from radiation. It's not 100 percent protection, but it's somewhat effective.

Workers are still struggling to secure power for the plant, to bring the cooling systems back on line after the March 11th earthquake and tsunami. Nuclear safety official Kazuma Yokota (ph) say the rooms are cold and there's no water for showers. They use wet wipes to clean themselves. They can take a bus provide by plant owners TEPCO on their day off and go 20 kilometers away to have a shower and a rest at another facility.

The mental strain is unimaginable as workers deal with their own personal tragedies. One e-mail leaked to the media was sent to a worker at the plant to a worker in Tokyo. A TEPCO spokesperson has verified their authenticity.

The plant worker writes, "My parents were washed away by the tsunami and I still don't know where they are."

In another e-mail, they write, "Crying is useless. If we're in hell now, all we can do is crawl up towards heaven."

The Tokyo worker e-mails back, "Everyone here pays respect to and prays for those who are facing the brunt of this and fighting on the front lines surrounded by enemies."

The Fukushima worker says they are working to their limit, both mentally and physically. Three workers spent time in hospital last week after standing in contaminated water. They have since been released.

TEPCO and the government say they are trying to improve conditions for the Fukushima employees.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): The workers are working under very dangerous and very hard conditions and I feel a great deal of respect to them and very apologetic.

HANCOCKS (on camera): Plans are being drawn up to improve the supply chain to those at the Fukushima nuclear plant as they work tirelessly to avert a nuclear disaster, putting their own personal pain to one side.

Paula Hancocks, CNN, Tokyo.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MALVEAUX: We're following the developments in Japan, but also out of Libya. Our Nic Robertson, he is in Tripoli. That is where he is reporting now that he has just heard three loud explosions.

Nic, if you can hear me, can you set the scene for us? What is taking place on the ground there?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Suzanne, the third explosion is one of the loudest that we've heard here. They all three came within a minute of each other.

The three explosions came about 20 minutes after we heard coalition aircraft buzz the capital of Tripoli, flying here, for about a minute over the city, moving away and then coming back. We couldn't actually see them, but could hear them very clearly. And there are no other aircraft in the skies here, apart from coalition aircraft.

It appears they did some kind of sortie (ph) or reconnaissance mission over the city and then coming back 20 minutes later to drop those three loud bombs.

And this does seem to be a significant change here in Tripoli, because this is the first bombing here we've seen during daylight hours, a very strong message from Moammar Gadhafi, just as world leaders are meeting in London to discuss his future, which they see as very limited in leadership here, Suzanne.

MALVEAUX: So this has happened during the day, in broad daylight, and we believe that these are Gadhafi forces?

ROBERTSON: That are being targeted? It appears to be. We've heard coalition commanders say that they will continue to degrade Gadhafi's forces where they think they're being used to reinforce or command and communicate with the front line forces that we're hearing today are using heavy artillery against rebels in not only Misrata, but also in the town of Ben Jawad, in the east as well.

So this appears to be, as far as we know, striking at government forces here, Suzanne.

MALVEAUX: All right. Our Nic Robertson out of Tripoli, Libya, there, keeping a close eye on the latest news. Three explosions as the international community tries to stop Gadhafi forces, to put them down as this tension and this military action continues.

We'll have more after the break.

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MALVEAUX: After weeks of unrest, the Syrian government now is stepping down. That is according to state television. We're expecting what could be a historic speech from President Bashar al Assad in the coming days. Now, tens of thousands of protesters poured into the streets of Damascus today, a demonstration in favor of al Assad. All of this comes within days of brutal crackdowns at anti- government rallies in the south of Syria. At least 37 people, we understand were killed. That's according to the United Nations.

Here to make sense of what is taking place in Syria, Hala Gorani.

Hala, thank you for joining us.

You take a look at this and al Assad says he's dissolving the cabinet, resignation, all of this. How important, how significant is this?

HALA GORANI, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Well, politically, it's not very significant. The cabinet doesn't have the kind of power that the president in this autocratic state has. The power is concentrated in the hands, really, of the top level of the executive in the hands of Bashar al Assad.

Symbolically, however, it is significant because this is coming on the day before we're expecting Bashar al Assad to address his compatriots, his countrymen and women on television. This isn't something you normally see in Syria. You would see speeches given say to parliament, not directly addressed to the people. It's symbolically important, as well, because after several days of deadly clashes and confrontations and security forces firing into crowds and killing people as we've seen in all these YouTube videos that have come out of Syria, it means the government is offering sort of a compromise. It's saying we've heard you, even though it's blaming the unrest on outsiders. It's still saying we've heard you. So that's important, as well.

And you're seeing these pro-government demonstrations that are coming --

MALVEAUX: (INAUDIBLE) people?

GORANI: Well, it's -- you know, it could be employees of ministries, it can be people encouraged to go out and demonstrate.

MALVEAUX: People paid (INAUDIBLE)?

GORANI: I don't know about the payment, but clearly from might be some encouragement behind this. It might not be the most spontaneous demonstration ever seen in the Middle East.

But those demonstrations in the south, and in Latakia, the coastal Mediterranean town have died down over the two days because we've seen army troops deployed. And witnesses are telling us, CNN, that there's a little bit of fear there, that people are staying home.

MALVEAUX: And Hala, you talk about witnesses. You've spoken with people who are on the ground.

Why is it so difficult to have journalists actually covering what is taking place in Syria?

GORANI: Well, so far it's been difficult to get visas, quite frankly. And we are hoping that in the next few days, that we'll be allowed to go and report. But, it is difficult. It's something that we've requested and we hope that it will come through. We're still hopeful because there's nothing more important than for all sides involved than for the real story to come out.

MALVEAUX: All right. Hala Gorani. Thank you, Hala.

Today's Talk Back question. Do you buy into the Obama doctrine?

Jason says, "Last night's speech to me was the most sensible thing I've heard a president say about war in this country."

We'll have more of your responses straight ahead.

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MALVEAUX: President Obama defending the mission. He says intervening in Libya saved countless civilian lives and the U.S. has a responsibility to act.

Our Carol Costello, she's joining us with the Talk Back. And, Carol, you and I were talking about this. A lot of people weighing in on this, very strong opinions.

COSTELLO: Very strong opinions. President Obama last night offered up his reasons for military actions in Libya, the Obama doctrine, so to speak. He says the U.S. can intervene abroad for moral reasons when our safety is not directly threatened, but or interests and values are.

So today's Talk Back question: Do you buy into the Obama doctrine?

This from Tom. "In regard to Iraq, Bush was the bully. In regard to Libya, Obama is fighting the bully. One is a doctrine of bullying. One is not."

This from Mike. "I supported Obama and I am disappointed in his methods. I think that a professor can overanalyze a situation. This is in stark contrast to his predecessor. Sometimes we need decisiveness."

This from Kim. "I support all U.S. presidents until they give me a reason not to. I did not like Bush's action in Iraq, but I supported it based on the information I was given. I stopped supporting it when I found out we were lied to."

This from Jeff, "President Obama was elected into office vowing to fix America's domestic problems. Then the world exploded, literally. Being the leader of the free world is hell, ain't it? I totally buy into his doctrine. I am so glad I am not him."

Keep the conversation going. Facebook.com/carolCNN.

And I'll see you again in about 10 minutes or so.

MALVEAUX: All right. Carol, thank you.

COSTELLO: Sure.

MALVEAUX: Well, he was there for his country in the wake of the terror attack. Now a retired New York firefighter who responded on 9/11 is helping Japan deal with its disaster.

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The men working at the Fukushima plant certainly qualify as heroes, and so does the man that you're about to meet. A New York City firefighter, now retired.

Well, he responded when disaster hit on 9/11, and he knew that he had to help to jump in to help in Japan.

John Gilbert has his story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOHN GILBERT, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A New York firefighter doing what he's trained for. But this isn't the Big Apple. It's tsunami-stricken Japan.

And 9/11 veteran Tommy Clarke has flown here at his own expense to try and make a difference.

TOMMY CLARKE, FIREFIGHTER: Total carnage, that's what brings me here. Having been through 9/11 and Haiti, when I see it on TV, it's not an option. It's not like -- well, should I go or shouldn't I go? It's like, I'm going and how am I going to do it?

GILBERT: Tommy, who is retired on a disability pension, says he spent days struggling to be accepted here.

CLARKE: I had to beg, basically, to help. I slept at the bus station that night waiting for a cancellation the next morning and when I showed up at the Red Cross station, they couldn't believe that I had actually made it there.

GILBERT: But now, his search and rescue expertise honed in the rubble of the Twin Towers and the nightmare of Haiti is proving priceless in a disaster when more than 10,000 people are still missing.

CLARKE: It can be pretty terrifying because you don't know what you're going to find. Anything's a possibility. So it was nothing. This is my job here.

GILBERT (on camera): For some distance in the land, the tsunami left little more than match wood, but behind it in this eerie hinterland of half-destroyed homes, people are slowly struggling to reassemble their lives.

CLARKE: And it's house after house after house for miles, these poor people.

GILBERT (voice-over): There's no official figure for the number of unofficial volunteers here in Japan, but though their presence may be unorthodox, it's proving invaluable.

CLARKE: We didn't find any cadavers. We didn't find any live part- time. We were shooting for a miracle. We're not going to give up until the day we leave.

GILBERT: John Gilbert, CNN, Sendai, Northern Japan.

(END VIDEOTAPE)